Just Got a New Generator

[Sneakers]

Anker Solix F3800


I've been looking at whole house battery backup systems for a while, and decided on this one. Pretty impressive for it's size.
120/240VAC outputs, 6000watts continuous, surge to 8000. Standard L14-30 plug so it just plugs into the generator port outside.
3.8KiloWatthour battery, expandable to over 26Kwh.
2400watts solar input
Recharge from 120VAC plug @1800w is about 2 hours.
120VAC UPS ports, 20ms cutover.

This will run everything in the house (not all at once...) but not for long. Turning off the high usage devices will extend the life dramatically. I can run the furnace, pellet stove, hybrid hot water heater, lights.... basically normal living. As I see fit, I'll add to the battery stack.

With the addition of a Smart Home device, it is a full time backup with a 30ms cutover when the grid goes down. A second F3800 can be added for a total of 12,000 watts continuous and 52.8Kwh.

I could have built a system with lots of solar, an All-in-One solar charger/inverter, etc..... like ItsBob and BadGirl did, but that's WAY more than I want to spend to go totally independent. I just wanted a backup with enough power to carry me thru an outage without having to drag the generator out, hook it up.....

Naysayers and those with non-constructive negative comments, keep them to yourselves. This is what I choose to do, if you don't agree, eh.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Anker Solix F3800
View attachment 177846

I've been looking at whole house battery backup systems for a while, and decided on this one. Pretty impressive for it's size.
120/240VAC outputs, 6000watts continuous, surge to 8000. Standard L14-30 plug so it just plugs into the generator port outside.
3.8KiloWatthour battery, expandable to over 26Kwh.
2400watts solar input
Recharge from 120VAC plug @1800w is about 2 hours.
120VAC UPS ports, 20ms cutover.

This will run everything in the house (not all at once...) but not for long. Turning off the high usage devices will extend the life dramatically. I can run the furnace, pellet stove, hybrid hot water heater, lights.... basically normal living. As I see fit, I'll add to the battery stack.

With the addition of a Smart Home device, it is a full time backup with a 30ms cutover when the grid goes down. A second F3800 can be added for a total of 12,000 watts continuous and 52.8Kwh.

I could have built a system with lots of solar, an All-in-One solar charger/inverter, etc..... like ItsBob and BadGirl did, but that's WAY more than I want to spend to go totally independent. I just wanted a backup with enough power to carry me thru an outage without having to drag the generator out, hook it up.....

Naysayers and those with non-constructive negative comments, keep them to yourselves. This is what I choose to do, if you don't agree, eh.

Can I have your old one?


j/k - I have a 3500w and a 5500w (if memory serves me). Mommy Dearest required oxygen around the clock and we could only store so many tanks. The bigger one has been in storage at my workplace for 2 years. The smaller one I wanted to convert to LP so CO wasn't a concern.

 

[Sneakers]

Can I have your old one?

Which one? I've got a 2200 @ 120V, a Honda 3500 @240V that I got from DesertRat before he left, now converted to propane, and a new Champion 9500 @240V dual fuel. I have enough power to light the neighborhood.

I'll keep the Champion, just because. I should get rid of the Honda, but it is in excellent condition, still starts first pull and really like that unit. Don't have much use for the 2200 and will probably sell that one.

 

[PrchJrkr]

Which one? I've got a 2200 @ 120V, a Honda 3500 @240V that I got from DesertRat before he left, now converted to propane, and a new Champion 9500 @240V dual fuel. I have enough power to light the neighborhood.

I'll keep the Champion, just because. I should get rid of the Honda, but it is in excellent condition, still starts first pull and really like that unit. Don't have much use for the 2200 and will probably sell that one.

That's probably the only one I'd want. Seriously, that would be excellent for camping, but they're kind of pricey. I'd better stick with what I've got.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

Anker Solix F3800
View attachment 177846

I've been looking at whole house battery backup systems for a while, and decided on this one. Pretty impressive for it's size.
120/240VAC outputs, 6000watts continuous, surge to 8000. Standard L14-30 plug so it just plugs into the generator port outside.
3.8KiloWatthour battery, expandable to over 26Kwh.
2400watts solar input
Recharge from 120VAC plug @1800w is about 2 hours.
120VAC UPS ports, 20ms cutover.

