This looks like a great idea for RV power

[jondrew55]

Anyone interested in my Kickstarter? I already have Matt Damon signed up

[Scatterbrain]

Originally Posted by pasdad1

I haven't invested any money....I just want good discussion centered around facts and an open mind. Too often people dismiss anything they don't know as "snake oil" and that doesn't help anybody. The web site already has stated there will be no fees. And anyway, the RV lifestyle is not just for seeing how cheaply you can live in a tent. I see it as a way to get the equivalent power storage of 4 six volt AGM batteries in a 40 lb package that needs no maintenance and is completely portable. The RV needs the 12 volt batteries, this won't replace that - it's a way to power things like a residential fridge for up to 2 days on battery power alone, and not have to run the generator as much. If you have a large solar system, it can also recharge from the solar bank as well.

As far as your "tent" comment. . . . I'd say you're way off the mark with that here. There are a lot of high end coach owners on here who are doing anything but trying to RV as cheaply as possible. If someones rig has a residential refrigerator it's unlikely that it's a small or inexpensive RV. If they don't have a residential unit then they can run their refrigerator off of propane. My rig has a pretty massive propane tank and I can run my fridge for a very long time before needing to top it off.

The issue with the device you've shared here isn't budget, it's practicality. Most people with a decent sized rig likely have a battery bank that can run the rig overnight, so long as you don't need A/C (something the Orison can't handle either). You can run the generator during the day or use solar. You can get a nice solar kit for the price of this tower, or buy extra battery capacity. The towers main claim to fame is it's ability to short the circuit and then power the circuit afterwards, but that's not something you need in an RV. The tower is also large and free standing, something that won't do in an RV where space is at a premium. I'd rather tuck some extra batteries in my basement than occupy valuable floor space inside my coach.

On my rig boondocking isn't limited by battery capacity, propane capacity, or fuel for the generator. With me, my wife and our two girls boondocking time is limited by the size of our holding tanks, as they will fill up long before I run out of diesel or propane.

[pasdad1]

I would say there is lots of practicality. There are many new owners of entry level DP for example that have a residential fridge and only 2 small batteries as it came from the factory asking the question "how long can I run the fridge on the inverter while boondocking?" Adding batteries and solar is a huge undertaking. Ordering the Orison off of Amazon, and plugging it into a circuit with the fridge is game over and done ! Now they have added 2.2Kwh of battery storage, AND a backup inverter without ANY installation, muss or fuss!

They can now run the fridge two DAYS without running down the house batteries OR running the generator! When they trade Motorhomes, simply unplug the Orison and take it with them to the next Motorhome. It's not simply what it does.......it's how EASY it does it!

It also comes in a nearly flat panel which could be tucked in a closet, under a bed, etc.

The comment about price and tents was referring to comments by others worried about any "fees" the Internet cloud service may charge....it's just not even worth worrying about a fee of such small change....and it's also NOT about device "pay back" either. What item on a Motorhome has EVER paid back its purchase price in cost savings ? LOL.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by pasdad1

I haven't invested any money....I just want good discussion centered around facts and an open mind. Too often people dismiss anything they don't know as "snake oil" and that doesn't help anybody.

I think the issue MOST people are having (including myself) are that there ARE no FACTS! Nice colors on the webpage, lots of great claims with ABSOLUTELY NO FACTUAL BACKUP OR PROOF!

Like others have said, I'll wait until someone else buys into it, it works out, I can see and touch a model and see that it has been rated by Consumer Reports, or like organizations, and THEN I'll buy it!

IMHO anyone who is defending this "product" that would have a legitimate need for "device" and who hasn't already spent the money, in the back of their mind really doesn't believe the claims, hence posting it on the forum instead of buying into it!


I've got this car . . . . that runs on WATER!?! . . . . .

[BFlinn181]

As many have said, this is all just advertising fluff at this point. In addition, the use for which pasdad1 is suggesting doesn't require all the proposed 'functions' the device promises.

In an RV he wants an energy storage device to power his residential fridge. No need to recharge when utility rates are low, isolate the circuit it's plugged into, connect to the internet, etc. The unit would recharge when a charging source is connected, whether solar, generator, shore power, or main engine alternator. Sounds like a dense, compact, storage battery with inverter/charger. Since an RV with a residential fridge already probably has an inverter/charger, why duplicate that? Now the issue becomes finding an under 40 pound storage battery with 2.2 kWh of storage capacity that will take repeated discharge/charge cycles for 10 years. Good luck in your search. It might be in the future, but I've not seen anything with those specifications yet. Maybe you should ask Orison to offer a model with the storage capacity without all the other features not needed in an RV.

[TQ60]

Side note...
With the very high population of rv folks it seems there MAY be a good market for something like this specific to rv use that could be installed in place of an inverter...

There are folks that see needs and fill them usually making good money doing so.

When that specific product hits the market then on any then will it be interesting.