EcoCirculation Wave 3 assessment: a conveyable air conditioner and heater that’s higher in each approach

I’ve been testing the EcoCirculation Wave 3, a follow-up to the all-in-one battery-powered air conditioner, heater, and fan I reviewed final summer season. EcoCirculation has dialed again its absurd advertising with a extra highly effective unit that may be recharged by means of a number of strategies, together with the solar. Only now it could routinely (attempt to) keep a set temperature vary and act as a devoted dehumidifier, too.

I used to be grateful to have EcoCirculation’s Wave 2 with me final summer season whereas vanlifing round Portugal and Spain. That much less highly effective A/C helped to offset daytime temps hitting 37 levels Celsius (98.6 diploma Fahrenheit) and made 25C (77F) nights snug sufficient to sleep. But it solely labored in small areas and underneath simply the fitting circumstances.

The third-generation transportable warmth pump from EcoCirculation can’t carry out miracles. We’re nonetheless solely speaking 6100BTU (1800W) of cooling and 6800BTU (2000W) of heating. And placement is proscribed by cumbersome consumption and exhaust hoses, and the area wanted for a receptacle to gather any drained water.

But when you personal a van, surf shack, work shed, roof-top tent, boat, or one other small area requiring occasional temperature management, then the Wave 3 may very well be for you. Prices are discounted for a restricted time to $849, or $1,399 with the battery bundle, earlier than they rise considerably within the days forward.

While the Wave 2 was restricted to areas smaller than 10 sq. meters (107 sq. ft), the Wave 3 is designed to work in areas as much as 17 sq. meters (180 sq. ft). To check the declare, I used the Wave 3 as a heater inside a 14.8 sq. meter (161 sq. ft) tiny house concerning the dimension of a transport container, and as an A/C inside a 9 sq. meter (97 sq. ft) Class-B Sprinter van. The Wave 3 has built-in Wi-Fi (and Bluetooth), so I might join it to my Starlink Mini and handle operation remotely over the superb EcoCirculation app.

As a heater in a one-room tiny house, the Wave 3 might solely simply address the area, however was a marked enchancment over the Wave 2. With temperatures starting from 8C (46F) to 10C (50F) outdoors, the Wave 3 at most warmth might keep temperatures inside at round 14C (57F) to 17 C (63F). I received 13 hours of runtime off the non-obligatory 1024Wh LFP battery utilizing a mixture of Eco and Sleep modes beginning within the night and operating by means of the evening. The warmth was weak, nevertheless it was the distinction between needing one down-filled cover as a substitute of two.

In Sleep mode — the bottom setting — the Wave 3 is comparatively quiet at round 45dB when measured from a distance of 1 meter. The sound turns into exhausting at Eco or above, reaching 60dB in Max mode, making it a lot louder than the 53dB I measured from the Wave 2. It additionally makes a gradual 36dB buzzing sound when charging earlier than falling silent after the battery is full.

After reviewing its predecessor, I already had a good suggestion of how nicely the extra highly effective Wave 3 would cool my van in the course of the day (blended) and at evening (good). It carried out as I anticipated, however I nonetheless hoped for extra.

Like the Wave 2, the brand new EcoCirculation Wave 3 is helpless to chill the inside of my van when parked in direct daylight, even with insulated solar reflectors put in within the home windows. There’s an excessive amount of warmth produced by all that cup and metal to maintain it from seeping into the inside, even in Northern Europe in April.

On one sunny afternoon when the surface temperature by no means exceeded 18C (64F), I shut all of the doorways and home windows, put the reflectors in place, and cranked the Wave 3 as much as most cooling. Instead of reducing the inside temperature, it rose from 24C (75F) to 28C (82F) over a interval of 90 minutes earlier than I referred to as it quits. To preserve my van cool in these conditions, I’d must completely set up a high-capacity (and dearer) rooftop A/C on my van. Fine, I anticipated this consequence, and EcoCirculation is clearer concerning the limitation this time.

I strongly advise pet house owners to not depend on the Wave 3’s new Pet Mode. While it’d add a couple of minutes of consolation to your animal, the Wave 3 cannot preserve them secure in a sunny parking zone.

As anticipated, the Wave 3 did a lot better after I parked within the shade. On a barely hotter 19C (66F) afternoon, the Wave 3 introduced the interior temps right down to 16C (61F) — the unit’s lowest setting — and maintained it. So, just like the Wave 2, I anticipate the Wave 3 would preserve me snug in my van at evening even when outdoors temps have been 25C (77F) or perhaps a little increased.

When operating off the battery in Max cooling, the Wave 3 died after virtually three hours of operation. The 8-hour runtime EcoCirculation claims is just for the much less highly effective Eco mode.

I didn’t stress-test the dehumidifier. I imply, it really works, and it may be helpful to stop mould from rising in an RV when parked in storage in the course of the low season, for instance. That might help maximize your worth for cash by making the Wave 3 helpful year-round.

The EcoCirculation Wave’s dual-use heating and cooling portability and BTUs per sq. inch have at all times set it aside from opponents. The third-generation Wave 3 takes a profitable method and improves on it, with out the unrealistic advertising hype that created confusion and disappointment from patrons of the Wave 1 and Wave 2.

But EcoCirculation’s Wave 3 warmth pump stays a distinct segment product for anybody who want to often warmth or cool small areas in temperate climates, particularly in the event that they’re situated off the grid.

Pricing for the Wave 3 is a multitude on account of EcoCirculation’s insistence on utilizing limited-time coupons to goose buying. At the time of publication, you should purchase the Wave 3 with out the battery for $849 ($799 with coupon), however then you definately miss out on the photo voltaic charging and portability. Most could be higher off with the Wave 3 plus battery combo, at the moment discounted to $1,399, earlier than growing to its full record worth of $2,198 after May twenty fifth. And whereas EcoCirculation usually provides steep reductions on its Chinese-manufactured merchandise all year long, these may very well be Trumped by tariffs transferring ahead.

Photos by Thomas Ricker / The Verge