Home Backup Battery for Less! - Anker SOLIX F3800 | In Depth

[@NowYouKnowChannel]

Buy Anker SOLIX F3800 now and get a FREE 200W Solar Panel. Use our exclusive discount code NYK3800to get $600 off! Or use our code NYK3800B to get Anker SOLIX F3800 + an Expansion Battery for extra $300 off, total $1,799 off the MSRP! ankerfast.club/1df7ma

[@ahaveland]

Looks useful, but I suggest that they use right angled cables/connectors to keep the cables out of the way or against the wall. With battery production expanding and developing rapidly, I expect that they'll be half the price in a year or two, and I'm looking forward to that!

[@Gurule]

I'm glad you guys made this video. I have actually been scoping it out. My goal is to get one solix to power my house during outages when my cybertruck isnt there (out to charge)

[@BladeAndrade]

will this power a 4 ton AC unit with a soft-start along with other appliances?

[@victoriagrahm3915]

I’ve TRIED 3 x to contact Anker for questions about the 3800 Generator. I’m ready to buy but want my questions answered. I HATE e-mail only companies. It makes for terrible Customer Service and makes you think you are on your own if you have trouble. Kind of like all the BBB complaints about 4 Patriots. Not many about a bad product but you can never reach them and they don’t call email back 🙄 Hince why I started looking at other companies. I like this f3800 but no one will contact me 😡. What’s wrong w companies today ?

[@jimfields9491]

I won’t deal with companies who only offer email support.

[@wilsonsamuel2469]

Anker's customer support is pathetic, in my experience.

[@AJaytheCEO]

I want to start adding something like this in my church installs to back up and keep security cameras and door access running 24/7. Thanks guys as usual.

[@Kangenpower7]

You have been able to buy a UPS system from places like Office Depot, and plug in your camera system to your UPS battery back up. Look for a fairly large one. The very low cost 300 watt model will not have a large battery. The one shown is extra large 3,800 watt battery, but also extra cost too.

[@whattheschmidt]

@@Kangenpower7 a regular computer UPS is not enough at all for a security system, which likely has spinning hard drives too. My at home system with only 2 cameras only lasts 30 min or so without power (1500VA UPS by the way). These only have 2 small lead acid batteries. You do need a LFP kind of battery, but smaller than this would be fine. 1kWh would likely be plenty.

[@Kangenpower7]

@@whattheschmidt What I did with one UPS system is connect it to my RV pair of golf cart batteries wired for 400 AH at 12 VDC. You can also wire in 4 golf cart batteries to your UPS. Check the battery voltage, normally 12 or 24 volts. Then wire the golf cart batteries the same voltage. 4 of them will store about 4 KW of power. The golf cart batteries need to be stored someplace like a storage shed, well ventilated and not a occupied space. Each 200 AH 6 volt golf cart battery is about 1 KW storage and 67 pounds! If your 1500 KVA UPS is only 40 pounds total then battery storage might be a pair of 12 volt 10 AH batteries. So that can be greatly expanded.

[@JT_771]

I've been using Anker products for years and really like them. I really do like options like this.

[@atlsoutherndog]

Good video, the Anker F3800 system is decent. I have two F3800's and 6 BP3800 expansion batteries and a Home Power Panel... so I am speaking from experience. Unfortunately I would not buy again because but they essentially have no customer service. And when they do firmware upgrades, they don't know the changes in specs. Each call or chat takes hours and each response it automatic and says they will reply in 2 days... even for the most basic questions. So unless you're a solar expert, don't count on ANKER for any help unless you have a ton of patience.

[@Curious_Cat123]

What are your thoughts on the 60V limit for solar input (times 2)? What is the recommended solar setup to achieve 2,400 watts of input? Is this something that Anker could address via a software update?

[@Digital-Dan]

Buy two and you can drive somewhere where there's power to recharge the other one. Or just choose times when you can do without power and drive somewhere to recharge.

[@jamesbuchanan3439]

The reality is that a 3800 watt-hour unit would provide backup of even a single kilowatt of power for just a few hours, not days and days... Just running the inverter for two days would kill the battery, with even the slightest load or a very intermittent load. (And adding additional batteries gets into the Powerwall cost range really quickly.)

[@jimfields9491]

Why are there no detailed videos on the Anker Auto Switch wiring ? Even the video on their website is not showing a complete wiring setup.

[@Buffy-88]

Excellent presentation. Can you use the Anker hooked up to solar panels during the day as you're charging the unit up? Then, at night, im assuming you're running just off battery.

