Off-Grid House Powered by Solar Generator

[@minutemanprep]

***NOTE: The 210w panels have now been upgraded to a brand new super-efficient 200w solar panel which works just as good if not even better. ***

[@Redodopower]

Hi, Ben, How do I contact you if I have a good product to recommend? --Yvonne

[@minutemanprep]

@@Redodopower The best way to get in contact with us is by email at [e-mail] :)

[@ivanitachi4837]

​@@minutemanprep quick question I have seen your videos about the duracell power source and the power oak bluetti. ... which one would you recommend for an user that needs to sustain power for a couple laptops, 1 TV , a modem and maybe a fridge .... I would really appreciate your input and knowledge on this... thanks

[@minutemanprep]

@@ivanitachi4837 I don'[t think any of those units will get done what you're wanting unless they have a lot of solar panels connected. But for what you're looking for, honestly the Hysolis MPS3K would be my recommendation. Video coming out soon on that.

[@Off-gridchic]

@@ivanitachi4837 Hi, We have a bluetti it works great. It runs TV lights modem tablets freezer (4hours) The TV is on from morning to about 11pm. We charge it with generator. We are not using our panels cause we are getting new batteries. We have been Off-grid for 11 years full time. No traditional hydro, and loving it. We would like to upgrade the bluetti, Maybe one day lol

[@alainsth]

Thank you so much for these simple and easy-to-understand infos ON ECOFLOW and SOLAR PANNELS.

[@jackiejackie796]

Goodness Gracious, I just found you on youtube. You are a life saver. I need to set up my property to run off grid and didn’t know where to begin. Grateful to have found this it helps tremendously. I purchased property and recently found out the electric coop company for a lack of better words, sucks. They are outrageously expensive just to get power to my 10 acre lot. I want to learn to go totally off grid for power.

[@minutemanprep]

I'm so glad you found my video helpful. I'd love to help you figure out any of your off-grid power needs if you're interested. You can shoot me an email to [e-mail]. I will be taking my entire house off-grid in a couple of months similarly to how I took my cabin off-grid.

[@pharaohacura3618]

hey my friend, nice setup…what are your thoughts on the Ecoflow smart panel?? i’m just starting out with 2 delta pros, 2 batteries, and a smart panel is on the Fedex truck as we speak, lol

[@huiponoholoholonapaws-pono1032]

It's recharging with great weather summer time conditions.......like to see during winter. That will tell for sure how good it is.

[@minutemanprep]

Ineed, I'll have to wait a few months to test that out ;)

[@williamnigh5979]

Alot of good information sir. Wouldn’t it be nice if Congress finally recognized our need for a grid upgrade? Thanks for all your hard work!

[@Ferdalance]

Great video, my wife and I are pretty set on doing this. How did you set up your transfer switch to run of what I believe is just you main house breaker panel?

[@minutemanprep]

@@Ferdalance That's awesome, it's definitely nice to have the easy to use backup power. I had an electrician install my transfer switch. The electrical panel simply gets it's power from one source, the grid. When we add a transfer switch, we give the option to the electrical panel to get power from another source, in this case a solar generator. If the grid power goes down, we flip off our main breaker from the grid, and then tell the electrical panel to get the power from the solar generator by using the transfer switch. If you're going to get any of this equipment please consider ordering from poweredportablesolar.com/shop/ to help support the channel :) You can always reach out by email as well to [e-mail] and we can help you even more.

[@dboucher26]

I also have 2 sets of Delta Pros with extra batteries, but the electrical draw is pretty even on both. I was extra careful of what loads I selected for the transfer switch banks. I have 3 refrigerators and 1 deep freezer. I made sure to match bank 1 and bank 2 as closely as possible.

[@affordabledesertliving3487]

Very informative Ben. Many thanks for breaking this down so folks can understand it and to power a whole modern home is impressive indeed.

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks!

[@EagleOne49]

Well done, Ben! The Delta Pro 2520 240v kit is quite impressive.

[@tjcharlot]

Amazing test! Thanks so much! This is great information and the REAL reason youtube is so useful. Please keep it up!

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks for watching. more videos to come.

[@scarygary3569]

Wicked. Awful lot of talk about blackouts,heat waves and cyber attacks on the grid but having a powerful solar set up takes most of the worry off our shoulders except having to possibly defend our stuff from the desperate or un-prepared. It's always something but being prepped up ensures its not always EVERYTHING✌👍🌞

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks Gary. It definitely is not fun having to prepare in this way but that's how the world is and we definitely need to be ready.

[@scarygary3569]

Don't see no highlighted MINUTE MAN PREP in black😕

[@scarygary3569]

908 is NJ,Ben is in Utah or Idaho,can't remember but Definetly not in Jersey😕

[@niktak1114]

The legs in a breaker box aren't separated by left and right. Every other row alternates between one leg and the other. That's how you get 240V from a double pole breaker.

[@minutemanprep]

Just trying to keep it simple for people who don't know how electrical panels work. There are indeed two bus bars (legs) inside my electrical panel and you can only get 240v power if you send 120v power to each bus bar. So one "side" is energized while the other is not if I only have 120v like one delta pro or one titan solar generator.

[@jwade1977]

@@minutemanprep You would benefit from balancing your 120V loads in your electrical panel, which would better balance out the discharge rate of each group of batteries. Determine which 120v loads you use the most and try to put half on one leg or "side" and the other half on the other leg or "side". This would allow both battery groups to discharge more evenly. A lot of times, shifting a load from one leg to another is just a matter of swapping a breaker up or down. Hopefully, this advice is worth more to you than what you paid.

[@pstoneking3418]

@@jwade1977 excellent suggestion. Actually this is a good idea even if you're connected to the grid. In that scenario an unbalanced panel load can cause many problems. Most serious you could actually trip your main breaker because one leg of the 2 pole main is drawing more current than the breaker rating.

[@rinoferrerimenswear2269]

@@pstoneking3418 Very helpful tip - Thanks !!

[@mikemizer7486]

Really enjoy watching your videos and real interested in this system . And will be watching for your updates. Again thank you for your help.

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks so much for watching and following. I will be testing A/C units this week on this system, so I will have a video on that soon. Then as well more videos on each kit size and how they work. Whenever you're ready to get a kit please feel free to reach out to me at [e-mail] and I'll you make sure you get the exact kit you need :)

[@mikemizer7486]

@@minutemanprep yes that will be great

[@mikemizer7486]

This is my reply my phone doesn't do screenshots.

