A solar-powered home battery backup system is more than a convenience. It’s the confidence to get through any outage without skipping a beat. And the only thing you have to do is find the best whole-house solar backup generator for your needs.
Selecting a solar generator for home backup can seem daunting. There’s no shortage of brands advertising as the best. The specifications, the promises, and the differences can be hard to understand.
We’re solar generator experts here to help. We’ve gone deep into the details so you don’t have to. After reading this quick article, you’ll be able to pick the best solar backup generator for your home.
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| Best Overall | Best Mid-Level | Best Budget |
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EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra |
BLUETTI AC500 + B300S Home Battery Backup |
Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station |
| Buy on EcoFlow | Buy on Bluetti | Buy on Anker |
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Best Whole-House Solar Backup Generators
Without a doubt, the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra takes the top spot as the best overall solar generator for home battery backup. It’s an incredible solar generator for home backup needs, combining incredible power, performance, and price in one sleek modular product. And it comes with the best-of-the-best EcoFlow reputation and support.
Our top pick for a mid-level home backup solar generator is the Bluetti AC500, which is ideal for those who don’t need or want the extreme performance of the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra. The AC500 is an exceptional stackable solar generator coming from another amazing company.
And taking the spot for the most affordable whole-home solar generator backup system is the Anker Solix F3800. It sneaks into the industry without making much noise, yet punches way outside its class. And it comes from Anker, one of the world’s leading battery-based electronics companies.
EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra: Best Overall
The competition for the best home backup solar generator is fierce. Yet the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra (DPU) stands tall at the top of the list as the best overall.
This incredible solar generator beat out competition from Bluetti, Anker, Jackery, and more because the EcoFlow DPU offers:
- Incredible single-unit capability
- Industry-leading expansion possibilities
- Seamless integration, monitoring, and control
If you just buy the minimum system, one EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra inverter unit with one 6kWh external battery, you can power your entire home for hours or days. It’s one of the largest single batteries around with a massive AC output that can handle heavy-duty appliances without breaking a sweat.
To make it last even longer, you can attach an amazing amount of solar panels (5.6kW to be exact). EcoFlow also offers an advanced Dual Fuel Generator to rapidly charge the battery if solar doesn’t cut it.
If that still isn’t enough, the DPU’s expansion capabilities are unsurpassed and the EcoFlow Smart Home Panel creates a seamless home circuit and grid power integration. This is why it takes our top spot as the best whole-house solar generator backup.
You can chain together up to 3 DPU inverter units with a total of 15 battery packs. This modular system brings the total battery capacity up to a whopping 90kWh. This is double the largest Bluetti EP900 system. It’s also about 35kWh bigger than the largest Anker Solix F3800 system.
On top of all this, EcoFlow has a well-earned reputation for being the best in the industry. Dubbed the Apple of solar generators, EcoFlow products are well-engineered, high-quality, and user-friendly. And the DPU is backed by a 5-year warranty along with exceptional customer support and a large community of enthusiastic EcoFlow users.
For more information, head over to our post covering all you need to know about the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra. It is the best whole-house solar backup generator, without question.
Solar Waypoint readers can use the exclusive discount code “SOLARWAY5OFF” to receive 5% off EcoFlow orders! Act now to get a great deal on your EcoFlow gear.
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EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra |
DPU on EcoFlow DPU on Amazon |
Bluetti AC500: Best Mid-Level
Bluetti is another top brand dishing out big portable solar power. And the Bluetti AC500 takes our spot as the best mid-level home battery backup solar generator.
Like the EcoFlow DPU, this is another unit that packs a big punch individually, but can step up its game with modular expansion.
The starting package, one AC500 Power Station and one B300S Expansion Battery, can serve many people well as a home backup kit. This one battery has 3.1kWh, enough to power most of your appliances for hours. Or stick to essential devices only to have days of power. It can accept 3kW of solar power too, a very respectable amount.
If your needs grow, so can this solar-powered system. You can pair two AC500 main units with up to 12 external batteries. That pushes the maximum battery to almost 40kWh. It also creates a 10kW AC output to handle heavy-duty appliances through a 240V outlet.
To use this with your home circuits, install the Bluetti Home Integration Kit.
But you’re not tethered down. You can take your AC500 anywhere by unplugging it. It also beats out most competitors with a more compact size, making it a great choice to double as adding solar power to your RV or camping adventure.
The Bluetti app provides the ultimate control and monitoring system in the palm of your hand. And the company stands behind it with a solid 4-year warranty.
Overall, the Bluetti AC500 Solar Generator is one of the best whole-home backup solutions. It ensures your house has power through any emergency or outage, while also bringing easy solar power into the picture.
