Top 10 best Home Backup Generator 2022 Recommended By Experts

[Update: Jackery announced on 1/28/2021 that the updated Explorer 300 can now be charged through the 60W USB-C PD and be used in parallel with the 90W AC wall charger. This provides for a combined input of 150W, nearly cutting the charging time in half!]Back in April, I purchased the Jackery Explorer 1000 and the Goal Zero Yeti 500x later as a result of 2019’s fires. Coincidentally, this year’s fires on the entire US west coast is actually WORSE with new records broken! I cannot stress how important it is to be prepared for emergencies, and with a baby and young boy in our household, I wanted to ensure we have a crucial refrigerator running to store milk, medication, and whatever else we needed.There has been an increase in people taking emergency preparation more seriously.I had since invested in several car freezers (favorite is the Foho 34qt BCD-32) as part of my emergency toolset. When Jackery announced the Explorer 300 (E300) with a special launch price and some improvements over the Explorer 1000 (E1000), I jumped on it for one simple reason: my little boy loves camping, and I wanted him to have a mini-Explorer of his own (actually, I wanted another backup battery, but don’t tell him that.) Literally, the E300 is a mini version of the E1000, and it looks awfully cute to have my son and I stand next to one another holding our own Explorers!Right off the bat, the two models are very similar to one another, and so I will be re-using much of what I had already written for the Explorer 1000. The E300 is the direct successor to the company’s Explorer 240 model.CELL MANUFACTURERSToday’s devices use Lithium-ion (Li-ion) and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) cells so they can pack more power in a smaller package and weigh less. However, Li-ion (which the Jackery is made with) also is more volatile whose risk increases as more cells are packed together. The quality of the battery cells and the BMS (Battery Management System) are crucial for safety.- Battery storage capacity is measured in Wh, and power output is in W (Watts)- The higher the Watt-hour (Wh) capacity rating, the more dangerous the battery could become if not handled rightBattery cells made by LG and Sony are among the best in the hobbyist world as are Sanyo/Panasonic, Samsung, and BAK Battery. Jackery Explorer 1000’s batteries are made by LG and BAK, but the E300’s are by EVE Battery. I do not have much information about the new, publicly-traded manufacturer’s safety record, however, but going by Jackery’s track record, they likely would not have selected a poor company to provide fuel cells for their power stations.During my years of research, I found that use of lower-quality batteries could pose a serious risk to life and property and should become a crucial part in deciding what to buy.IN A NUTSHELLJackery Explorer 300 is a relatively light power station with a professional-looking exterior and flashy, orange color scheme, and is backed by a company that appears, from the stories I have read (and personally experienced), to take customer service seriously. The batteries are made by a manufacturer I do not know much about, but their weight is an indicator that they are likely good quality. The 300W of energy (and peak of 500W) provides enough power for a small amount of electronics and small appliances, such as a laptop, television, mini fridge, medical device (like CPAP), and car freezers, but will NOT work for most rice cookers, and definitely not for a vacuum, water boiler, or circular saw.Like the bigger E1000, the hard, plastic material used to help shed weight (and cost) could be prone to cracking from hard falls or bumps, potentially exposing the Lithium-Ion batteries to puncturing. The fixed carry handle unfortunately cannot be folded, making it not ideal for packing things on top.Functionally, this is an excellent, portable power station with a multitude of AC and DC outputs, is solar charging capable with MPPT built in, and has a battery management system (BMS) to help ensure safety. Equally important is its verified claim of a pure sine wave – not modified – AC Inverter to produce clean electricity for sensitive electronics. Like Goal Zero Yeti 500x, Jackery finally upgraded the E300 with a USB-C PD with a 60W output. The E1000 only produces 18W. This makes it very useful for charging supported laptops.Jackery is one of Amazon’s top sellers in the portable power station category with good customer service and reasonable prices, and as this is no longer my first experience with their products, I have no hesitation to recommend its latest product.PROS- At 293 Wh capacity, it is an improvement over its Explorer 240 model and falls in-between Goal Zero’s Yeti 200x and 500x capacities– Capacity to power a 30″ LCD monitor and Mini PC for 3-5 hours, a Toshiba 50″ Fire TV for almost 2.5 hours- Pure Sine Wave AC Inverter capable of continuous 300W power (and 500W peak) – More details later- Very well-priced at $349 at launch- Can power AC and DC (USB/12V Car adapter) at the same time (as long as they draw less than 300W combined)– Laptop, tablet, phones, lights, fans, CPAP medical device, projector, TV, mini refrigerator, speaker, camera, DSLR battery charger, and SOME rice cookers- USB-C PD port outputs 60W- Can be used while charging- Faster charging with MPPT controller (Maximum Power Point Tracking)- Informative LCD with LED backlight– Total power coming in (via solar panel or AC adapter)– Capacity left (as a percentage)– Total power (AC and DC combined) being used— Suaoki G500 displays the Wattage separately for DC and AC, which I prefer– Unfortunately, estimated hours to full charge or empty is NOT shown- BMS provides built-in overload, overcharge (automatically stops charging when the device is full), and short-circuit protection– Multiple fans to keep the station’s temperature safe- VERY compact at 9.1″ x 5.2″ x 7.8″, though the higher-capacity, slightly larger Goal Zero Yeti 500x is still my favorite for its size and capacity- Portable at just 7.1 lbs- Bottom is well-protected by bright-orange, non-slip feet- Carry pouch included to hold AC charger and cables- Cigarette socket cable included- Unexpectedly good customer service– Technical support was excellent in answering all my questions- 2 year warranty- Clear, well-written manual, though details were scarce– Goal Zero’s manual, on the other hand, is VERY detailed and helpful- Company is based in CaliforniaCONSThe E300 shares almost all the same design problems I disliked about the E1000, but also adds some improvements.