I have a two bedroom off grid cabin that uses a propane stove, oil lanterns, and wood stove for heat. I power my 12v refrigerator, LED lights, electric fans, phone, TV, stereo, and CPAP using an EcoFlow River Pro, a Jackery 240, and a bunch of 18v drill batteries. My total batteries system will power the cabin for 3 days. When the system gets critically low, I run a Sportsman 2200 watt inverter generator for 90 minutes, and the whole system is recharged. My generator gets 7-12 hours on a gallon of gasoline. I can recharge my system, and run the generator to power a vacuum or other large draw items, for about a week on a single gallon of gasoline.
In a grid down situation you need to shut off everything that is a luxury like those fans and if you are not outside then you don't need the outside lights on and not waste power like that, Also it would be a good Idea for you to remount your panels so you can swivel them so you can track the sun and avoid getting shadows on the panels, You could double or even triple the amount of power you can get from those panels just by tracking the Sun. When the grid is down every bit of power counts, You have 7.2Kwh and at night you had 6.12Kwh of power @ 85% that is a lot of wasted power. Great test and a very nice setup but you could do so much more with what you have there. Thumbs Up.
I think what you need to do to be comfortable. Is that 2 more batteries and don't hook them up together? So when the other 2 do run dry by whatever you have the other 2, that'll still be fully charged. That can kick in because if you're out of power for more than 1 or 2 days, you are up the Creek, so you need to have a switching system. We're the 2 that are charged and the other 2 that are being dreamed.Don't combine so when those 2 are drained.And the Sun comes up.They're charging up while you're using the other 2 to run your house.Switched back and forth so you need four of those batteries to actually do a good job
You're getting an AWESOME crash-course in solar! Lesson 1: Use Less Power! Lesson 2: USE LESS POWER! Lesson 3: Do more things by hand and "old school" methods. (propane cooking and heating with wood) Lesson 4: Spec and size your panels, charge controller, battery capacity and inverter capacity. Thank you for putting out a very real world video. This is something everyone considering solar should see. So cool! :) With the right amount of solar panels and battery capacity, and with a mindset of simply using less power, the question isn't "how long with the gas last for my generator", the question becomes "why not run on solar 90% of the time?"
@@uploadtime1780 - The EF Delta Pro uses lithium iron-phosphate batteries, so a minimum of 4,000 cycles, even if he abuses the crap out of them. Probably twice that many cycles, if they are kept between 10% and 90% SOC.
@@uploadtime1780 - You usually have calendar aging issues with most of the other components in your system, before the batteries need to be replaced. It's also worth noting that those charge cycles counts are typically to "80% of rated capacity". This means that after that period of time, or number of discharge cycles, the batteries still deliver full voltage, but they only store 80% of their original capcity. They're still safe and effective to use, although perhaps in a different application.
@jasonbroom7147 what's the weak link, i.e., shortest life expectancypart? If I were to use this type of setup in a weekend type place that doubles as a bugout?
Henry Ford had a hydro generator it ran off the Rouge River. It not only powered his house but part of the city of Dearborn. It is still running from looking at it it don't look like there have been any updates to the system. If you ever come to Mi. take the tour.
I think in a ‘real world’ scenario, you would be more careful when you don’t know when the power is coming back on. So, you would use candles instead of lights, maybe not use the coffee maker, Microwave etc. So, the ecoflows would probably last longer
@@1polonium210 Then why bother with this at all. If you are willing to cook with propane, candles, etc., this is a lot of money to spend for little benefit in return.
For what you're trying to do, if you intend to stay grid tied, this seems like a perfect solution. Maybe one more Delta pro wouldn't hurt, but at least you can get through a power outage if you're careful with your consumption. Just remember that outages often come with storms, and storms often mean minimal solar energy the next day. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us
This is why you should also have wind turbines as well. You should never ever ever only go off of solar. You could have an entire month of extreme clouds and rain and then what what are you do?
@@ZxAMobile You go back to being a neantherthal. See what people don't understand is that when the grid goes down in end times. You wont be able to keep solar panels above ground looking all pretty smiling at the sky while a group of bandits is ransacking your house. In this case crank chargers radios and flashlights would be much more reliable. I rather connect the crank charger dyno to the wheel of a bike in a basement and charge what i need to charge and be able to be on the move. But to think in a future where there will be so much unrest and distress to think your gonna be above ground 100% of the time with the sun shining on you and your solar panels is just nuts. Hope this guy can invest in a small bunker with bunker beds with self suficient items.
@@MoneyBagArtsOfficial I hundred percent agree with what you’re saying people think that they are going to be able to walk around willy-nilly in a really bad situation. The number one thing you will never want to do is ever step foot outside for any reason unless you absolutely have to and you have exhausted every other option that requires you to go outside. I finished number three in America in pub G and my team won the national crew challenge, I would say this is the ultimate and most realistic survival game ever created and the number one advice I can give anybody is stay behind cover as much as humanly possible and try to be as hidden as humanly possible without moving at all. You should be using drones and mirrors to gain reconnaissance. You should never ever ever scout on your own. Somebody can literally send you to the shadow realm from 1000 m away in one second and people think they are going to be bartering with other people and walking around without getting robbed on a constant basis . People want to know how it’s going to be when that time comes just go in the most ghetto areas in America rn and then times that by 10 and let me know how that works out for you. Let me know if the whole bartering thing works out for you. 🤓🤣 I do believe, however, that all black, very low profile, solar panels can be hidden and used to power extremely low energy devices, such as 1 lm flashlights and peltor dehumidifiers to collect water out of air. Starting a garden is risky. I would recommend having 50 pound sacks of mylar split peas, lentils, beans, and other stuff. I would recommend at least 500 pounds or more. If somebody wants to start a garden, I would make sure it’s as low-key as possible and preferably only plant things like potatoes. Nothing that has obvious fruits like tomatoes or peppers growing.
@@ZxAMobile Cool yeah your on the same Page as a survivalist can see. Unfortunately many people whont be able to survive withing 6 months they will not go past that on their own. Preppers are few in between morally speaking i would say be kind to others as the fight is not against our own kind. Although it seems that way but yeah the bartering ideology gets pretty tricky say if you got aproached by a person asking you for food or to barter and that person is down to bait you with a group of folks acting like hooligans then thats game over for you. I would say that the name of the game is to play hide and go seek and cat and mouse as long as possible and stay as low profile as possible. But that would require building trenches eating roaches, Snails, Centapedes and Never going to far from fresh water. Learning how to camp, and hunt, and the basics of survival is key. Sling shots made from sticks and tire tubes to hunt birds, rats and edible forest animals is key. But many dont know that burning wood and Smashing it up into powder makes activated charcoil then can serve to detox your body off any toxins, filter water, and create a hazard mask filter. And it stores for ever. Still the mark of the beast will come way before any war breaks out as they say. Supposedly first the blackout happens, Then they crash the economy and then they introduce the mark in form of a chip and no one could buy or sell or eat. I rather personally eat roaches, snails, birds, mushrooms, centepedes, And small game and take my chances in the wilderness before ever taking any mark. But i get it many people dont understand that once you take it your left behind when heavenly father arrives to pick us up. Remember we will be spared from the wrath if we dont take it. But we will not be spared from the tribulation which comes before armageddon. So yeah believe, repent, share with others, and Try as much to not look at your own as the enemy. stay blessed! 🙏 Hard tac crackers is the way to go!
Plus you can also use pools to cover with grass and dirt and wood beams and convert them back into normal looking lawns. But that makes them a great ideal free bunker since they already have drainage. Just making sure that the surface of the lid of the pool is so well packed with so much dirt and grass and gravel and re enforced so well that when groups of people walk over it. They wont even know theres a bunky underneath. So long it doesnt flex or sound like your knocking on wood. And its super stable you have yourself a free bunker. And on the other side of the bunker dirt and grass lid you can wrap it with anything made from foil and aluminum paper to make it retain heat in the winter but also make it low profile. Its almost like a wallapy inground garden. But one with the drainage system in place and plenty of space to survive. I would grow food in the ground i would climb trees and use wire to tie planting pots high up on the trees where they get plenty of sun and water and Pull them down at night to harvest tomatoes, beans, and more. Also you can trap birds up there just add a little nest trap and you have some nice birds and eggs for dinner on a regular. Lol hey just saying we need to get creative. 😂😂😂🐵🐵🙏 Use grass to make a low profile suit. lol
Sounds like two more batteries will get you where you need to be assuming you get daily sun. Otherwise 4 more batteries will buffer some cloudy days. Thank you for the shout out!
People act like they can't live without a power for few days. If i had a single unit i would only use it to run gas furnace, hot water and few led lights. There is no need for full cooked meal every day in case of outage.
We used to raw dog it when I was a kid in N.C. and the hurricanes would come. We’d have candles and that’s about it. It was like camping in a house. I actually looked forward to it. Really makes you appreciate things more when the power does come back on. As an adult now, I do the same thing with my kids. I cheat a bit and have a 3000w generator running every few hours to keep the refrigerator and freezer going.
You act like the point of the video was "can I ive without power for a few days." I would rewatch the video or have someone else watch it for you and explain the point.
Very interesting and thank you for putting this together you pair are stars.... there's a lot of people will be very happy with your demonstration and the way you show it in the real world. Thanks again. Stay safe 🏴
Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad you found the video interesting and valuable. If you're looking for a reliable power source for your outdoor adventures, I highly recommend checking out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It has an impressive capacity, fast recharging, and versatile sockets for all your power needs. Stay safe and enjoy your outdoor experiences!
Thank you for your kind words and support! I'm glad you found the video interesting and informative. The Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series is another great option for outdoor enthusiasts and RV lovers. It offers a massive capacity, fast recharging, versatile sockets, and comprehensive protections. It's definitely worth considering for your outdoor adventures and home backup power needs. Stay safe and happy camping!
