Dash camera setups for parking mode surveillance? And will the Ecoflow River 2 work as a battery pack?

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Tom-z4u7t

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I apologize if I've posted this in the wrong thread. I can post it to a different one if need be.

I need something to watch my car in the parking lot while I'm at work. I've dealt with vandalism before, and I don't want it to happen again once I get a new car. Doesn't have to be 24/7 since I have a camera to watch my car when I'm home. I'm usually at work for 9-10 hours, but once I'm home I'll try to turn off my dash camera. I want a 3 channel camera to keep all sides covered, but I'm not sure if it's feasible with the parking mode.

This is the battery pack that I want.
https://us.ecoflow.com/products/riv...rrvJigwsrEAeLhtPTaHZSyPwlHuMgjwkaAj_eEALw_wcB


I was thinking of getting the Ecoflow River 2, but there seems to be instances where it's battery life is below it's 256Wh capacity. The Ecoflow River 2 Max 500 might break the bank, but I feel safer with it's purported 499Wh. I've heard that the Ecoflow River 2 cannot go over 40 C. Is this the same as the Ecoflow River 2 Max 500? I live in Michigan and we're dealing with a heat wave at the moment. But at least it's very rare to go over 40C around here. But I'm scared since each summer only gets hotter.

For the dash camera, I'm thinking of the vantrue N4S:
https://www.vantrue.com/products/n4s

It's relatively affordable, offers 3 channel, and uses a Starvis sensor. I'm still not sure how long the parking mode lasts, and I will have to research that.

Will this work with the Ecoflow River 2 Max 500? I'm hoping for an option that won't leave me constantly recharging the battery pack. I also want to ask about the recharging process. I know that typically you're supposed to drive the car to recharge it, but I usually don't drive that far. Is it possible for me to charge the Ecoflow with an AC outlet while my dash camera is powered off?

I'm not tech savvy, so any advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Not sure if my particular set up will help you but it should give you an idea to compare.

Here's my setup:

River 3 Plus w/ EB600 battery = 858Wh.
River 3 Plus was ~$200 at Costco last year.
EB600 was ~$200 at Costco Next (Black Friday last year).

Viofo A329TC for main, telephoto, cabin. Installed Sept 2025.
Viofo A119M Pro for rear windshield. Installed three days ago.

With the A329TC, I have the cabin camera turned off during parking mode. Have not tested scientifically like some of the veterans here but according to the Ecoflow app, parking mode (LBR) uses 6 watts for the 2 channels. And estimated time until full discharge for LBR parking mode with two channels is four days when at 100% battery. On average, I'm in the car about an hour per day (5 days) so it charges with the car charger. If I don't use the car on the weekends, I occasionally have to charge the Ecoflow from the house. I use a long extension cord to the car so I don't have to remove the Ecoflow. Charging is quick at 600w. Cameras are still on & in parking mode while charging from the house.

During this past winter, the Ecoflow did turn off a few times but that was when the temps were at 0° F or below. As for the heat, there were temps past 85° F last year & it was working fine. This week we'll be about 100° so we'll see.

As for the A119M Pro, I am waiting on a hardwire kit (HK6) to setup parking mode. It should add ~3 watts usage for the parking mode according to the posts in this forum.

I may go this route sometime in the future but it's a bit more complicated:

halomstr

Thread 'End Stage Battery Setup (1200 watt hours, 20 minute quick charge)'

So I thought I'd in brief share my hardwire setup:
-Orion TR smart 12-12-30
-6 Awg pure copper wire
-Everything 100 amp fused with midi fuses
-Everything hammer crimped with copper lugs
-LiTime 100Ah self-heating lifepo4 smart battery
-Custom 3d printed terminal protector / orion holder / fan support

The Orion has a common ground so you can use the acc power on signal to the camera without a relay.

The battery is automatically self heating so it maintains temperature in cold weather and charges instantly.

With the added cooling, the Orion consistently puts out 35 amps / 460 ish watts...
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Hi, @Tom-z4u7t
Using a portable power station, specifically the Ecoflow, as a parking battery is, in my opinion, the best cost-effective option with superior functionality, соmpare to any dedicated battery on the market.
I've used the River 3 for over a year in hot and cold weather without any issues.
I can't comment too much on your use case (I'm on vacation abroad with limited internet access),
However, I would recommend the River 3 or 3 Plus over the River 2.
We have a couple of threads on this topic with connection diagrams and videos:
mentadent

Thread 'ECOFLOW and Viofo'

If I was to get an ECOFLOW River 2, would it work with my Viofo and hard wiring? I currently have a PowerCore but I'm looking for something that would last longer.
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GPak

Thread 'Parking Battery-Power Station, 3X capacity and 3X cheaper than dedicated options + extra functionality'

First, thanks to the members of this forum for posting great reviews and comments to help people like me choose the DashCam that suits their specific needs.

Now, I want to share my project here and maybe help people, who do not want to mess with a car battery and fuse box but are hesitant to spend a lot of money on a dedicated overpriced battery with limited functionality.

To start, here is my bench test.

Bluetti EB3A Power Station on the right, simulates 12V car socket, which I turn ON/OFF to simulate car ignition.

Necespow 161Wh Power Station for parking is on the left.
Note that it...
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