I used this EcoFlow battery to run my 3,000-square-foot house in a blackout — here’s how it kept my AC running

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When the lights are off in your house, especially during a storm, it’s easy to let stress get the better of you. There is a certain level of comfort when you know you are covered with backup power, but the success of this approach depends on how you manage said power.

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I’ve tested several power stations as home backup batteries, but the EcoFlow powers the best system I’ve used: the Delta Pro Ultra X (DPUX) And Smart Home Panel 3 (SHP3). To say that this system is advanced over others is an understatement.

How a Whole Home Backup System Works

EcoFlow pulled out all the stops with the SHP3, starting with increasing the circuit count from 12 to 32. While the old SHP2 served as a partial backup and critical load panel, the SHP3 is here to replace your existing panel and serve as a gateway for energy monitoring and home backup management.

Compared to SHP 2’s 100A support for essential devices, SHP 3 also supports up to 200A, making it capable of handling larger loads. A few years ago, I replaced the SHP2 with a backup panel that was used to control the generator at home, so only a few essential circuits were available when the power went out.

However, the larger capacity of the SHP 3 allowed me to replace our home’s main panel. I kept SHP2, because removing it and folding its circuits into SHP3 would only increase installation costs.

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Having the SHP3 and powerful DPUX for home backup means I can finally put larger load-bearing items like two A/C units and an oven in my backup system.

How DPUX worked during power outage

When the power went out twice during hot southern days in March, I was very grateful for the advanced backup system.

The heat and humidity in South America is no joke. We go from mild winter to summer and back again, missing the grace of spring and fall almost entirely. Unfortunately, I also live in an area that has power outages several times a year, so it’s not uncommon in my neighborhood to have a whole-house backup system.

The SHP3, along with the new EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra Compared to the older DPU, DPUX works as a home battery system, a backup generator, and a smart energy manager.

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DPUX has scalable power output of 12kW-36kW, capacity of 12kWh-180kWh and solar input up to 10kW. This capability means the DPUX can run everything in your home at once, including large loads like your HVAC and EV charger, and keep your home running for days – not hours.

The switchover speed of this system is excellent compared to other systems I have tested. At less than 20 ms, I didn’t even notice a flicker in my lights when the power went out.

one thing that can be improved

The only thing I wish could be improved is the EcoFlow app. The app has gotten much better and more visually appealing over the past two years, but EcoFlow has sacrificed user experience for flashy visuals.

The company has paid a lot of attention to the layout of the landing page, which looks great, but moving away from that area requires more intuitive options to control your devices and circuits. It takes a little time to learn your way around the app and how to control its settings.

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At full capacity, delta pro ultra x And smart home panel 3 The system can run your home normally for about a week or more if you are careful about your energy management. You can use the EcoFlow app to set high- and low-priority circuits, which automatically turn off the latter when the battery drops below a set percentage.

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I prefer to control my circuits manually because my kids have different needs during the day. During an outage, I review the circuits in the app and turn off unnecessary circuits. For example, I turn the bedroom off during the day and back on again at night when the kids use their sound machines, night lights, and fans.

This type of management extends the life of my backup batteries during outages and is extremely helpful for detecting energy vampires at other times.

Why does the Delta Pro Ultra

The EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra Compared to its biggest competitors, which require an extensive installation process, DPUX is modular and relatively quick to set up, even if you add 3 smart home panels.

The full system cuts the installation process from months to about a week – all while offering a full-home backup system with solar and energy saving potential, not just the option to survive during outages.