[@bqktwcommentary]

What about running a electric heater where the heat is coming from the coils in the 1500 watt heater?

[@ronbridegroom8428]

The solar input is limited to 60 volts. This is a fatal flaw of this unit. It is good for backup of a short blackout or for camping if you want split phase but for home use you would be much, much wiser to go with other units

[@jaredlee5963]

Any recommendations?

[@paulsrivet]

I realize Anker sponsored this, but can you review the EcoFlow Delta Pro Portable Power Station which is a 3.6kWh battery for $2599 (they had a sale before valentines for $2599 for the power station and $700 for an extra battery - ie 7.2 kWh for $3299 and their transfer switch is $399 - they even have a smart panel for $999) - so this is a very like for like system to what you've just reviewed [almost pulled the trigger but my electricity is roughly $50 a month, so would take quite awhile to recover the cost]

[@nickroberts4586]

Manual says it can take a 2400 watt solar charge but........V x amps= watts 32 x 10=320watts..ch1 60x25= 1500watts.ch2 Total= 1820 watts Correct? So where are they getting that out can charge at 2400 watts

[@Bigsparky710]

I think you misunderstood this, if you have solar 30-60 volts it can take 1200watts per channel. I found rec alpha pure uses 53 volt system and allows you to max out the 2400 watt each power station. So if you have 2 you can use 4800watts of solar to charge both systems.

[@johnpoldo8817]

Rather than designate specific circuits for use during a blackout, I used a transfer switch for all circuits and backed panel through a large breaker. If load was too large, the breaker tripped. Surely it doesn’t meet code, but it’s rarely used, gives me desired flexibility, and closely monitored for safety.

[@Yadnus912]

I have a Bluetti AC180 that will be more than enough for a brief outage for small electronics like fans/routers. Still enough oomph to cook with but i have propane for that. My outage readiness kit also contains a Chinese diesel heater and 5 gallons of diesel to weather a night or two before I'd bug out to somewhere better. I picked it up on sale for $650

[@AngelLee-f7z]

So if you are running offer your battery and the grid lights come back on, why your system is still on, or does it have a transfer switch

[@bdtang]

Ordered 2 x F3800 with expansion batteries and smart home panel but didn’t install them until recently since we went and got solar installed with 1 Powerwall 3 installed. We produce a lot more spare energy when the pool isn’t being heated during the day and the powerwall fills up quickly. Decided to finally install the anker and smart home panel last weekend. Some learnings is the smart home panel is pretty cool - you can set up time of day usage to power your home and when to charge based on utility rates. Also you don’t actually need to set up a separate back up panel just run it to your main panel and a 100amp breaker and the smart home panel can back feed the battery power and run your home without using grid power. It seems to work fine with the Powerwall 3 - the Powerwall 3 doesn’t see any home usage needs when the Anker is back feeding and powering the home. When the ankers are drained or reach their reserve limits then the Powerwall battery kicks in to power the home. Also planning to add two more expansion batteries to our Anker since it’s plug and play and awhile lot cheaper and easier than adding another Powerwall.

[@loluog]

Hey man can you share more about your set up

[@bdtang]

Sure - what would you want to know? ~19kW of solar (6 arrays/string) into the Tesla powerwall 3. Tesla Back up gateway 2 that switches between grid, powerwall 3 or solar power (fed from the powerwall), in the main panel downstream of the powerwall/back up gateway I have a 100amp breaker that runs to the Anker smart home panel connected to 2 X F3800 with 2 extra external batteries each. Also have a set of 2x440 watt panels in parallel connected to each of Anker f3800 for some extra charging. There’s a back up panel also connected to the Anker smart panel but nothing connected there and may just take it out to simplify things from an aesthetics standpoint.

[@loluog]

@@bdtang how do the Powerwall and the Anker interface?

[@bdtang]

@@loluog they don’t really. The powerwall feeds the backup gateway which feeds to main panel. The Anker has a breaker in the main panel to get charge and to feed the rest of the circuits. When the Anker powers the house, the smart panel does it in a way that the net draw from the outside source (whether grid or powerwall) looks like there is zero load/need for electricity. Usually the ankers powers the house most of the night until it drains down to 20% or if there is a load that needs more than 6kW then the powerwall kicks in.

[@WilliamDeanPlumbing]

My electricity rate goes up significantly between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at night, can't I just use this thing every night to power the items like TV computer refrigerator and Save money because I let it charge during the day when electricity is cheaper? Or is there too much efficiency loss from charging up to make any real savings. And then of course also have actually a backup on hand.

