PointGuard Home system with generator input (Pro Power Onboard).

[tearitupsports]

Today I had a successful test of using the generator input of my PointGuard Home battery system with the Lightnings Pro Power Onboard (7.2 kW 240V outlet).

For reference I have been testing a couple systems. I have the original Ford / Sunrun HIS (which worked for me), and have switched to the PointGuard Home system.

PointGuard (Sigenergy elsewhere in the world) is a hybrid battery/solar inverter. They also have an automatic transfer switch called the load hub, which has some metered input/output loads. One of those is a dedicated generator input rated to up to 80A breaker.

The battery system is one of the modular stackable kinds, so I have 2 batteries for 16 kWh total storage. I have this much because I utilize time of use rates on a day to day basis, and save a lot on energy cost by having extra battery. The minimum setup if you chose this route would be 5 kWh. I also backup nearly my whole home including my 5 ton AC. I do have a critical loads panel, but it is a full 200A 42 circuit panel and has everything except the dryer, oven and EV charger.

One of the main features of the PointGuard system over many other is the 0ms fail over. None of the powered loads turn off when going to an off-grid condition. In fact if I didn't get a message pop up, there have been a couple of times I would have never known the power was out.

For the Lightning I have decided to try the easiest option of integrating the truck with the generator input (which only is active in off-grid scenario). I have wired up just a 30A generator inlet to the outside wall of my garage. I put it in a spot where my cord will reach with the truck parked insider or outside the garage. I also have it in a place where I could use a small portable generator if I wanted to as well. I used #10 wire, so 30A is my max, and I will be making sure to really only use 24A max normally. I have a 30A breaker in the PointGuard load hub.

One nice aspect of this system is that I can set the amount of power I want to draw from the truck. In my test today I set the generator rating to 5kW in the pointguard app. It will power as much of the load it can using the generator, and the rest it will pull from the battery. If my load is low, then it will maintain the load and charge the home battery with the excess, still at a total of the rated amount (5kW for me today). As you can see in the pictures below it maintains that 5kW perfectly.
The second aspect is that the truck does not have to be always plugged in. Even when disconnecting the truck by turning off the pro power, there is no break in the power to the house. I can charge up the home battery and then disconnect and go drive the truck if needed. This is why (to me) it is worth spending the extra money on a system like this. If the power outage was localized, I could even go charge the truck elsewhere and come back without leaving the family in the dark.

PointGuard support is top notch. I actually had a small issue with the generator input, and reached out to them via email. They actually went ahead to give me a call and explain how it all works. It turns out that I actually had a nicked wire causing a short, and was not an issue with any of the system itself, which was much easier to find with them walking me through how the system worked.

In the future I may try to get my HIS Delta inverter working with the PointGuard. I am not sure if that is possible. The other main feature of PointGuard is they have a V2X charger that stacks in with the battery and can do all the bi-directional energy right through the charge cable. Unfortunately I have too much money tied up in old existing equipment to give that a try right now, especially with this generator input working great.

Sponsored

 

[Maquis]

Very nice setup.
Limiting the truck output to 24A is very conservative, but as long as it serves your needs, great.

 

[southern_cyclone]

Do you know if they are compatible with Tesla Powerwalls?

 

[v2h8484]

Thanks for the update. Looks like the typical home battery functions work in PointGuard. Hope to see you test the V2X functions.

 

[Storx]

I wish this system had a Home to Vehicle integration, which allowed you to wire the vehicle charger into the system so it charges as normal, but during times of outage it can take advantage of the 80 amp bidirection capabilities of the EV chargeport, heck i would even accept 48/50 amps. I just want to have something that can act as a buffer for solar during an outage. My solar is grid tied setup tailored around the baseload of my house to cover 95% of use when their is normal sunlight, so i only need something to buffer the peaks.

 

[tearitupsports]

I wish this system had a Home to Vehicle integration, which allowed you to wire the vehicle charger into the system so it charges as normal, but during times of outage it can take advantage of the 80 amp bidirection capabilities of the EV chargeport, heck i would even accept 48/50 amps. I just want to have something that can act as a buffer for solar during an outage. My solar is grid tied setup tailored around the baseload of my house to cover 95% of use when their is normal sunlight, so i only need something to buffer the peaks.

PointGuard can do exactly what you are asking if you use their V2X module as well. It is a DC (yes that is correct... DC) home charger solution. It can charge your vehicle or be used to pull energy from the truck as desired. You are somewhat limited to the inverters 11.4 kW rating for AC coupled modes, but it can charge or discharge up to 25kW if you pulling from or storing to DC coupled components like solar or batteries. You don't have to have batteries to make it work either.

https://pointguardenergy.com/products/v2x-module

I haven't yet purchased this module, so I haven't tested it, but I have been told that at least one customer is using it on an F150 Lightning currently in the US. The V2X modules are just now starting to ship to pre-order customers.

This system will work with existing AC coupled solar with no issue. I have an old SolarEdge inverter that I tied in and it works great. The inverter will have 4 MPPTs if you wanted to add more solar, but they don't need to be used.

 

[tearitupsports]

Do you know if they are compatible with Tesla Powerwalls?

This system would be a competitor to the Tesla powerwall. There would be no way to use any existing components if you already have a Powerwall.

