Can a Portable Power Station Run the Whole Home? Anker’s Latest Does

Homeowners in search of a reliable backup power solution today face a tough choice. Gas generators can steadily supply energy through fossil fuel, but they tend to be noisy, need to be set up outside, and have negative consequences for the environment. Portable power stations offer convenience and versatility yet tend to be more limited in capacity and output. And while full-size power stations may pack enough juice to keep the whole home running in an emergency, they can be prohibitively expensive for casual consumers. 

Luckily, a new solution straddles the line between portable power station and a whole-home backup to offer the best of both worlds: the Anker SOLIX F3800. While it’s billed as a portable power station, the battery backup nevertheless boasts enough capacity and output to run home electronics for hours—and, in some cases, days. Combined with the Anker SOLIX Home Power Panel, the F3800 can be used with grid or solar power to create a fully integrated energy system for the home that’s capable of working during a blackout or switching off the grid during the hours when energy is priciest. All of this makes the F3800 one of the most versatile and accessible portable power stations available. 

Power Meets Portability

The Anker SOLIX F3800 is one of the few portable power stations on the market that features both 120V and 240V outlets. In other words, you can plug in everything from refrigerators to high-voltage appliances like central air conditioners and washing machines. On its own, a single F3800 battery boasts 3,840 watt-hours (Wh) storage and 6,000 watts (W) of power and can reach a capacity of 26,880Wh with up to six expansion batteries. A single 6,000W unit before accessories might power a window air conditioner for 3.7 hours, or recharge your laptop 61.5 times. A maximum of two stations—with a total of 12 expansion batteries—can be run in parallel, resulting in a whopping 53,760Wh, which is enough to power the essentials in an average household for up to 2 weeks. These specs put the Anker SOLIX F3800 on par with some full-size whole-home power stations, making it a suitable option for anyone who can’t go without power during an emergency. 

And while whole-home backups are generally stationary, the 132-pound Anker SOLIX F3800 still manages to remain portable for users who are looking for greater flexibility when it comes to where and how they use their power station. Thanks to a telescopic handle and durable wheels at the base, the Anker SOLIX F3800 is ready to roll wherever it’s needed. It’s maneuverable enough to be hauled to an outdoor patio, into the garage, or somewhere even farther afield, such as a jobsite or campsite. 

Flexible Integration with Your Home Power System

One of the highlights of Anker’s new power station is that it offers various ways to connect to your existing energy system. The unit can plug directly into a transfer switch or an inlet box, which many users who own a gas generator may already have installed. (If not, Anker also sells a transfer switch, which is designed to work seamlessly with the F3800.) Of course, if you don’t have these connections set up or care to install them, you can just plug your electronics into the power station directly. A plethora of ports—including three 100W USB-C, two 12W USB-A, six AC outlets, a NEMA 14-50 and L14-30 outlet for EV and RV charging, and a car socket—allow it to power virtually any machine in the house, from phones and PCs to water heaters and electric vehicles.

Like many other power stations, this unit can be charged via a standard wall outlet. But the F3800 is notably the first portable power station on the market to feature AC coupling, allowing it to work seamlessly alongside existing grid and grid-tied solar systems. To harness the full potential of these components, you can integrate Anker’s new Home Power Panel to monitor the outputs from the grid, solar, and the F3800 and control their use. When the grid goes down, for example, the power panel will automatically switch to the F3800, providing immediate backup power to keep appliances running. The panel can also help manage solar energy consumption, allowing the F3800 to store excess solar energy and expend it during periods of low solar production. Much of this can be managed in the Anker app, which offers various modes for controlling the power station and improving energy efficiency. 

Solar Energy Savings

The Anker SOLIX F3800 offers even more ways to minimize your use of grid power through solar energy. Beyond grid-tied rooftop solar, the power station is also compatible with rigid and portable solar panels that can be run directly off the battery. That includes both third-party solar panels and Anker’s own panels: The F3800 accepts up to six of the brand’s 400W PS400 Portable Solar Panels. 

Various modes in the Anker app also enable users to fine-tune their energy consumption with the F3800. Time-of-Use Mode accepts programmable schedules for peak and off-peak energy cycles, so that the power station recharges on the grid only when energy prices are low and provides power when they’re high. With Self-Consumption Mode, you can set the unit to charge via solar during the day, when sunlight is strongest, and power your home at night. These and other modes make it easier for cost-conscious consumers to get the most out of their energy system and save money on bills. 

Emergency Preparedness

One of the primary reasons to own a power station, portable or otherwise, is to keep your home running in the event of a blackout. This is especially true today, as most homes have grown increasingly dependent on technology and as severe weather events happen more frequently than ever. When a summer heat wave or winter snowstorm knocks out the grid, losing access to important appliances can be a major inconvenience if not a threat to safety and security. 

Thanks to several key features, the Anker SOLIX F3800 shines as a backup power source in an emergency. With the Home Power Panel, the system can switch from grid to battery in only 30 milliseconds when an outage occurs, ensuring essential home appliances like refrigerators and security systems never lose power. The panel also introduces a severe weather forecast feature that will automatically charge the F3800 to full capacity if a storm is predicted. Again, the station’s capacity itself is a boon: a single charge can power a fridge for 14.9 hours, an LED bulb for 36.4 hours, and even a Wi-Fi router for over 40 hours. 

If the blackout lasts for more than a day, homeowners with a solar energy system can replenish the Anker SOLIX F3800 fast, too: The 2,400W solar input enables the battery to charge from 0 to 80 percent in just 1.5 hours by sunlight. Taken together, these features make the Anker SOLIX F3800 a truly viable solution for anyone looking for a whole-home backup source during emergencies.

Have you experienced a power outage? Share your story with Anker directly for the chance to receive up to $3,999 in Anker SOLIX products. For more information, visit anker.com/power-outage