No whole home backup option with Sunrun

[jcampbell]

I was schedule to have Sunrun install the HIS the other day. They called me two days before the installation to ask which 16 slots on the main panel I wanted to back up. I told them that I wanted the whole main panel backed up. They went back and forth and finally came back and said that they couldn't do whole home backup and that they and Ford had only worked out a critical loads subpanel backup scheme. I went and found another user on this forum who had the installation manual for the WHB-200 or what Sunrun calls the MID. WHB stands for Whole Home Backup and there is an instruction in that document for how to install it as a whole home backup between the meter and the main panel. No amount of discussion would convince Sunrun that this was possible. Their only option for installation was limited to 100 amps and 16 slots. They suggested that the installation guide I was seeing may not be accurate. Has anyone else been able to install these components as a whole home backup or has Ford been falsely advertising the capabilities of the Ford Intelligent Backup capability?

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[eopiela]

I looked at the manual too, and while it looks like it can be installed in a non sub panel configuration, it puts out so little current that you are essentially limited to 40 amps to run your whole house. (9600w continuous) .This is not a whole home backup solution by any means. Subpanel is the only safe solution unless you have a smart breaker solution that auto sheds loads. No AC when running oven or dryer, or water heater.

 

[VTbuckeye]

We are not using the his, but we would be able to function with 40amp. Gas heat, gas hot water. Electric dryer (don't use it if power is out or be aware of other loads (between 6 and 7 kw for the dryer), electric range with double oven (1.2kw small burners, 2.5kw large burners, 3ish kw for smaller oven more for the large oven), AC is a window unit and our background use is about 300-400watts. EVSES are our big draws. Just don't use large loads at the same time. I have never seen more than 7 or 8 kw without the cars charging. With the power out we don't need to function as usual, but keeping all circuits available would be my goal if making a backup system.

 

[HaroldCal]

I'm glad you shared this, because it reinforces that my intended plan is probably a smart course of action (Yay me!).

I was planning on having SunRun install a SPAN panel at the same time as the rest. The span panel is the "smart breakers" solution you speak of, that will auto-shed loads via software controls, replacing the need for critical load sub-panels.

It's worth mentioning that part of my reasoning for the SPAN panel is because a full solar install is next on the agenda, so having the SPAN panel in place is prep for that.

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