- Batteries are not made by a globally well-known, Tier 1 manufacturer– My unit came with fuel cells by EVE Battery, a China-based, publicly-traded company- No Anderson input port for solar charging– You charge with an (optional) Anderson-to-8mm converter cable instead- Fixed carry handle cannot be stowed away– Makes it difficult to stow things on top at the back of a trunk– Upward-curved top (underneath the carry handle) does not allow small items to be temporarily stored on top- Hard, plastic material makes the power station lighter, but could be prone to cracking from hard falls or bumps– Given that Lithium-Ion batteries become more volatile as capacity increases, one should handle the product with care- Although the exterior looks very professional, once I saw the Goal Zero Yeti 500x, I fell in love with the Yeti’s design- Power buttons can be accidentally turned on/off through a single press (ie. while packing away your camping gear)– Can lead to accidentally turning on/off the output during transport– May unexpectedly find battery fully drained when you need it– Suaoki requires you to hold the DC or AC button for 2 seconds before it turns on/off that output, helping to minimize accidental presses– No automatic power off once no power is drawn/station has become idle- AC power brick is flat and large- No built-in flashlight or SOS signaling that the E1000 includes- Display is not as informative as I’d like– Only shows battery charge level, input and output wattage, but no estimate of time remaining to full charge or to empty- Multiple fans turn on during high peak and can be too noisy for some- Battery cannot be replaced. This can lead to unnecessary landfill waste- Cannot be daisy-chained to other Explorer 300/1000’s to extend battery capacity– Some Goal Zero stations can be hooked up to other ones so power can be provided for an even longer time without needing to switch- Not waterproof. Keep it away from water splashes, rain, and pool!– Lithium and fire or water can cause serious damage or injury!- No master power off button to turn off ALL outputs at the same time– You have to manually switch off each type: DC, AC- No carry bag for the power station itself is included– BUILT Willis 11″ Insulated Lunch Box (ASIN: B08D6VMGG1) fits the E300 perfectly well (with usable pockets) when the Jackery is put on its sideINPUT PORTS- 1x 8mm– Accepts up to 90W– Max 12-30V and 8A with no minimum wattage— WARNING: Do NOT use a power source/solar panel that exceeds 30V or 8A!—- Be mindful that solar panels that are daisy chained in sequence/series may output more than 30V combined!– Can be used for solar charging— MPPT charge controller is built in— I recommend using a panel that’s between 30W – 100W at 18V (with the right Amps to equal 100W)—- If you attach a 120W solar panel (with 12V x 10A = 120W), it will charge at only 90W— I did not test solar charging as California is currently blanketed by smoke from the massive fires all over the west coast— Jackery SolarSaga 100W charged the Explorer 1000 at an excellent 69-88W of input. I expect it to be similar with the E300OUTPUT PORTS- 2x AC with 3 prongs (120V)– Inverter can handle a continuous 300W, peaking at 500W. More on that later– Pure Sine Wave Inverter— Ensures clean power to protect against damage to sensitive electronics— Generates less heat— Note: Some manufacturers claim to be Pure-Sine when they are actually Modified or Square Waves- 1x Cigarette socket (12V, max 10A)- 1x USB-C PD (5-20V, max 3A, max PD 60W)– PD (Power Delivery) allows a device to be charged with up to 60W through the USB-C interface- 2x USB-A (5V, max 2.4A, max 12W)– One of them is a QuickCharge 3.0 for rapid charging of compatible devicesUSAGE- To turn ON or OFF the Car/USB (DC) or AC outputs, press the corresponding button– Note: This single-press (without hold) can lead to accidentally turning on or off the power station- To reset an Error condition that’s shown on the LCD (ie. AC port is Overloaded), turn OFF the respective AC or DC output, and back on- To reset the Explorer, hold the DISPLAY button for 10 seconds- Li-ion batteries have 500 charge cycles before capacity drops to about 80% from when they were new– Product could, in theory, be charged up to 2,000 cycles — about 1/4 of total capacity is lost every 500 cycle- Unlike LiFePO4 batteries, Li-ion can operate only in temperatures between 32-104F (0-40C)– Jackery’s Battery Management System (BMS) prevents:— Recharging in temps outside of 32 – 95F (0 – 35C)— Outputting power in temps outside of 14 – 104F (-10 – 40C)- Battery, like all Li-ion, slowly drains over time even when station is powered off– Could take 1-1.5 years to go from full to emptyCONTINUOUS VS PEAK OUTPUTThe Explorer’s AC Inverter provides a continuous output of 300W with a peak/surge of 500W- AC Inverter: Component responsible for converting battery (DC) power into AC for use by electronics- Continuous Output: As long as a device (or combination of multiple ones) does not exceed 300W, it can be used– Example: A TV that uses 100W can be used because it is less than 300W. You can add more devices as long as they do not exceed 300W combined– Example: A miter saw I have uses 1,800W, and because it exceeds 300W, it cannot be used- Peak/Surge: Almost every device temporarily draws more power when it is turned on. The highest amount it pulls during that time is the Peak/Surge. This Explorer can accept up to 500W– Example: A TV that uses 200W (continuous) may temporarily suck up 400W (peak) when powered on. Because 400W is less than 500W (peak), this battery will allow the TV to turn on at that level for a few seconds (any longer, and it might cut power as a safety precaution). After a few seconds, the TV then only uses 200W (less than the continuous 300W limit) until the battery is drained– Example: An unusual device that uses 250W (continuous) and surges to 1,500W when powered on would instantly be shut off by the Jackery. Why? Even though the device uses just 250W while already on, it jumps to 1,500W when powered on, exceeding the 500W surge limit of the JackeryCALCULATIONSThe below calculations are rough estimates as conditions, quality, and product age can vary.CHARGING TIMES- Wall charger: 4-5 hours– AC adapter was observed to provide 76W when charging level was at 37%– AC adapter will gradually charge slower as battery reaches full capacity (for safety reasons)- 100W solar panel: depending on weather conditions, it should take about 5-6 hours. I could not fully test this because the smoke from the California fires is blocking the sun– WARNING: do NOT connect panels sequentially or you may output too much voltage and fry the power station! Connect them in PARALLEL with a Y-Branch cable- Goal Zero Yeti 500x can combine its 8mm and USB-C PD ports for a total input of 180W. Neither the E300 nor E1000 can combine both inputsHOW MANY WATTS DOES A DEVICE US?