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BLUETTI AC500 + B300S Home Battery Backup |
AC500 on Bluetti AC500 on Amazon |
Anker Solix F3800: Best Budget
If you want to create a solar-powered home battery backup without emptying your bank account, the Anker Solix F3800 is the right call. It pairs jaw-dropping capabilities with a more reasonable price tag.
Make no mistake about it, this is still a serious whole-home backup system. While you can find cheaper solar generators, this one is our top pick for balancing budget and ability.
The Anker Solix F3800 sticks out from the crowd because:
- The specifications are similar to other devices nearly double the cost
- It’s made by a company with a long record of battery excellence
- The expansion capabilities are seriously impressive
Like the rest of this list of the best solar generators for home backup, the Anker F3800 is a modular system. The heart is one F3800 inverter with an integrated battery. This alone has a 3.8kWh battery and a 6kW AC inverter, both more impressive than the Bluetti AC500. It also has a high-amp 240V output, something the AC500 can only do with two units paired together.
If you want to create a bigger system, Anker is ready. You can use 2 Solix F3800 units with 12 expansion batteries, creating 53.8kWh battery capacity and 12kW AC output. The EcoFlow DPU is the only one that exceeds the total battery capacity. Even Bluetti’s largest power station, the EP900, can’t match this Anker solar generator.
And once again, the expansion batteries are priced at nearly half what the competition charges. You will save thousands by going with the Anker Solix F3800 over any similar product.
Anker has also created a sleek Solix Home Power Panel. Like the EcoFlow Smart Home Panel, this is an automatic transfer switch that allows your F3800 to automatically switch over, powering your home circuits without missing a beat.
Even though the Anker Solix F3800 isn’t making the same headlines as other brands, it is truly one of the best whole-home solar backup generators you can find. With the best value around.
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Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station |
F3800 on Anker F3800 on Amazon |
How to Select the Best Home Backup Solar Generators
While the amount of solar generators on the market can seem overwhelming, the comparison comes down to a few major characteristics. Once you understand these, you’ll be able to make the right choice.
Battery Capacity (Wh)
One of the more obvious features to consider for any home battery backup system is the battery itself. Batteries are measured in watt-hours or Wh, which is the amount of electricity stored in the backup system. One watt-hour is what it takes to run a device at 1 watt for 1 hour.
For these whole-home battery backups, the batteries are fairly large to meet the demands of an entire house. They start at around 3,000Wh. To avoid using all those zeros, we divide watt-hours by 1,000 to get kilo-watt-hours (kWh). 3,000Wh equals 3kWh.
The higher the kWh of the battery, the longer your battery backup will power your devices.
You can see how many kWh a device uses by finding its consumption in watts. For example, a home refrigerator pulls about 500W. If it runs for one hour straight, that would be 500Wh or 0.5 kWh. Thankfully, fridge compressors cycle on and off so they won’t use quite that much.
Battery technology is important. All of the best on this list use the industry-standard LiFePO (LFP) battery chemistry. It has over 3,000 cycles with at least 80% charge. Some older solar generators use lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery type, which doesn’t last as long. Semi-solid state batteries are another innovative battery type that’s not offered in many solar generators at this time.
AC Power Output (W)
The second most important feature of solar generators is the inverter’s AC power output, measured in watts (W) and kilowatts (kW). This is the amount of electricity the generator can send to your household devices at one time. When it comes to home backup power, this is crucial.
Charging phones, powering LED lights, and other small devices don’t use too many watts. About 10W each. So you can pile them on without going over 1,000W (1kW).
Heavy-duty household appliances are another story. We already know the fridge is going to take 500W. Home air conditioners will pull 3,000W or more. Hair dryers and large blenders can use about 1,500W. To run an entire home without problems, you want to get 5,000W (5kW) or more.
You also want to consider the outlets. 110V can’t handle some heavy-duty devices. You want to get 240V for that. A 30-amp or 50-amp outlet
Charging Speeds (W)
Up next is the charging speeds. This is also the charging input maximum. These are measured in watts, a rate of electrical flow. When it comes to solar generators, there are two charging speeds to be concerned about. They are solar (DC) and household plug (110V AC).
Solar panels are also measured in watts, which makes it easy to compare. A small solar array is around 200W to 500W. For home backup power, you probably want to get closer to 1,000W (1kW) or more. People who are serious about solar power may get up to 10kW of solar panels or more. You want a home solar backup generator that can accept this much power at one time.