[@mikemizer7486]

But anyway I do enjoy you videos and very interested in learning more on solar-powered

[@mikemizer7486]

@@minutemanprep here's my screenshot

[@thechamp66]

Very well done. I started with 2 DP's only and after your original video, showing your set up on the Uline Cart, I ended up getting have the exact same DP set up. However my 12 roof mounted Longi LR4-60HPB-360M Solar Panels were the most optimal panels which are available here in Alberta Canada at the time at a decent price while each of the 6 panel 3S2P arrays provides 1,606 watts to EACH of my DP's.

[@minutemanprep]

Very nice setup you have too! I'm glad you got it all worked out.

[@snawsomes]

Good video. Hopefully the prices come down one day.

[@minutemanprep]

They definitely will over time. But as time progresses, new tech will come out that will still be expensive, and old systems will be cheap, but then they'll be old. So it's tough but that's how it is.

[@ChrisShaw25]

This is exactly the kind of system and video I've been looking for. Thank you!

[@minutemanprep]

You're welcome! I'm very glad to hear that. If you decide to get anything please consider ordering through poweredportablesolar.com/shop/ to help support the channel and get free items in the kits :)

[@af1023]

Awesome video and your justification was logical and on point

[@fu4616]

Well done! It seems you can benefit from moving a few circuits in your panel to better balance your loads.

[@minutemanprep]

Thank you. I definitely could use moving some circuits around, I think I'll do that so life is a little easier when running this system or any other system long term.

[@darecofreedomfarm3]

@@minutemanprep balancing your electric system reduces your bill when on the grid too!

[@jeffumbach]

Looks like something to do myself before putting in a generator tap, I never considered that a panel could end up so imbalanced. A clamp-on ammeter helps a lot for this task. Since breakers alternate it's just a matter of moving the single poles up or down a spot, don't need to move left to right.

[@JP-cz2pj]

Excellent info! Thank you for making it easy to understand for everyone

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks for watching!

[@mr.c6674]

EMP attack?🧐 Ok😀 Thanks for sharing your testing. This is good info!

[@kingscairn]

Take a battery off the right side and add it to the left continual pull because thats where its needed most

[@alsemi-back-up579]

another Great Video!! Keep Up the Fantastic Work that you are doing Can't wait to see Double the solar Panel input! subbed. Thumbs Up!!

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks for subbing! Yes more videos to come.

[@KingTechGuy]

Wish I have the ability to do something like this. But wish I can do it on a Goal Zero yeti 6,000x. But it will be setup in a different way. 1. Will not be running a house. 2. Will charge small devices and run less stuff on the battery station 6,000x. 3. Will be type c slow charging. 4. Will try to do a little bit of solar in my area if having a much bigger battery station like the goal zero yeti 6,000x. 5. Type c in/out is still my favorite way of charging a battery station. 6. Nice setup roll and love the review.

[@brianw.4585]

Great video! You should have an electrician come out and balance out your panel loads, for a longer run time.

[@poptoy2086]

I like this, I am currently doing the same thing. You need to look at the SOLAR input on the app to see the input(solar v. input extra battery) the frig can drain it really fast if you have a week of off and on rain. I love my system I have the two extra batteries only

[@Huracon100]

Nice Work! Thanks for your time!

[@bthemedia]

Great video and insights, especially on the ecoflow. Thanks!

[@7RiversHomestead]

Excellent review! Loved that it is a real world application verses just testing to see if numbers match the manufacturing specs. I was considering the ac500 bc I didn't feel the DP was enough. I believe this just sealed the deal for our family to get a couple DP.

[@phadeon]

Thank you for this video.

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks for watching.

[@TrevPagesPlace]

Love your setup! Looking at prices onsite and holy smokes, almost $19K CAD for the same setup. I hate gas as an EV driver but $1K for a generator is much more budget friendly 😢

[@patstevenson8411]

Thank you very much, learning a lot from your videos

[@grindychum]

I would like to see a part 2 w/ more solar panels, with a AC unit running for 8 hrs. Could this setup do it for 96hrs?

[@minutemanprep]

I am working on that to see how I can get that done. I'm definitely getting more solar panels but I don't have central air in my house. So I'm asking around in my group of friends to see if they have central air and a transfer switch.

[@grindychum]

@@minutemanprep what about using a window AC unit (6-8000 btu) that is what alot of people have.

[@minutemanprep]

@@grindychum That's no problem at all. Generally you take 10% of the rated BTUs for a unit, and that's how many watts it will use to run. So a 6,000 BTU unit uses roughly 600w while running which equates to 600wh off of the battery if you run the 600w for one hour. Or if you're inputting 1000w from solar panels, and using 600w to run the window ac unit, then from that 1000w there will be 600w going to the AC unit and 400w going to the battery or anything else that is running.

[@salbiniak]

@@minutemanprep Thank you. This kind of info is very helpful.

[@danielt4730]

Yea that's the only comment I have, you won't be able to run your central ac for more than just a few hours. But of course in a black out ac is not your main concern.

[@A_Son_Of_Yahuah]

Absolutely awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks!

[@miledeep3810]

Hopefully ill have 4800 watts in panels on my system soon. Need a couple more battery banks and it will be a 24kWh battery backup. Still find myself needing grid power in winter up here so hopfully doubling what i currently have will be more than enough to survive a 2 week winter storm.

[@minutemanprep]

That definitely sounds like an impressive system, that's what I am going for as well. I need more solar panels. If you're getting more delta pro batteries please consider ordering from the PoweredPortableSolar.com shop to help support the channel: poweredportablesolar.com/product/ecoflow-delta-pro-expansion-battery/ :)

[@charles2411-i8f]

Yes with power outages however I have a similar setup and I only paid $50 a month which makes our system pay for itself in 50 years

[@AskIveSolar]

I thought if you swiped then it would show you how much power is coming from different sources. But I don't have any of the bigger ecoflows so don't let me get to talking.

[@minutemanprep]

You're talking about in the app, I don't know why I didn't click the "input" option haha. I'll do that and show it in another video.

