Basic Home BackUp System Planning | Houston, TX

[Chopin_Guy88]

Starting to plan out a simple solar / battery home backup to solution to cover essential circuits in the event of outages. Appreciate the help and insight of the experience found here.

My thought is to use the EG4 3k all-in-one, and wire it directly into the power input of this Reliance Controls transfer switch which is a dedicated 120V model. I would go with two EG4 or SOK 48V batteries - just not sure on which would be better. Would also run AC into the inverter from my main panel to handle charing the batteries under normal conditions - I would only plan to connect solar panels if needed during an outage.

Thoughts or comments on this implementation?

I'm concerned with installing this in a Texas garage with the heat of summer. Is that something I should be concerned about? Ideas on ways to better locate the batteries?

Appreciate the help very much.

 

[1201]

Bump for you

 

[Chopin_Guy88]

Bump for you

Appreciate that 1201 - after more research I'm kind stuck figuring out a viable implementation. I'm in a new build (only about 3 years old), and the main breaker panel is an Eaton CH load center that uses the new plug on ground breakers - almost all of which are the smart afci/gfci type. After speaking with Reliance Controls - all the manual transfer switch options don't really play well with these.

This has me considering just doing a secondary critical load panel. But that still leaves me with a couple of critical issues: 1) garage is really the best place for the equipment, but it's quite hot here in Houston 2) if I'm using this only as a backup solution - do my batteries essentially stay fully charged at all times - how do I cycle them appropriately / etc??

So still a lot for me to consider and work out.

 

[1201]

Appreciate that 1201 - after more research I'm kind stuck figuring out a viable implementation. In in a new build (only about 3 years old), and the main breaker panel is an Eaton CH load center that uses the new plug on ground breakers - almost all of which are the smart afci/gfci type. After speaking with Reliance Controls - all the manual transfer switch options don't really play well with these.

This has me considering just doing a secondary critical load panel. But that still leaves me with a couple of critical issues: 1) garage is really the best place for the equipment, but it's quite hot here in Houston 2) if I'm using this only as a backup solution - do my batteries essentially stay fully charged at all times - how do I cycle them appropriately / etc??

So still a lot for me to consider and work out.

If it's just backup no solar panels have you considered a generator?

 

[Chopin_Guy88]

If it's just backup no solar panels have you considered a generator?

Indeed - I have, but liked not having to worry about gas life / maintenance on the unit / etc. versus the battery backup option. Plus I could always add some panels down the road, but it was not my intent initially...

 

[1201]

Indeed - I have, but liked not having to worry about gas life / maintenance on the unit / etc. versus the battery backup option. Plus I could always add some panel down the road, but it was not my intent initially...

I have a friend who has his inverters in the garage in Dallas area and so far no problems.

Which circuits are you backing up? For example a fridge won't be on an afci GFCI,

 

[Chopin_Guy88]

I have a friend who has his inverters in the garage in Dallas area and so far no problems.

Which circuits are you backing up? For example a fridge won't be on an afci GFCI,

I'd be looking at doing two refrigerators, kitchen light circuit, kitchen outlet circuit, living room out circuit (wifi & tv), and master bedroom outlet circuit. 6 total - pretty straight forward. Amazingly all of these are the afci/gfci breakers in the main panel. Must be something with new building code, but with exception of the 240v and a couple other circuits all the other breakers in my main loader center are those smart ones - it's crazy.

That's good to hear about your friend in Dallas - does he have his batteries there as well.

The more I'm looking at it - I'm thinking it would be best to not go cheap on the inverter. Especially if the sub panel is going to rely solely on that inverter. The Sol-Ark 5k looks appealing as it has proper 50a 120v pass through and ups function.

 

[1201]

I'd be looking at doing two refrigerators, kitchen light circuit, kitchen outlet circuit, living room out circuit (wifi & tv), and master bedroom outlet circuit. 6 total - pretty straight forward. Amazingly all of these are the afci/gfci breakers in the main panel. Must be something with new building code, but with exception of the 240v and a couple other circuits all the other breakers in my main loader center are those smart ones - it's crazy.

