Ecoflow Smart Panel vs. Double Voltage Hub

[qwertymoney]

I currently have 2 EcoFlow Delta Pros which have been great for use in the camper and other mobile applications. I am looking to use them to provide backup power to our home in the case of a power outage. I am curious what the pros/cons of using the Smart Home Panel (SHP) are versus the Double Voltage Hub (DVH)? Obviously using the DVH will require me to install a transfer switch at the panel, but this should allow me to power all of the circuits for the home (for a limited time until I can add additional batteries to the DPs) while the SHP is limited to 10 circuits only. What additional considerations am I missing? What other advantages does the SHP offer?

 

[GrtLks]

I have two Delta Pros and extra batteries and the Smart Home Panel. FWIW, the transfer switch or lockout would be a great answer and would save a buck. If I were to start over I might choose that path, although the SHP provides some extra goodness.

What you get with the SHP is automatic backup (on ten circuits) in the event of an outage, and/or one can choose to run any or all of those circuits from grid or batteries from the app at any time, and the SHP will recharge the batteries at 3400W (each side) if that speed is selected by the user. The app also allows monitoring all of the circuits in real time, whether on grid or batteries.

If you are able to do any charging with solar, the SHP makes it very easy to add juice with solar and then choose to discharge that juice on circuits to save a bit on your electric bill. It would also make it easy to do the 'energy arbitrage' thing by charging the batteries from the grid overnight and run circuits with them during the day.

The SHP can also operate in EPS mode, in which it will switch to battery in under 20ms.

In my case, I started with the idea that I wanted to be able to run my furnace in an emergency in the winter, and boom, next thing I knew I bought Delta Pros and the SHP. I live in a house with awful solar potential and one (cheap) electrical utility rate, so the arbitrage and solar charging aspects will not do me much good. I think the automated aspects of the SHP, and ability to monitor all of it remotely were the things that keep me from buyer's remorse. I also like the idea that if I move I can have it uninstalled and take the entire thing with me to my next home.

In testing, I've been able to keep the house up and running for 52 hours straight. Furnace, fridge, chest freezer, reasonable use of lights and televisions, etc. for two full days and into a third before all of the batteries died and the SHP reverted to grid power. It all works together really nicely.

If you are simply looking to power the house when the power goes out, the transfer switch or panel lockout and receptacle would work, although in that case so would a properly-sized generator. I didn't want a generator because of the noise and proximity of neighbor houses to us, and I've been enamored of whole-house batteries for several years.

 

[qwertymoney]

This is insanely helpful, thank you. As my research has continued, I am leaning towards the SHP now, mainly due to the automation you highlight, and the ability to prioritize the 10 circuits as the battery power begins to dwindle. You can even turn off certain circuits to extend the life of the batteries while the grid is down.

QQ: Was the 52 hours of backup power you experienced during testing with 2 DPs, and a total of 4 Extra Batteries (2 per DP)?

I am now looking into the best panel options to keep the DPs charged when the grid is not an option, but the specs seem somewhat limiting in terms of solar input into the DPs. 15A and 150V maximums seem to cut out most smaller panel set-ups, regardless of parallel vs. series wiring if you want to get anywhere close to the 1600W max input per DP. I think Renogy has a 500W panel with a Voc of 49.95, so perhaps I can wire 3 of these in series? Seems like I am cutting it close and may fry things on a cold day.

Is there a solution on the panel side to get each DP it's max solar input?

 

[GrtLks]

Sorry for the delay. Yes, the 52 hours was with two DP units plus two extra batteries each. That's 21.6 KWh, BUT when I checked the app to confirm how many KWh I had discharged when the batteries gave out, it reported 18KWh, which means that there are losses involved, including the BMS itself, plus the power required to run the batteries themselves, so I'll never get a full 21.6KWh from those six units.

As far as recharging, I wound up buying a small inverter generator which I'll use in genuine emergencies to charge the DP units. It's a small 1500W unit and my rough calculations tell me that running it four to five hours will give me enough charge to maintain emergency power as long as I have propane. I also bought two portable 400W solar panels but so far I've never gotten more than ~150W or so from them running in series. My deck is shaded. I may have summer months during which I can add enough solar to then save a couple bucks on the electricity bill by running circuits to 'burn off' the solar charge but it'll never amount to much at my house. For me, the baseline measures are (1) in a blizzard can I power maintain power for a day or two, and (2) in a longer term genuine emergency can I keep the system powered? I think I've now answered those questions, and the SHP is really cool and ahead of the curve IMO.

You are right that, if you have all six battery units comprising a Delta Pro full monty, the solar charging input is not enough in many instances. If you have good sun, you could find a panel mix that at least maxes out the input capabilities (15A, 150V each side) and then keep a small inverter generator on hand for emergencies.