[@SiCaRiI_DaGgEr]

Well Ben your series of videos on the DP caused me to pull the plug and grab one. I planned to add a 4th battery to my Titan but I figured for the additional price I could grab a DP and ultimately use them both while I upgrade the DP to run my whole house and to recharge each other when needed outside of using panels. Luckily Costco has/had a great deal going $2999 that will prob expire anytime now Sunday 19th . I didn't want to post this on your channel possibly steering customers away from buying from you but I figured instead of buying another Titan battery why not grab this which will ultimately give me more flexibility for a slightly increased cost. However I'll def grab the DP batteries and another DP from you.

[@minutemanprep]

No worries, I apprecaite the thought. I am pretty sure that Costco deal is over now too since Fathers day has passed. I still love my Titan, this is just another great option and it gives great expansion options like 240v.

[@SiCaRiI_DaGgEr]

@@minutemanprep Yep it was over within an hr of me posting, came with the EV charger and the remote display screen so total was about an $800 savings. Like you I def still love my Titan but now I'll have more flexibility since I originally wanted 240v although it will be a while before I 'm in your territory 4 Batts/w 2 DP's

[@kevinpickett7249]

I think power cuts will be over in the uk this year hence why I have ordered the pro and the smart panel 👍

[@hokeoverland1142]

I know I'm late in writing this, but I already have one EcoFlow Pro main unit and one extra battery. I also have a gentran unit with the plug outside. I have not tried connecting the two to see how they might work, but that is part of the plan. Looks like you have a more advanced and expensive system, but the same general idea. I hope my load is split 50/50. I plan on hooking the battery to the smart unit and then both to the voltage hub and then to the gentran plug. Hope this is a good plan. Nice video and I will subscribe.

[@chrisduna6483]

Thank you for this video very helpful !

[@47retta]

We really need to know what it does with an all electric house AND with AC and pump.

[@minutemanprep]

Electrical houses where all heat comes from electricity not gas is going to be very difficult to run off of any solar and battery setup. Electrical heat and A/C use A LOT of power.

[@Off-gridchic]

47retta, There is a lot of videos on KZbin that you can watch and may help you. You will be amazed how many people that have switch to solar power to run there whole house.

[@erikam0516]

@minutemanprep, I am still learning about all this. Can you please post exactly what parts you got for this system? And how much does it cost?

[@pstoneking3418]

I'd say all you need to do is add more solar panels and you can make it run your home none stop. It appeared as though at least a couple of those 4 days were cloudy. By adding more panels you can get a good enough charge for your system even on cloudy days. If you get more panels than you need because of sunny days you can always purchase a small electric hot water heater that can be installed just before your gas heater, that can be turned on when you have an abundance of solar power. This will help lower your gas bill. With only 1600 watts maximum solar per unit will be your biggest problem. 3200 watts of solar total.

[@kristianlarsen471]

Th for the great video. Hope you will experiment further with the delta pro system. Also, would you noise tjek of how many db the system is making? I got to store it somewhere where i cant hear it. How long are the cables for the Electrical wall outlet? Good job👍

[@minutemanprep]

Thanks for watching. I will definitely be experimenting more. I will try to do a db reading in another video. I have mine in my garage and can't hear it in my living room which is adjacent to the garage even when the fans are blowing at full speed.

[@mitchellharrison3070]

Very interested to see how long you could operate your house with the delta pros connected to the maximum amount of solar panels.

[@ivicastjepanovic7800]

Raise solar panel from floor in order to cool them better. If they are cooler they produce more

[@michaelnunez5701]

Great information, question - how would an AC work with the system and big of system can you do? 8kw? Thanks

[@minutemanprep]

I'm still unsure if it'll do A/C but from my calculations it's pretty much not possible. I am trying to find a friend of mine who has central A/C and a transfer switch so I can try it out and make a video.

[@JettaTDI2005]

Thank for the info Ben. Let me ask how much power does your home need to run normally. Daily is possible. We live in Central Texas and as you know we for hit twice with 5 days one and 1 hour this month of February 2023.

[@minutemanprep]

It 100% depends on what you need to run during that time. A tiny house that uses all electric heat vs a large house that has all propane heat, the tiny house will have MUCH higher power demands. Let me know what you want to run when using a solar generator backkup system and I can let you know what system would work.

[@JettaTDI2005]

@@minutemanprep We are going to connect a Smart Home Energy Monitor with 16 50A Circuit Level Sensors | Vue - Real Time Electricity Monitor/Meter to get a better understanding on how much power the house is drawing from the power grid to make a better choice on what we need.

[@raymondmartens7803]

Would it be worth switching to a gas dryer i currently have an electric? I have city gas to my house so i have gas hot water heater, and oven stove top. My HVAC heater is electric but i live in South Florida we use it maybe 3 days a year.

[@lynnaddington5653]

Thank you! It would’ve be invaluable to us if you would have share dreams your typical daily kWh usage beforehand adding the Delta Pros.

[@thabisomodisane1435]

If i own this system like this bet first week i wont sleep il just look at it ☺ And i will not put them at garage thel be side by side next to tv . i think they look beautiful more next to Tv

[@ashleem1387]

What size of a unit would we need to operate a septic pump and a well pump along with a few lights and a refrigerator and freezer my husband and I don't know too much about this we live rural SC on 3 ac and we do lose power a few times a year. We have a gas generator right now that helps some

[@minutemanprep]

Hey Ashlee, that's so cool to be on 3ac out in SC. Septic and well pumps are pretty easy to run off of a 240v Delta Pro kit because they don't run constantly. They pretty much only run when using the bathroom and kitchen for the most part. According to my calculations with everything you mentioned, I would go with the Delta Pro 1600 240v (200w) kit here: poweredportablesolar.com/product/delta-pro-kits/ From what I can tell, you need a bare minimum of 5,300wh of battery capacity and at least 1,450w of solar panels to run all the thing you mentioned for multiple days. Going with the DP 1600 240v kit would give you 7,200wh of battery and 1600w of solar so you should be right at the sweet spot of having enough for everything you want to do, and allow for some wiggle room like if it's cloudy in the morning and your panels don't start changing right away or something like that. There would be plenty of room to grow that system as well by adding more batteries and solar if you want to run more things or find that you need more power. You'll always want a transfer switch installed on your house if you don't have one already, it's a simple task for an electrician to do. Mine was about $1200 to have it put in. Feel free to shoot an email over to [e-mail] as well if you guys have more questions, we're always here to help.