- Calc: Watts used by device = Voltage x Amperage- If a vacuum is 120V and 9.5A, it uses 1,140WIf a device draws more than 300W for an extended period of time, the power station will shut off as a safety precaution. This can also shorten the battery’s lifetimeHOW LONG CAN A DEVICE BE USED FOR?- Calc: Hours available for device = Battery capacity (Wh) x 0.85 / Watts used by device– Generally, about 10-15% of power is lost during power conversion- If a device uses 60W, it could last up to 4.1 hours (293 Wh x 0.85 / 60W)- Amazon TV I have uses about 100W– If battery is full at 293 Wh, TV could run about 2.6 hours (293 x 0.9 / 100)HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE A DEVICE?- Calc: Hours to charge device = Device’s battery capacity (Wh) / Input Wattage- If a laptop accepts 60W of input and its battery capacity is 200 Wh, it could take 3.3 hrs to charge (200 Wh / 60W)HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE THE EXPLORER 300 WITH SOLAR?- Calc: Hours to charge battery = Battery capacity (Wh) / (Panel Wattage x [0.5 or 0.75])– In a perfect lab environment, solar panels charge at the indicated wattage (ie. 150W)– Expect to only receive 50-75% on a good, sunny day (ie. 75W – 113W), depending on environmental conditions, panel’s age, and component quality– Tip: Even if it is overcast, the panels will STILL collect solar energy. Keep charging!- If a solar panel is rated for 100W, it could take as fast as 3.9 hours [293 Wh / (100W x 0.75)] to chargeHOW DOES ITS CAPACITY COMPARE TO POWER BANKS?- Calc: Powerbank-equivalent capacity (mAh) = Battery capacity (Wh) / Voltage x 1000– 1 Ah = 1000 mAh- Explorer’s 293Wh at 3.6V is roughly a 81,389 mAh powerbank (293 Wh / 3.6V x 1000) or a 27,129 mAh at 10.8VTIPS- Always test your devices with the power station before you depend on it on the go- Lithium-ion batteries are volatile– To minimize fire damage to your belongings or loved ones, store the power station in the garage and not inside the house. Best storage is a dry, cool place, however– You cannot bring a battery of this capacity on a plane- With the right BMS, quality batteries, and other factors, the power station can be stored in the car while camping during a hot, California summer– Keep the battery out of direct sunlight. I usually store it on the floor of the car and crack open the windows a tiny bit– Do not USE in the car if temperatures fall below or exceed the battery’s rated, operating temperature (32-104F or 0-40C)Keep your car cigarette lighter with the power station — you could plug it into its 12V DC socket for starting a camp fire- If using a car charger, make SURE you only charge this station while the car is RUNNING. Otherwise, you’ll deplete your car’s battery and leave you stranded- If charging with a solar panel, be sure to keep the station out of direct sunlight as it could overheat– A solar panel is NOT required to use the battery– Explorer 300 uses the MPPT solar charge controller— Smarter, more efficient/expensive than PWM— Suitable for larger systems- Can be used and charged at the same time. Manufacturers’ recommendations for their own products:– Yes, that’s fine: Goal Zero, Jackery, Rockpals, nrgGo– No/Not advisable: Suaoki- NEVER charge the power station itself in below freezing temperatures, or you will damage the Li-ion battery AND potentially limit its overall capacity– You CAN use it to power OTHER devices because the generated heat will warm its battery enough to be within operating temps– At below freezing temps, keep it in an insulated cooler and connected to a power source (ie. solar panels). The heat generated by the battery will keep it running as best as it can- Turn off any output ports (AC/DC) that are not being used in order to conserve power- Do not use any power station in a tightly enclosed area as it can overheat- To prolong the battery lifetime while in storage, keep the battery fully charged every 3-6 months– Or, according to customer support, keep it plugged in when not in use and discharge it to 50% every 3-4 months– NOT using the battery for a very long time can actually hurt its lifetime– There is no “memory effect” in this station’s battery. It is better to NOT let it completely drainFINAL THOUGHTSThe Explorer 300 is another winner for Jackery in that it has made several improvements over its older, bigger brother, the Explorer 1000. I was disappointed to find out that its batteries are made by EVE Battery, a Chinese, publicly-traded company I have little knowledge of. The Explorer 1000, on the other hand, used either LG or China-based BAK Battery, both of which are excellent manufacturers. The company has shown time and time again that it takes customer service VERY seriously, and to me, that is a major plus. The 300W of energy (and peak of 500W) provides enough power for a small amount of electronics and small appliances, and is the perfect size for my little boy, the fellow explorer and camper.The hard, plastic material commonly used by power stations to help shed weight and cost (just like the E1000) could be prone to cracking from hard falls or bumps, and as such, this product should be handled with care – a puncture of the Lithium-Ion batteries could cause severe harm. The fixed carry handle unfortunately cannot be folded, making it more difficult to pack things on top.Jackery is one of Amazon’s top sellers in the portable power station category with good customer service and reasonable prices, and if the new EVE Battery manufacturer proves to be as reliable as other Tier 1 makers, I will have no hesitation to recommend its latest product.

