1st time using ProPower to power house during power outage

[flyct]

During a wind storm last night at 11:16 pm we lost power while at our remote cabin property. I was able to connect my trucks 240v 30 amp output in the bed to my generator inlet that I had installed a few weeks ago. About a month ago I installed a generator interlock kit and generator inlet at the main panel so I can totally disconnect from the grid and power the cabin with a generator. I already had a 30 amp 240V very long custom built cable that I built after the 2005 Hurricane Wilma when we lost power for almost 2 weeks at our previous house.

So last night I turned off all the 240v breakers except for the house water pump from storage tank. So I still had the refrigerator, freezer, internet modem, computers, cell phone chargers CPAP machines, all lights, ceiling fans tvs all working and we are drawing a total of 300-360 watts.

Initially had problem where the truck was turning off after about 25 minutes until I realized I needed to keep the ProPower display up in the screen. I went to sleep at about 1AM with Lightning powering the house. When I woke up at 8:30am In 8 hours I had only lost 16 miles of range in the truck. Went from 254 to 238miles of range. I’m very impressed.

When I woke up at 8:30am and checked my email I saw that the Power company sent me an email at 4:30 am letting me know that the power had just been restored.

I have a spare 5000 BTU window AC unit that I will put in the bedroom for the summer in case of power loss. That is so it won’t be an issue sleeping in the Florida Summer heat with no AC. I don't believe the truck will be enough to run the 3.5 ton central air.

Worst case we can always sleep in the 5th wheel RV with AC. I've tested it and the truck can run the RV AC with ease.

Overall i was very impressed.

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[Hammick]

Congrats! Setup our house for backup power from the Pro Power and once I realized how well it works we power our house every day with it. I charge the lighting from Midnight to 6 am at 2 cents a kwh in the winter and 3 cents in the summer. Like having solar without the panels. It even runs our 5 ton ac unit (it's an inverter variable AC; it won't run our 4 ton upstairs system that is conventional).

 

[flyct]

Congrats! Setup our house for backup power from the Pro Power and once I realized how well it works we power our house every day with it. I charge the lighting from Midnight to 6 am at 2 cents a kwh in the winter and 3 cents in the summer. Like having solar without the panels. It even runs our 5 ton ac unit (it's an inverter variable AC; it won't run our 4 ton upstairs system that is conventional).

Our cabin has a conventional single speed AC unit that was in it when we bought it. Our home has an amazing 5 ton 3 zone inverter system which we love.

I'm impressed that you managed to take advantage of the huge battery to store inexpensive energy and use it when grid cost is high. Great job.

 

[JerseyMike]

During a wind storm last night at 11:16 pm we lost power while at our remote cabin property. I was able to connect my trucks 240v 30 amp output in the bed to my generator inlet that I had installed a few weeks ago. About a month ago I installed a generator interlock kit and generator inlet at the main panel so I can totally disconnect from the grid and power the cabin with a generator. I already had a 30 amp 240V very long custom built cable that I built after the 2005 Hurricane Wilma when we lost power for almost 2 weeks at our previous house.

So last night I turned off all the 240v breakers except for the house water pump from storage tank. So I still had the refrigerator, freezer, internet modem, computers, cell phone chargers CPAP machines, all lights, ceiling fans tvs all working and we are drawing a total of 300-360 watts.

Initially had problem where the truck was turning off after about 25 minutes until I realized I needed to keep the ProPower display up in the screen. I went to sleep at about 1AM with Lightning powering the house. When I woke up at 8:30am In 8 hours I had only lost 16 miles of range in the truck. Went from 254 to 238miles of range. I’m very impressed.

When I woke up at 8:30am and checked my email I saw that the Power company sent me an email at 4:30 am letting me know that the power had just been restored.

I have a spare 5000 BTU window AC unit that I will put in the bedroom for the summer in case of power loss. That is so it won’t be an issue sleeping in the Florida Summer heat with no AC. I don't believe the truck will be enough to run the 3.5 ton central air.

Worst case we can always sleep in the 5th wheel RV with AC. I've tested it and the truck can run the RV AC with ease.

Overall i was very impressed.

Nice, any ground fault with the dual bonded grounds (truck and house)?

 

[TaxmanHog]

Poking the bear....................

 

[flyct]

Nice, any ground fault with the dual bonded grounds (truck and house)?

DM sent with reply.

 

[turbato]

DM sent with reply.

Curious about this also. Would like to do an interlock over transfer switch but was worried about bonded issue with just an interlock.

 

[swtaylor89]

During a wind storm last night at 11:16 pm we lost power while at our remote cabin property. I was able to connect my trucks 240v 30 amp output in the bed to my generator inlet that I had installed a few weeks ago. About a month ago I installed a generator interlock kit and generator inlet at the main panel so I can totally disconnect from the grid and power the cabin with a generator. I already had a 30 amp 240V very long custom built cable that I built after the 2005 Hurricane Wilma when we lost power for almost 2 weeks at our previous house.

So last night I turned off all the 240v breakers except for the house water pump from storage tank. So I still had the refrigerator, freezer, internet modem, computers, cell phone chargers CPAP machines, all lights, ceiling fans tvs all working and we are drawing a total of 300-360 watts.

Initially had problem where the truck was turning off after about 25 minutes until I realized I needed to keep the ProPower display up in the screen. I went to sleep at about 1AM with Lightning powering the house. When I woke up at 8:30am In 8 hours I had only lost 16 miles of range in the truck. Went from 254 to 238miles of range. I’m very impressed.

When I woke up at 8:30am and checked my email I saw that the Power company sent me an email at 4:30 am letting me know that the power had just been restored.

I have a spare 5000 BTU window AC unit that I will put in the bedroom for the summer in case of power loss. That is so it won’t be an issue sleeping in the Florida Summer heat with no AC. I don't believe the truck will be enough to run the 3.5 ton central air.

Worst case we can always sleep in the 5th wheel RV with AC. I've tested it and the truck can run the RV AC with ease.

Overall i was very impressed.

A soft start unit on that AC unit might help with that issue.


I have one on mine. I haven't tried it yet, but I believe @JamesKlafehn had a video with his running off of pro power.

 

[Marcelo Zanetti]

DM sent with reply.

 

[Marcelo Zanetti]

Hi @flyct ,
Please PM me as well. I’d like to do the same set up in my home.
TIA.

 

[FLSpartan04]

@flyct , same. Can you also please DM me the details. Thanks!

 

[invertedspear]

Why are we hiding useful information in DMs?

 

[JRT]

I'd like to see info too.

 

[USA EV]

Why are we hiding useful information in DMs?

"People can't handle the truth!"

 

[TomB985]

Initially had problem where the truck was turning off after about 25 minutes until I realized I needed to keep the ProPower display up in the screen. I went to sleep at about 1AM with Lightning powering the house. When I woke up at 8:30am In 8 hours I had only lost 16 miles of range in the truck. Went from 254 to 238miles of range. I’m very impressed.

I saw your post on FTE, but you included more detail over here. Did you turn off the 30-minute shutdown timer? I haven’t heard of PPO shutting off when the screen isn’t up, but the auto shutdown is always enabled at every ignition cycle unless you shut it off with ForScan.

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