[@tomdixson3841]

What do you think of the EcoFlow dual generator… lots of starting features, gas or propane, best of all charges the EcoFlow Pro when the solar panels don’t have sun… enjoy your videos… helpful for my prepping for hurricane season or some unfortunate just in case in Hawaii 🤙

[@minutemanprep]

I like it, but don't own one, so my response is all anecdotal from what I've heard from actual users. It is great if you have a Delta Pro with just one battery. The big downside no one talks about (video coming out about this) is that the gas generator has to be plugged into the Delta Pro through one of the Delta Pro battery cable connection ports. So if you have a Delta Pro with two batteries, you have to remove one battery to have the gas generator connected and working to recharge the system when it gets low. So it's basically pointless to get one if you have two batteries on a delta pro. But otherwise, I like it.

[@thecalledout7]

I been wondering where this video been.

[@jasonrood5453]

Maybe I missed it, do you have a video or the specs on how the transfer switches tie into your main electrical panel?

[@minutemanprep]

I don't have a video specifically on that. This one may help though: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5LXYpmGi9SFatk

[@davidhawkins847]

I was wondering the same. If you're connected through a generator bypass. I assume that if you need to use a generator to recharge the Eccoflow units you would connect directly to them so you don't have to play with the breakers unless they got so far down that you can't support the load anymore.

[@usfreedom22]

I recently purchased two generators and two battery banks for now thanks to you, lol. I know the system is rated at 1600 W, 150 V and 12 Amps. Taking into account that if I have a 1600 W solar array and I will not be getting full efficiency, so will stay for arguments sake I’m only getting 1200 W into the generator. Am I able to add more solar panels and not hurt the system. I know wiring them and series will keep me under the amperage but I was concerned about going over the voltage. So basically what is the max solar array you feel I could safely run the Ecoflow pro

[@minutemanprep]

Two strings of six panels and the panels being 200w. You have to check the VOC on the back of the panel. Multiply the VOC by how many panels are in one string (series). That will tell you if you're below the 150v mark, don't go over it. The DP can do up to 15a on the charge controller. So you can do 2,400w of solar, two strings of 1,200w.

[@squeak751]

Just got turned on to these batteries this Morning. I have a question. Right now i have 22 solar panels on my roof and a Natural Gas generator. Is there a way to convert my current panels to charge the ECO pros? then also is there a way to hook everything up, Have Commercial turned off run on battery and when (and hopfully not) teh batteries where to die i could get the generator to kick on to take the load until the batteries charged back up?

[@minutemanprep]

How many watts are each of your solar panels? If you can find out the VOC and ISC ratings which are on the sticker on the back of the panel I can tell you how they will work with the Delta Pros. The generator is a good backup to the Delta Pros but you can't run 240v power while recharging the Delta Pros from a generator. So you could run things off of the natural gas generator while the Delta Pros recharge, and then switch back over to the Delta Pros once charged up.

[@TX_Eric]

that's what I want to do with my EF Delta Pro, will I need a circuit breaker between my solar panels and the Delta Pro?

[@kenltron]

Size of your well pump? Ours is 1.5hp, and the inrush (6000+W? Not sure) would be somewhere in the ballpark of the 7200W limit available to the Delta Pro voltage doubler. I'd be afraid to buy a setup only to learn it won't work for the well, which would be its most important use for us. Also: When you had some items running, did you turn on something with a large inrush current that pushed the output past the 3600W on one or both Pros? Did the Pros bomb out? A use case is running the microwave and some other stuff and then washing dishes. That would fire up our oil furnace and the well pump. Steady state wattage should be OK, but high current would be needed by the well pump periodically.

[@minutemanprep]

Hey Ken, I can't remember how large my well pump is. In my experience 1.5hp pumps use about 2,700w or so to run, which puts their peak inrush around 5,400 to 6,000w. So it sounds like you're right. So the DP would likely not have a problem running the well pump, but that would depend on how much other stuff you're running when it kicks on. The Delta Pros peak wattage should cover you but it's hard to say 100% without actually trying it. Definitely a tricky situation.

[@thomasjohnson6165]

Can this system be setup with a wind generator as a continuous power maker? I'm getting ready to setup my home and shop wind a hybrid type system and I really liked this setup. Just looking for a way to never stop making power even when the sun goes down. Thanks for the video bud

[@minutemanprep]

I have not heard of anyone successfully connecting a wind turbine. Also in my personal experience wind turbines are very unreliable and every single person I have talked to who has used one said they would not buy another one. That's just my experience. Here's a good video that shows how to maximize wind turbines: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqKsopeml8xjbKM But for him to just get 50% of the expected output he had to add another MPPT charge controller, which is already in the DP and you can't add another one. The hardest thing with wind turbines is the wind may be good for 15mins, then not for who knows how long. It fluctuates so much that it's not easy to use.

[@BMindfulofLove]

16 of those panels would be like 4800 w input lol I got 16 of the 220 w bifacial ecoflow panels and I thought that would be max! Can I really get another 8?!

[@minutemanprep]

Yes, haha. And I will be trying to do a video on all of that too.

[@toddscout5014]

Can you explain how the right side and left side of your panel gets power from the individual eco pro units that are tied together with a single cord? I don’t understand how that is happening.

[@minutemanprep]

The power receptacle that is on the delta pro 240v combiner is called an L14-50R. It has 4 holes. One hole is for a ground, one is for a neutral, then the two others are called "hot" and each of those two holes can carry 120v, or in other words one side of the electrical panel in each of those two hot holes. So one DP is powering one of the "hots" and the other DP is power the other "hot." That's how 240v power gets to the electrical panel.

[@TonyStark998]

Do you have or plan to make a video with how exactly you connected the solar panels to the Delta Pros? Are they in series or parallel? why do you like these so much over others for the Delta? I just ordered 2 x Delta Pros and 2 x backup battery’s (one back up battery for each Delta Pro instead of 2 like you)Costco had a good deal for Father’s Day so I took advantage. I’m really stuck on which panels to go with. I want glass panels like these that I can store in my shed and pull out in times of emergency. I haven’t been sure which and what size panels I should go with and which work best with the delta. I was thinking I’d like to start with 600-800 total watt of panels for each Pro and go from there. Are these panels offered for sale individually(not the bundle) on the website you mention? Great vids!