I wanted this device as an emergency battery for my CPAP machine, as well as my other electronics in case of being away from power for an extended period of time. This product very capably accomplishes all of that.The battery arrived about half full. Following the instructions, I immediately charged it, assuming it was going to take a very long time. That assumption was wrong. I walked by around 3 hours later to find it was fully charged and waiting. This is by FAR superior to several other battery backs I’ve owned. The manual states that it takes about 8 hours from empty, so it may have charged little faster than their estimate.I really like the fact that it can be charged either via the supplied adapter, USB-C, or a car adapter. Also, you can use existing car adapter accessories because that adapter is included as well. Plug the adapter into the DC out port, hit the power button, plug in your accessory, and go.I tested the USB-C port with my Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and it showed quick charging. Next up was an HP laptop that requires 65 watt charging. I know that the battery is only rated for 60W from that port, but gave it a try anyway to see what would happen. The laptop had a popup that suggested I use an official HP adapter, but it charged anyway at approximately 55-60 watts as I showed in the picture. I also tried it with an older Lenovo laptop (45 watts USB-C) and it worked flawlessly.An important thing to note is that the USB-C will automatically power on if you plug something into it. The regular USB-A (rectangular) connections on the front will NOT. You’ll have to tap the power button to get them to turn on. I initially thought there was something wrong with the device, but this appears to be by design. (Whew, self-inflicted crisis averted!)And speaking of self-inflicted crises, be sure to read the owner’s manual, especially pages 6 and 7 where it tells you how to turn on the AC plugs. As I picked the unit up to examine it, my finger rested on the side power button, which I had pressed many times. But this time my finger rested on the button for a few seconds and I heard the battery start emitting a hum like something extra had turned on. If I had read the manual FIRST instead of merely skimming it, I would have known that pressing the side power button turns DC on and off. But HOLDING it for three seconds turns the AC plugs on and off. (Be smarter than me and read, ok?) :)I seriously tried to kill this battery. I left my laptop plugged in for 3 hours while working and charging, charged 2 phones, and then ran my CPAP machine non-stop for 4 hours. It was still showing 2 of 4 power bars after all this. I guess you can tell I was impressed. I may buy another of these as a gift. The battery took everything I threw at it and laughed like “Is that the best you got?”P.S. Don’t hold the battery 12 inches from your face when you hit the flashlight button to test how bright it is. I learned the hard way that wow that thing is bright!

The media could not be loaded.  This battery is a BEAST and surprised me with its design. This is coming from someone who has reviewed over a dozen battery brands, including Goal Zero, Jackery, BigBlue, Rockpals, Aimtom, and the like. Goal Zero and Jackery are two of my favorites, but this Ecoflow surprised me indeed and has skyrocketed to one of the top brands I have tested and used thus far.IN A NUTSHELLThe EcoFlow Delta Pro packs so many features and nuances, it took a surprisingly long time to summarize my thoughts for this review. It is one HECK of a beast of a power station! Although I was not able to test many of the capabilities due to my limited budget, reading and researching about some of the functions kept me in awe.Goal Zero had been the gold standard for a long time with its market leading quality, safety record, and philanthropy roots, but the Delta Pro definitely should put the company on notice with an ecosystem that surprisingly surpassed Goal Zero’s in many ways. Offering a 3,600Wh battery capacity that could be expanded to 25,000Wh nearly doubles what Goal Zero could currently offer at 15,671Wh, and its AC inverter leapfrogs Goal Zero’s 2,000W of continuous power and 3,500W surge with double that: 3,600W and 7,200W, respectively. What that translates to is more devices and appliances that can be left running for many more days than homes with the Tesla Powerwall or large LG batteries commonly paired with home solar panels.Specifications and numbers aside, the Delta Pro has an impressive set of input (charging) options, including AC wall, EV charger (a first!), solar, DC-producing gas generator, and possibly a wind turbine in the near future. What wowed me was the rapid charging capability when specific EcoFlow products are combined: 6,500W! Goal Zero’s best only charges at 600W, and two years ago, THAT number dropped my jaw. Charging a Delta Pro and Smart Extra Battery (7,200Wh) at 6,500W would take them from empty to full in less than 2 hours — SUPER impressive! Goal Zero’s 600W would have taken over 10 hours.What additionally sets the Delta Pro apart is its Double Voltage Hub that can double the capacity and output of various Delta Pro product combinations. Tack on the Solar Tracker that uses a top-mounted sensor to follow the sun for maximum exposure, a Smart Generator that uses gasoline to produce DC power to directly feed into the Delta Pro, and you have a good support system to maximize battery capacity to run appliances with for longer, if not infinite, time periods.A large, colorful display provides information about the battery’s status, and although it is beautiful, it lacks the details that Goal Zero’s higher-end products provide. EcoFlow makes up for that with its gorgeous smartphone app that also tracks historical data to help the owner make a variety of decisions from.I really like the telescoping, retractable handle built into the EcoFlow: extend it to one of two lengths to tilt the battery backwards, then pull and roll the 99-pound Delta Pro across the house — at least, that’s the theory. Dragging the heavy battery on uneven grounds (like gravel) or traversing stairs is a huge challenge with the Pro’s small wheels. Did you notice the weight I had just mentioned? Ninety-nine pounds is no joke for the average person to carry up a flight of stairs! Goal Zero’s Roll Cart, on the other hand, with its larger wheels conquer those obstacles and surfaces with much more ease.The EcoFlow tries to shed some of its LiFePO4 battery weight and cost by using a mostly plastic exterior. Although the Delta Pro still looks quite nice, Goal Zero’s Yeti X series is housed in a mostly metallic enclosure that helps dissipate heat and is more durable. Metal withstands impact force better than plastic, no doubt about that, but also adds weight. Two distinctive, exterior design philosophies each with their own pros and cons. Delta Pro is physically larger than the higher-capacity Yeti 6000X (6,071Wh), for some reason.What surprised me despite all