This will run everything in the house (not all at once...) but not for long. Turning off the high usage devices will extend the life dramatically. I can run the furnace, pellet stove, hybrid hot water heater, lights.... basically normal living. As I see fit, I'll add to the battery stack.

With the addition of a Smart Home device, it is a full time backup with a 30ms cutover when the grid goes down. A second F3800 can be added for a total of 12,000 watts continuous and 52.8Kwh.

I could have built a system with lots of solar, an All-in-One solar charger/inverter, etc..... like ItsBob and BadGirl did, but that's WAY more than I want to spend to go totally independent. I just wanted a backup with enough power to carry me thru an outage without having to drag the generator out, hook it up.....

Naysayers and those with non-constructive negative comments, keep them to yourselves. This is what I choose to do, if you don't agree, eh.

That's a generator?

 

[phreddyp]

One born every minute!

 

[jrt_ms1995]

Let's have a report after 6 months or so, please. Seriously, not a poke, jab, slight, etc., just want to know how it works out.

 

[Sneakers]

So far, so good. Been using it to power a heat gun while I made changes to the solar input cables. Then hooked up to 400w of solar. Kinda of overcast, so 300w is about max right now. Using it to run the window unit a/c.

 

[Kyle]

This reminds me I need to drag mine out of the basement and run it, just to be sure.

 

[Sneakers]

This reminds me I need to drag mine out of the basement and run it, just to be sure.

Nothing more frustrating than to have a backup unit, drag it out during a power failure, and can't get it to run.

 

[Grumpy]

This reminds me I need to drag mine out of the basement and run it, just to be sure.

Had mine running first pull earlier this spring..well over a year since I last ran it. I always shut off the gas and let it die out after learning a valuable lession 9.10 years ago...Now my pressure washer, different story..last use by 1 of my sons didn't turn off the gas so it wouldn't start...One small squirt of starter fluid and it blew up..lucky me.

 

[Clem72]

So far, so good. Been using it to power a heat gun while I made changes to the solar input cables. Then hooked up to 400w of solar. Kinda of overcast, so 300w is about max right now. Using it to run the window unit a/c.

View attachment 177861

Unfortunately wouldn't run my Heat pump or my water heater (water heater should run on 5k but I never got it to work on less than 8k generator).

BUT, if it was cheap enough I could justify buying a couple window AC or portable units.

I have an 8k dual fuel now that I bought after the power was out for couple days. Haven't had a reason to actually use it in the 7 years since. My power goes out every time there's a storm and once a month to bad drivers, but it's almost always restored in less than 8 hours. So a battery might be worth it if it wasn't crazy expensive.

So the big question is, HOW MUCH!?

 

[Sneakers]

Unfortunately wouldn't run my Heat pump or my water heater (water heater should run on 5k but I never got it to work on less than 8k generator).

BUT, if it was cheap enough I could justify buying a couple window AC or portable units.

I have an 8k dual fuel now that I bought after the power was out for couple days. Haven't had a reason to actually use it in the 7 years since. My power goes out every time there's a storm and once a month to bad drivers, but it's almost always restored in less than 8 hours. So a battery might be worth it if it wasn't crazy expensive.

So the big question is, HOW MUCH!?

There are many videos of people out there using to power their central a/c unit, stove, oven (not all at the same time...) and it hardly blinks. I'll be trying the central a/c here in a day or two. I know I can't power it long, but that can be resolved with more battery.

I got it on sale for $3k, sale still going on today. There are also YouTubers who have discount codes, one had a code for 21 or 25% additional off the sale price. Not cheap by any means, but I liked the advantages and options like the whole house automatic transfer switch. The switch allows you to leave high demand loads on the main panel and cutover critical circuits to the battery backup. In my case, I have a generator input outside as well, so I could use the generator to power the a/c while the battery runs most everything else. But like you said, shortages are not typically long or often.

https://www.anker.com/products/a1790?ref=naviMenu&variant=43011257827478

I have a few observations that I'll post another time.