[@minutemanprep]

Yes I will be doing videos explaining that in detail. In this video each Delta Pro had a single string of panels. Each string had 6 panels in series. I personally like the 200w and 210w panels from poweredportablesolar.com because their voltage and amperage output at quite compatible with the solar charge parameter on the DP. The 210w panels I have in this video will soon be replaced with newly released 200w panels that are slightly smaller, but more powerful per cell so the new 200w panels actually make the same amount of power as the 210w panels I have in this video. I have tried using 100w, 300w and other panels and it's just harder to stay within the charge parameters and get good output. I will be doing a video that explains all of that. You can find those 200w panels here: poweredportablesolar.com/product/200w-rigid-solar-panel/

[@SimSpark1]

if you leave the house a van can co e to your house and easily pull the whole unit in the van and take off...iwould put it on a anchored chain that trolley. how long last these batteries?

[@wadekapcsos7798]

If you buy all this equipment and have all these different systems, how do you pay for all of this ? Curious?

[@wessorensen8116]

I’m looking into the delta pro. I want to be able to run my whole house with some limitations during a power out so my question is it better to go with 2 delta pros for the 240v or 1 delta pro and 2 back up batteries? The 2 extra batteries with 1 delta pro will give me 10.8kw compared to 7.2kw with the 2 delta pros. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I’m new to this and still learning. Thanks!

[@minutemanprep]

I'm happy to help. You can also reach me at [e-mail]. I prefer the Apollo system over the Delta Pro, but the DP is still a good option. The biggest limitation is the solar input on the DP. I always recommend 2 DP if possible. The 240v is extremely helpful unless you're just running extension cords to simple items like a the fridge and freezer.

[@deernation9326]

Why were the Delta Pros only inputting around 800 watts from12 panels? Thanks

[@kennyb1444]

Hi.... first off, great video and very informative!! You mentioned the cart you used in the video is a U-line cart but I cannot see anywhere the model of the cart (or at least the dimensions) and where one could buy it. I have the same set-up in a closet but due to the short cabling provided and position of the inputs , I needed to arrange each unit in a very weird configuration which is not desirable. Please provide more info on that cart as that appears to be perfect for my application and I don't want to order the wrong one.... thanks again and I'm looking forward to your future KZbin additions!!!

[@minutemanprep]

kzbin.info?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmdrVmpvR3A0cmxneDJxQjRVYWlrT2x6bTBVZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuZkRzWDJac1BkamxSbkp4STJlcjJYLWdRUllRYm1palR3WTBlWVBMUHFQMndYTkZjMGVub25mVXgwVGs2ZUU0ZXNfbjhoQ2JNbDNySnR3UTZ6NDdxSGNVazdvWHNLV25Pa0V3bWpoTkVHR01Ed3IySQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uline.com%2FProduct%2FDetail%2FH-2945-34BL%2FIndustrial-Wire-Shelving%2FTwo-Shelf-Wire-Shelving-Unit-36-x-24-x-34-Black&v=Uat1fPVoR4w

[@johnpatton6470]

Do you believe that if you got more solar panels, you could run your whole house indefinitely?

[@minutemanprep]

Likely yes but there are always things to consider like the weather, space heaters and so on which would make it very hard to go very long term. For essential items, very easy to do long term. For normal every day life not worrying about how much power we're using, it'd be hard to commit 100%. These systems were not designed to take a house off grid 100%. But they are indeed doing a good job of getting close to that. It always just comes down to what your power needs are.

[@hawaiidogs9277]

Ty sir

[@minutemanprep]

Yw :)

[@gregf41c88]

Hey Brother, We live west of Salt Lake City, Utah. I have had 36 solar panels on our roof for about 6 years. We have always believed that these days were coming. I bought the Delta Pro and 2 batteries. They still in the boxes. I don’t have the training or knowledge to do what I want done. I guess that I need a transfer switch. I also guess that I can’t just hook up my panels to my Delta Pro because “it may damage” them. I can’t get anyone to help me with this. I just retired and my wife has health issues. Can we get some advice? Can we just plug them into the wall and then use extension cords to run the essential things like refrigerators, freezers and stuff. I know I’m probably doing things backwards, but I’m confident these will be necessary. Thank You for your knowledge and abilities. This is not my line of work and experience.

[@toddscout5014]

Hope you are following the long storage regimen for your equipment. They say what to do in the manual if you are planning long storage. Failure to follow that depletion and recharge cycle nullifies your warranty. If you already know this just ignore this reminder!

[@minutemanprep]

Hey Greg, I'm more definitely happy to help you guys out. Most solar panels are roofs are just designed for reducing electricity bills, not really anything else. So it may be possible to take some of those panels, disconnect them from your house, and have them run the DP but I'm not 100% sure on that, but most likely. But you can't be running your house from grid/roof solar power while using your DP connected to a transfer switch. Your electrical panel can only run power from one power source. It is possible to do something like run a fridge and freezer directly off of the DP and then your DP would have solar panels connected to it and therefore would be doing the same thing, but rather than your fridge and freezer be plugged into a wall outlet it'd be plugged directly into the DP through extension cords or something similar. A transfer switch is only necessary if you have two DPs and you want to run 240v to your electrical panel to power up your entire home, or at minimum be able to use the outlets, light switches and appliance without any extension cords. You can use 1 or 2 DPs on a transfer switch but you can only power the whole electrical panel with 2 DPs. I'm happy to help answer any other questions you have. Feel free to email us at [e-mail] too for help.

[@gregf41c88]

@@minutemanprep i am so grateful for your help and knowledge.

[@jimcurnow4538]

Any idea when you will be doing the video on the Larger Solar Panel Stand? Also, what is the best % to store the batteries at? I have 2 batteries. Thank you. JIM CURNOW

[@minutemanprep]

I am currently working on that, I think I have found a really nice way to make it work and be very easy but it requires more testing. It will be awhile until I can put that video out. For batteries, it is best to store them between 20-80%. But for me, I always keep mine topped off at 100% because when I need it the most, I want all of the battery possible. To each their own, that's just how I do mine.