the impressive features of the 3,600Wh Delta Pro, it still costs just a little more than the lower-capacity, 3,032Wh Goal Zero Yeti 3000x. That makes it a great value!Overall, it both pains and delights me to see the Delta Pro kicking Goal Zero’s Yeti X line to the curb. On one hand, Goal Zero now painfully looks a bit outdated, and on the other hand, Delta Pro has set a new bar that slaps Goal Zero in the face to wake up and innovate. Competition is always good for the consumer, and so, Goal Zero, what will you do next? EcoFlow has a winning product portfolio on its hands that is difficult to beat.ANALYSISAs one of Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2021” under the “Sustainability” category, EcoFlow’s Delta Pro power station deservedly turned some heads. It certainly caught my attention with its wide list of features, expansion options, and accessories primarily geared for home use. Market leader, Goal Zero, offers a similar range of products, but EcoFlow does so in a sleeker — and at times more innovative — package. The configuration options gave me some struggles to write about while researching the Delta Pro because there were so MANY, most of which I could not test because it would have cost over $30,400 to collect the entire ecosystem for the “full experience”!Bear with me! There is a LOT to discuss because of EcoFlow’s vast ecosystem of products. I will attempt to summarize the important ones and how they work with the Delta Pro.Delta Max vs Pro: The Max is a smaller, lighter version of the Pro with less capacity at 2,016 Wh, a smaller AC inverter, and no transport wheels.BATTERY CAPACITYThe Delta Pro offers 3,600 Watt-hours of battery capacity — how long something can run for — that can be expanded with up to two EcoFlow Smart Extra Batteries (3,600 Wh each) for a combined total of 10,800 Wh simply by connecting them with a pair of cables. That could power a typical home drawing 750-1,000W of power per hour for 10-12 hours. Double that to 21,600 Wh by linking another set of Delta Pro and 2 Extra Batteries via either the EcoFlow Smart Home Panel or the Double Voltage Hub. Finally, this can further be expanded to 25,000 Wh through the use of a Smart Home Panel, 2 Delta Pros, 2 Extra Batteries, and 2 EcoFlow Smart Generators — a gas-powered generator that produces virtually unlimited DC output (as long as gasoline is available) for more efficient charging of the Delta Pro.Goal Zero can only store up to 10,871 Wh with a Yeti 6000X and 4 Yeti Tank Expansion Batteries. Let that sink in. The market leader is actually BEHIND in this area.EcoFlow’s Smart Home Panel can power up to 10 electrical home circuits during a blackout, the Double Voltage Hub can double the Delta Pro’s capacity with the addition of another unit, and the Smart Generator can provide gas-generated DC power to the Delta Pro for more efficient charging. Furthermore, the generator can directly be controlled by the Delta Pro so it would only be started when needed.POWER OUTPUTAnother area the Delta Pro shines at is what devices — and how many of them — it can power at the same time. Its AC inverter can operate at a continuous 3,600W of energy and surge up to 7,200W. If those numbers do not make sense to you, do not worry. I will go over Continuous vs Peak (Surge) in more detail later.You can throw a number of high-powered devices, like a home air conditioner, refrigerator, TV, laptop, and hair dryer at it with no problem whatsoever as long as their combined power usage does not exceed 3,600W. The Continuous output can be expanded to 4,500W with X-Boost, or 7,200W by combining 2 Delta Pros with either a Smart Home Panel or Double Voltage Hub.Goal Zero’s flagship Yeti 6000X can only go 2,000W continuously and peak at 3,500W — numbers that were impressive and unheard of when the product was announced in 2020.BATTERY TECHNOLOGYThere has been a lot of debate on whether Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) or Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) — both are Lithium-ion (Li-ion) — is better. Goal Zero, Jackery, and most of today’s power station manufacturers use NMC, but why do EcoFlow and Bluetti use Li-ion LiFePO4 when they are bulkier and heavier? They hold some important advantages over Li-ion NMC:- Safer, less volatile, and thus cheaper to manufacture- Charge cycle: 1500-2000 (10+ years)– NMC: 20-25% capacity loss after every 500 cycle (6-10 years for up to 2000 cycles, after which capacity is vastly diminished)– EcoFlow claims 3500 cycles before dropping to 80% of original capacity and 6500 to 50%. Those are some VERY optimistic projections that I do not think are accurate in actual usage- Usable in more extreme temperatures (-4F/-20C to 176F/80C). NMC: only 140F/60C max- Holds 350-day charge. NMC: 300AC CHARGING SPEEDSTip: A record-breaking input of 6,500W (!) can be achieved by combining AC + Solar + Smart Generator charging! (A Smart Extra Battery must be connected to the Delta Pro for this to work.)The back of the Delta Pro has a toggle for how much power it should draw for charging: Fast or Slow/Custom.- Fast: 1,800W (120V @ 15A) or 3,000W (240V @ 12.5A)– 0-80% in 2 hours and to 100% after another 45 mins- Slow/Custom: 200W – 1,800W– Slow charging is gentler on the battery, prolongs its lifetime, and minimizes risk of tripping the circuit breaker– Custom allows the Delta to charge at a configured rate so the wall circuit would not be overloaded. That’s an EXCELLENT feature to have!— Example: If an AC Circuit can only handle 1,200W and a coffee maker uses 800W, then the Delta Pro should be configured to charge at no more than 400W (1,200W – 800W)– Configurable through the EcoFlow appTip: AC charging is prioritized over DC when both are connected simultaneously. Never use an extension cord to charge the Delta Pro with unless it’s a heavy-duty one.If the Delta Pro is used in pass-through UPS (uninterruptible power supply) mode, the internal circuit will turn off its inverter if it detects the AC wall outlet getting overloaded (ie. passing through more than 20A). This means that it could shut off at 1,200W without ever reaching its 3,600W capacity. To use the full 3,600W, disconnect it from the wall and let the battery provide that power.Note: Using a battery as a UPS (charging and outputting at the same time) could shorten its lifetime.PROS- Impressive battery capacity (3,600Wh – 25,000Wh)– Superfast, configurable charging speeds (200W – 1,800W or up to 6,500W under specific conditions!)- LiFePO4 technology provides for 10+ years of power– Up to 2,000 – 3,000 cycles based on my research (I do not believe EcoFlow’s claim of lasting much longer than 6,500 cycles. Hope they prove me wrong 15-20 years from now!)