Connect appliances to the station
Choose what has to keep running during a blackout — we will work out how long the station lasts and whether it can carry the load. Choose appliances — we will work out how long the station lasts.
An estimate: 85% of the station capacity (inverter efficiency) divided by the total power of the appliances; charge is shown after a 4-hour blackout. Real figures depend on how the appliances are used.
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus is a small 286 Wh station that weighs 4.7 kg and fits on a wardrobe shelf. It delivers 600 W through three outlets, switches to UPS mode in under 10 ms and, unlike the basic RIVER 3, lets you attach an extra battery underneath later. If you want to buy an EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus as a reserve for a router, laptop or workstation and grow the capacity only when needed, this model is exactly about that.
During scheduled outages in an apartment the station keeps internet and communication running, and when the mains appears it charges fully from a socket in about an hour. It is just as easy to take in a car or for a weekend out of town.
Why RIVER 3 Plus
Expansion to 858 Wh without cables
On the underside of the RIVER 3 Plus case there is a connector hidden for one expansion battery. The Extra Battery EB300 adds 286 Wh, the Extra Battery EB600 572 Wh, so together you get 572 or 858 Wh. The battery goes under the station and connects through spring pogo pin contacts with latches, without wires or screws. The battery has its own 140 W USB-C port, so it can be detached and taken separately as a large power bank.
A reserve for a computer: under 10 ms and a USB-B port
A router or PC is powered from the RIVER 3 Plus outlets while the station itself is connected to the mains. When the mains disappears, the battery takes over the load in under 10 ms, and the computer does not reboot. Through the USB-B port and the EcoFlow PowerManager program a computer or NAS receives charge data and can save work and shut down by itself. The USB-B to USB-A cable for this is already in the box.
Two outlets at the back for permanently placed equipment
Of the three Schuko outlets, one is at the front and two on the rear panel. A router, monitor or NAS can be connected at the back with the wires hidden, and the front outlet stays free for what you switch on briefly.
Full charge in an hour
From a household socket the RIVER 3 Plus charges from zero to 100% in about 60 minutes, just as fast from a petrol generator. From a 220 W solar panel it takes about 1.5 hours, from a car cigarette lighter about 3.3 hours.
Quiet and long lifespan
Thanks to gallium nitride (X-GaN) power electronics the station heats less and runs quieter than 30 dB at half a metre, so it can be left by the bed. The lifespan is 3000 full cycles, after which 80% of the capacity remains, that is about ten years of daily use. IP54 protection guards the battery from splashes.
What equipment the RIVER 3 Plus will run
EcoFlow gives its own lab estimates for the RIVER 3 Plus, and they show the scale of this station well. The real time depends on the specific device, the temperature and how much is switched on at once.
| Device | Power | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| Travel router | 10 W | 20.4 h |
| Drone (charging) | 40 W | 5.8 h |
| Car fridge | 60 W | 3.9 h |
| Game console | 100 W | 2.2 h |
| Fridge | 120 W | 1.9 h |
| Desktop PC | 600 W | 20 min |
For a 3 W home router EcoFlow states up to 35 hours: at small loads the station works more economically thanks to X-GaN. If an ONU terminal is added to the router and together they take 15–20 W, allow 12–16 hours; a single 50–60 W laptop will drain the station in about 4 hours.
The inverter is rated for 600 W, and X-Boost mode lets you start heating appliances and motor-driven equipment up to 1200 W: an electric kettle, hair dryer, a small coffee maker. X-Boost lowers the voltage, so such appliances work more slowly, and it is not suitable for sensitive electronics. And remember: a 1200 W kettle uses about 200 Wh in 10 minutes, that is most of the charge.
The station can run a fridge, but not for long: under two hours. For a fridge all night it is better to look at once at the version with an extra battery or a class-higher station.
How it works
The power brick is built in, so the supplied cable is enough for charging from the mains. A generator connects the same way as an ordinary socket. On the rear panel under the cover there is an XT60i input for the sun and a cigarette lighter: 11–55 V, up to 220 W. The solar cable and car cable are not included.
The extra battery connects to a switched-off station: remove the connector cover, place the station on top until it clicks, and a battery icon will appear on the display. After that both units switch on with one button, and when charging the part with less charge fills first. With a battery installed the mains input rises, per the manual, to 650 W.
The station connects to the EcoFlow app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It shows the charge and consumption, and lets you change the charging speed, set a charge and discharge schedule and limit charge levels. For a fridge you should disable the automatic outlet shut-off in the settings so that the station does not switch off AC during a compressor pause.