Very interesting experiment as I recently purchased an EcoFlow Delta Pro as one Delta Pro Extra Battery. I use a three prong rv plug to four prong generator pig tail to hook up to our generator disconnect. This setup will power 100 amp panel but doesn’t give a true 220 volts so any two pole breakers like our hot water circuit will not work so we turn it off. After energizing the house with the EcoFlow system it read that we had 1 day and 15 hours of energy available. That’s 39 hours at that draw we had a freezer a refrigerator and two ceiling fans running as well as the internet broadband and Wi-Fi running. I also purchased 12 each 100 watt Renogy solar panels. They will be hooked up 6 each in series then in parallel for 1200 watts, 145.8 volts and 11.44 amps. I hope this will power our needs until we can mirror this setup for the 220 volt setup with 2400 watts of solar. I have been researching RUclips videos like yours to make my decision on what system i would use and I thank you for your input. Awesome work please keep on posting 👍
Nice analysis on the EcoFlow Delta Pro's and the Solar panels. You gave us some real useful information, on the spot real time evaluation. Great job Evan! I watched a couple of your videos from 3 and 4 years ago and I think you have really nailed this stuff. Thanks for sharing your experience on this subject with us, I hope you both have a great weekend.
Great Job. It helped you showed the Watt draw increase when hot water, iron, or cooking appliance were running. Also explaining that you are having very sunny days but below freezing temperatures and that others solar performance will very. Additionally a change in habits to use high draw items early enough for batteries to be at Peak when going through the night.
if portability isn't your main concern, you're much better off buying 12/24V 400AH LiFePO4 batteries, solar charge controller and inverter separately and can get more capacity at about half the cost.
To fix your voltage problem run the panels in pairs, Series parallel circuit. This will drop voltage by 50% and double your amperage. You will be able to run all 4 panels easily. The other option is an MMPT charge controller. This will Take whatever voltage and transform it to whatever voltage you limit the settings at.
@@sophiesnuffy2563 Smart people with experience understand this. Lamens need to do research and learn a bit of the basics, then they will understand what I am saying! I have an off grid solar system and have been making my own power for 8 years now. My solar solar system has all the power I need and is very reliable!
@@sophiesnuffy2563 😂😂😂😂 Teach university course in a paragraph! lady I would need an entire channel to teach it. Not a paragraph. But if you did your research like you tell your students. the information is there. You want me to do your homework for you! What I said before is tons of information. Pick it apart and research a bit.
Bradly, do you have a MMPT controller you'd recommend? Obviously you have years of experience. I am just getting into solar and getting quotes for a grid tied system. Since I started down this rabbit hole I've ordered the Delta Pro's thru Costco, 2 Delta Pros with the 240V connector. (better price than EcoFlow's sales price). Quotes I'm getting are for Enphase but I'm leaning to the central inverter like a Sol-Ark 12K. Any advice is appreciated, especially since this is an old post! Thanks.
Just like most newish products solar is no different. It continues to progress and get better over time. Better panels and better batteries are being produced. Thank you for the practical information.
Folks also should keep in mind that if power is expected to be out for longer period, you can be even more conservative on usage. If you both really watch power use it’s possible you could run on batteries for even longer before needing to recharge.
I found out my blower on my fireplaces runs all the time, and it uses more electricity than running my propane furnace. I think I could get it run through the night, and recharge the next day, with few more changes to how I manage the loads.
This video is a very informative with a real life demonstration of an emergency power plan in action! Well designed use of multiple energy sources: Solar Electric Panels, Passive Solar (windows), Battery Storage, Wood, Propane, Gas/Diesel.
We're 100% living off solar and battery power. Your preaching! Yes we use gas for the multi dark days. It happens! Great content and everything looks beautiful. Sorry about the over voltage. We've had that happen too. All I did was with our 4,840 watt PV array in 48v was series 3 panels for winter and 4 for summer. Good Job!
Holy smokes. I can’t believe that little thing even as a pair have enough juice to power a home for any length of time. Amazing. 3.6KW each?? My mind blown.
This was very educational. I have two pros on the way and I’m feeling much better about my purchase. Thanks for to and your wife for your willingness to experiment for us.
That's great to hear! It's always reassuring when you see others testing and having positive experiences with a product before making a purchase. The EcoFlow Delta Pro sounds like a reliable power solution. If you're looking for another option, the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series also offers a versatile and powerful backup power solution. It has a massive capacity, fast recharging, and comprehensive protections. Plus, it's waterproof and can be easily controlled through a smart app. It might be worth checking out! Happy camping and family adventures!
If you ever decide to upgrade your solar array, I would put the eastern side on wheels so you could rotate it. Then to hole it in place, you could have some PVC pipe in the ground to put a stake in it from the solar array to keep it in position.
"What if the power is out for days?" Well we budget the power we do have for the priorities we've established. I only have the River Pro and 1 add on battery, it runs my CPAP and allows me to sleep through the night without running the generator. This alone makes me a better neighbor during an outage, and reduces my paranoia that my generator might grow legs and walk away in the middle of the night.
Led lightning uses very little power. One way to conserve power is to try to avoid opening refrigerators and freezer doors. Those appliances use the majority of your power. Of course, don't use any electrical cooking appliances.
Thanks for doing this! I have often watched videos that are very technical. I just want to see a real world usage of these products. You are the first I have seen to use this product on a whole house.
Evan, here is a suggestion, ceiling fans always use a lot of energy. My daughter always used a ceiling fan in her room, but she brought a inexpensive battery operated desk fan. It costs a fraction of the cost to recharge it compared to what the ceiling fan uses and she is very happy with it.
@@robertt9342 Good ceiling fans on low can use as little as 20 to 30 watts. I have 2 ceiling fans I run pretty much year round, one in the kitchen and one in the living room, usually on low, powered by a 375 watt Victron inverter connected directly to my battery bank as well as the lights in those and 2 other rooms all LED. Even on my lowest solar production days I get enough solar into the battery bank to offset the lights and fans without it hitting my low battery threshold for the inverter which is set to cut off at 15% remaining. Running both fans on low pulls about 38 watts. So 900ish watts for a 24 hour period plus whatever lights I turn on. Always worth it to spend a little extra for a more efficient fan, plus they tend to last a lot longer. I have that separate from my main inverters so if there is an issue with them or I need to power them off for maintenance I still have overhead lighting even during a grid outage.
Ceiling fans move an amazing amount of air with very little energy consumption. You are incorrect. And a battery operated desk fan moves very little air and is a piece of junk.
I did something like the person you mentioned in your video. I have a transfer switch attached to six circuits in my panel. My solar generator is attached to those circuits all the time running them from the solar generator 24/7. At 10:00am Alexa turns off the outlet that feeds the AC to the solar generator. Now those six circuts are running completely off the generator with solar charging the batteries. Most of the time the batteries stay charged at 100% during the day. At 5:00pm Alexa automatically turns the outlet back on to the solar generator and charges the batteries back up if they are below 100%. The next day the whole process starts all over. One thing I did to help the solar charging was I installed one of the Eco-Worthy solar followers with six 200-watt panels. The thing moves during the day and is always facing the sun. This seems to work okay but my Bluetti 200max has broken three times in 1.5 years. I like the unit, but I don't like having to send it back to be repaired. I am thinking about trying out the Delta Pro Ultra when it comes out.
I live off grid when using solar as your only source, you micro manage and learn to live withoit things I have a propane inverter to help bridge gaps , but you adjust your life to what I can do
Thank you very much for this very interesting video. I nearly have the same learning curve with my Delta pro + Extra Battery. The wiring and sizing of the panels (and regarding voltage rise with low degrees) is quite a challenge to get optimum use. But what I would change at once in your Setup: Please please ad room between your Delta pros, at least 15 cm. The fans of the converter have quite a job to do (considering output AND input power handling) and they need free airflow. This having said: Keep up experimenting and thank you for giving us the results!
Thank you for doing this video and demonstrating hard house backup running tests. It's very educational. I couldn't help but notice you are simply using two Delta Pro's bonded together, but I think you still have the option to add an additional 3 KW external battery to each of your Delta Pro Units. Doing so would also extend you running times further into the Morning hours I would think ? Also, If you took the extra time (And extra expense of course), to better match your solar panel array voltage versus current (Amps) output to bring it closer to the Delta Pro's maximum possible input capacity, you might be able to be able to increase your overall daily charging rate and efficiency.
Not only could he add another battery to that setup, so two extra smart batteries connected to a Delta Pro, but he can add another array which is a Delta Pro and 2 more extra smart batteries. With the hub he has he can connect both arrays together then hookup to the electrical panel.
@@robertknowles3677 Hi Robert :) I wasn't sure you can add the second external 3KW battery to each Delta Pro or not, unless the actual split phase bonding uses another different interface other than an external battery interface socket on each Delta Pro ? That's what's not too clear in this process from what I can see thus far ? It would be even more amazing if you can add two batts to each Delta Pro in split phase 240 Volts AC Mode ? This would effectively eliminate his running short on charge capacity issue altogether. 👍 As you wrote, also adding a second line of 1500 Watt Solar to the second Delta Pro also can solve this problem.
Plus if he raises up his solar panels a bit higher he would get a few extra min/ half hour of power before his house shadow covers the panels. Or if he has them able to be moved to follow the sun he can get extra wattage as well.
Thank you for your comment and for watching the video! I agree that adding additional external batteries to the Delta Pro units can extend the running times, especially into the morning hours. And matching the solar panel array voltage and current output to the Delta Pro's maximum input capacity can certainly increase the charging rate and overall efficiency. Both of these options can be great for extending power supply during camping trips or for backup power at home. By the way, have you heard about the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging, making it a great option for outdoor enthusiasts and RV lovers. Check it out!
I live on acreage in the woods in Colorado like you and when my power goes out we only have lights on in the room we're in, and rarely use appliances. My biggest concern is the freezer, fridge and well pump. I have the same whole house wood burner as you so no need to run the furnace. Currently on a 12KW generator that am constantly fighting to keep running. I bought one of these for my RV with the flexibility to use in the house. Great video.
Great video . Good info to have . Nice to have a plan in place for power outages. Agree with you about recharging with gas generator. We had a hurricane go through Prince Edward Island In Canada last fall and had a prolonged outage (Hurricane Fiona ) . We lost power for 9 days and 1 of my sisters was out for 19 days .We had miles and miles of poles down and thousands of trees down making repairs a long slow progress. But even with gas Generator had to conserve usage because getting fuel was a challenge also .