[@jimcurnow4538]

@@minutemanprep Thank you

[@johnvititoe6168]

Get an amp probe and balance your load and you will find you will get better results.

[@reedclayton6321]

So what is your recommendation when comparing this with the Titan system that you have shown its versatility so many times. It’s probably the first review I’ve seen you do where you have not mentioned how much better the Titan would perform than this system. I’m also curious as to what your thoughts are about these new lithium batteries from battle born that are larger than a standard battery that might be more versatile and used with an entire house application. I.e. using two of these larger Voluma lithium ion batteries instead of three or four Melbourne standard tape sized batteries. Basically looking for larger storage capabilities for home use as opposed to RV use

[@minutemanprep]

Great question. I still love my Titans. I still have one of my Titans running my off-grid cabin without any issues. The other Titan is currently running my RV for a week long trip my family is on (second one this summer already). The Titan still have the highest solar input of any solar generator on the market, including the Delta Pro. But the Titan cannot do 240v power and the Delta Pro can. The Titan has 3,000w inverter, the Delta Pro has slightly larger 3,600w inverter. The Titan has 2000w solar input, the Delta pro has slightly less 1,600w solar input. The Titan can easily be overpaneled, the Delta Pro can be over paneled but not as much as the Titan. The Titan uses Lithium NMC batteries that are comparably lightweight and good for 2,000 cycles, the Delta Pro has LiFePo4 battery which are very heavy but good for 3,500 cycles. So there's a give and take to each system so it just depends on what your needs are. I will be doing a video comparing the two. I haven't looked in detail at the new battle born batteries. But they seem very good. I just find battleborn to be way overly expensive but they are definitely high quality. I don't like lead batteries at all for these setups, they are 100% outdated now.

[@evil17]

@@minutemanprep Good quick rundown of some of the differences between these two systems, I would lean toward the LifePo4 chemistry in the Delta Pro for a safer, longer lasting & more stable chemistry & compromise with the weight issue over the lighter LMC chemistry.

[@GoodmanMIke59]

Given that this is a year old, how would you compare it to the Hysolis Apollo? Broad question. Sent you an email.

[@Sylvan_dB]

That is an impressively capable and impressively easy system. Have you considered swapping a few breakers around in your electrical panel to better balance the legs?

[@nicholashomler1494]

I've got 2 separate panels in my old house. I talked to an electrician about combining them into one panel and he said I would have to completely rewire the whole house to get the cable lengths correct

[@minutemanprep]

Thank you. I do want to move around some breakers so I can balance the panel easier and not have to be swapping cables on my DPs when doing this stuff long term. I need to get the well pump and kitchen on different breaker locations so I can split the most common loads up.

[@minutemanprep]

@@nicholashomler1494 I'm not an electrician but that sounds correct if everything were to be combined into a single box since the wires are already run to two different boxes.

[@BuzzKent]

How do you connect your circuit breaker panel to the system? Any links to videos or articles would be appreciated.

[@imxaxninja1]

The ecoflow home panel. Do you plan on having that install to do a EF home panel vs Interlock system you have set up?

[@minutemanprep]

I am sticking with the Interlock Switch because it allows me to run my entire house and I'm not locked in to one single solar generator. Keep in mind that I buy and test tons of solar generators so it wouldn't make a lot of sense for me to get the smart home panel. But even still, I prefer the Interlock setup. The only downside is it's not auto transferring.

[@RemnantWarrior2.0]

Hi question for anyone. Does parallel or series matter regarding input to power up Gen. and what is a non technical way of understanding the OTHER reasons for connecting these panels in either way. Lastly how do I connect to a panel for super basic stuff like water heater, furnace, and fridge. Thanks I am super new and trying to figure it all out. Got a bluetti 200 max with one battery and panels with 790 output max...thx in advance

[@minutemanprep]

Yes parallel and series matter quite a bit. The charge parameter for different units varies, but for the Delta Pro the solar charge parameter is 11-150 volts and 15 amps. A typical 100w panel will make about 21v (VOC spec on the back of the panel) and 6a (IMP on the back of the panel) of power. Those are the maximum volts and amps the panel can make. Generally it will be 20v and 5a of power actually coming off of a 100w panel. Volts x Amps = Watts. 20v x 5a = 100w. When you connect solar panels in series (panel to panel to panel) the voltage goes up and the amps stay the same. So three 100w panels connected in series would be 60v at 5a. (60v x 5a = 300w). When panels are connected in parallel, the amps goes up and the volts stay the same. Three panels connected in parallel would be 20v x 15a. (20v x 15a = 300w). Volts are very easy to send over long distance, amps are not easy to send over long distance. If you have more amps in a wire, it will create more heat. To make sure you don't create too much heat, you get thicker wire. What this means is the higher the volts and the lower the amps, the more efficient it is. So generally with solar panels, you want to have high volts and low amps. This why series connections are preferred. But when panels are in series, each solar panel will perform equally to the weakest panel. So if you one 100w panel is only doing 50w then all three panels in series will be at 50w. Whereas parallel, if one panel is weak, the other perform on their own. This applies for example when shade is on a single solar panel of multiple panels connected together. You can also do series/parallel combo which is what I use most often. For example you would have two sets of three 100w panels, a total of six panels. Three in one group and three in another group. The three panels in each group are connected in series. Then you use an MC4 two to one branch connector which allows you to combine both groups down to a single set of solar cable. Within each group, the panels are making 60v and 5a, cause they're in series. But then when you combine the two groups it is using a parallel connection so the amps go up. So what ends up going into your solar generator is 60v and 10a. Solar charge controllers will burn out if you add more volts than they are rated to. But if you attach more amps than they're rated to, they just limit the amount of amps that go through the controller so it doesn't burn up. That is how we can over-panel solar generators. I hope this helps. If you have other questions feel free to reach out at [e-mail] too. :)

[@RemnantWarrior2.0]

@@minutemanprep thank you 😊

[@stingk5295]

Awesome

[@tannermeade]

Hey on your website you're saying 2 Delta Pros can be charged by 24 210W panels (max 5040W). That isn't correct. Each Delta Pro can only handle 1600W hours of solar at a time. So the max charging rate is limited to 3200W even though you're selling it with 5040W of panels.

