How To Choose a Whole House Solar Generator

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A power outage can be a minor inconvenience for some and a deadly interruption of service for others.

Installing a whole-home solar generator ensures energy security and protects your home and family during even extended blackouts.

With solar panels, solar batteries, and multiple recharging options, including AC (household) electricity and gas/propane, EcoFlow offers a wide range of whole house generators for any size home — from apartments to mansions.

Here’s how to choose a whole home generator to keep your house up and running by reducing your reliance on aging infrastructure and keeping you safe during extreme weather events and disasters.

How Do Whole House Solar Generators Work?

All solar power systems that produce electricity do so using the photovoltaic effect.

Modules comprised of photovoltaic cells — typically monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon — harvest photons from sunlight and convert them into direct current (DC) electricity.

The PV modules—usually rooftop solar panels or shingles—transmit DC power to a solar inverter, which converts it into alternating current, commonly known as household (AC) electricity.

In solar + storage hybrid generators, the DC power from solar panels is routed to the MPPT charge controller first and then stored in solar battery packs for use when needed.

The DC power stored in home backup batteries is converted to AC electricity by an inverter for use in your home.

Whole-home backup generators integrate with your existing home wiring to provide uninterrupted power during a blackout.

With multiple charging options — including solar panels — a correctly sized backup generator can keep your home running indefinitely during extended power outages.

A portable power station like EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra is hardwired to your home’s circuit board using a transfer switch or Smart Home Panel 2, which provides 20ms auto switchover when a blackout hits.

With the exception of PV modules, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra provides all the components a solar generator requires, including:

Solar inverter
Solar battery
Charge controller
Advanced battery management system (BMS)

With its modular design, you can expand EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra to provide up to 21.6kW of AC output, 90 kWh of LiFePO4 battery storage, and the ability to connect up to 42 x 400W rigid solar panels.

Why Should You Get a Whole House Solar Generator?

Extreme weather events and disasters are becoming more frequent every year.

Annual wildfires are burning down forests, snowstorms black out entire states, and hurricanes devastate the coasts.

America’s aging electrical infrastructure frequently can’t meet demand — especially during heat waves — and blackouts are becoming more and more common.

According to the NY Times, 2023 set a record for high-cost disasters in the US with 28 storms, floods, heat waves, and other events that cost in excess of $1 billion each.

For many homeowners, home backup power is the most compelling reason to invest in a whole-house solar generator, but it’s far from the only one.

Let’s take a look.

Solar Generators Are Quiet and Safe for Indoor Use

Gas and diesel standby generators are known for their deafening operating noise and toxic emissions like carbon monoxide — which can cause illness or death in just minutes of improper use.

No generator that burns fossil fuel to produce electricity is safe for indoor use.

Inverter generators are known for better fuel efficiency and quieter performance but must only be operated outdoors.

(Source: Hearing Health Foundation)

Gas generators typically produce between 80-100 decibels (dB) of noise when operating — at least 10dBs above the recommended safety threshold, as shown in the chart above.

EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 Max solar generator provides essential home backup and is whisper quiet — operating at only 30dB.

And because EcoFlow solar generators produce no toxic fumes or harmful emissions, they’re 100% safe for indoor use and silent enough for the baby room.

Gas generators also emit dangerous fumes like carbon monoxide. Using one indoors can kill you in minutes. Solar generators do not create deadly fumes, making them significantly better for the environment and usable indoors and out.

Solar Generators Run On or Off-Grid

When you add PV solar panels to a whole home solar generator, you can power your home without worrying about gas prices or utility companies. Harvesting the clean, renewable energy of the sun allows your solar generator to be recharged during a blackout and provides sufficient power to keep your home running.

Solar Generators Provide Energy Security

A whole-house solar generator provides peace of mind and allows your family to weather extended power outages while maintaining your day-to-day life.

With enough AC output, storage capacity, and electricity generation potential, you can power all of your high-wattage appliances and HVAC systems, giving you home energy security.

Learn how to calculate your home electricity requirements here.

No more scrambling for a flashlight or candles next time the lights go out.