That is exactly how I look at it. Solar with gas backup to recharge when needed., kinda an electric flywheel to extend my gas reserves. Then I added into the mix a little Honda 2200 watt generator that will run 8 to 10 hours on a gallon of gas for recharging.
Very interesting video Evan. Looks like it's going to be great for you guys. Keep up the good work. Like you said at the end, it's not like we get long power outages here in Illinois. Thanks for sharing
I have small Rivers and a small Delta to run necessities in an outage. I also run certain items on solar pass through power on good days. This is a good week so I got everything out and I’m running my fridge and wifi and computer and some lights all on solar. I would run more but I don’t have the solar panels yet to supply each power station. You might consider adding a couple portable type stations to run the fan in the bedroom and/or instant pot. The OG delta runs everything in my kitchen except the range, of course. But I have back up cooking equipment in place. I found in my testing that fans pull a ton of power, which surprised me. So I stopped running them constantly. The box fan is really consumptive which surprised me. So if you absolutely have to have it, I would have a portable station in the bedroom for that purpose. It will also handle the hair dryer so you could preserve the whole house system for longer. Just my thoughts. I love my ecoflow stations!
You have a bigger house than most so this was a good test as it simulates having Teens that leave lights on and the TV all night I'm a smaller house. Nice practical review. 👏🏿
A nicely detailed video Evan - thanks for posting and sharing. As someone who has solar (net- meting for ~6 years), my thought remain to never buy 'solar batteries' as they seem to not have a good long term life. Rather have a second vehicle electric car which would function as a battery back up (which would be periodically replaced anyway), this has the added effect of harnessing the solar to offset gasoline cost. I'm not aware of an off the shelf system that has this capability yet, but am sure there are those like you who have it in the works. All the best and God Bless. 🙏❤🇺🇸
If nobody else has suggested this, maybe you could have a shutdown check list to insure you don’t forget to shut down a power draw item during your electrical outage situations. How do you account for water? Is it a public utility line or do yall rely on the water well?
You plan for the highest probability outage. We cannot plan for everything. I love your set up. You have planned well. Having the generator is smart. We all need redundant systems. Thank you for sharing your system.
Like any electric utility, it takes multiple sources of power to keep the lights on when you need them. You have demonstrated that and I'm sure you knew that already. I did wonder about the effects of very cold temperatures and you have demonstrated that as well. Being based on semiconductors, I know that the internal resistances would decrease with temperature. I wonder if there is a lower limit? I'm sure there is an upper limit. Thanks for the experiment and showing us the results.
I appreciate the honesty about the gas genny. All solar power systems have them. Solar extends the life of that gas a good long time. Two thumbs up.. great video
Great video!! I took my Ecoflow in a little bit different direction. When we had the ice storm in Texas 3 years ago, we were without power for 5 days. I have 15 solar panels on a grid tie inverter, so we were without power, and my solar panels were useless. I cannot tell you how frustrated I was during that time. I ordered my Delta Pro and put it in my living room and started powering up everything in my living room (big screen tv, lamps, computers, tablets, phones, internet, Roku, wifi, etc). My wife was not too happy with having to listen to the fans on the Delta Pro but it was not too bad. I found that the one Delta Pro did not give me the comfort level that I wanted so I watched for specials on the extra batteries and now have 2 extra batteries attached to the Delta Pro for 10,800 WH. I found that 4 of my 240w panels would keep the batteries charged to 100% daily except on very cloudy days. My emergency plan is to simply run extension cords to the refrigerators/freezers and other locations as necessary if the power goes out. I now have a glass table sitting on top of the three units with a faraday tablecloth on top to hide the units and reduce the fan noise and it is hardly noticeable now. It is comforting to actually use and know that my system is working since it is part of our lives now used on a daily basis offsetting my electric bill and not sitting around hoping all will work when the power goes out. Also, this method did not require me to hook up my Delta Pro to the whole house or run my Delta Pro in a hot and humid garage where my power panel is located which could cause problems over time. Very flexible.
I used to use an Epson ET-2550 ruclips.net/user/postUgkxciSwynMJ7PnUvvx11rewiu-yFBkZTl53 , an early model of the ink tank style. It worked well, but had one nuisance that drove me up the wall; if you didn't put it in high quality print mode you'd get a streak across the page. I'm happy to say I have yet to see this with this printer. The print quality has been fantastic so far, the set up was super easy. All in all I'm very happy with this printer.
Great video Evan and Rebecca. You covered the solar set up and possibilities pretty good. You'll have a complete set up before long and shouldn't have to worry about any power outages. Stay safe and keep up the good videos and keep informing us of any changes you may have to make. Fred.
We went a week two years ago. Some people went up to 3 to 4 weeks with out electric. Stores didn’t have electric so you couldn’t get gas. So I feel solar generates would be the thing to have. You would just have to only have to run what you had to have. This was in Oklahoma. We’ve had this happen 3 times in the last 15 years. Your veto was very helpful.
Great video, Evan. You have executed a real-life testing scenario very well. When it comes to providing power for your home, being an energy 'purist' is foolish. The smart play is to treat energy production the same way that we homesteaders/off-gridders should view all systems; redundancy, redundancy, redundancy. Two is one, and one is none. Sure, solar is great because it gives you a pay once, use many times solution without additional inputs (if you don't count battery and equipment end-of-life replacement). But the sun doesn't always shine when you need it to, so backing up with fossil fuels is just practical and common sense. Take care and God Bless.
Great video, I didn't know that the temperature drop would raise the voltage so much. Now I will watch my system closely on cold days. My solar array's are sending 93 volts into the charge controller with a high limit of 145 so think its good and I'm in Arizona. These videos really help the DIYers learn the little got ya's with out having to learn the hard expensive way.
I thought the same thing so had to go do some research. From what I deduced (still educating myself so may not be 100% correct) it sounds like he sized the panels based on the Voltage at Max Power (Vmp). Vmp for his panel is 33.1V * 4 panels = 132.4V (which is the 130-ish he stated) and using the panels 0.29%/*C voltage correction only takes it up to 138V @15*F. Which is under the 150V of the Delta Pro, but is the incorrect figure to look at -- the Voltage at Open Circuit (Voc) is what should be used. Using Voc for his panels of 39.9V times 4 panels in series adds up to 159.6V...and this is at the 77*F. So he was technically already over-voltage, but my guess is he probably only saw it because his panel angle is 45*, which is almost perfect for 100% output during an Illinois winter.
You have propane as well so a multi-fuel generator would be great. Use propane first, less gasoline issues. Also, sometimes you can’t drive to the store or the gasoline is sold out. Nice video.
I never knew about the power transfer breaker blocker you’ve installed. That is indeed very clever and more cost effective the traditional panel installation. Thanks for sharing as I have limited space on such an installation. 👍🏽👍🏽❤
For a system of this size it would make more sense to use a regular Offgrid-Inverter (Growatt SPF5000ES, Victron Multiplus, etc...) with an 48V LFP Battery. It may even be a little bit cheaper, can handle higher PV-Voltage and it can automatically switch to battery power when you loose the line. Or it uses as much solar and battery as it can with the net just as backup if the batteries run dry.
I would love a solar system, but it gets so complicated…i think this is why other people also like the plug and play systems. And I have a deep well, so I’d need enough power input and storage to run that. I would like to have a big holding tank at the house to reduce how often the pump has to kick on. It would have to run longer, but less draw for that turning on surge. And if I had a big tank, I could just be careful with the water usage and not run the well pump. The pressure tank would hook to the holding tank. I would want the type of system that could draw from the grid if necessary, but I want it all automatic. I don’t want to have to rely on memory or my input to keep things safe and functioning.
Awsome video! You did exactly what i wanted to do for my house. The cost for two Eco Flows would probably be the only reason i wouldnt do this. These battery generators our only going to get better
Great video. I like the fact that you took the time to simulate a power outrage. And was able to learn your voltage was too high from the solar panels. Thanks for sharing!
Based on the 11 / 7-hour available power on the Ecoflow unit it might be a good idea to balance your loads in the breaker box evenly distributing breakers current draw between phases A and B.
Thank you for your insightful comment! Balancing the loads in the breaker box is indeed a good idea to optimize power usage. Speaking of power stations, have you checked out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers a massive capacity of up to 5kWh, super fast recharging, and versatile sockets for all your camping and home backup power needs. It's definitely worth considering for outdoor enthusiasts like us! 😊
I think you guys are sitting so much better than the past! If you weren't home your wife could have 12 hours of instant flip a switch power if you weren't home. I have just one delta pro. I feel I am more prepared than the family that had only a Gas generator . Which I also have. I love my eco flow. And if for some crazy reason I have to bug out...say I lived in Palestine Ohio, I can take the power with me in an instant as I prepare for a long term evac.
If you are fully recharged by 1:00 in the afternoon, while operating the house off the solar system it sounds as if you are light in storage capacity relative to the installed panel capacity. You'll probably want to have enough storage for one-to-two days with cloudy weather without extreme load shedding in the house and then match the panel size to that storage capacity. You are right that the gas generator is a necessary backup for the really infrequent long-duration outages. The cost of a gas generator is low relative to the cost of an equivalent amount of battery storage and the panels to charge it.
Great video Evan. Maybe someone else mentioned this but can you run two panels parallel and then the pairs in series? It would double amperage and half voltage.
Would be interesting to run a test. Based on his panel specs he could get 1260W with 4 panels in a parallel/series configuration, but at 19A. The Delta Pro would max out around 990W at the 15A input. Going down to 3 panels in series he would be at 945W, but at a higher voltage you would think the panel would potentially trigger the Delta Pro sooner in the morning and run later into the day?
Yup interesting test! But if you had a week long winter storm your not going to have enough juice. I’d stick with a propane, with a huge underground tank, or in my case, I have gas coming right to the house. I’d also would have a portable gasoline 6500 generator. 😎😬
We did a similar test. It’s amazing how much light bulbs can pull. Install low watt bulbs, huge difference. Also, some items cycle, so the time isn’t quite accurate.
