When you think of gas generators, EcoFlow is probably not the first name that comes to mind. Especially given that the brand launched their first portable power station with the promise that it would kill the gas generator.
Despite the fact the brand has had a pretty open commitment to renewable energy right from the beginning, EcoFlow has since realized that even the most advanced solar setups need a backup plan for when the sun isn’t shining.
Enter the EcoFlow Smart Generator 4000, a revamped version of their original smart gas generator. This thing was designed to pair with EcoFlow power stations, including units like the DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 3 Plus, and Delta 2, to provide an automated backup for when solar panels alone aren’t cutting it.
Not only does the design mean you’d have reliable backup power, it is also meant to conserve fuel, only burning gasoline or propane when it’s absolutely necessary, and only until it has charged your power station’s battery to a pre-set percentage.
Sounds great, but is this "smart" gas generator really a game changer, or is it just another expensive gadget that falls short, a little bit like its younger brother did? Let’s dive into our experiences with this unit to find out.
As mentioned above, this is not EcoFlow’s first crack at designing a “smart” gas generator. While the original seemed like a great concept, it didn’t exactly perform as well as we had hoped it would.
We feel pretty qualified to say the original left a lot to be desired, as we have plenty of experience testing it out. In fact, the original unit that we tested here at The Solar Lab has since had over 300 hours of real-world use at Josh’s tiny home. Let’s just say Josh isn’t always satisfied with how the original Smart Gas Generator works with the EcoFlow DELTA Pros he uses to supply power to his tiny homes.
With that said, when we heard EcoFlow was coming out with an updated version of the original model, we were pretty excited to see how they improved the design. Unlike traditional gas generators, but similar to the original EcoFlow Smart Generator, the Smart Generator 4000 was designed to integrate seamlessly with EcoFlow power stations.
On paper, this connection eliminates the need for inefficient DC-to-AC conversions, making it up to 40% more efficient than standard gas generators when charging EcoFlow power stations. Additionally, it’s supposed to offer full automation, allowing you to program your EcoFlow power station to send a signal to the Smart Generator 4000 to turn on and off when your power station is at specific battery levels. This feature provides hands-free operation, a significant selling point for those relying on off-grid setups, especially in areas where the sunshine isn’t quite as reliable as other climates.
While this all sounds great, it’s not all sunshine and roses when you test this thing out in the real-world. However, before we discuss its shortcomings, as well as the things we actually really liked about it, let’s look at the Smart Generator 4000’s specs and features.
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Again, this all sounds great, but how does it actually perform in the real world? After all, the original smart generator sounded like a really useful product on paper, but it didn’t really live up to expectations when we tested it out.
To find out how the Smart Generator 4000 actually performs, we ran it through some pretty serious testing.
While we tried our best to simulate real-world use, there were a few key areas we really wanted to check, so we ran tests to measure how the unit would perform in specific situations. This was partially because we wanted to see if the Smart Generator 4000 could correct the shortfalls of its predecessor. Here’s what we found:
Given that one of the main reasons why anyone would invest in this unit is its ability to fill the gaps a solar-based setup could face during situations where the amount of sunshine is reduced, like the winter months, we wanted to test the Smart Generator 4000 under extreme cold conditions.
As we have done during numerous other reviews, we shoved this thing in our deep freezer for a full day, and after freezing the unit for 24 hours, we found the performance varied depending on the type of fuel we were using:
The unit and its automation feature actually worked really well with most of the EcoFlow products we had on hand at The Solar Lab, including the DELTA Pro 3, the budget-friendly DELTA 3 Plus, the DELTA 2, and the original EcoFlow DELTA Pro.
With that said, it failed to pair with the DELTA Pro Ultra, despite the fact that EcoFlow claims it should. We even called EcoFlow and asked if we were missing an adaptor, and they told us it should work with the one we had—it didn’t. This incompatibility could frustrate buyers expecting seamless integration with their DELTA Pro Ultra, even though it worked perfectly with other EcoFlow power stations.
The Smart Generator 4000 is loud, like really loud. While the Eco-Mode slightly reduces the noise, the unit vibrates excessively, especially in the first 10 minutes after it starts running. Not only is it loud, it shakes and wobbles around, which we think could be due to its squishy rubber feet being unable to keep it steady.