[@SEaudiofan]

They sell a smart home panel that allows for that more easily, from what I've read

[@user--PM]

9:45 the Model Y made in the USA, does not use LiFePo4 (or LFP for short) batteries in it. the Model 3 RWD is the only Tesla in the USA that uses LFP. currently in USA, the Model Y is only made with 2170 NMC cells. However, China makes a Model Y RWD with LFP and Tesla has imported them to Canada. EDIT: 10:00 LFP cells are fine being discharged to zero, however you should consider charging them very soon, if left at zero state of charge, they can become unchargeable after a while, depending on quality 2 weeks to a month will damage them to where some will take very little charge or refuse to charge entirely. if you have to leave them at a low state of charge for a while, consider keeping them above 20% preferably 50%

[@wt9653]

3800 wh is not big enough to charge your EV. It might get you less than 5 miles of distance. I have 5000 wh system. It's good for 28 hours of run time on my freezer, refrigerator and few lights. The pellet stove runs on the Jackery 1500. I'll charge them back up with the gasoline powered inverter generator. I also have 1000 watts of solar panels. I would invest in the Power wall or something else before spending money on expanding. The power wall is all in one system that is 4x bigger than the Anker. Power wall is 8,500 dollars. It will be cheaper than Anker Solix with 3 expansion batteries.

[@mitchdroberts]

Can you plug your F-150 Lightnings ProPower 240v Output directly into the transfer switch? The transfer switch is only ~600 bucks. Could be a simple and cost effective alternative to Ford's Charge Station for home backup.

[@djsparkyy]

Don't see why not. It's a 30amp outlet so it could supply 60amps of 120

[@ZacCataldo]

Yes that should work - in fact we should test it! Thanks. Also you can feed the Ford Lightning into the battery to keep it topped up.

[@mitchdroberts]

A test would be great! I'd buy that transfer switch in a heartbeat if I knew for sure it'd work with the Lightning. I agree, it should technically work. The few reasons it might not seem unlikely. A physical test would be a nice way to get a solid answer.

[@mitchdroberts]

Would still love to see a physical test to know 100%, but after more research it seems unlikely to work. This is due to the trucks bonded neutral. I hoped Anker was using a bonded neutral with their battery, and this transfer switch supported that. But it seems it doesn't, and this box is an off-the-shelf Reliance transfer switch which doesn't support bonded neutral generators. Plugging in ProPower will likely result in a ground fault in the truck. 🤞 I'm wrong!

[@poyguls7493]

Isnt it available in Europe?

[@gofy8481]

yeah these things are cool, especially the Ecoflow Ultra, but in reality you need a gas, diesel, or propane generator for any long term needs...more than a day a two. Get a dual fuel, run it on propane, and you won't have the problem of gas sitting for a long time. Imagine, you buy a predator, Westinghouse, or champion 12500 dual fuel for 1500 max. Done. These power stations are just a shiny object. Good for Van Life, I own two Ecoflows, but they are not serious for home backup.

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

Pam here….this may be what we are looking for now that we have solar, our next step is battery back up…so if we had grid down our solar could recharge this during day and keep our house going….hhmmm. Thanks Guys!

[@davidmoore4628]

But natural gas generator runs for days even weeks while battery backup even with solar support will run a couple of days. So you have a problem in extreme heat or cold when you run out of battery even with some solar support. Where am I wrong?

[@wilsonsamuel2469]

The installation cost and process for that could be cost prohibitive, also home standby generators require regular periodic maintenance (oil change etc).

[@danzwku]

How does this compare with the Tesla Powerwall? Other than it being mobile?

[@ZacCataldo]

Anker Solix F3800 is less than half the price as the Powerwall, is 3.8kWh vs 13.5kWh and is not tied to the grid in our case.

[@Kangenpower7]

I have heard that the Powerwall is about $10,000. And if the battery in the powerwall is 4 times larger, then it would be less per stored watt. However I am not sure what the wattage of each battery is. The Powerwall is said to be able to run a HVAC system that is small, say 2 tons of capacity. This unit only runs 120 volt loads.

[@SEaudiofan]

9:22, what is the actual hookup change, is this an in series connection from each breaker?

[@cdw1485]

While on battery, how do you know if grid comes back on line….no neighbors located nearby

[@ZacCataldo]

I know in our area National Grid can send text messages when the grid goes down/comes back online.

