These backyard solar panels saved me $20/mo on my power bill – here’s my setup

Anker Solix F3800 Plus + 410W Solar Panels

pros and cons

Pros

• Works well as an expandable, small-scale solar setup.
• Helps you save between $12-$25 a month, depending on local rates.
• Flexible scalability means a smaller initial investment.

Cons

• Savings depend on your location, panel angle, and rates.
• The F3800 Plus isn't as portable as other batteries.
• While cheaper than whole-home backup systems, it's still expensive.

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With the increase of daily temperatures, power bills tend to follow. I've been experimenting with offsetting my own power bill with solar, and found a sustainable solution. The Anker Solix F3800 Plus is an expandable battery with a 3.84kWh capacity, working like a cross between a traditional gas generator, a permanent home battery backup system, and a portable battery. 

Also: Switch to plug-in solar? My advice after testing the DIY energy tech at home

Don't let its wheels fool you, though. The F3800 Plus isn't designed for tent camping (though you technically could if you can easily lug around all 136 pounds). It's a portable battery turned into a legitimate whole-home backup system, capable of running refrigerators, portable ACs, pumps, power tools, and even some central AC systems. 

I set up the Anker Solix F3800 Plus with two solar panels, which you can buy as a set from Anker. I've had success testing EcoFlow and Anker Solix portable solar panels in my backyard, so I was looking forward to giving these two 410W rigid panels a try.

Together, the panels add up to 820W, though solar panels rarely hit their rated output. Thankfully, there are several ways to set up the F3800 Plus as a home backup system, ranging from simple to advanced.

How to set up backyard solar panels

The simplest way to use the Anker Solix F3800 Plus as a backup system is to directly plug appliances into it. If you set it up in a permanent spot and want it to power your fridge, you can connect the solar panels to the power station, run an extension cord to the fridge, and plug it in permanently. 

Depending on the area, powering a full-size side-by-side fridge that uses 25-67kWh monthly with solar energy can save you up to $20 a month on utility costs. That translates to $240 just for the fridge. 

Also: I tested popular ‘power-savers' on the market – here's the only one that isn't a scam

The most practical solution to a backyard solar panel system with an F3800 Plus is to use a generator inlet and transfer switch, especially in homes where this already exists. This sweet spot was the solution in my home, especially with an existing (albeit nonworking) generator and an EcoFlow Smart Home Panel 3. 

If you connect your F3800 Plus to a generator inlet and have a transfer switch with a select number of home circuits, you can flip the switch if the power goes out. This lets the F3800 Plus act as a backup generator, but it's cleaner and safer than a traditional gas generator, eliminating fumes and heat generation.

The third and most advanced option for using the Anker Solix F3800 Plus with your solar panels is to connect it to a smart home panel or a whole-home backup system. Anker offers its own Smart Home Power Panel that automatically detects outages and switches to the battery backup without your intervention, and also manages solar charging. 

Also: I stopped leaving these 7 common household devices plugged in, and my energy bill noticed

This final option is more costly and requires professional installation. Still, it works much like the Tesla Powerwall, the EcoFlow Smart Home Panel, or the Generac PWRcell — which are all popular whole-home battery backup systems.

What this setup generates for me 

With two 410W solar panels totaling 820W and an F3800 Plus, you can create a continuous “essential loads” solar energy setup. With decent sun exposure on clear days and with the proper panel placement, I can get an average of 3.7kWh per day from my solar panels, but that could go up to about 5kWh daily with better placement.

My husband bought brackets, casters, and wood to build a base for the solar panels that will make them more efficient and portable than their current setup, but that's still on his to-do list. As you can see in the photos, the panels are currently sitting on a makeshift base made from leftover reclaimed wood pieces we had in the garage. Eventually, a base that we can move around will help us get even more solar energy.

Solar offset vs continuous load

If you keep your average daily energy consumption below your average solar generation, you'll be able to completely live off of solar energy. That, however, is hard with a backyard solar system, especially considering that the average US home uses about 30kWh per day. 

Consuming 3.5kWh a day and having panels that produce 4kWh daily keeps your battery topped up. But if you consistently draw more energy than the battery stores, it will drain daily.

However, a scalable setup like the F3800 Plus and a few rigid solar panels can cover a large part of your background electricity needs. These needs could include standby electronics and devices that are always on, such as routers, refrigerators, TVs, chargers, and even smart devices like robot vacuums.

Also: Anker's whole-home backup is the power outage solution of my dreams – and it's on sale now

That said, you should not leave certain large loads continuously plugged into an F3800 Plus with only two panels, including central AC units, electric dryers and ovens, space heaters, and electric water heaters. These devices draw a heavy load and are a constant drain, so the solar energy from a couple of panels won't be enough to sustain them permanently.

ZDNET's buying advice

Instead of wanting a backyard solar system to power your whole house from the get-go, aim for one to permanently eliminate your essential baseline electricity. The Anker Solix F3800 Plus and rigid solar panels are a perfect pairing for that, especially as a scalable solution that doesn't require a huge investment. 

This means you can take a few years to save and slowly build up your system to handle a large portion of your energy consumption, which will translate to lower energy bills.