– Much safer and stable than Lithium-ion NMC- Large AC inverter with continuous 3,600W (7,200W peak) of output– Enough to power a typical home for days — or, when used with the EcoFlow (Gas) Smart Generator and/or set of solar panels, virtually forever– Pure-Sine Wave AC Inverter— Clean power for sensitive electronics— Less heat— Note: Some manufacturers claim to be Pure-Sine when they are actually Modified or Square Waves- High-quality BMS (Battery Management System) for safety– Provides built-in overload, overcharge (automatic stop when the device is full), and short-circuit protection- Expansion/augmentation ecosystem with EF Solar Panels, Double Voltage Hub, Smart Generator, Extra Smart Batteries, Smart Home Panel, wind turbine (not yet available), EV charging station, and Remote Control- Impressive input and output options, including a NEMA 30A for RV hookup– Up to 1,600W of solar charging- Carry handle is strong enough to run a cable lock through for theft deterrence- Can be used in pass-through UPS mode, though that can shorten the battery’s lifetime- Beautiful, large, color information display- Built-in, retractable handle- Wheels for easier transportation- Strong Research & Development and Engineering teams who create innovations that Goal Zero, Jackery/Generark, and Bluetti cannot ignore– Competition hopefully continues to spur better products from all companies- Beautiful, informative EcoFlow smartphone app with historical data (for Apple iOS and Android)CONS- Heaviest power station (99 lbs) I have ever reviewed– Weight is due to the use of 3,600Wh of LiFePO4 battery cells instead of NMC— Comparison: Goal Zero, despite using a more heavy-duty, metallic enclosure, has the Yeti 3000X (3,032Wh) weigh at 70lbs, Yeti 6000X (6,071Wh) at 106 lbs– Difficult to move up stairs, lifting onto truck bed, or pulling across gravel ground — especially with the small wheels- Plastic enclosure helps shed some weight but is not as heavy-duty as Goal Zero’s Yeti X line- Bulkier than Goal Zero’s Yeti 3000X and 6000X– Although I was not able to borrow my friend’s Goal Zero Yeti 6000X for a full comparison review, I took a photo of the Delta Pro next to it for size comparison- Outputs 3,600W continuously only if powered from its battery and not in a 120V UPS pass-through configuration- No vehicle integration kit- Cable to link Delta Pro with additional Smart Batteries is too short, limiting how and where the batteries can be placed- Car Cigarette Port only accepts 96W of input at 12V– Goal Zero Yeti X and Jackery Explorer series can take 120W (12V @ 10A)- Many configuration options are only available through the EcoFlow smartphone app and not from the Delta Pro itself- Anderson Power Pole (APP) solar part is configured vertically (like Goal Zero, but in reverse)– Most companies arrange APP horizontally– Can be remediated by buying an APP extension cable, such as those by iGreely, and re-arranging it- Manual: Not as detailed and as many helpful tips as Goal Zero’s- Not an American company- Not waterproof. Keep it away from water splashes, rain, and pool!USAGECONTINUOUS VS PEAK OUTPUTIt is important to understand the difference between Watts and Watt-Hours. How much power is used or produced is measured in Watts, and how much energy a battery can store is calculated in Watt-Hours. See the “Calculations” section below for more details.How much energy a battery can store is measured in Wh (Watt-hours), and how much power is used or produced in W (Watts).- AC Inverter: Converts battery (DC) power into AC– Delta Pro provides 3,600W continuous output with a 7,200W peak- Peak/Surge (Starting): Nearly every device initially draws extra power to turn on. The highest amount it pulls is the Peak. As long as that number is below 7,200W, it can be STARTED. Because the Delta Pro’s capacity is so high, it is difficult to provide examples for devices that start at over 7,200W. So, to illustrate the concept, I will use the Goal Zero Yeti 1000 Core’s specs (2,400W peak and 1,200W continuous) as examples.– Turns on OK (PEAK under 2,400W):— Freezer starts at 400W (peak), runs at 150W once on— Coffee maker starts at 1,400W (peak), runs at 800W once on– Will NOT turn on (PEAK over 2,400W):— Home AC starts at 4,000W (peak), runs at 1,000W once onMost devices power on at a higher (Peak) wattage than when they are already on (Continuous). Therefore, if its peak exceeds the power station’s max, it may not be able to start- Continuous Output (Running): Once devices are on, as long as they keep drawing less than 3,600W total, they will stay ON until the battery runs out– CONTINUES running (under 3,600W)— 100W TV + 60W laptop = 160W– COULD STOP running (over 3,600W)— Temporary overdrawing beyond 3,600W for a few seconds is okay. A quality BMS will protectively shut down the battery if the surge does not end after a while. Regularly going over for a prolonged time can ruin the battery in the long run— 300W appliance (500W peak) + 1,000W Home AC (4,000W peak) + 800W Coffee maker (1,400W peak) + 1,200W Miter saw (2,400W peak) + 400W appliance = 3,700W. Probably will stay on for a short period—- Add 1,000W mower (1,400W peak) = 4,700W. Battery will definitely shut downCALCULATIONS – SIZE & TIMEWhat size battery should you get? How long will it power your fridge for? How long will it take to recharge? The below calculations can help answer those questions and are rough ESTIMATES as conditions, battery quality, and age can vary.TIME TO CHARGE BATTERY- Calc: Hours to charge battery = Battery capacity (Wh) / Input Wattage– Note: As battery approaches 75% full, the input charge will increasingly be slowed down to prevent overcharging- AC Wall: 1,800W @ 2 hrs [3,600 Wh / 1,800W]CHARGE TIME WITH SOLAR- Calc: Hours to charge battery = Battery capacity (Wh) / (Panel Wattage x [0.5 or 0.75])– In a perfect lab environment, solar panels charge at the listed wattage– Expect to only receive 50-75% on a good, sunny day (ie. 75W – 113W for a 150W panel), depending on panel’s age, component quality, and weather- Two 400W solar panels: as fast as 6 hours [3,600Wh / (2 x 400W x 0.75)]WATTS USED/PRODUCED- Calc: Watts used or produced by device = Voltage x Amperage- Vacuum with 120V @ 9.5A uses 1,140W- Solar panel with 12V @ 10A can produce up to 120WIDEAL BATTERY SIZE- Calc: Battery capacity (Wh) = Watts used by device x Hours needed for / 0.85– 10-15% of power is lost during power conversion- 45W car fridge needed for 8 hours: Minimum 424Wh power station (45W x 8 / 0.85)How much energy a battery can store is measured in Wh (Watt-hours), and how much power is used or produced in W (Watts).TIME BEFORE BATTERY IS EMPTY- Calc: Hours available for device = Battery capacity (Wh) x 0.85 / Watts used by device– 10-15% of power is lost during power conversion- 60W laptop with 505Wh battery: Up to 7.2 hours (505Wh x 0.85 / 60W)TIME TO CHARGE DEVICE- Calc: Hours to charge device = Device’s battery capacity (Wh) / Input Wattage- 60W laptop with 200Wh battery: Up to 3.4 hrs (200 Wh / 60W)

Arrived early, but BEWARE no Wi-Fi chip installed due to shortage of and current wait time is 30-60 days.Would give 5 stars however after installing, spent 20-30 minutes trying to hook up, support line advised the unit did not have the chip. Love the generator and started right up as designed!