As mentioned, both of these issues are particularly noticeable when you first fire it up. The thing just dances around and vibrates pretty violently, but that might not be that big of an issue for those planning to use it outside in a loud environment, but even compared to standard gas generators, it runs rough and really loud.
Again, you can really help to reduce the impact of this issue if you are running it on propane and have Eco-Mode activated, but don’t expect this thing to be whisper quiet—it won’t be.
Now that we’ve ran you through some of the results of our testing, let’s take a look at all the things we liked and disliked about this unit, starting with the pros.
Improved Cleanliness: Compared to the original smart generator, the Smart Generator 4000 emits far less exhaust, making it much cleaner to use, and probably more environmentally friendly. This probably has a lot to do with the improved fuel efficiency when compared to the original, so it’s a welcome trait all around.
Rapid Fuel Switching: The ability to seamlessly transition between gas and propane really adds versatility and makes the unit far more user-friendly.
Speaking of fuel, this thing really works well on propane. While we understand why they would market it primarily as a smart version of a gasoline generator, its overall performance on propane is just so much better. If you pick one up, we think you should seriously consider pairing it with a few propane tanks.
Hands-Free Automation: For all of the power stations that are compatible with it, the automated start and stop functionality works really well, especially in moderate temperatures. The smart app also allows you to control settings, like when the generator should turn on and off, as well as monitor fuel levels, output power, and more. Overall, the app is just really useful and practical.
Basically, it earns the title “Smart” generator, and that’s great to see, as the original could be a little awkward to use.
Cold Weather Performance: Starting on gas in cold climates remains a huge pain. Whether you’re attempting to pull start it or you’re using the push start or smart app, it’s just awkward, time consuming, and really frustrating. While running propane can correct this issue, we’d be much more satisfied if it started just as well in the cold as it does in moderate temperatures.
The Noise and Stability Issues: The excessive noise and vibrations really just diminish the overall user experience. If you’re planning to use this thing outside of your home, you’re going to hear it, which can be a real issue if it switches on at night.
Again, running it on propane can help, but we’d just like it if EcoFlow found a way to make this thing quieter and more stable. Even just improving the stabilizing feet could probably cut down on the vibrations, which would also help with the noise.
Compatibility Issues with the DELTA Ultra: The inability to pair with the Delta Pro Ultra without an adapter, which doesn’t exist yet, is a bit disappointing, especially given that the Ultra was designed for whole-home use, so there would obviously be plenty of scenarios where people would want a gas-based backup for their system.
Dual Usage Struggles: While technically capable of powering devices through its front outlets while charging an EcoFlow power station, the generator struggles with prioritization and often shuts down these output ports. It’s not a huge issue, but definitely worth mentioning.
The Short Cable: The cable that connects the unit to power stations is only 16 feet in length. If you want to have your Smart Generator 4000 outside, while your power station remains indoors, having a cable that is less than 20 feet could be really awkward. It’s not the type of cable you can just cut and extend either, so you’re basically just forced to keep the two units a maximum distance of 16 feet apart. Given our own garage is about 22 feet from the back wall to the front garage door, we found this really limiting.
Like its predecessor, the EcoFlow Smart Generator 4000 attempts to bridge the gap between traditional gas generators and solar power stations, offering features like hands-free automation, direct integration with EcoFlow power stations, and dual-fuel capabilities. When it works, it’s a convenient and efficient backup for solar setups.
However, its cold weather performance, fairly noisy operation, and awkwardly short cable prevent it from being a perfect solution. At $1,799, it’s also a pretty steep investment, especially when standard gas generators are available at a fraction of the cost. For those on a really tight budget, it might not be the best solution.
With that said, if you’re already deeply invested in the EcoFlow “EcoSystem” and live in a climate where solar might not always be the most reliable source of power, this unique generator could definitely be worth consideration. It can also be a really useful option for those who live in areas that are prone to lengthy, weather-related outages, like regions that experience hurricanes, tropical storms, and major snow storms.
Overall, we’d say it is a noticeable improvement over the original, but there are still a few things we would like to see EcoFlow do to improve anything that comes after it, but it’s still a useful unit that could be perfect for certain users.
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