The AC charging speed is not as important for home backup solutions. But it’s still good to know about. The higher the input in watts, the quicker it will recharge when the grid power is available. Some units can recharge from an outlet in a couple of hours. Others can take all day.
It’s easy to calculate how many hours it will take to charge a battery. Take the battery watt-hours and divide it by the watts of the solar panels or charging method. That gives you a reasonable estimate of about how many hours it takes to charge. You may want to add about 20% for real-world inefficiency.
If you want to get into the details, use our Power Station Wizard for Solar Panels. It will tell you exactly how many solar panels a certain power station can use.
Cost
It’s no secret that buying a whole-home solar backup generator can be expensive. And it can be difficult to compare prices because devices offer different batteries and capacities.
We take a look at the entire cost of the solar generator system. This often includes the inverter units, extra batteries, and any necessary cables or other hardware, like transfer switches.
You can also compare costs by looking at the cost per kilowatt-hour of battery storage. For example, if you see one solar generator that costs $6,000 and has a 6kWh battery, that’s $1,000 per kWh. Then you can compare that to another one, such as $4,000 for 4.5kWh, which is $889 per kWh, a lower price and better value.
Warranty and Support
When you buy a solar generator for home backup, you’re looking at a long-term investment. It should be backed by substantial warranty coverage and excellent customer service.
If you stick with the best solar generator brands, these are part of the package. Warranty coverage is typically ~5 years for these devices. The battery life is expected to last around 10 years.
And you’ll have access to knowledgeable staff to answer questions before and after the sale. Many of them also have sizable community followings, forums, and Facebook groups that you can turn to for more ideas or help.
Other Home Backup Solar Generators
There’s a wide market for solar generators. And some top options that didn’t quite make the cut, but you should know about. Here are some of the other whole-house solar backup generators that sit close to the top of the list.
Bluetti EP900 and EP800
The Bluetti EP900 is the company’s most powerful solar generator. And the EP800 is a very similar alternative with a slightly lower price tag and lower capabilities. Both are made for home backup use.
So why didn’t these make the best of the best whole-home solar generator list?
They easily could. There are a lot of things to like about the EP900 and EP800 home backup systems, including:
- Massively powerful systems with huge battery capacity
- Modular system that can grow over time
- Industry-best 10-year warranty
The starting point for the Bluetti EP900 is one main EP900 inverter unit with two B500 battery units. It packs 9.9kWh battery, 7.6kW AC output, and 5kW solar input. Very impressive statistics all around. Arguably the best single unit + one battery that exists.
Even though these systems are incredible, they’re much different than others on this list. For one, this starter system is nearly double the price of others. They’re also much less portable with a more integrated design that connects directly to your home circuits.
And finally, the maximum battery capacity is less than 40kWh. This is a lot of power and impressive in many ways. But doesn’t get close to the EcoFlow DPU’s 90kWh. Even Anker Solix F3800’s 53.8kWh beats out this Bluetti power system.
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BLUETTI EP900 + B500 Home Battery Backup |
EP900 on Bluetti |
Bluetti AC300
Sticking with alternative Bluetti systems, the AC300 is another very attractive option. It is quite similar to the AC500, our favorite for the best mid-level solar generators for home backup.
What’s nice about the AC300 is that it offers a lot of what the AC500 has but at a lower price. And for people who are fine with the AC300’s limits, it’s a great choice.
While the AC300 can stack on external battery packs, it can’t use the same exact ones as the AC500. Instead of the impressive B300S battery, the AC300 uses a slightly less impressive B300. It reduces charging and output speeds. And it doesn’t have a heating pad for cold-weather charging protection.
The AC300 can only use 8 external batteries instead of 12 for the AC500. That takes down the maximum battery capacity to 24.6kWh instead of 36.9kWh.
Also, the AC inverter output drops from 5kW in the AC500 to just 3kW in the AC300. This is a fairly big drop. And many homes can easily go over that 3kW limit, making it hard to justify as one of the best. It can work for many needs, but it’s not at the top of the pack.
Otherwise, the AC300 is a solid all-around solar generator that can be great as a home battery backup solution. It still has a lot of solar charging input and a solid 4-year warranty. It’s well-priced and comes from a great company.
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BLUETTI AC300 + B300 Home Battery Backup |
AC300 on Bluetti AC300 on Amazon |
EcoFlow Delta Pro
Before EcoFlow released the Delta Pro Ultra, it had the Delta Pro (without the Ultra) as its top choice solar generator for home backup. And it serves this need very well, while keeping the price significantly lower. Plenty of people will be very happy with the Delta Pro as a home backup solar generator.
Bringing an impressive 3.6kWh battery capacity with a 3.6W AC output, the single-unit system is one of the most powerful solar generators around.