For our homes and ranch, Generac is the best system and value on the market. We have 5 Generac generators, and some for more than 15 years without a failure. We strongly recommend you have professionals install your system. if like us, you may find that local resources may charge 3-times the cost of Amazon pricing.

thought it would be quieter than it is but its on par with any other normal generator.muffler was banged up a little but it’s cosmetic.powered my house on a test run and no issues.no idea how durable it will be.

I’ve never had a generator before, so am new to all of this. I bought the Westinghouse WGen9500DF, which on Amazon is listed as “Westinghouse 12500 Watt Dual Fuel Home Backup Portable Generator” The 12500 is the max starting watts, not the 12500 model, so that’s a little confusing.So far, I am impressed with my purchase. Everything they promised appears to have been included. It seems well made, so hopefully that is true of all of the components and it will not only work whenever we need power, but it will do so for years to come.There was a little bit of an issue setting up the appointment for delivery. I think this was on the delivery company, XPO I think they said it was. I got a computerized call evidently trying to confirm the original setup date and time and it said, “Press one to confirm” or something like that, I pressed one, heard a strange computerized sound, and then the call disconnected. So, I figured that it was done. Got another call 10 or 15 minutes later that seemed to be the same thing, but this time I ended up talking to someone. So we confirmed it was all set up, which seemed like a bit much because I had indicated that the delivery date and time that was suggested when I ordered it was going to be fine. Later when I went to look at the track your order thing on Amazon it said something about how there was a problem with confirming delivery, so that was a little disconcerting. I decided that must have come from the first call that disconnected. Eventually that page showed that the delivery date and time was confirmed, but the note about there being a problem setting it up remained, so…it remained a little concerning. They appeared pretty serious about confirming delivery though. I lost track of how many times they called but I thought it was more than should have been necessary.The delivery was set for between 9 and noon. I think they got there about 10:15.The delivery guys were okay. I was told I would get a phone call 30 minutes before delivery. They called and said they were 2 minutes from my house. Not a really big deal, but I wasn’t ready to answer the door. I was sort of counting on the 30 minutes, but very excited to get the generator. They were out in front of my house before I was, but I am pretty sure they really were about 2 minutes out as they had said. They evidently were not allowed to leave the generator in my back yard, which was what I had planned. They waited patiently while I moved my car out of the garage where I guess they are allowed to leave it. They waited again while I unboxed the generator and looked for any obvious damage. The box had a hole in the bottom of it, but I didn’t find the generator to be damaged in that spot or any other. I was a little concerned because I had to cut the box off of the generator and when I asked how they would take it back if it were damaged, the one delivery guy said they wouldn’t take it back. He later re-thought that and said they would. Evidently they deliver for many different companies and Amazon has different policies regarding accepting delivery than the others. But again, it wasn’t damaged, so no problem.I was surprised that the 1.16 quarts of oil that came with it didn’t quite fill it enough. I had to add a little bit. The funnel they sent worked great. I thought it was interesting that the maintenance instructions said to check the oil level without screwing the plug/dipstick in. It seemed a little difficult to be sure it was measuring properly without securing it by screwing it in. When I got enough oil in it I kept cross threading the plug, but eventually managed to get it in there properly. User error, I am sure. I liked that they sent a real wrench to use to tighten up the feet. They also included a spark plug wrench, which I haven’t needed so far, but expect I will at some point. An nice extra little touch was that the two wrenches were in a little black bag that said Westinghouse on it. I expect this will be really helpful whenever I need to change the spark plug…maybe I’ll notice that little bag and use their wrench, rather than it just sitting loose in my toolbox and my wondering what the heck that was for. This is my first Westinghouse product, so I will hopefully be able to quickly determine that it must go to the generator. The instructions said to set the generator on the exhaust side to put the feet and wheels on, so I did that. Instructions had also said to do this on a piece of cardboard or something similar to keep from scratching it up. I had to prop the bottom up a little to get the wheels on, which I think there may have been enough clearance without the cardboard being there. Propping it up was a little challenge because the generator is pretty heavy, but all of the parts were there and fit together the way they should; it was pretty easy to put on the feet and wheels. Once I had the wheels and feet on I found the generator to be pretty easy to move in spite of it’s weight. The wheels and the handle appear to be up to the task. I moved the generator out beside the garage, which is where I anticipate will be where it will run when in actual use. I attached the propane hose that came with it to one of the tanks I have for my grill. Used the fob to start it up and it started right away. One “problem” was/is that it is really loud. However, I expected it to be pretty loud, so I certainly don’t blame anyone for that. I left it running and went in the house and while I could hear it, it didn’t appear that the noise would be any more disruptive than a gas powered lawnmower running outside. I pressed the button on the fob and it shut down as expected. Later I tried starting it again and had another user issue. I had attached a little gauge to the propane tank to see how much propane was still in it, and then attached the hose to the generator. Then tried to start it by pressing the button on the panel rather than using the fob. And it wouldn’t start. It tried and tried. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, I switched the battery switch to off and it stopped trying. That’s when I realized I had neglected to open the valve on the propane tank, so of course it wouldn’t start. So, remedied that, tried it again, still wouldn’t start. At this point I removed the gauge, hooked it back up, and it started. Now however, I don’t know if the second attempt when it wouldn’t start was due to the gauge limiting the propane flow, or just having tried to start it with the valve off. I will likely try again with the gauge and see what happens. I plugged my circular saw into each of the four 20 amp outlets and they all worked fine. I haven’t yet tested the 30 or 50 amp outlets. I have an electrician coming to install a transfer switch and expect that I will be able to test them then…as well as testing a “real” electrical load. I have not tested it with gasoline either. If it will run the whole house, or most of it anyway, on propane, I may not use the gasoline option as I would rather not deal with all of the potential issues with storing the fuel itself, stabilizer, etc., but also keeping the generator from getting all gummed up, like draining the fuel bowl etc. Anyway, I am pretty satisfied so far.