One thing I noticed when the video started is that you have your batteries right next to each other. Because of this, the heat from one battery is going into the other battery's cooling input, so you may be heating up one battery with the heat from the other one. I would check to make sure that the battery temperature is OK (between 68° and 86° optimally). if the battery gets too warm, it will shorten the life of the battery.
Thank you for doing this experiment as i do such experiments myself. I just got a EF Delta 2 as my power needs are pretty small at night. Basically running medical equipment and charging my cell phone is all I use. 10 hrs left me with 66% charge the first night so I would get 3 nights without charging. It will charge to 80% in 50 min and generator Honda 2000 will run 9hrs on a full tank. So bare minimum if I run gen for an hour every 3 days I figure I can go 27 days on a gallon of gas without solar. I do have a 160w solar panel but the generator is so much more quick and reliable that solar just seems like a fair weathered friend.
Good video. Here in central Florida, I use a different tact. I have (currently) 3 Kickass 12v/170 Ah slimline deep cycle batteries (2,040 Wh/ea). Running a 4/6 KW inverter. Also have Westinghouse 5,300/6,500 W gasoline generator that gets 2 hr/gallon. 2 gallons = 4 hrs @ 5KW+ for $7 (@ $3.50/gal). Plenty to run a house AND recharge the batteries over 4 hrs. I'll be adding 3 more batteries soon. In event of long term power outage (we get hurricanes all the time), this combo will keep us at 100% electric for the entire house. For
Thanks for that. Interesting to see how it all works. I think with the gas backup generator too anyone would have the perfect system to run for days if they needed it. All the best 🇬🇧.
Just FYI when turning breakers on and off; Use the least dominant hand to turn breakers on or off, because if the breaker fails and explodes, you will still have the hand you use most. Additionally, turn away from facing the breakers and step to the side of the panel box. These precautions are what electricians do as we have seen the results of breakers that have failed. Safety first so you can live another day. One last thought: if you have to work on an energized system take off all rings, necklaces, earrings ,etc. as these can catch a current and electrocute you. Thanks for the video. Good work.
Great vlog you have truly given your power requirements a lot of thought. A couple of suggestions firstly back up your back up. When the solar turns off send the power to a secondary back up battery bank. I know it sounds costly and possible overkill however it has bailed me out more than once or twice. In Australia the Government subsidies reduce the cost and hassle greatly. Also, over the last few years I have purchased super energy efficient fridges, freezers, dryers, washing machines and can heat and cook on a small fireplace this has added greatly to my efficiency. I also purchased timers for my fridges and freezers and depending on time of year I shut down the units between midnight and 5 am regularly keeping me off grid for weeks. Good luck to you both I enjoy your Vlog's
I have done a similar experiment on my cabin and to be able to run on a backup battery system you need a minimum of 20kilowatt hours of battery storage. 7.2 kilowatt hours is no where near enough. If you get two extra batteries for each delta pro (14.4 kilowatt hours) you will be able to run your cabin without the grid indefinitely. Not cheap but that's what you need.
Thanks, but I am a little confused. If you are only using the solar panels to charge those two batteries, what are you doing with the panels after they recharge them in a few hours. Your panels will then be setting there for days or month on end waiting for the opportunity to recharge those same two batteries again. I think you would be much better off to tie those panels to the grid where you can use the power of the panels every day to replace the power you would otherwise be using.
That would nice if I had net metering but I don't. I get power from an electric cooperative. They buy back at 2 cents for Kwatt hour. Not worth the investment and engineering study required to grid tie.
@@CountryViewAcres Our system is grid tied, it's not the buy back that save you money. It's the KWH that you don't buy from the utility that saves. My bill went from 250 per month to 10 dollars.
Same here. She wasnt putting out either so I got rid of her and got a dog....I think I have a better chance of teaching the dog to cook than getting her to do it.
You need the delta 2 pro set up and act like it’s a storm , battery lights , don’t use a micro, no coffee maker ( get a battery one) , run the fridge and ice chest off the delta 2 pro. Charge phones off battery charging. Get yourself some Dewalt batteries, lights , chargers etc save the delta for large items
We run our ceiling fans all the time in the rooms we are in. Summer and winter. We have high ceilings though nowhere near his height. In the winter we heat with wood. Hot air rises. You run the fans in reverse. Hardly any breeze is felt. Pushs hot air down. Feels good. AC in summer. We want to feel the breeze. Feels good. Tried the return air trick about 30 years ago. Was thinking if I get the house hot enough where return air ducts are it would pull the warm air in and distribute it throughout the house. Nope. Just a nice cool breeze coming out the registers. Great video by the way!! Pretty neat to be able to live off the grid.
Thank you for this. I just purchase this same set up but inly have 1,000 watts of solar panels but i am using this for my motorhome. The main thing would be AC every now and then to stay cool when needed but this was very helpful thank you! I am new and just learning
You don't realize how much energy you use ( ghost ) until you get solar Lol. And you only using under 400 watts continuously isn't too bad. I have 19580 watts of PV, and 12- 5120whs of batteries and still need 6 more to be in the safe zone. With the lack of sunshine we've had lately its almost impossible not to import from the grid or generator. Well, you could but it take more batteries then the average person is willing to spend! We know we will see rolling blackouts in the US this year!! Get the most battery backup you can afford, And the ability to charge those batteries!
Imo, your ability to refill your batteries is more important than how much capacity your batteries hold. Obviously you want enough capacity to run your house or whatever you want to power, but if you can charge more than you use you’ll never run out of power. Take the delta pro with 3.6kwh capacity. If you only had that one battery but 12 400w panels, you probably wont run out of energy while it’s sunny.
@@SoreTv I now have 108kwh of batteries, and 27,770kwh of panels We use roughly 35 to 50kwhs per day. On Sunny days we use more because we're doing clothes can use 75wh. I'm usually full by noon and wake up on average at 64%.
Thanks for doing this demonstration. I would like to say that in a true emergency, I would think that you could turn off several more things that you continued using in this demonstration, and extend the life of your batteries.
Seems like motion-detecting outdoor lights would make the most sense. Also, instant coffee or tea vs brewing a whole pot. Lots of ways to cut down power usage in the home.
I know using alot of backup power to run an air conditioner may seem unnecessary, but in the the south after a hurricane it so hot and miserable AC is comparable to heat in the winter. Makes the difference of being able to sleep or not. The heat drains you so badly being able to cool your house is huge
Spot on!! Fayetteville NC. Hurricane Fran was my first experience. No power for 6 days We had nothing but old timey flashlights. Lost all our food. Ice was wonderful if you could find any. Had a grill and cooked on it till the food spoiled. I remember laying in bed with all the windows open hoping for a breeze and listening to my neighbors generators running their campers. They had ac!!! Ever since then I have been building up my off grid capabilities. 1st item generator and then a 120 volt window ac unit. I have a full sized lp gas range on wheels in my shop that runs off 20 pound cylinder. I love prepping. RUclips has fantastic ideas. Don't wait. Storms are getting bigger and power can be disrupted for weeks now. My #1 tip would be to get an inverter style generator. About 3,500 watts. 220 volts a plus. They sip gas, not to noisy and will run a majority of your house. I can run 2 small window ac units, microwave, toaster, TVs, lights, 2 fridges and 1 deep freezer. Not all at the same time mind you. Will not run main heat pumps, electric range or water heater but that is where you have to be creative. Have an electrician run you a generator plug in to your panel. That has been great for quick hookup. Takes me 5 minutes to switch over.
I use a Woods Smart Stip controlled by my computer off/on the switch to turn off a power bar feeding all downstream electronics. TV, Modem, Printer, Switch Game, etc. They all draw power even when turned off but have no sleeping power through the Woods Smart Power. Over time one would be surprised how much juice these things use even when turned off and plugged into live power.
I think you hit the nail on the head, there’s no one perfect solution to off grid power and solar is just another tool to help aid the longevity of a system, keep making your content really enjoying it.
I have had solar now for 3 months, and have produced 150% of all my power needs. Thats with my model 3 charging and three window acs going . Im convinced you can live off grid easily with batteries
I have a two bedroom off grid cabin that uses a propane stove, oil lanterns, and wood stove for heat. I power my 12v refrigerator, LED lights, electric fans, phone, TV, stereo, and CPAP using an EcoFlow River Pro, a Jackery 240, and a bunch of 18v drill batteries. My total batteries system will power the cabin for 3 days. When the system gets critically low, I run a Sportsman 2200 watt inverter generator for 90 minutes, and the whole system is recharged. My generator gets 7-12 hours on a gallon of gasoline. I can recharge my system, and run the generator to power a vacuum or other large draw items, for about a week on a single gallon of gasoline.
I saw someone put his solar panels on wheels so he could move it in a better position if needed and he was able to change the tilt if needed.
And move them if you suspect hail. I can't stress this enough.
Refrigerator and furnace is all I would need. Candles for light 😊
whY?...just use 40 watt equivalent LED...they use VERY LITTLE power...are you still using incandescent?...shame!😅🤣😅
Im more impressed with Rebeca homemade noodles than the solar panels 🙂
Facts❤
Yeah, keep paying the utility companies profits…….
@@ericeinar LOL. Sure sparky. Get bent out of shape that resources cost money to use.
In a grid down situation you need to shut off everything that is a luxury like those fans and if you are not outside then you don't need the outside lights on and not waste power like that, Also it would be a good Idea for you to remount your panels so you can swivel them so you can track the sun and avoid getting shadows on the panels, You could double or even triple the amount of power you can get from those panels just by tracking the Sun. When the grid is down every bit of power counts, You have 7.2Kwh and at night you had 6.12Kwh of power @ 85% that is a lot of wasted power. Great test and a very nice setup but you could do so much more with what you have there. Thumbs Up.
I think what you need to do to be comfortable. Is that 2 more batteries and don't hook them up together? So when the other 2 do run dry by whatever you have the other 2, that'll still be fully charged. That can kick in because if you're out of power for more than 1 or 2 days, you are up the Creek, so you need to have a switching system. We're the 2 that are charged and the other 2 that are being dreamed.Don't combine so when those 2 are drained.And the Sun comes up.They're charging up while you're using the other 2 to run your house.Switched back and forth so you need four of those batteries to actually do a good job
Rebecca, I'm so sorry for your loss. I pray that God will comfort you and bring you peace.