[@minutemanprep]

Sorry for the confusion, it's called "over paneling." As long as you're within the set charge parameter of the unit you can attach as many solar panels as you want. The charge controller will only let in 1600w, but you can attach more than 1600w in panels. Any excess amperage that is over 15a will simply not go into the unit, it's limited to 150v and 15a max. So yes you can add more than 1600w in panels. The reason you do it is so that you can actually get 1600w of power going in. 99% of the time solar panels will not make their rated output due to weather, dust, smog, etc. So by adding more than 1600w in panels, you can actually get 1600w going in. I have done this many times and it has been confirmed many times including by the manufacturer that it is not only possible but also safe to do so. I have an over paneled Titan solar generator that has been running for 2.5 years without any issues.

[@juanjc1951]

Questions have you trying using a tester on one of those outlets to see if it grounded correctly before plugging in a two prong cord like a vacuum cleaner or drill

[@minutemanprep]

All solar generators have a floating ground because they are not physically connected to a ground rod. Therefore, there truly is nothing in the ground hole of the plug. There are some systems coming out that have the ability to connect to a ground.

[@noobwow2009]

You should build a seal box and use HEPA filter to filter the air before these solar generator suck in dusty air.

[@benjiebarker]

6:49 is there a way for you to not have to swap the delta pros…is there like a setting that allows you to share all the connected delta pros power, maybe setting the delta pro to get power from other delta pros when it reaches a certain %age? Or is there a firmware ipdate that will allow you to do that?

[@frank3283]

I wonder how the kit would do as sold...without the four extra batteries. The batteries essentially double the price.

[@hartyvilla]

Would this set up be able to charge an electric vehicle, something like the Ford f150 lighting?

[@minutemanprep]

They are not able to charge an EV. Now that being said, I have heard that there may be a way to hack the system to it can charge an EV but it would definitely void the warranty. From my understanding, the only reason it cannot charge an EV is because there technically is no ground within the unit. There is a grounding plug you can get to trick the system into thinking it's grounded. That may work for you, but again, it's not recommended since it would void the warranty.

[@hawkmasters11]

I see you have the hysolis mps 4500 and a battery expansion. What are your thoughts on that particular generator. I just recently got the hysolis and it is a great unit, the battery percentage read is a little off but other wise it's good.

[@minutemanprep]

I like the Hysolis a lot. It's a little less user friendly that most solar generators but it is powerful. I have been testing it for a few weeks now and will be doing videos soon. I like it a lot though.

[@hawkmasters11]

Thanks brother! Loved the video by the way, that is a great set up! Was that around 15 thousand for that set up?

[@minutemanprep]

@@hawkmasters11 You're welcome! I wish it was only $15k haha. In total I've put in about $23k into this system. Pretty pricey but I am happy with it. I will be getting other systems to test and compare too.

[@hawkmasters11]

Wow! Didn't realize. I think the hysolis with two extra batteries will suffice for what I need. Would it be possible to hook up two hysolis in parallel?

[@minutemanprep]

@@hawkmasters11 No you can't do two hysolis in parallel.

[@scottyarellano]

Super helpful video! How many square ft is your house?

[@minutemanprep]

2650 not including the garage. Thanks for watching the video. If you don't have a system yet and want to get one I'd love to help you out figuring out what system would work to match your needs. I want to help get you what you need as well as get you an extra discounts and free equipment possible. If you're intersted in that please reach out to me at [e-mail]

[@scottyarellano]

@@minutemanprep Wow crazy that small of a system did that well. I am looking at the Apollo and was thinking I would need many more units. Nice you still have all that extra solar to add.

[@minutemanprep]

@@scottyarellano it's definitely a good system. But once the Apollo issues are worked out, I will 100% be using that as my backup. Possbily Off Grid

[@scottyarellano]

@@minutemanprep Stoked to see that video. Hope they work it out soon.

[@JJ-gd7gf]

I just looked at your link and I don't see a selection for the Delta Pro 2520 240v kit and the search for it shows no matches. Was it replaced with another model? What would someone buy to match what you have to power the whole house? Thx

[@minutemanprep]

Ya the kits got updated. That kit is now the Delta Pro 2400 Kit. I am currently using the Delta Pro 4EB 4800 (200w) 240v kit. poweredportablesolar.com/product/delta-pro-240v-kits/

[@j3r3mymc]

Have you done a comparison with the solar panels you have with the delta pro 400W solar panels? If so what led you to use the panels you have over the delta pro solar panels?

[@minutemanprep]

I have not gotten the folding 400w ecoflow panels yet, but just with their specs you cannot add more than 3 of those (1200w) to a DP very easily to reach the 1600w max solar input. I will eventually have a video on that.

[@PunishersSoftball]

Is there pass-through charging on these units? Like can you get power off the delta pros while they are solar charging?

[@minutemanprep]

Yes they can do that. I'm happy to answer any questions you have and find a setup that works for you. Please feel free to email me at [e-mail]

[@PunishersSoftball]

@Minute Man Prep Thank you for the quick reply! Looking into this unit (not quite as many kw hours as you have haha) but just something to power my home incase SHTF.

[@minutemanprep]

@@PunishersSoftball That's great! Well if you willing to support the channel by ordering with me whenever you decide the time is right for you, let me know and I"ll help in any way I can.

[@barangayteam2070]

It says delta pro only allow 150volts solar inputs per unit. You mentioned in this video you plan to over pannel this setup. What do you mean by that? How many volts in total or how many solar pannels is safe as maximum for this 2 delta pro 4 expandable batteries setup?

[@minutemanprep]

Over-paneling is when you connect more than the max solar input in watts while still staying within the voltage parameter as well as most of the amperage parameter.

[@victoradorno6047]

Hola ,me gustaría saber si yo puedo usar el delta pro para usarla en una casa pequeña indefinidamente?

[@minutemanprep]

Si es posible. Solo necesitamos saber cuanto poder utilizes cada dia por medio y podemes calcular cual generador usted necesitara usar. Usted sabe cuantos Kwh se use cada mes?

[@victoradorno6047]

@@minutemanprep Saludos desde Puerto Rico.Sume el gasto energético de un año hasta ahora y lo dividí entre 12 y me dió 238 kw promedio al mes. Tengo alrededor de 6 horas de buen sol al dia pues vivo en Puerto Rico en el caribe. Serian buenas horas de sol para recargar el sistema ademas que tengo una planta eléctrica. Crees que podría irme fuera de la red con tan sólo este sistema de eco flow?