A Solar Generator Saves You Money on Electricity Bills (or Eliminates Bills Altogether)

For many people, home backup is their primary goal when selecting a solar generator.

However, even if you’re not looking to go completely off-grid, EcoFlow solar generators can save you a significant amount on your electricity bills.

With the EcoFlow smartphone app, you can easily configure a DELTA series portable power station to automatically switch some or all of your electricity consumption to battery power during on-peak billing hours.

No matter where you live or your utility provider, they probably have Time of Use (ToU) based pricing per kWh of consumption.

When you use electricity during peak billing hours, it costs significantly more money than during off-peak hours.

With EcoFlow’s solar generators, you can fully recharge the battery with AC power during off-peak billing hours and automatically switch to backup power during on-peak times.

Reducing your on-grid electricity consumption during peak hours — or eliminating it altogether — can quickly save you a significant amount of cash on your utility bills.

Over time, the savings really add up, shortening your solar payback period and maximizing your return on investment.

Solar Generators Are Eligible for Tax Credits and Other Government Incentives

Want “free money” from the government to ensure your energy security and save cash on your electricity bills?

All of EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro solar generators are eligible for the Federal Solar Tax Credit, which can cover 30% of the total purchase and installation cost of an eligible photovoltaic system.

If you’re a US taxpayer purchasing an eligible solar panel system for your primary or secondary residence, you should be eligible for the Residential Clean Energy Credit.

The 30% credit is applied against your federal income tax liability for the calendar year that the system is activated.

Only new installations apply and must be purchased — leased or rented systems are not eligible.

However, direct from manufacturer financing is acceptable, as long as you have a legally binding agreement to pay for the purchase and installation over a fixed amount of time.

Even if you don’t owe taxes the year you install the system — or your credit exceeds your tax liability — you can carry the credit over to the following tax years.

There’s also no limit to how many times you can apply the credit.

As long as your purchase meets the eligibility requirements, you can apply it every year until the credit phases out in 2033.

In addition to the 30% Solar Tax Credit, there are many state tax, municipal, and utility company incentives.

Do your research and pay as little as possible for your investment in clean, renewable energy.

The Best Whole-House Solar Generators

Selecting the best whole-house generator for your home requires an accurate assessment of your family’s electricity consumption needs.

Whether you opt for a conventional gas standby generator or a solar generator, if it doesn’t provide enough AC output and storage capacity to run your home for the desired length of time, your investment in power generation can turn out to be an expensive mistake.

The solar generators featured below start with models for small homes and apartments and then increase in power output and storage capacity with options for even the largest home.

Best for Essential Home Backup: EcoFlow DELTA Pro

The EcoFlow DELTA Pro, combined with the Smart Home Panel or a transfer switch, is the perfect whole-house solar generator starter kit.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro provides 3600W of AC output and battery storage or around one full day of essential home backup power.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro is expandable to 7200kW of AC output (14.4kW surge) and 25kWh of storage capacity with the Double Voltage Hub, an additional DELTA Pro, and Smart Extra Batteries.

Recharge with up to 4 x 400W rigid or portable solar panels or up to 8 with 2 x DELTA Pros for 3200W of solar charge input.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro is portable enough to take on the road for extended camping trips and other off-grid adventures.

If you drive an electric vehicle, you can use EcoFlow DELTA Pro as a last-mile EV charging solution to get to the next EVSE station.

You can also recharge EcoFlow DELTA Pro at tens of thousands of charging stations nationwide or with your EV pile at home.

Best for Gas and Inverter Generator Compatibility: EcoFlow DELTA 3 + Smart Generator 4000

If you’re looking for all the benefits of solar with the added convenience of a gas or inverter generator, the EcoFlow DELTA 3 + Smart Generator 4000 (Dual Fuel) hybrid inverter is the perfect solution.

Fast charging integration between EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 + Smart Generator provides 40% better fuel efficiency than traditional gas generators.

Already have a gas, propane, or inverter generator?

Use it as a 3200W recharging option for the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 along with solar panels, AC, 800W alternator charging… the list goes on.

More charging options mean more energy security.

For example, a single 20lb tank of propane (LPG) provides 24kWh of electricity.