You're getting an AWESOME crash-course in solar! Lesson 1: Use Less Power! Lesson 2: USE LESS POWER! Lesson 3: Do more things by hand and "old school" methods. (propane cooking and heating with wood) Lesson 4: Spec and size your panels, charge controller, battery capacity and inverter capacity. Thank you for putting out a very real world video. This is something everyone considering solar should see. So cool! :)
With the right amount of solar panels and battery capacity, and with a mindset of simply using less power, the question isn't "how long with the gas last for my generator", the question becomes "why not run on solar 90% of the time?"
So, how many cycles can he do before he toasts the batteries? Would that savings offset their cist?
@@uploadtime1780 - The EF Delta Pro uses lithium iron-phosphate batteries, so a minimum of 4,000 cycles, even if he abuses the crap out of them. Probably twice that many cycles, if they are kept between 10% and 90% SOC.
@@jasonbroom7147 so say 6000 cycles or ~16 years. Hmm not bad
@@uploadtime1780 - You usually have calendar aging issues with most of the other components in your system, before the batteries need to be replaced. It's also worth noting that those charge cycles counts are typically to "80% of rated capacity". This means that after that period of time, or number of discharge cycles, the batteries still deliver full voltage, but they only store 80% of their original capcity. They're still safe and effective to use, although perhaps in a different application.
@jasonbroom7147 what's the weak link, i.e., shortest life expectancypart? If I were to use this type of setup in a weekend type place that doubles as a bugout?
Henry Ford had a hydro generator it ran off the Rouge River. It not only powered his house but part of the city of Dearborn. It is still running from looking at it it don't look like there have been any updates to the system. If you ever come to Mi. take the tour.
if you add an expansion battery you'll get to harness the extra sun hours after you're fully charged
I think in a ‘real world’ scenario, you would be more careful when you don’t know when the power is coming back on. So, you would use candles instead of lights, maybe not use the coffee maker, Microwave etc. So, the ecoflows would probably last longer
I can think of several things he can do to drop the load on his Ecoflow batteries by 50 percent.
and get on the bike to charge up those batteries Hamster Style
@@Nilz4FRlol. Hamster style.
Just like when I boondocks. You consume far less.
@@1polonium210 Then why bother with this at all. If you are willing to cook with propane, candles, etc., this is a lot of money to spend for little benefit in return.
Add more storage batteries.😁
For what you're trying to do, if you intend to stay grid tied, this seems like a perfect solution. Maybe one more Delta pro wouldn't hurt, but at least you can get through a power outage if you're careful with your consumption. Just remember that outages often come with storms, and storms often mean minimal solar energy the next day. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us
This is why you should also have wind turbines as well. You should never ever ever only go off of solar. You could have an entire month of extreme clouds and rain and then what what are you do?
@@ZxAMobile You go back to being a neantherthal. See what people don't understand is that when the grid goes down in end times. You wont be able to keep solar panels above ground looking all pretty smiling at the sky while a group of bandits is ransacking your house. In this case crank chargers radios and flashlights would be much more reliable. I rather connect the crank charger dyno to the wheel of a bike in a basement and charge what i need to charge and be able to be on the move. But to think in a future where there will be so much unrest and distress to think your gonna be above ground 100% of the time with the sun shining on you and your solar panels is just nuts. Hope this guy can invest in a small bunker with bunker beds with self suficient items.
@@MoneyBagArtsOfficial I hundred percent agree with what you’re saying people think that they are going to be able to walk around willy-nilly in a really bad situation. The number one thing you will never want to do is ever step foot outside for any reason unless you absolutely have to and you have exhausted every other option that requires you to go outside.
I finished number three in America in pub G and my team won the national crew challenge, I would say this is the ultimate and most realistic survival game ever created and the number one advice I can give anybody is stay behind cover as much as humanly possible and try to be as hidden as humanly possible without moving at all. You should be using drones and mirrors to gain reconnaissance. You should never ever ever scout on your own.
Somebody can literally send you to the shadow realm from 1000 m away in one second and people think they are going to be bartering with other people and walking around without getting robbed on a constant basis .
People want to know how it’s going to be when that time comes just go in the most ghetto areas in America rn and then times that by 10 and let me know how that works out for you. Let me know if the whole bartering thing works out for you. 🤓🤣
I do believe, however, that all black, very low profile, solar panels can be hidden and used to power extremely low energy devices, such as 1 lm flashlights and peltor dehumidifiers to collect water out of air. Starting a garden is risky. I would recommend having 50 pound sacks of mylar split peas, lentils, beans, and other stuff. I would recommend at least 500 pounds or more.
If somebody wants to start a garden, I would make sure it’s as low-key as possible and preferably only plant things like potatoes. Nothing that has obvious fruits like tomatoes or peppers growing.
@@ZxAMobile Cool yeah your on the same Page as a survivalist can see. Unfortunately many people whont be able to survive withing 6 months they will not go past that on their own. Preppers are few in between morally speaking i would say be kind to others as the fight is not against our own kind. Although it seems that way but yeah the bartering ideology gets pretty tricky say if you got aproached by a person asking you for food or to barter and that person is down to bait you with a group of folks acting like hooligans then thats game over for you. I would say that the name of the game is to play hide and go seek and cat and mouse as long as possible and stay as low profile as possible. But that would require building trenches eating roaches, Snails, Centapedes and Never going to far from fresh water. Learning how to camp, and hunt, and the basics of survival is key. Sling shots made from sticks and tire tubes to hunt birds, rats and edible forest animals is key. But many dont know that burning wood and Smashing it up into powder makes activated charcoil then can serve to detox your body off any toxins, filter water, and create a hazard mask filter. And it stores for ever. Still the mark of the beast will come way before any war breaks out as they say. Supposedly first the blackout happens, Then they crash the economy and then they introduce the mark in form of a chip and no one could buy or sell or eat. I rather personally eat roaches, snails, birds, mushrooms, centepedes, And small game and take my chances in the wilderness before ever taking any mark. But i get it many people dont understand that once you take it your left behind when heavenly father arrives to pick us up. Remember we will be spared from the wrath if we dont take it. But we will not be spared from the tribulation which comes before armageddon. So yeah believe, repent, share with others, and Try as much to not look at your own as the enemy. stay blessed! 🙏 Hard tac crackers is the way to go!
Plus you can also use pools to cover with grass and dirt and wood beams and convert them back into normal looking lawns. But that makes them a great ideal free bunker since they already have drainage. Just making sure that the surface of the lid of the pool is so well packed with so much dirt and grass and gravel and re enforced so well that when groups of people walk over it. They wont even know theres a bunky underneath. So long it doesnt flex or sound like your knocking on wood. And its super stable you have yourself a free bunker. And on the other side of the bunker dirt and grass lid you can wrap it with anything made from foil and aluminum paper to make it retain heat in the winter but also make it low profile. Its almost like a wallapy inground garden. But one with the drainage system in place and plenty of space to survive. I would grow food in the ground i would climb trees and use wire to tie planting pots high up on the trees where they get plenty of sun and water and Pull them down at night to harvest tomatoes, beans, and more. Also you can trap birds up there just add a little nest trap and you have some nice birds and eggs for dinner on a regular. Lol hey just saying we need to get creative. 😂😂😂🐵🐵🙏 Use grass to make a low profile suit. lol
Sounds like two more batteries will get you where you need to be assuming you get daily sun. Otherwise 4 more batteries will buffer some cloudy days. Thank you for the shout out!
@@wowreally594 batteries have been on sale a lot for $1800, your math isn't adding up.
@@wowreally594the batteries are a one time purchase… filling a 500 gallon propane tank 10 times…
People act like they can't live without a power for few days. If i had a single unit i would only use it to run gas furnace, hot water and few led lights. There is no need for full cooked meal every day in case of outage.
i agree…
We used to raw dog it when I was a kid in N.C. and the hurricanes would come. We’d have candles and that’s about it. It was like camping in a house. I actually looked forward to it. Really makes you appreciate things more when the power does come back on. As an adult now, I do the same thing with my kids. I cheat a bit and have a 3000w generator running every few hours to keep the refrigerator and freezer going.
You act like the point of the video was "can I ive without power for a few days." I would rewatch the video or have someone else watch it for you and explain the point.
Very interesting and thank you for putting this together you pair are stars.... there's a lot of people will be very happy with your demonstration and the way you show it in the real world. Thanks again. Stay safe 🏴
Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad you found the video interesting and valuable. If you're looking for a reliable power source for your outdoor adventures, I highly recommend checking out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It has an impressive capacity, fast recharging, and versatile sockets for all your power needs. Stay safe and enjoy your outdoor experiences!
Thank you for your kind words and support! I'm glad you found the video interesting and informative. The Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series is another great option for outdoor enthusiasts and RV lovers. It offers a massive capacity, fast recharging, versatile sockets, and comprehensive protections. It's definitely worth considering for your outdoor adventures and home backup power needs. Stay safe and happy camping!
I never knew about panels voltage going up in cold weather.
Very interesting experiment as I recently purchased an EcoFlow Delta Pro as one Delta Pro Extra Battery. I use a three prong rv plug to four prong generator pig tail to hook up to our generator disconnect. This setup will power 100 amp panel but doesn’t give a true 220 volts so any two pole breakers like our hot water circuit will not work so we turn it off. After energizing the house with the EcoFlow system it read that we had 1 day and 15 hours of energy available. That’s 39 hours at that draw we had a freezer a refrigerator and two ceiling fans running as well as the internet broadband and Wi-Fi running. I also purchased 12 each 100 watt Renogy solar panels. They will be hooked up 6 each in series then in parallel for 1200 watts, 145.8 volts and 11.44 amps. I hope this will power our needs until we can mirror this setup for the 220 volt setup with 2400 watts of solar. I have been researching RUclips videos like yours to make my decision on what system i would use and I thank you for your input. Awesome work please keep on posting 👍
Over voltage was a blessing. I needed to see that info in a real life situation. Now I Know. 🙏🏾
Suggest electric blanket (60w) rather than fan (600w+). And much cosier.
