Ecoflow Wave 2 – air conditioning on the go

Air conditioning on the go

If you want cool air in your tent—and you’re willing to pay for the privilege—the Ecoflow Wave 2 can provide wireless air conditioning.

07/24/23 – 09:15

We’ve seen many options for cooling on the go, including battery-powered ones. These included portable ventilation fans and cooling fans with water containers. But none like the Ecoflow Wave 2, which is a true portable air conditioner. With the possibility of battery operation.

Chinese company Ecoflow specializes in home appliances that offer the same comforts we are used to at home. But in portable (or at least portable) versions. We’ve previously tested the Ecoflow River 2 Pro Portable Power Supply, and they also have a battery-powered refrigerator and ice machine in the program. Hence the mobile air conditioning system.

It’s like a vacuum cleaner

The Ecoflow Wave 2 is a gray and silver rectangular device that looks a lot like an industrial vacuum cleaner for a bachelor’s apartment. Three different grilles are used for intake, heat dissipation and treated air exhaust respectively.

Wave 2 can be used as a natural vent, heat pump and air conditioning unit. But if it works as an air conditioner, it is necessary to connect a hose to the heat exhaust. Otherwise, you will not get any cooling effect, as the hot air is sucked back into the device.

Ecoflow Wave 2 is primarily designed for mobile use. That is, in small rooms. (Photo: Ecoflow) Fortunately, it comes with flexible hoses and adapters for all networks. For indoor use, warm air can be blown out of the window and cool air may also be brought in from outside. On the other hand, should the Ecoflow Wave 2 be used in a tent (yes, that He is Possible!), it is suggested to put the unit outside the tent and drive the cooled air through a hose.

Everything is included in the package

Setup is hassle-free, consisting of fitting the flexible hose and finding the Ecoflow Wave 2 in the app. The app supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which is handy when the portable air conditioner is just being built to provide cooling in places where the home network doesn’t reach. The unit can also be operated on the top panel, where you can adjust the fan speed and choose between ventilation, heating, and air conditioning. The unit can also act as a dehumidifier, but then you have to connect a condensate water drain hose.

The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is expressed in Watts or BTU units. Wave 2 has a cooling effect of 1,500 watts or 5,100 BTUs. In comparison, the Electrolux Comfort 600 has a cooling effect of 4,000 watts or 14,000 BTUs.

Only for small rooms

Ecoflow Wave 2 is primarily designed for mobile use. That is, in small rooms. In a tent or small room, it quickly cools the air to a comfortable temperature. But it does not have the effect of cooling a larger living room. However, it can be useful in a home office if it is placed near the seating area.

Ecoflow Wave 2 is relatively quiet. The sound level is set to a maximum of 56 dB. It’s by no means silent, but it’s still 8dB lower than the Electrolux. However, the numbers can’t be directly compared, because the Ecoflow fan noise is at a higher frequency, and therefore more annoying.

Overall, the Ecoflow Wave 2 is an interesting product, solving a problem we didn’t think existed. In particular, the battery expands the possibilities of use. According to Ecoflow, the battery lasts “up to eight hours of playback.” However, it’s not overly cooling, with 1,159 watt-hours corresponding to nearly two hours of playback.

In the material from Ecoflow, we see happy people enjoying the cool air with the battery running in the car, at the campsite, and even on the deck of the boat. Let’s say air conditioning is only possible in a closed room, where the cool air mass can be separated from the warm surroundings.

No matter how tempting images people in the marketing department might conjure up, the Ecoflow Wave 2 is more towable than portable. It is about the size of a large suitcase and weighs 15kg – without battery. So forget the idea of ​​chilly air in the tent at base camp. In a caravan or motorhome, it’s completely different.

Conclusion

The idea of ​​air-conditioning a campground or festival tent is strange, but tempting. And a product like the Ecoflow Wave 2 actually makes that possible. It’s compact enough to stash in the trunk of a car, and its battery-powered capability can deliver cool air in entirely new places. As long as you can bear to drag her there. On the downside, the cooling capacity and especially the number of prices. The Ecoflow Wave 2 cools less than half as much as the Electrolux Comfort 600. In turn, it costs twice as much—or three times as much if a battery is included. So unless you have an urgent need to cool your tent or caravan, there are much cheaper alternatives.