And you can pair two main Delta Pro inverter units together with a double-voltage hub to power heavy-duty appliances. The Delta Pro Ultra and Anker Solix F3800 include a 240V output on a single device.
You can also use multiple external batteries with the Delta Pro. As many as 7 in total, pushing total capacity to 25kWh. Once again, this is a lot of power that can last hours or even days in some homes. But against the best solar generators on this home backup list, it’s not at the top.
For those who stay within the limits of the EcoFlow Delta Pro, it’s a great choice.
Solar Waypoint readers can use the exclusive discount code “SOLARWAY5OFF” to receive 5% off EcoFlow orders! Act now to get a great deal on your EcoFlow gear.
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EcoFlow DELTA Pro |
DP on EcoFlow DP on Amazon |
Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro
With over a decade of solar generator experience, you might expect to see a Jackery product on the best-of list. They are still making exceptional devices. But Jackery products are generally more suitable for camping and RV adventures than whole-home backup power.
The Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro is the company’s largest option. It is ready for some home backup use, with a 3kWh battery, 3kW AC output, and 30-amp outlet.
Yet there are two main downfalls to this solar generator. First, this Jackery doesn’t use expansion batteries and it uses slightly less impressive lithium NMC chemistry rather than LFP. Second, the solar inputs are a little low. While many people will probably stay within the 1,400W solar input maximum, it’s lagging behind competitors.
In many ways, the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro is a solid device that will still last many years and has plenty of solar input for its battery size. But when it comes to this best-of-the-best whole-home solar generator list, it doesn’t quite make it.
The Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus is also worth looking at. Despite having less impressive single-unit stats, it offers more expansion possibilities.
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Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station |
3000 Pro on Jackery 3000 Pro on Amazon |
BougeRV Rover 2000
On the other side of the spectrum, BougeRV is pushing battery technology forward. The BougeRV Rover 2000 uses bleeding-edge technology with a semi-solid state battery to provide one of the most compact yet powerful solar generators on the market.
The downside to this product is that it simply doesn’t have the same jaw-dropping capacity and capability that others offer. Its battery is 2kWh and you can attach 3 external batteries, for 8kWh in total. That is a substantial amount of energy and can be a good home battery backup solution for some. But when compared against EcoFlow with 90kWh, there’s a lot of catching up to do. The Rover 2000 is designed to be a more compact and lighter solution, ideal for outdoor camping fun and road trips.
Likewise, the Rover 2000’s AC output is limited to 2.2kW and solar input at 1.5kW. Both are fully suitable for lightweight home backup needs or adventures away from home. They can even handle a fridge and many small devices. But it can also be relatively easily overwhelmed with regular home use. For example, a 1,500W hair dryer and a 500W fridge running at the same time would be pushing the limits. Throw on a TV and a computer and you’ve reached above the 2.2kW AC output.
BougeRV is coming in strong with its solar generator lineup. And other brands should keep a close eye on the rearview mirror to see when this brand releases larger units.
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BougeRV ROVER2000 Semi-Solid State Portable Power Station |
Buy on BougeRV Buy on Amazon |
Hysolis Apollo 5K
Hysolis may not be a household name yet, but the Apollo 5K could be the product that puts them on the map. It is another unit designed for home solar generator backup use and it comes with unbelievable specifications.
One single Hysolis Apollo 5K Solar Power Station has a 5.4kWh battery and 4.4kW solar input, very close to the same specs as the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra. It also comes with a sufficient 3kW AC output, which is on the lower end of the spectrum for a single unit.
Then comes the expansion possibilities. Hysolis Apollo 5K is trying to create an entirely different game, with up to 12 main units working together, plus another 10 expansion battery packs, to create an industry-leading 118.3kWh battery. This would also have an incredible 36kW AC output. EcoFlow is the closest with a 90kWh battery and 21.6kW AC output.
So why isn’t this on the best whole-house solar generator list? It’s a very new product and it’s just too early to say. The expansion is also a little more challenging because you need more of the main units. As the Hysolis Apollo 5K hits real-world testing, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the results.
Solar Waypoint readers can use the exclusive discount code “SOLARWAY5OFF” to receive 5% off EcoFlow orders! Act now to get a great deal on your EcoFlow gear.
Wrap Up
Choosing the best whole-home solar backup generator is a tough task due to the variety of high-quality options. After looking deep into the details, the EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra is leading the pack in many ways and takes our overall top spot, with Bluetti and Anker systems trailing close behind.
Once you pick your system, it’s time for solar panels. Head over to our solar panel calculator to make sure you get the right around.