Nice analysis on the EcoFlow Delta Pro's and the Solar panels. You gave us some real useful information, on the spot real time evaluation. Great job Evan! I watched a couple of your videos from 3 and 4 years ago and I think you have really nailed this stuff. Thanks for sharing your experience on this subject with us, I hope you both have a great weekend.
Great Job. It helped you showed the Watt draw increase when hot water, iron, or cooking appliance were running. Also explaining that you are having very sunny days but below freezing temperatures and that others solar performance will very. Additionally a change in habits to use high draw items early enough for batteries to be at Peak when going through the night.
if portability isn't your main concern, you're much better off buying 12/24V 400AH LiFePO4 batteries, solar charge controller and inverter separately and can get more capacity at about half the cost.
To fix your voltage problem run the panels in pairs, Series parallel circuit. This will drop voltage by 50% and double your amperage. You will be able to run all 4 panels easily. The other option is an MMPT charge controller. This will Take whatever voltage and transform it to whatever voltage you limit the settings at.
@@sophiesnuffy2563 Smart people with experience understand this. Lamens need to do research and learn a bit of the basics, then they will understand what I am saying! I have an off grid solar system and have been making my own power for 8 years now. My solar solar system has all the power I need and is very reliable!
@@sophiesnuffy2563 😂😂😂😂 Teach university course in a paragraph! lady I would need an entire channel to teach it. Not a paragraph. But if you did your research like you tell your students. the information is there. You want me to do your homework for you! What I said before is tons of information. Pick it apart and research a bit.
do you know what parallel or series meas??? Its all actually very basic tell me where you got lost?
@@bradlys4978*layman / laymen
Bradly, do you have a MMPT controller you'd recommend? Obviously you have years of experience. I am just getting into solar and getting quotes for a grid tied system. Since I started down this rabbit hole I've ordered the Delta Pro's thru Costco, 2 Delta Pros with the 240V connector. (better price than EcoFlow's sales price). Quotes I'm getting are for Enphase but I'm leaning to the central inverter like a Sol-Ark 12K. Any advice is appreciated, especially since this is an old post! Thanks.
Just like most newish products solar is no different.
It continues to progress and get better over time.
Better panels and better batteries are being produced.
Thank you for the practical information.
Folks also should keep in mind that if power is expected to be out for longer period, you can be even more conservative on usage.
If you both really watch power use it’s possible you could run on batteries for even longer before needing to recharge.
I found out my blower on my fireplaces runs all the time, and it uses more electricity than running my propane furnace. I think I could get it run through the night, and recharge the next day, with few more changes to how I manage the loads.
This video is a very informative with a real life demonstration of an emergency power plan in action! Well designed use of multiple energy sources: Solar Electric Panels, Passive Solar (windows), Battery Storage, Wood, Propane, Gas/Diesel.
Nice going EV that’s the future …
We're 100% living off solar and battery power. Your preaching! Yes we use gas for the multi dark days. It happens! Great content and everything looks beautiful. Sorry about the over voltage. We've had that happen too. All I did was with our 4,840 watt PV array in 48v was series 3 panels for winter and 4 for summer. Good Job!
Holy smokes. I can’t believe that little thing even as a pair have enough juice to power a home for any length of time. Amazing. 3.6KW each?? My mind blown.
This was very educational. I have two pros on the way and I’m feeling much better about my purchase. Thanks for to and your wife for your willingness to experiment for us.
That's great to hear! It's always reassuring when you see others testing and having positive experiences with a product before making a purchase. The EcoFlow Delta Pro sounds like a reliable power solution. If you're looking for another option, the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series also offers a versatile and powerful backup power solution. It has a massive capacity, fast recharging, and comprehensive protections. Plus, it's waterproof and can be easily controlled through a smart app. It might be worth checking out! Happy camping and family adventures!
If you ever decide to upgrade your solar array, I would put the eastern side on wheels so you could rotate it. Then to hole it in place, you could have some PVC pipe in the ground to put a stake in it from the solar array to keep it in position.
"What if the power is out for days?" Well we budget the power we do have for the priorities we've established. I only have the River Pro and 1 add on battery, it runs my CPAP and allows me to sleep through the night without running the generator. This alone makes me a better neighbor during an outage, and reduces my paranoia that my generator might grow legs and walk away in the middle of the night.
I must say that your house and property is a dream. What wouldn't i give to live like this😮.
Finally someone is honest about these solar back up power
Led lightning uses very little power. One way to conserve power is to try to avoid opening refrigerators and freezer doors. Those appliances use the majority of your power. Of course, don't use any electrical cooking appliances.
Thanks for doing this! I have often watched videos that are very technical. I just want to see a real world usage of these products. You are the first I have seen to use this product on a whole house.
Great job on showing real world working conditions for these so people do not have false expectations on how they operate
thank you i did not know that voltage go up when ilts cold here in montreal we see minus 30 sometime
Evan, here is a suggestion, ceiling fans always use a lot of energy. My daughter always used a ceiling fan in her room, but she brought a inexpensive battery operated desk fan. It costs a fraction of the cost to recharge it compared to what the ceiling fan uses and she is very happy with it.
Like what 80 watts?
@@robertt9342 Good ceiling fans on low can use as little as 20 to 30 watts. I have 2 ceiling fans I run pretty much year round, one in the kitchen and one in the living room, usually on low, powered by a 375 watt Victron inverter connected directly to my battery bank as well as the lights in those and 2 other rooms all LED. Even on my lowest solar production days I get enough solar into the battery bank to offset the lights and fans without it hitting my low battery threshold for the inverter which is set to cut off at 15% remaining. Running both fans on low pulls about 38 watts. So 900ish watts for a 24 hour period plus whatever lights I turn on. Always worth it to spend a little extra for a more efficient fan, plus they tend to last a lot longer. I have that separate from my main inverters so if there is an issue with them or I need to power them off for maintenance I still have overhead lighting even during a grid outage.
Yes the fan represents the meter running turning your money into power company money .
Ceiling fans move an amazing amount of air with very little energy consumption. You are incorrect. And a battery operated desk fan moves very little air and is a piece of junk.
@@boblatkey7160 I agree and was taken aback by the comment that ceiling fans use a lot of electricity.
I did something like the person you mentioned in your video. I have a transfer switch attached to six circuits in my panel. My solar generator is attached to those circuits all the time running them from the solar generator 24/7. At 10:00am Alexa turns off the outlet that feeds the AC to the solar generator. Now those six circuts are running completely off the generator with solar charging the batteries. Most of the time the batteries stay charged at 100% during the day. At 5:00pm Alexa automatically turns the outlet back on to the solar generator and charges the batteries back up if they are below 100%. The next day the whole process starts all over. One thing I did to help the solar charging was I installed one of the Eco-Worthy solar followers with six 200-watt panels. The thing moves during the day and is always facing the sun. This seems to work okay but my Bluetti 200max has broken three times in 1.5 years. I like the unit, but I don't like having to send it back to be repaired. I am thinking about trying out the Delta Pro Ultra when it comes out.
I believe you can add additional batteries to your EcoFlow Delta Pro system. By purchasing two additional lithium batteries you should be good to go!
I live off grid when using solar as your only source, you micro manage and learn to live withoit things I have a propane inverter to help bridge gaps , but you adjust your life to what I can do
Thank you very much for this very interesting video. I nearly have the same learning curve with my Delta pro + Extra Battery. The wiring and sizing of the panels (and regarding voltage rise with low degrees) is quite a challenge to get optimum use.
But what I would change at once in your Setup: Please please ad room between your Delta pros, at least 15 cm. The fans of the converter have quite a job to do (considering output AND input power handling) and they need free airflow.
This having said: Keep up experimenting and thank you for giving us the results!
Very nice! Happy to see them inside! Now you can use your outdoor generator plug to run gas generator power inside to charge the Delta pros if needed.
Thank you for doing this video and demonstrating hard house backup running tests. It's very educational. I couldn't help but notice you are simply using two Delta Pro's bonded together, but I think you still have the option to add an additional 3 KW external battery to each of your Delta Pro Units. Doing so would also extend you running times further into the Morning hours I would think ? Also, If you took the extra time (And extra expense of course), to better match your solar panel array voltage versus current (Amps) output to bring it closer to the Delta Pro's maximum possible input capacity, you might be able to be able to increase your overall daily charging rate and efficiency.
Not only could he add another battery to that setup, so two extra smart batteries connected to a Delta Pro, but he can add another array which is a Delta Pro and 2 more extra smart batteries. With the hub he has he can connect both arrays together then hookup to the electrical panel.
@@robertknowles3677 Hi Robert :) I wasn't sure you can add the second external 3KW battery to each Delta Pro or not, unless the actual split phase bonding uses another different interface other than an external battery interface socket on each Delta Pro ? That's what's not too clear in this process from what I can see thus far ? It would be even more amazing if you can add two batts to each Delta Pro in split phase 240 Volts AC Mode ? This would effectively eliminate his running short on charge capacity issue altogether. 👍 As you wrote, also adding a second line of 1500 Watt Solar to the second Delta Pro also can solve this problem.
Plus if he raises up his solar panels a bit higher he would get a few extra min/ half hour of power before his house shadow covers the panels. Or if he has them able to be moved to follow the sun he can get extra wattage as well.
Thank you for your comment and for watching the video! I agree that adding additional external batteries to the Delta Pro units can extend the running times, especially into the morning hours. And matching the solar panel array voltage and current output to the Delta Pro's maximum input capacity can certainly increase the charging rate and overall efficiency. Both of these options can be great for extending power supply during camping trips or for backup power at home. By the way, have you heard about the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging, making it a great option for outdoor enthusiasts and RV lovers. Check it out!
I live on acreage in the woods in Colorado like you and when my power goes out we only have lights on in the room we're in, and rarely use appliances. My biggest concern is the freezer, fridge and well pump. I have the same whole house wood burner as you so no need to run the furnace. Currently on a 12KW generator that am constantly fighting to keep running.
I bought one of these for my RV with the flexibility to use in the house. Great video.