[@minutemanprep]

@@victoradorno6047 Si tuviera el sistema mismo que yo tengo en este video, si es posible ir fuera de la red. Se utiliza casi 8kwh cada dia y este sistema puede hacer mas or menos 10kwh cada dia. Las pilas tendria casi 3 dias de poder guardado. Actualmente EcoFlow no permite que mandamos Delta Pro a Puerto Rico per ya casi tenemos la manera en que podemos hacerlo. Si puede, mandame un mensage a [e-mail] y podemos hablar de como podemos ayudar.

[@victoradorno6047]

@@minutemanprep . Gracias mi hermano por sacar de tu tiempo y orientarme . Acá en Puerto Rico ya estan los sistemas eco flow actualmente están altos sus precios por ejemplo el Delta pro cuesta $5k cada uno,pero estamos pasando por un momento difícil con el sistema de red, muy caro por tantos impuestos y muy mal servicio con los apagones. Estoy dispuesto a hacer el sacrificio de comprar el sistema eco flow con tal de salirne de un servicio de red tan caro. Sé que con el tiempo veré el fruto de el sacrificio. De nuevo gracias por todo. Me haré un fan tuyo..ja ja ja

[@minutemanprep]

@@victoradorno6047 Claro que si amigo. Estoy aqui para ayudar. Si quiere compar el Delta Pro hable conmigo para que yo puedo ayudarse ahorrar mas por que muy pronto podre enviar ese sistema a Puerto Rico.

[@stuartmenzies3928]

what you dont tell us is the cost of all the ecoflows you have and all other accessories.......I have a Delta Pro $3500 so is this all worth it??????

[@minutemanprep]

Sorry I thought I went over that at the end of the video. The whole setup was around $23,000, so not cheap at all. Just very convenient and easy to use. I like not worrying about gas and maintenance during long term blackouts. Also it's easy enough my family members can turn the whole system on when I'm not home in case of an emergency. Kits are here: poweredportablesolar.com/product/delta-pro-kits/

[@anjuramos3074]

Hey this is an excellent video, well explained. I noticed you said the system ran your entire house for 4 days, is that because you switched of the system at day 4 and it could go beyond that or is that a limitation on the system?

[@minutemanprep]

When I did that test it had been 4 days and it was working very well and didn't really show any signs that it wouldn't keep going and I needed to do other projects with the Delta Pros for more videos so I stopped filming the video there. It can go longer than that as long as you're not using more power than you have stored and what you can make from the solar panels in a day.

[@cswnow7]

How did you get the switch over to your house from grid to your Delta Pros? Can you show the panel hook up to your house? Did you have to get permits for your system and the hook ups to the house.

[@minutemanprep]

I had my electrician install an Interlock Switch, it's often called a Transfer Switch. Yes it was all up to code and done correctly. I turn off the main power from the grid, then just supply power to my electrical panel with the large SS2-50 plug in my garage which connects to my Delta Pros.

[@GoldDustTattoosFineArtIIDallas]

Can you show or is there more detailed instructions on how you connected it to your house?

[@minutemanprep]

2 Delta Pros, connect to 240v connection hub, use L14-30 extension cord from connection hub to L14-30P/SS2-50P adapter, plug the SS2-50P adapter into the SS2-50R Interlock Switch power connection.

[@quentinsmith6931]

What about HVAC system ?

[@minutemanprep]

I personally do not have central A/C in my house so I haven't been able to test that. But from my understanding, central A/C is not really possible because it uses so much power. I definitely wouldn't recommend it. The issue is that A/C uses so much power that even having a huge battery bank and lots of solar panels, it'll still drain the system pretty quickly. It would also depend on large your A/C unit is. I am going to try and see if any of my friends have central A/C and a transfer switch so I can try it out.

[@josephdebes3060]

There are several solar powered A/C split system (one outside unit and only one inside air handler unit) now on the market…however they are sized (at least the current ones) to cool about 600-800 sq ft. ….so you would have to decide which EMERGENCY cooling zone you would choose in your house. The other downside of the models I’ve seen, is that they gradually produce less A/C cooling as the sun exposure on the solar panel reduces ( meaning no A/C at night or on cloudy days), UNLESS you add a battery bank to keep it running after the sun is down, but then….$$$$….if you want a normal sized house 1200-2400 sq ft, totally covered by solar, it’s going to be a major hit in your wallet ….for most of us….emergency coverage is the best we can really afford

[@Jobey_99]

As you effectively have 2 systems does the Delta not have any way to balance each other? Allowing you to use 1 solar input if needed and also to balance between the 2 legs? It seems crazy to have to swap between charged units when 1 is running low.

[@minutemanprep]

Sadly no, I even tried connected the one Delta Pro that was using a lot more power into the other Delta Pro to see if the DP that had more charge would charge up the DP with less charge and that wouldn't work which I though was odd.

[@PavethaWay]

Is this setup practical for daily use to eleminate your electric bill? How much could you possibly save over time compared to living on the grid?

[@minutemanprep]

Yes you could as long as your daily power usage isn't very high. I would say that if your daily usage of power is less than 10kwh on average then this would very easily be possible. If it's 15kwh average per day it may be possible as long as there is good weather, meaning if there are many days of clouds you'd need to get power from the grid again. If it's more than 15kwh per day on average then this would not run everything in the house long term. You'd need to cut back on power usage or find more efficient ways of running vital equipment. poweredportablesolar.com/shop/

[@saywhat6768]

You can over panel the delta pro? I thought it only allowed 1600w input?

[@nicholashomler1494]

You can always over panel a system as long as the charge controller system only outputs the correct amount.

[@minutemanprep]

Yes you can overpanel the Delta Pro, it's not easy to get it right. But I will be doing videos on it in the future. I need to get more solar panels first to show how to do that :)

[@josephdebes3060]

Too much input from the panels, and the Delta solar controller shuts off the input (protecting your solar “generator “)…so you don’t blow out your batteries….not every solar generator system has that feature….also goes to why the ECOFLOW systems are a bit PRICEY

[@saywhat6768]

@@josephdebes3060 right. What I guess I’m asking is I have 2 delta pros and 4 battery. 3 batteries for each pro. How much can I overload each set-up (1 pro, 2 batteries)?