LPG is easy to store safely, and, unlike gasoline, it doesn’t go bad.

Keep a tank on hand in case of cloudy days or if you run out of solar power at night.

Like all generators that burn fossil fuels, EcoFlow Smart Generators can’t be operated indoors.

However, you can use one to recharge the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3, which is 100% safe for whisper-quiet use in any room in your house.

Expandable Whole House Solar Generator: DELTA Pro Ultra

EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra is the ultimate solar generator for home backup power or going completely off-grid.

With up to 21.6kW of AC output (32.4kW starting watts) at 120V or 240V, you can power any high-wattage appliance and HVAC systems like central air conditioning.

Maxed out with 90kWh of LFP home backup battery storage, that’s enough to keep most homes fully powered for up to a month off-grid with no downtime.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra Charging Inputs

Charging Method	Maximum Input (1 x Inverter)	Maximum Input (2 x Inverter)	Maximum Input (3 x Inverter)
Solar Charging	5600W	11200W	16800W
AC Input (Wall Socket)	3000W	6000W	9000W
AC Input Smart Home Panel 2 (Wired)	7200W	14400W	21600W
AC Input EV Pile (Wired)	7200W	14400W	21600W
Fossil Fuel Generator (Cable)	7200W	14400W	21600W
EcoFlow Smart Generator (Dual Fuel)	1800W	3600W	5400W
Multicharge	8800W	17600W	26400W

Like the other EcoFlow DELTA Series solar generators, DELTA Pro Ultra offers multiple charging options in addition to solar panels.

With up to 16.8kW of solar input — 42 x EcoFlow 400W rigid solar panels — DELTA Pro Ultra is ideal for large PV module arrays and full-time living off-grid.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 and DELTA Pro Ultra feature proprietary X-Core 3.0 tech architecture, providing industry-leading performance, safety, and intelligence.

X-Core 3.0 delivers the following benefits.

X-Stream delivers record-speed charging — only 50 minutes
X-Boost’s revolutionary soft-start algorithm supports up to 6000W of appliances and central HVAC systems with just one unit
X-Link parallel expansion provides up to 21.6kW of output power and 90kWh of electricity storage
X-Quiet volume minimization means whisper-quiet operation at an industry-best 30dB*
X-Fusion outpowers the grid by providing up to 7000W of electricity output from a single AC outlet in bypass mode. Standard household plugs deliver only 1800W. Plug in EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 or DELTA Pro Ultra and increase your output by close to 300%
X-Guard is a protective triad of structure, material, and AI that keeps your home and family safe. It can even self-extinguish in the unlikely event of a fire.

Find out more about X-Core 3.0 here.

How to Choose the Best Whole House Solar Generator

More than anything else, choosing the best whole home solar generator for you and your family requires a thorough understanding of your electricity production goals and consumption needs.

Having a firm grasp of basic concepts like:

…will be a huge help in making an informed purchase decision.

Calculate your total electricity consumption (kWh) and AC output (kW) requirements and then get more granular.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Solar Generator Power a Whole House?

Yes, a solar generator can power a whole house. By integrating with your home circuit board using a transfer switch, solar generators can provide uninterrupted power during a blackout. Ensure that the generator’s AC output, storage capacity, and electricity generation potential are sufficient for your family’s needs. Many off-grid and hybrid solar + storage solutions offer multiple charging options for additional energy security.

How Much Does a Whole House Solar Power Generator Cost?

The upfront cost of whole-home solar generators varies significantly based on numerous factors like quality of manufacture, AC output, battery storage capacity, number of solar panels, available tax credits, and financing options. Thanks to technological innovation, rising demand, and generous government incentives, whole home solar power is more affordable than ever. Much cheaper than utility power in the long term and more secure.

Final Thoughts

There’s never been a better time to purchase a whole-house solar generator.

Prices have dropped significantly, and technology has vastly improved — just in time more frequent extreme weather events, natural disasters, and power outages caused by the aging electrical grid.

Investing in a whole-home solar generator pays off in energy security and makes you money over the long term.

Check out EcoFlow’s solar generator and home backup power solutions today.

*Under 2000W output