Do You Need A Solar Battery Backup?
A solar battery backup can keep your home running smoothly, even when the grid is down. But with so many options on the market, which one should you choose? In this article, we’ll look at the Franklin Whole Home battery backup system and see how it’s different from the competition.
The Franklin Whole Home Battery Backup
When it comes to solar battery backups, the Franklin Whole Home is one of the best options on the market. With this system, you can store solar energy to use later during a power outage or other emergency to power your entire home.
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the features of the Franklin Whole Home and how it could benefit your home and explain why solar battery backup systems maximize the potential of solar energy installations.
Why You Need A Battery Backup System With Your Solar Panels
A battery backup power supply protects against power outages. It lets you tap into your solar panels day or night when the grid goes down by storing your power.
In California, under NEM 3.0, a battery backup is a must-have component to make solar more cost-effective.
Battery Backup Systems Provide Power During An Outage
Without a battery backup, your solar system can’t provide power to your home if the grid goes down. If you have a battery backup system, you’ll be able to keep using the internet, the fridge, lights, and even air conditioners during the blackout.
Most people don’t know that they don’t have access to their solar panels’ power during a power outage.
An energy storage system stores your solar power, so it’s available when the grid goes down. The solar installer will wire the battery to cover critical loads, like your lights, refrigerator, internet, and garage door. Whatever is most important to you.
A solar storage system is the ultimate peace of mind knowing you have power in your home when you need it the most – during an emergency.
A Battery Helps Protect Your Solar Investment
Modern battery technology maximizes the savings that your solar panels provide. Any changes to net metering or utility rates can hurt the value proposition of solar.
Utilities want to lower the amount they pay for solar power. But when you pair solar with a battery, it protects you against utility rate changes and puts you back in control of your power and excess energy.
Franklin Whole Home Battery
Now let’s dive into the Franklin whole home battery storage solution and see what makes it special.
FranklinWH batteries can connect to any existing solar inverter. It has enough power output to start an air conditioner up to 4 tons in size. Also, the battery can be charged by your solar system, the grid, or a backup generator.
Bi-Directional Charging
The battery can be charged from solar but can also accept charging from external sources like generators, the grid, and cars.
The Franklin battery uses lithium iron phosphate batteries, which have the highest AC battery capacity on the market and is also the safest.
Lithium iron phosphate batteries are safer than lithium-ion batteries because those have been known to catch fire.
Heat And Temperature Tolerance
Franklin batteries have a tremendous heat tolerance, so it’s a great choice for the desert. The temperature tolerance range is from -4 degrees to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
FranklinWH Batteries: A True Whole-Home Backup System
Franklin whole home batteries run all your critical loads, including AC units up to 4 tons.
Franklin comes with an industry-leading 12-year warranty. No other solar battery offers a 12-Year warranty. All other batteries have 10-year warranties.
It Can Run A 4-ton AC Unit!
The battery has 13.6 kWh of energy storage. It is actually a 15 kWh battery, with 1.4 kWh held in reserve for the system, so it will never be drained completely.
Franklin uses lithium iron phosphate batteries and can output 5,000 watts of continuous power and surge to 10,000 watts for 10 seconds. This is enough to start a 4-ton air conditioner.
Pro Tip: Be sure to request a Soft-Starter for your AC unit so the battery does not drain too much when the AC unit powers on. It will reduce the surge by 60%-70%.
The Franklin home storage solution is the first battery backup to cover all your critical loads in your entire home. And if you want to expand your capacity, you can easily add another battery.
Easily Expand Your Battery Capacity
Each additional Franklin battery adds both capacity and power output. For example, two units can output 10,000 watts continuously and surge to 20,000 watts. Your kWh of storage goes up as well. As many as 15 additional batteries can be added.
The Franklin can cover your HVAC system, pool equipment, EV chargers, and any large appliance you’d like powered during an outage.
Automotive-Grade Battery
FranklinWH is an automotive-grade battery that can be installed inside a garage without requiring special sprinklers or heat detectors.
A Dedicated App To Customize Your System
The Franklin Whole Home has a cool smartphone app that allows you to customize your battery backup system.
You can add a Franklin to any existing solar inverter
The Franklin battery will connect to any existing solar inverter, allowing all solar users to add a Franklin battery to their existing system or a new solar installation. This makes it an attractive option no matter which inverter you’ve chosen for your solar.
Many batteries only work with certain inverters or microinverters, like the Enphase Encharge. The FranklinWH can be added to a Sunpower system too.
Installation Requires Only Two Components
With only two components to install, the Franklin looks much cleaner on the wall of your home in comparison to some of its competitors, especially the Enphase Encharge, which requires at least four components.
Battery Backup Incentives & FAQs
Does a battery backup system qualify for a 30% solar tax credit?
Yes, battery backups are eligible for the Solar Tax Credit, even if you already have solar panels and took the credit before. You can add a battery now and be eligible for the 30% tax credit.
In California, residents may also be eligible for the Self-Generation Incentive Program.
This program provides incentives through the major utility companies to qualifying homeowners and will reduce your installation cost.
Can a Franklin a whole-home backup battery run fully on solar power alone?
Yes. You can run the whole house completely on solar power with a correctly sized solar system and a Franklin battery.
What appliances can’t be used with a battery backup system?
Electric ovens and stovetops, just like water and room heaters, use far too much power and would drain your battery.
The average oven, for example, runs at 3000W, and the stovetop typically runs between 1500-3000W.
Both tend to be used for more than just a few minutes, and the battery backup cannot supply the energy needed to operate them.
Most solar companies will review your backup needs and suggest the proper storage capacity.
Why not a get Diesel or gas generator?
A diesel or gas backup generator is affordable but has a few drawbacks.
The diesel or gas generator only has enough fuel for one evening. That means you will have to make constant trips to the gas station.
In the middle of an emergency, you may find it challenging, or maybe even impossible, to find diesel or gas.
Another important difference is that a generator doesn’t automatically turn on when power is lost, like a battery.
The battery recharges every day from the solar, so no trips to the gas station are needed.
Battery Backup Systems are Hassle Free
With a battery backup system, you don’t have to worry about running out of fuel like you would for your generator.
With a Franklin Whole Home backup system, your critical loads continue to operate and power your home.
And unlike a generator, your battery backup turns on when there is a power interruption from your utility company.
Unlike the generator, It’s hassle-free! There’s nothing you can do once it has been installed and programmed.
You can safely and comfortably remain in your home until your utility company restores power to your neighborhood.
Solar Battery Backup Systems maximize your utility savings.
Since backup batteries allow you to choose when to discharge energy, you can program your battery to sell your excess energy back to the utility during peak-time charges, aka Time of Use rates (TOU).
You can set the battery app to maximize utility savings, and it automatically calculates the timing for you based on your utility company’s rates.
During hours of time of use peak rates, the cost of electricity is much more expensive. Your battery can be programmed to discharge energy to the grid when your utility company pays the most for your power!
This is a tremendous benefit that a generator can’t match.
Be Prepared For Disasters And Utility Rate Hikes
Power outages happen more frequently in California, but you won’t be powerless or be left in the dark if you have a solar battery backup.
When it comes to electric rate hikes, you are in control because the battery uses smart technology to send power to the grid when it’s the most expensive. Read this post to explore the benefits of a battery backup and self-consumption.
Secure Your Power
With a solar system PLUS a Franklin whole-home backup storage solution, you’ll feel safe knowing your family has backup power in an emergency and protection against utility rate hikes.
It’s peace of mind and an insurance policy worth looking into for your home. Other popular options include the Enphase Encharge Battery and the SolarEdge Battery backup. Find more information about solar battery backups here.