Great video . Good info to have . Nice to have a plan in place for power outages. Agree with you about recharging with gas generator. We had a hurricane go through Prince Edward Island In Canada last fall and had a prolonged outage (Hurricane Fiona ) . We lost power for 9 days and 1 of my sisters was out for 19 days .We had miles and miles of poles down and thousands of trees down making repairs a long slow progress. But even with gas Generator had to conserve usage because getting fuel was a challenge also .
That is exactly how I look at it. Solar with gas backup to recharge when needed., kinda an electric flywheel to extend my gas reserves. Then I added into the mix a little Honda 2200 watt generator that will run 8 to 10 hours on a gallon of gas for recharging.
Very interesting video Evan. Looks like it's going to be great for you guys. Keep up the good work. Like you said at the end, it's not like we get long power outages here in Illinois. Thanks for sharing
I have small Rivers and a small Delta to run necessities in an outage. I also run certain items on solar pass through power on good days. This is a good week so I got everything out and I’m running my fridge and wifi and computer and some lights all on solar. I would run more but I don’t have the solar panels yet to supply each power station. You might consider adding a couple portable type stations to run the fan in the bedroom and/or instant pot. The OG delta runs everything in my kitchen except the range, of course. But I have back up cooking equipment in place. I found in my testing that fans pull a ton of power, which surprised me. So I stopped running them constantly. The box fan is really consumptive which surprised me. So if you absolutely have to have it, I would have a portable station in the bedroom for that purpose. It will also handle the hair dryer so you could preserve the whole house system for longer. Just my thoughts. I love my ecoflow stations!
Great video, very informative, thanks for posting 👍👍 .. A couple more batteries and little more solar you would be 100% of grid .
You have a bigger house than most so this was a good test as it simulates having Teens that leave lights on and the TV all night I'm a smaller house. Nice practical review. 👏🏿
Fascinating discussion of your solar/electric system and your results. Always appreciate your videos and the work involved producing them!
A nicely detailed video Evan - thanks for posting and sharing. As someone who has solar (net- meting for ~6 years), my thought remain to never buy 'solar batteries' as they seem to not have a good long term life. Rather have a second vehicle electric car which would function as a battery back up (which would be periodically replaced anyway), this has the added effect of harnessing the solar to offset gasoline cost. I'm not aware of an off the shelf system that has this capability yet, but am sure there are those like you who have it in the works.
All the best and God Bless. 🙏❤🇺🇸
If nobody else has suggested this, maybe you could have a shutdown check list to insure you don’t forget to shut down a power draw item during your electrical outage situations.
How do you account for water? Is it a public utility line or do yall rely on the water well?
You plan for the highest probability outage. We cannot plan for everything. I love your set up. You have planned well. Having the generator is smart. We all need redundant systems. Thank you for sharing your system.
Like any electric utility, it takes multiple sources of power to keep the lights on when you need them. You have demonstrated that and I'm sure you knew that already. I did wonder about the effects of very cold temperatures and you have demonstrated that as well. Being based on semiconductors, I know that the internal resistances would decrease with temperature. I wonder if there is a lower limit? I'm sure there is an upper limit. Thanks for the experiment and showing us the results.
I appreciate the honesty about the gas genny. All solar power systems have them. Solar extends the life of that gas a good long time. Two thumbs up.. great video
Look into putting panels in a series/parallel config, it should help out in this case. Another good video, thanks.
Good point. Just suggested that above.
Great video!! I took my Ecoflow in a little bit different direction. When we had the ice storm in Texas 3 years ago, we were without power for 5 days. I have 15 solar panels on a grid tie inverter, so we were without power, and my solar panels were useless. I cannot tell you how frustrated I was during that time. I ordered my Delta Pro and put it in my living room and started powering up everything in my living room (big screen tv, lamps, computers, tablets, phones, internet, Roku, wifi, etc). My wife was not too happy with having to listen to the fans on the Delta Pro but it was not too bad. I found that the one Delta Pro did not give me the comfort level that I wanted so I watched for specials on the extra batteries and now have 2 extra batteries attached to the Delta Pro for 10,800 WH. I found that 4 of my 240w panels would keep the batteries charged to 100% daily except on very cloudy days. My emergency plan is to simply run extension cords to the refrigerators/freezers and other locations as necessary if the power goes out. I now have a glass table sitting on top of the three units with a faraday tablecloth on top to hide the units and reduce the fan noise and it is hardly noticeable now. It is comforting to actually use and know that my system is working since it is part of our lives now used on a daily basis offsetting my electric bill and not sitting around hoping all will work when the power goes out. Also, this method did not require me to hook up my Delta Pro to the whole house or run my Delta Pro in a hot and humid garage where my power panel is located which could cause problems over time. Very flexible.
I used to use an Epson ET-2550 ruclips.net/user/postUgkxciSwynMJ7PnUvvx11rewiu-yFBkZTl53 , an early model of the ink tank style. It worked well, but had one nuisance that drove me up the wall; if you didn't put it in high quality print mode you'd get a streak across the page. I'm happy to say I have yet to see this with this printer. The print quality has been fantastic so far, the set up was super easy. All in all I'm very happy with this printer.
Thanks for running the this test. It was nice to see a set up like this in action. BTW, thanks for reminding me to watch YellowStone 1923
Great video Evan and Rebecca. You covered the solar set up and possibilities pretty good. You'll have a complete set up before long and shouldn't have to worry about any power outages. Stay safe and keep up the good videos and keep informing us of any changes you may have to make. Fred.
We went a week two years ago. Some people went up to 3 to 4 weeks with out electric. Stores didn’t have electric so you couldn’t get gas. So I feel solar generates would be the thing to have. You would just have to only have to run what you had to have. This was in Oklahoma. We’ve had this happen 3 times in the last 15 years. Your veto was very helpful.
Great video, Evan. You have executed a real-life testing scenario very well.
When it comes to providing power for your home, being an energy 'purist' is foolish. The smart play is to treat energy production the same way that we homesteaders/off-gridders should view all systems; redundancy, redundancy, redundancy. Two is one, and one is none.
Sure, solar is great because it gives you a pay once, use many times solution without additional inputs (if you don't count battery and equipment end-of-life replacement). But the sun doesn't always shine when you need it to, so backing up with fossil fuels is just practical and common sense.
Take care and God Bless.
Great video, I didn't know that the temperature drop would raise the voltage so much. Now I will watch my system closely on cold days.
My solar array's are sending 93 volts into the charge controller with a high limit of 145 so think its good and I'm in Arizona.
These videos really help the DIYers learn the little got ya's with out having to learn the hard expensive way.
I thought the same thing so had to go do some research. From what I deduced (still educating myself so may not be 100% correct) it sounds like he sized the panels based on the Voltage at Max Power (Vmp). Vmp for his panel is 33.1V * 4 panels = 132.4V (which is the 130-ish he stated) and using the panels 0.29%/*C voltage correction only takes it up to 138V @15*F. Which is under the 150V of the Delta Pro, but is the incorrect figure to look at -- the Voltage at Open Circuit (Voc) is what should be used. Using Voc for his panels of 39.9V times 4 panels in series adds up to 159.6V...and this is at the 77*F. So he was technically already over-voltage, but my guess is he probably only saw it because his panel angle is 45*, which is almost perfect for 100% output during an Illinois winter.
You have propane as well so a multi-fuel generator would be great. Use propane first, less gasoline issues. Also, sometimes you can’t drive to the store or the gasoline is sold out. Nice video.
I never knew about the power transfer breaker blocker you’ve installed. That is indeed very clever and more cost effective the traditional panel installation. Thanks for sharing as I have limited space on such an installation. 👍🏽👍🏽❤
For a system of this size it would make more sense to use a regular Offgrid-Inverter (Growatt SPF5000ES, Victron Multiplus, etc...) with an 48V LFP Battery. It may even be a little bit cheaper, can handle higher PV-Voltage and it can automatically switch to battery power when you loose the line. Or it uses as much solar and battery as it can with the net just as backup if the batteries run dry.
I would love a solar system, but it gets so complicated…i think this is why other people also like the plug and play systems.
And I have a deep well, so I’d need enough power input and storage to run that. I would like to have a big holding tank at the house to reduce how often the pump has to kick on. It would have to run longer, but less draw for that turning on surge.
And if I had a big tank, I could just be careful with the water usage and not run the well pump. The pressure tank would hook to the holding tank.
I would want the type of system that could draw from the grid if necessary, but I want it all automatic. I don’t want to have to rely on memory or my input to keep things safe and functioning.
thanks for letting us know about the cold weather and voltage. i had no idea. that's good to know.
Awsome video! You did exactly what i wanted to do for my house. The cost for two Eco Flows would probably be the only reason i wouldnt do this. These battery generators our only going to get better
Great video. I like the fact that you took the time to simulate a power outrage. And was able to learn your voltage was too high from the solar panels. Thanks for sharing!
Based on the 11 / 7-hour available power on the Ecoflow unit it might be a good idea to balance your loads in the breaker box evenly distributing breakers current draw between phases A and B.
You didn't focus on what mattered - what they ran down to, which was 20% and 16%, aka, very well balanced.
Thank you for your insightful comment! Balancing the loads in the breaker box is indeed a good idea to optimize power usage. Speaking of power stations, have you checked out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers a massive capacity of up to 5kWh, super fast recharging, and versatile sockets for all your camping and home backup power needs. It's definitely worth considering for outdoor enthusiasts like us! 😊
I think you guys are sitting so much better than the past! If you weren't home your wife could have 12 hours of instant flip a switch power if you weren't home. I have just one delta pro. I feel I am more prepared than the family that had only a Gas generator . Which I also have. I love my eco flow. And if for some crazy reason I have to bug out...say I lived in Palestine Ohio, I can take the power with me in an instant as I prepare for a long term evac.
If you are fully recharged by 1:00 in the afternoon, while operating the house off the solar system it sounds as if you are light in storage capacity relative to the installed panel capacity. You'll probably want to have enough storage for one-to-two days with cloudy weather without extreme load shedding in the house and then match the panel size to that storage capacity. You are right that the gas generator is a necessary backup for the really infrequent long-duration outages. The cost of a gas generator is low relative to the cost of an equivalent amount of battery storage and the panels to charge it.