How to set up a UPS for a computer
The basic mode needs no setup: it is enough that the RIVER 3 Plus is connected to the mains and the router or PC to it. While the mains is on, devices receive current directly from it (bypass mode) and the battery just waits. X-Boost does not work in this mode, so the total load on the outlets must stay within 600 W.
For the computer to know about an outage, download the EcoFlow PowerManager program from EcoFlow’s official downloads page for your system or NAS, install it and connect the station’s USB-B port to the computer’s USB-A port with the supplied cable. The program then shows the charge and lets you set at what level the equipment should save data and shut down.
Sun in summer and winter
The figure of 1.5 hours to a full charge applies to a clear day, direct sun and a 220 W panel at the right angle. In summer the real output of such a panel is usually below its rating, so count on 2–3 hours. In winter the sun is low, the day is short and the panel gives several times less: over a daylight day the station may gain only part of a charge. So in December a panel is a supplement to the socket, not a replacement.
At the front there is a light strip with three modes, from dim to flickering; it replaces a night light or lantern during an outage.
RIVER 3 Plus next to RIVER 3 and the sets
| RIVER 3 Plus | RIVER 3 | RIVER 3 Max Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 286 Wh | 245 Wh | 858 Wh |
| 230 V outlets | 3 (600 W) | 1 (300 W) | 3 (600 W) |
| UPS | up to 10 ms | up to 20 ms | up to 10 ms |
| Expansion | yes | no | already with EB600 |
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 is lighter and simpler: 300 W, one 230 V outlet, no expansion. It is enough for phones, a laptop and a router, but for a PC, monitor and fridge the Plus gives twice the power.
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max is the same RIVER 3 Plus together with an EB300 battery, 572 Wh. The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Max Plus combines the Plus with an EB600 and gives the maximum 858 Wh. Both sets are convenient if you need a large reserve right away, and a standalone RIVER 3 Plus if you want to start small and buy a battery later.
When you need power for kitchen appliances or a capacity from 1 kWh in one case, the next class is the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic.
Who the RIVER 3 Plus suits and who it does not
It suits you if:
- you need a quiet UPS for a router, PC, monitor or NAS;
- you often move the station between an apartment, a car and a country house;
- the budget is limited but you want the option to increase capacity later;
- you will have to charge in short windows when mains power is available for an hour or two.
It is worth choosing another option if:
- you need to power a fridge or boiler all night — 286 Wh is too little for that;
- your equipment constantly consumes more than 600 W;
- you need two or three panels of hundreds of watts — the input is limited to 220 W.
FAQ
How is the RIVER 3 Plus different from the RIVER 3?
In power, outlets and expansion. The Plus has 600 W instead of 300 W, three 230 V outlets instead of one, UPS up to 10 ms instead of 20 ms and a connector for an extra battery. The capacity is slightly larger: 286 versus 245 Wh.
How many batteries can be connected?
Only one. It is the EB300 of 286 Wh or the EB600 of 572 Wh, so the maximum for the RIVER 3 Plus is 858 Wh.
Can the battery be connected while the station is running?
No. According to EcoFlow’s manual both the station and the battery must be switched off before connecting or removing the battery.
Is the station suitable for a gas boiler?
Only for a short time. A boiler with an 80–120 W pump will run from the RIVER 3 Plus for roughly 2–3 hours. For heating overnight consider the set with an EB600 or a DELTA series station.
What is needed for solar charging?
A panel with a voltage up to 55 V and a cable with an XT60i connector. The input accepts up to 220 W, so a 160–220 W panel is enough to use it fully on a clear day.
What is in the box?
Besides the station itself, the box contains a mains cable and a cable for connecting to a PC or NAS (USB-B on one side, USB-A on the other), as well as documents. The solar and car cables have to be bought separately.
Does X-Boost work when the station is plugged into the mains?
No. While the RIVER 3 Plus powers equipment from the mains in bypass mode, X-Boost is unavailable and the load is limited to 600 W. It switches on when the station runs from the battery.
Can the station be charged in frost?
No. The station tolerates cold only in operation: it can deliver energy already at -10 °C but accept it only above zero, from 0 °C. In winter on an unglazed balcony it is better to keep the station in a warm room.
Summary
The RIVER 3 Plus is a compact 286 Wh reserve with 600 W power, quiet operation and a fast UPS that can be turned into a system of up to 858 Wh with one battery. To buy an EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus, press the cart button at the top of the page. Wondering whether to take the set with a battery right away? Write what you plan to power through the contacts page and we will help you calculate.