That's good to hear about your friend in Dallas - does he have his batteries there as well.

The more I'm looking at it - I'm thinking it would be best to not go cheap on the inverter. Especially if the sub panel is going to rely solely on that inverter. The Sol-Ark 5k looks appealing as it has proper 50a 120v pass through and ups function.

He does have batteries in there too. You could do a transfer switch and keep the inverter off until needed. Heck if it's just for backup you can keep it in the house until needed and bring it out when you have an outage. I imagine those are rare in Houston? That way you greatly extend the life span of the unit.

 

[Bluedog225]

If it was me, I’d pass on connecting to the existing electric for a basic backup system. Keep the batteries and inverter in a closet in the air conditioned part of the house and use a power strip and extension cords for fridges, lighting, tv, window unit, etc. Cycle it once a quarter? Keep it charged with utility power. Have a few panels stored in the garage ready to go.

Or if you want a little project, run an air conditioner in your garage from say 10 am to 5 pm using mostly solar.

 

[Chopin_Guy88]

He does have batteries in there too. You could do a transfer switch and keep the inverter off until needed. Heck if it's just for backup you can keep it in the house until needed and bring it out when you have an outage. I imagine those are rare in Houston? That way you greatly extend the life span of the unit.

The power outages are rare here in the Houston metro area - usually only tied to some sort of major event. The last one was the big freeze in Feb. 2021 - it was about 48 hours without power. There's been a couple small ones tied to big thunderstorms here and there as well.

Yeah it's very much a rabbit hole - can get complicated doing a sub panel and inverter/transfer switch if I really want that uninterrupted option. But that's a lot more complicated and costly - plus I know the batteries in the heat is not the best idea. Even if the inverter would be ok.

Otherwise a simple outlet to backed the main panel with an option we pull out when needed and keep charged / properly cycled would obviously be easier and less costly.

 

[Chopin_Guy88]

If it was me, I’d pass on connecting to the existing electric for a basic backup system. Keep the batteries and inverter in a closet in the air conditioned part of the house and use a power strip and extension cords for fridges, lighting, tv, window unit, etc. Cycle it once a quarter? Keep it charged with utility power. Have a few panels stored in the garage ready to go.

Or if you want a little project, run an air conditioner in your garage from say 10 am to 5 pm using mostly solar.

Appreciate that - as I said above it's really kind of a rabbit hole (and much more costly) to go down the patch of uninterrupted ups function with the inverter in the garage and a sub panel. Also knowing the batteries would not be in the best enviroment in that heat out there in 4-5 months of the year.

I wouldn't want to do the extension cords all over the house, but it would be much easier to just setup a back feeding breaker in the main panel with lockout that could connect a standard generator cord from the inverter to plug in to an outlet box if I decided to do something I keep in the house and charge cycle appropriately.

 

[Bluedog225]

For this use case, a champion dual fuel is a good option. Mine will never see gasoline.

 

[Chopin_Guy88]

For this use case, a champion dual fuel is a good option. Mine will never see gasoline.

Yeah - the other option I was looking at is the Honda EU7000is with natural gas conversion kit since we have NG here at the house...

 

[HTownMicroGridder]

This thread has some discussion about batteries and heat.

For your purpose, I wonder if some of the "battery on a dolly" style build may get you what you want? Will has some videos on that. You could include the inverter on the dolly or just put it on your wall next to your transfer switch solution. Definitely a manual process to start it up, including lugging the dolly out of the nice cool closet.

 

[billvon]

Yeah - the other option I was looking at is the Honda EU7000is with natural gas conversion kit since we have NG here at the house...

Another vote for a generator here.

If you are planning on using your battery system to load shift, or as part of a solar power system, it makes sense to use it for backup only. But if you are only doing occasional backup, that's a lot of expense and material for a very infrequent event. It's a bad use of money and resources.