Awesome portable, is around 40 something lbs but easy to move around. Charging speeds are crazy fast around 1 hr to top it. and can power pretty much anything in you house. I got for emergencies and camping.

Bought this knowing I’d be without power for a full 10 hours during renovation work. It ran the filtration on both of my small tanks without issue the entire time. I even had enough juice to power a small fan, too. My only complaint is it takes a very long time to charge. Other than that, it’s a great product. A bit weighty, but that’s certainly not a deal breaker.

What do you expect when you ship an unruly 183 lb. generator in a cardboard box?1st. order never made it to me. Local carrier refused as the box and generator was destroyed.2nd. order invoice stated price had gone up about $110, customer service adjusted to same price as the first. I went back in to look at order and price had been lowered to $250 below my original price. I called customer service once more and was told after escalating to a supervisor they could not adjust anymore, but I should “refuse” the shipment when it arrived. Also stating I should not wait for another price change as they didn’t know how long lower price would remain, which I did.3rd. Hoping the 3rd time was a charm I did another order…when the order arrived the driver wanted me to look at the condition of the box before offloading. Box was on its side, holes on side and saturated with oil. Box top clearly stated, “This end up”! I took a chance and accepted the order. “No comprenderinglesa”! apparently …Here is what I found. Oil had leaked from filler bung as was not tight. Frame under alternator was bent ¼” up toward unit. (No other apparent issues found). Bottom side of rope pull fins bent in so you could pull out cord but would not retract. (Amazon assisted in calling Westinghouse service-another part on its way-hopefully)Curious issues; Funnel for oil – Ha, Ha, Ho, Ho Ho! Cannot remove/replace battery unless you take wheel off. No fuel filter other than what is under filler cap. Installed inline from shutoff, learned from previous generator. My fingers are a bit thick, tough getting plug back into hole, shroud needed to be a bit wider. Other than that, I ran a bit Lucas over the piston (without plug – 10 cord pulls) along with a sacrificial quart of 10-30 plus 1.5 oz of Lucas ran for an hour. Then drained and refilled with 5w-30 full synthetic (cold where I live) Now it’s in place and will connect to existing transfer switch ASAP.Runs smooth, loud as expected and all connected items never knew the change had taken place, very, very good machine!

I know this generator is expensive, but it actually becomes priceless when you’re hit with an extended power outage. And, think about it, 3.6kW is a LOT of backup power. You can run several appliances for a while on this thing. Was it a sacrifice? Yes. Do I regret purchasing it? NO!

I didn’t rate the installation because I hired an electrician install it. We had a power outage this weekend and the generator worked great. The lights shut off momentarily then the generator kicked on. Our neighbors have a smaller and older model Generac generator that is much louder then this one. The first time the weekly generator test happened I thought something had gone wrong because I didn’t hear it in the other end of the house, but when I stepped outside I heard it running (we always heard the neighbors test run). I am very happy with with our purchase!

The generator seemed to be decent build quality but after 0.8 hours on it the unit would not start. After several weeks talking back and forth with support, they were in China so I would have to wait until the next day to get a response, I was able to get a replacement inverter board under warranty. They were very helpful on that end of things and game me some procedures to do to help determine which parts I needed. That fixed the problem and was easy to replace, but the whole process too almost two months. If you need a reliable generator I cannot recommend this one.Sound and function was appropriate for an open frame generator. Starts quick normally and I like the 240v output for my critical loads sub panel.

While I could have gotten one of the more powerful ones, this was on sale and affordable for what it is, which is a giant charging station that you can use for anything under 300W’s! It’s honestly enough for my needs right now. That means you can connect a lightbulb with a cord on it when the power goes out, or a heated blanket during camping! That was my major use for it recently was to keep my heated blanket going in 25 degree weather while camping in a camper that didn’t have heat because the heat smelled suspicious enough that they decided to not turn it on (good plan).Plugged my blanket in on medium heat, along with all my devices to recharge (watch, phone, phone battery pack). I woke up with 35% battery left. Which meant if I wanted to have it available for another night I’d just have to recharge it during the day ~ no biggy. Thankfully it was a one night stay, so I didn’t need to plug it in the car.I at least know it’ll help keep me warm if the power goes out in the winter, which was the main factor of getting it.Now to save up to get the solar panel(s). ;)I also plan to save up for the more powerful one to be able to throw my fridge on if the power goes out. 300W does limit it’s capabilities down to basics.