 

[Sneakers]

There are also YouTubers who have discount codes, one had a code for 21 or 25% additional off the sale price.

This is the one I was thinking of... 28% off. Hit 'Watch on YouTube' and scroll down to his text intro.

 

[Clem72]

There are many videos of people out there using to power their central a/c unit, stove, oven (not all at the same time...) and it hardly blinks. I'll be trying the central a/c here in a day or two. I know I can't power it long, but that can be resolved with more battery.

I got it on sale for $3k, sale still going on today. There are also YouTubers who have discount codes, one had a code for 21 or 25% additional off the sale price. Not cheap by any means, but I liked the advantages and options like the whole house automatic transfer switch. The switch allows you to leave high demand loads on the main panel and cutover critical circuits to the battery backup. In my case, I have a generator input outside as well, so I could use the generator to power the a/c while the battery runs most everything else. But like you said, shortages are not typically long or often.

https://www.anker.com/products/a1790?ref=naviMenu&variant=43011257827478

I have a few observations that I'll post another time.

Wouldn't run my 60k BTU heat pump, but like I said for those 4-6 hour blips it might be easy enough to use that I actually do so rather than my generator which I don't bother to setup.

Still a bit pricey. Could almost buy a used leaf (which does support v2h) with 20x the battery capacity for the price of 3 of these systems. Can be your backup battery and in a pinch you could mount blades to for eco-friendly killing of zombies.

 

[Sneakers]

A lot of people seem to like this for camping too. It has an RV style connector, and can power a whole RV with no sound. A bit heavy at 150 lbs, but still portable. Great for campsites.

 

[Gilligan]

Nothing more frustrating than to have a backup unit, drag it out during a power failure, and can't get it to run.

Coinkydink...I was over by my welding truck yesterday and decided it had been too long since I'd started up the welder (it's also our 8KW backup generator). *click click*.

The Honda 2000 and 3000 EUs always start and run...my brother uses those regularly on construction jobs. The 12KW Generac backup for the apartments is still not hooked up to the new propane tanks. I'll get a round tuit one of these days. The 15kw Onan generator on back of the old F-150 has not been started in many years...was "running when parked" though and will surely need a complete fuel system cleaning to run again.

I'm prepared to get prepared....

 

[phreddyp]

Coinkydink...I was over by my welding truck yesterday and decided it had been too long since I'd started up the welder (it's also our 8KW backup generator). *click click*.

The Honda 2000 and 3000 EUs always start and run...my brother uses those regularly on construction jobs. The 12KW Generac backup for the apartments is still not hooked up to the new propane tanks. I'll get a round tuit one of these days. The 15kw Onan generator on back of the old F-150 has not been started in many years...was "running when parked" though and will surely need a complete fuel system cleaning to run again.

I'm prepared to get prepared....

Hard to beat Honda engines they are the best in my opinion, had generators on all my trucks Honda was my choice. Never and I mean never had them serviced at a dealer and I'm talking about for 20 or 25 years easy to change the oil, air filter and plugs. Trick was to run them dry we ran them about 6 hours a day most days.

 

[Gilligan]

Hard to beat Honda engines they are the best in my opinion, had generators on all my trucks Honda was my choice. Never and I mean never had them serviced at a dealer and I'm talking about for 20 or 25 years easy to change the oil, air filter and plugs. Trick was to run them dry we ran them about 6 hours a day most days.

Yep..and those EU generators are remarkably quiet too, especially in "ECO" mode and idling along. Back when we were camping more regularly and had our toy hauler camper, the 3000EU was what we carried with us to power the camper. Run all night keeping the AC going...no problem. And so quiet it didn't bother the "neighbors".

 

[phreddyp]

Yep..and those EU generators are remarkably quiet too, especially in "ECO" mode and idling along. Back when we were camping more regularly and had our toy hauler camper, the 3000EU was what we carried with us to power the camper. Run all night keeping the AC going...no problem. And so quiet it didn't bother the "neighbors".

Damn straight!