Unless you are perfect, having a propane generator is helpful. Even if you forget it due to a family crisis, it will still work.
Thanks for showing the error of the over voltage. I can use that info for a test format myself when developing my own setup.
Great video Evan. Maybe someone else mentioned this but can you run two panels parallel and then the pairs in series? It would double amperage and half voltage.
Would be interesting to run a test. Based on his panel specs he could get 1260W with 4 panels in a parallel/series configuration, but at 19A. The Delta Pro would max out around 990W at the 15A input. Going down to 3 panels in series he would be at 945W, but at a higher voltage you would think the panel would potentially trigger the Delta Pro sooner in the morning and run later into the day?
Excellent video. I had to unplug the monitor for the security system...wow that thing uses up juice.
Yup interesting test! But if you had a week long winter storm your not going to have enough juice. I’d stick with a propane, with a huge underground tank, or in my case, I have gas coming right to the house. I’d also would have a portable gasoline 6500 generator. 😎😬
Of course not bud his propane will last 2-3 times longer than yours 😎
@@buckd2958 how when I don’t have to have a tank. I have natural gas piped to my house
We did a similar test. It’s amazing how much light bulbs can pull. Install low watt bulbs, huge difference. Also, some items cycle, so the time isn’t quite accurate.
Buy led bulbs instead
One thing I noticed when the video started is that you have your batteries right next to each other. Because of this, the heat from one battery is going into the other battery's cooling input, so you may be heating up one battery with the heat from the other one. I would check to make sure that the battery temperature is OK (between 68° and 86° optimally). if the battery gets too warm, it will shorten the life of the battery.
Thank you for doing this experiment as i do such experiments myself. I just got a EF Delta 2 as my power needs are pretty small at night. Basically running medical equipment and charging my cell phone is all I use. 10 hrs left me with 66% charge the first night so I would get 3 nights without charging. It will charge to 80% in 50 min and generator Honda 2000 will run 9hrs on a full tank. So bare minimum if I run gen for an hour every 3 days I figure I can go 27 days on a gallon of gas without solar. I do have a 160w solar panel but the generator is so much more quick and reliable that solar just seems like a fair weathered friend.
Good video. Here in central Florida, I use a different tact. I have (currently) 3 Kickass 12v/170 Ah slimline deep cycle batteries (2,040 Wh/ea). Running a 4/6 KW inverter. Also have Westinghouse 5,300/6,500 W gasoline generator that gets 2 hr/gallon. 2 gallons = 4 hrs @ 5KW+ for $7 (@ $3.50/gal). Plenty to run a house AND recharge the batteries over 4 hrs. I'll be adding 3 more batteries soon. In event of long term power outage (we get hurricanes all the time), this combo will keep us at 100% electric for the entire house. For
Thanks for that. Interesting to see how it all works. I think with the gas backup generator too anyone would have the perfect system to run for days if they needed it. All the best 🇬🇧.
Just FYI when turning breakers on and off; Use the least dominant hand to turn breakers on or off, because if the breaker fails and explodes, you will still have the hand you use most. Additionally, turn away from facing the breakers and step to the side of the panel box. These precautions are what electricians do as we have seen the results of breakers that have failed. Safety first so you can live another day. One last thought: if you have to work on an energized system take off all rings, necklaces, earrings ,etc. as these can catch a current and electrocute you. Thanks for the video. Good work.
wow, new fear unlocked!! i didn't know that
Great vlog you have truly given your power requirements a lot of thought. A couple of suggestions firstly back up your back up. When the solar turns off send the power to a secondary back up battery bank. I know it sounds costly and possible overkill however it has bailed me out more than once or twice. In Australia the Government subsidies reduce the cost and hassle greatly. Also, over the last few years I have purchased super energy efficient fridges, freezers, dryers, washing machines and can heat and cook on a small fireplace this has added greatly to my efficiency. I also purchased timers for my fridges and freezers and depending on time of year I shut down the units between midnight and 5 am regularly keeping me off grid for weeks. Good luck to you both I enjoy your Vlog's
Wait... those noodles looked awesome! I know this was a solar system video but can we get Rebecca to show how she made those noodles?!
I have done a similar experiment on my cabin and to be able to run on a backup battery system you need a minimum of 20kilowatt hours of battery storage. 7.2 kilowatt hours is no where near enough. If you get two extra batteries for each delta pro (14.4 kilowatt hours) you will be able to run your cabin without the grid indefinitely. Not cheap but that's what you need.
Thanks, but I am a little confused. If you are only using the solar panels to charge those two batteries, what are you doing with the panels after they recharge them in a few hours. Your panels will then be setting there for days or month on end waiting for the opportunity to recharge those same two batteries again. I think you would be much better off to tie those panels to the grid where you can use the power of the panels every day to replace the power you would otherwise be using.
That would nice if I had net metering but I don't. I get power from an electric cooperative. They buy back at 2 cents for Kwatt hour. Not worth the investment and engineering study required to grid tie.
@@CountryViewAcres Our system is grid tied, it's not the buy back that save you money. It's the KWH that you don't buy from the utility that saves. My bill went from 250 per month to 10 dollars.
You got a gorgeous home!
Love the log style, fits the farm/off the grid.
I probably won’t need as much power since my wife doesn’t cook or clean….
Same here. She wasnt putting out either so I got rid of her and got a dog....I think I have a better chance of teaching the dog to cook than getting her to do it.
You need the delta 2 pro set up and act like it’s a storm , battery lights , don’t use a micro, no coffee maker ( get a battery one) , run the fridge and ice chest off the delta 2 pro. Charge phones off battery charging. Get yourself some Dewalt batteries, lights , chargers etc save the delta for large items
Why are those ceiling fans running 24x7 … ?
Really. If anything it should be a RETURN DUCT to pull off the heat from up there & recirculate it to bedrooms or somewhere it's useful.
We run our ceiling fans all the time in the rooms we are in. Summer and winter. We have high ceilings though nowhere near his height. In the winter we heat with wood. Hot air rises. You run the fans in reverse. Hardly any breeze is felt. Pushs hot air down. Feels good. AC in summer. We want to feel the breeze. Feels good. Tried the return air trick about 30 years ago. Was thinking if I get the house hot enough where return air ducts are it would pull the warm air in and distribute it throughout the house. Nope. Just a nice cool breeze coming out the registers. Great video by the way!! Pretty neat to be able to live off the grid.
Thank you for this. I just purchase this same set up but inly have 1,000 watts of solar panels but i am using this for my motorhome. The main thing would be AC every now and then to stay cool when needed but this was very helpful thank you! I am new and just learning
I bought a 27kva diesel generator, it charges my small duracel solar generator.
Saved on solar panels.
You don't realize how much energy you use ( ghost ) until you get solar Lol. And you only using under 400 watts continuously isn't too bad. I have 19580 watts of PV, and 12- 5120whs of batteries and still need 6 more to be in the safe zone. With the lack of sunshine we've had lately its almost impossible not to import from the grid or generator. Well, you could but it take more batteries then the average person is willing to spend! We know we will see rolling blackouts in the US this year!! Get the most battery backup you can afford, And the ability to charge those batteries!
Imo, your ability to refill your batteries is more important than how much capacity your batteries hold. Obviously you want enough capacity to run your house or whatever you want to power, but if you can charge more than you use you’ll never run out of power.
Take the delta pro with 3.6kwh capacity. If you only had that one battery but 12 400w panels, you probably wont run out of energy while it’s sunny.
@@SoreTv I now have 108kwh of batteries, and 27,770kwh of panels We use roughly 35 to 50kwhs per day. On Sunny days we use more because we're doing clothes can use 75wh. I'm usually full by noon and wake up on average at 64%.
Y’all have a beautiful home ❤
The average person can’t afford this luxury.
No ones fault but theirs. Don’t be average.
Thanks for doing this demonstration. I would like to say that in a true emergency, I would think that you could turn off several more things that you continued using in this demonstration, and extend the life of your batteries.
Seems like motion-detecting outdoor lights would make the most sense. Also, instant coffee or tea vs brewing a whole pot. Lots of ways to cut down power usage in the home.
I know using alot of backup power to run an air conditioner may seem unnecessary, but in the the south after a hurricane it so hot and miserable AC is comparable to heat in the winter. Makes the difference of being able to sleep or not. The heat drains you so badly being able to cool your house is huge
Spot on!! Fayetteville NC. Hurricane Fran was my first experience. No power for 6 days We had nothing but old timey flashlights. Lost all our food. Ice was wonderful if you could find any. Had a grill and cooked on it till the food spoiled. I remember laying in bed with all the windows open hoping for a breeze and listening to my neighbors generators running their campers. They had ac!!! Ever since then I have been building up my off grid capabilities. 1st item generator and then a 120 volt window ac unit. I have a full sized lp gas range on wheels in my shop that runs off 20 pound cylinder. I love prepping. RUclips has fantastic ideas. Don't wait. Storms are getting bigger and power can be disrupted for weeks now. My #1 tip would be to get an inverter style generator. About 3,500 watts. 220 volts a plus. They sip gas, not to noisy and will run a majority of your house. I can run 2 small window ac units, microwave, toaster, TVs, lights, 2 fridges and 1 deep freezer. Not all at the same time mind you. Will not run main heat pumps, electric range or water heater but that is where you have to be creative. Have an electrician run you a generator plug in to your panel. That has been great for quick hookup. Takes me 5 minutes to switch over.
I use a Woods Smart Stip controlled by my computer off/on the switch to turn off a power bar feeding all downstream electronics. TV, Modem, Printer, Switch Game, etc. They all draw power even when turned off but have no sleeping power through the Woods Smart Power. Over time one would be surprised how much juice these things use even when turned off and plugged into live power.
I think you hit the nail on the head, there’s no one perfect solution to off grid power and solar is just another tool to help aid the longevity of a system, keep making your content really enjoying it.
I have had solar now for 3 months, and have produced 150% of all my power needs. Thats with my model 3 charging and three window acs going . Im convinced you can live off grid easily with batteries
Until you need more/new/fresh batteries (maybe 10 years with LiFePO4s...if nothing breaks). Will new be available in 10 years?