[@Kangenpower7]

The things that are not run on the battery will come back to life. Such as the light on your digital thermostat run on a 240 volt A/C system. Or you do not put something like 1 light or a radio on a 120 volt circuit that stays grid tied. When it comes on, you know the grid is back. Then can switch some things back to grid power, and maybe leave the lights on the battery pack, in the likely event the grid goes back off later. Most back up generators keep the load on the generator for 15 minutes after the grid is back, then run the engine for instant back up power for another 10 - 15 minutes with no load on the generator, so that the engine can cool itself off before shutting down about 18 - 30 minutes after the grid is back. The chance of a grid going down again is much less after 15 minutes.

[@franksilva9355]

Great video review, thank you! Can you help identify best solar panels to use with this unit besides the portable ones due to the limited 60V solar input? On some reviews I’ve seen they using the F3800 unit with 3 panels in parallel that are LG 365W each. 47.7VOC, 9.39Imp total of 28.17 amps potential using two 3 panel strings to connect of the F3800. Any thoughts if these will work and your panel recommendations?

[@zodiacfml]

The power station to get. This station allows you utilize the device every night, that is, it dumps energy when the electricity is most expensive. The average station will be unused until your next trip or job. I don't get why Anker insists/market the auto transfer switch whereas during a power failure a user simply plugs a critical appliance to the station

[@NextGenAge]

How does this compare to the DIY LiFePO4 stacks?

[@goaliedude32]

You jad the wall open, yoi could have brought the power into the back kf the unit and closed the wall back up. Only the box would be visible

[@billkenny5938]

now this is too cool, imagine the future

[@leesprout5820]

Has anyone used the Anker EV charge cable?

[@Jon-ky6st]

Think this would be great for power arbitrage as well for small dwellings. I do have one question though; do you think you get an IRA tax credit for this system?

[@SEaudiofan]

You mean IRS right? I read it can qualify for a 30% credit since it is large enough capacity

[@toucansteve]

Does your transfer switch disconnect the grid to prevent backfeeding to the utilities satisfaction?

[@johnpoldo8817]

I highly doubt it disconnects from the grid and notice there is no main breaker in his panel. However, most local codes require a disconnect from the grid and his probably is at meter or another location. You must disconnect from the grid.

[@ZacCataldo]

In effect the transfer switch doesn't allow back feeding the grid because you are choosing between "Line" or "battery"

[@johnpoldo8817]

@@ZacCataldo Yes, excellent description.

[@Kangenpower7]

Yes. The "Line off Gen" switch is a code legal way to disconnect the grid power from the generator power. It is safe, and proven great way to move power from the grid input to the generator input, in this case from a battery inverter system instead of a generator.

[@billweberx]

You went from mostly ads to all ads. This keeps up, I'm getting out.

[@normandcamire8747]

The Promo codes do not work for me!

[@wallykramer7566]

110/220 is what the power companies provided before 1970 or so. There was a little time during which they aimed for 115/230 in the 1970s. Ever since, it is 120/240! Come on, Zac!: get with the modern times!

[@ZacCataldo]

Sorry I use the terms interchangeably because I grew up with 220 :)

[@juniorgarcia5344]

make video on how long it takes to load the generator from zero to 100% using one 200w solar panel. also make video on how to use it. good video guys

[@Kangenpower7]

A single 200 watt panel should make about 1,000 watts per day between May and October, when the daylight is longer each day. So it would take 800 watts to fill the 3,800 watt battery in 1 day. If oyu have a load on the battery, then more solar would power that load and also charge the battery if the solar is larger than the load using the power.

[@nicovanrensburg6191]

Excellent review, great product, would love to have one, but I'm in South Africa

[@jonevansauthor]

Are Anker not there yet? I'd be surprised if there's no-one selling the same thing but different tbh.

[@nicovanrensburg6191]

@@jonevansauthor I've done a search on South African suppliers, no hits. I've bought the Ecoflow Delta 2 a couple of months ago, also a great product.

[@Bill-uf6os]

Since you guys advocate contacting people regularly, the best thing to do is contact the power company to get their act together. Power outages are rare in the UK.