 

[Zaptor]

Nice solution! What do the various components cost?
Thx
Zap

 

[Storx]

PointGuard can do exactly what you are asking if you use their V2X module as well. It is a DC (yes that is correct... DC) home charger solution. It can charge your vehicle or be used to pull energy from the truck as desired. You are somewhat limited to the inverters 11.4 kW rating for AC coupled modes, but it can charge or discharge up to 25kW if you pulling from or storing to DC coupled components like solar or batteries. You don't have to have batteries to make it work either.

https://pointguardenergy.com/products/v2x-module

I haven't yet purchased this module, so I haven't tested it, but I have been told that at least one customer is using it on an F150 Lightning currently in the US. The V2X modules are just now starting to ship to pre-order customers.

This system will work with existing AC coupled solar with no issue. I have an old SolarEdge inverter that I tied in and it works great. The inverter will have 4 MPPTs if you wanted to add more solar, but they don't need to be used.

Yikes... $6,300 for the charger... they are proud of it.
I barely have $6300 in my entire solar system on the house...

 

[tearitupsports]

Nice solution! What do the various components cost?
Thx
Zap

The PointGuard components were just shy of $10k most of which is the batteries. The backup panel, extra breakers, generator inlet components and wire/conduit added about $1k more.
It was DIY so no labor cost.
I will get $3k back from the federal tax credit, and am also on a time of use plan, which will create a pretty fast ROI. That's why I got the extra battery capacity.
I already had a 5kW solar system which was about $12k fully installed 9 years ago, and has almost paid for itself already.

Now for someone to duplicate this with the minimum system possible (PG Load Hub, PG Inverter, PG 5kWh battery, generator inlet components) where you could do a whole home backup, I think you could get this down to about $6k in total equipment + whatever the labor would be. This assumes you just bring your meter connection to the load hub, and then the load hub to the existing panel. As of right now this would qualify for the tax credit.
This would get you about 9kW of continuous power with the truck and battery working together. This system is quite simple, so the install time is just a couple of hours assuming you don't have long cable runs. Full commissioning takes about 10 minutes.

The other option would be to just get the PG Load Hub, PG inverter, and PG V2X. It would cost about $500 more. Also without a battery it would only work while the truck is plugged in, but would be viable because it would also be your home charger, and the inverter would be the same labor as a normal home charger.

The nice thing about PG is how easy it is to expand later. I first installed mine with a single battery. It took me less than 20 minutes and no wiring changes to add the second battery in.

 

[tearitupsports]

Yikes... $6,300 for the charger... they are proud of it.
I barely have $6300 in my entire solar system on the house...

Not sure where you are getting that price from. It is not cheap, but it is way less than that amount.

$6300 would get you all of the PointGuard components + V2X module. That would get you a whole home backup system. The PG load hub is like having a 6 port SPAN panel as well as the 200A auto transfer switch. With your truck plugged in, you could run your full house almost indefinitely off-grid on that setup.

 

[Zaptor]

The PointGuard components were just shy of $10k most of which is the batteries. The backup panel, extra breakers, generator inlet components and wire/conduit added about $1k more.
It was DIY so no labor cost.
I will get $3k back from the federal tax credit, and am also on a time of use plan, which will create a pretty fast ROI. That's why I got the extra battery capacity.
I already had a 5kW solar system which was about $12k fully installed 9 years ago, and has almost paid for itself already.

Now for someone to duplicate this with the minimum system possible (PG Load Hub, PG Inverter, PG 5kWh battery, generator inlet components) where you could do a whole home backup, I think you could get this down to about $6k in total equipment + whatever the labor would be. This assumes you just bring your meter connection to the load hub, and then the load hub to the existing panel. As of right now this would qualify for the tax credit.
This would get you about 9kW of continuous power with the truck and battery working together. This system is quite simple, so the install time is just a couple of hours assuming you don't have long cable runs. Full commissioning takes about 10 minutes.

The other option would be to just get the PG Load Hub, PG inverter, and PG V2X. It would cost about $500 more. Also without a battery it would only work while the truck is plugged in, but would be viable because it would also be your home charger, and the inverter would be the same labor as a normal home charger.

The nice thing about PG is how easy it is to expand later. I first installed mine with a single battery. It took me less than 20 minutes and no wiring changes to add the second battery in.

Not bad at all, I will have to take a deeper dive. I have 24+kw of solar so definitely interested in batteries!
Thank you!
Zap

 

[TechnoSwiss]

Thanks for the write up on this, I've been looking at the PG system with V2X capability on it. Did you purchase direct from them or go through a reseller? I've been trying to locate an installer here local that's familiar with them, but haven't done any hard looking yet.

 

[tearitupsports]

Thanks for the write up on this, I've been looking at the PG system with V2X capability on it. Did you purchase direct from them or go through a reseller? I've been trying to locate an installer here local that's familiar with them, but haven't done any hard looking yet.

I purchased the equipment through Sunrgy which is local for me. I was able to pick it up with the truck. Let me know if you need a specific contact for them.

 

[TechnoSwiss]

Does PG allow you to back-feed the grid with a bi-directional meter so you can take advantage of a utilities surge demand payment with the battery? (ie PGE has a program were they'll pay you to supply power back to the grid during high demand times)

Sponsored