[@jonevansauthor]

They don't have Ofgem or any equivalent, or a national grid of any kind. They have 3 grids on the mainland. We have interconnectors to France, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, and we have huge amounts of wind power already, they do not. I could find a single interconnector in the US but that doesn't mean there isn't one. So yeah, their power is completely unstable and antiquated, not to mention the hilariously poor choice they made to go 120 volt and the much worse decision to stick with that. What they need is regulation, and (federal) government management to shore it all up and modernise but of course, they prefer fake freedom to real freedom, or at least, many of them do. And it's not that their politicians are even more easily influenced by money than ours. The insane thing is this sort of thing makes sense to loads of Americans because they can't even see why they'd vote differently based on their own self interest, let alone bring themselves to deny multi-billion turnover companies 'freedom' as if they're people being kept in servitude. :D Of the great things about the US that are nice to have, neither bread nor their utilities are things to be envious of.

[@wallykramer7566]

What a strange bit of assumptions! We don't have power outages around here because of some little failing of the power companies! We have outages because the dozens of miles of powerlines are knocked out by trees falling or vehicles hitting power poles or rockslides burying a power substation. There are wind towers all over around me, zillions of solar panels, and hydroelectric plants here and there but that doesn't help anyone if the power lines are broken somehow!

[@howardeldridge847]

Called Anker with a question. They don't have customer service employees that have any knowledge of the product.

[@ronbridegroom8428]

I really hate these "sponsored" videos as they almost always are filled with fluff and often do not even mention, or at least downplay, the negatives of the system. If a person viewing this had not done tons of research they would buy into your BS, make a purchase and then find out the hard way that this system is NOT what it is promoted to be. You lose your credibility and now I and others know not to watch you as you cannot be trusted

[@bayaraa13]

It's portable powerwall

[@JohnDoe-df2zz]

The problem with your "middle of a snowstorm" solar argument, is that solar panels don't work either when covered with snow.

[@JZONE14U]

Isn't that elegal? It could kill somebody working on the grid!

[@hanswitvliet8188]

Black-outs happen once in 10 years. PV-generated (more than I need) electricity yields €0.05 per kWh, while I have to pay €0.45 per kWh some hours later. This battery won’t help me, the (far more expensive) Tesla power wall can.

[@yardemedia9323]

“Yup”

[@MathewK-vj4ti]

At the 6:38 there is info that average American fridge is using 3.8kWh/day. Well in Europe I have a quite big fridge freezer that is 60 cm wide and 184 cm high and I measured that it is using on average 1.04 kWh/day. You are very wasteful if only a fridge is using 3.6 times more electricity. That is why the guy from Not Just Bikes escaped to Netherlands.

[@jonevansauthor]

Yes. I suspect their fridges of equivalent size are less efficient. Just like you could buy the same Ford model over there and over here, and ours would mysteriously get more miles/litre than theirs and have suspension that doesn't feel like you're on a small rowing boat going over rapids. I saw a washing machine on Two bit Da Vinci the other day, that head a heat pump... but had natural gas powering it because they are on 120 volt and can't run normal devices efficiently. I love America, but it's just as crazy as the rest of the world, and bizarrely behind on so much tech.

[@nehtals]

7:46 RIP to your 12V battery

[@jamesgarrison7397]

I live in Houston, TX and it is always sunny after a hurricane too, great time to collect Sun energy!

[@sleepywoodcollection]

lol after the storm today, i find myself here

[@MojaveHardware]

How much did you guys get paid to read that cheesy script?

[@Lildrewpy]

Is this not just a 15 minute ad for Anker?

[@ChrisZ901]

i mean thats what literally the title of the video says.

[@IDNHANTU2day]

A 8.5kwh gas generator for $1,000 bucks back fed into your service panel is cheaper. It runs your whole house without installing an expensive transfers switch. And they work rain or shine. The law requires you to use an interlock switch to prevent energizing the grid. I run test my generator once a month. I also treat and maintain plenty of fuel which is treated far storage.

[@anthonydyer3939]

Conversely a backup generator has an extremely low utilisation rate and requires fuel, maintenance as you allude to. A battery on the other hand can be used every night to supply solar power that was harvested the previous day. So yes it’s more expensive, but it can give you value every single day, and it doesn’t need any particular maintenance.

[@zodiacfml]

@@anthonydyer3939 nailed it

[@Team_Fortress2]

Next video: peddle bikes are safer than car *the reasoning (Cars kill people)*

[@Cybersamuraidave]

Loosing power will not make your internet work lol

[@Sam-fq4hj]

Electrician wanted $2000

[@Ted_adventurer]

Biggest sellouts 😅

[@Don_Von_De_LaNooch]

literally a 15 minute ad. I can't be the only one a little tired of being finessed by these two

[@Blairpark]

Dope and bitcoin mining? Recharge your brains.

[@patlalla148]

wow so not only do you sing about everything Tesla but you do their ads too. Too bad.