Home battery backup you can actually buy — and systems that need an installer
Clear specs, honest costs after the 30% residential credit ended, and a runtime calculator. No fake review counts. No lab we do not have.
Highest-utility shop-ready backups
These are systems you can order yourself. Tesla-class whole-home installs are covered further down — they are often the cleaner built-in appliance, but they require a certified installer.
Manufacturer list on us.ecoflow.com (Aug 2026): inverter + 2 batteries $7,999; same + Smart Home Panel 3 $10,999. LFP packs. Sub-20 ms switch with SHP3.
Full Ultra X notes →
Anker lists the F3800 at $2,199.98 (Anker SOLIX US schema, 25 Aug 2026; no compare-at shown). 120/240 V, expandable with extra batteries. A practical first unit for a fridge, well pump attempt, and a few 120 V circuits.
F3800 vs Delta Pro 3 →
EP900 is the inverter; each B500 is 4,960 Wh nominal (4,464 Wh usable). Two to four packs is the common 9.9–19.8 kWh setup. LFP. Confirm live kit price on Bluetti.
Why 9 kW matters for pumps →EcoFlow sells two whole-home products. Ultra X is the cart stack on us.ecoflow.com. OCEAN Pro is Get a Quote plus a certified installer — it is not Ultra X with a bigger number. Official OCEAN Pro: energy.ecoflow.com/us/products/ocean-pro-home-solar-battery. Comparison: OCEAN Pro vs Powerwall 3.
| System | Path | Usable energy | Continuous power | 240V | Expandability | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | Installer | 13.5 kWh | 11.5 kW · 185 LRA | Yes (gateway) | Tesla expansion packs | Quote only | Integrated wall appliance |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X | Cart + electrician for SHP3 | 12 kWh start (2× ~6 kWh) | 12 kW | Yes | Same-family extras; SHP3 is Ultra X only | $7,999 / $10,999 with SHP3 | Cart whole-home stack |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 | Cart | 4 kWh | 4 kW | Yes | DP3 extras ($1,899). Do not mix with Ultra X or SHP3 | $2,799 sale / $3,699 list | Expandable 240 V portable |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | Cart | 3.84 kWh | 6 kW | Yes | BP3800 extras ($1,799.99) | $2,199.98 (Anker US) | First 240 V portable |
| BLUETTI EP900 + B500 | Cart / DIY-leaning | ~4.46 kWh usable per B500 | 9 kW (7.6 kW off-grid with 2× B500) | Yes | 2–8 B500 typical | Confirm live kit price | High-output well / shop |
What a first buy actually is
| Job | Typical hardware | Hardware snapshot | Labor / permit band | Honest total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fridge, internet, CPAP (cords) | DELTA 3 or C2000 Gen 2 | $599–$999.99 | $0 on cords | Under $1,200 |
| Essentials + 240 V attempt | F3800 or DELTA Pro 3 | $2,199.98–$2,799 | $0 on cords; $800–$2,800 if you add a transfer/inlet | About $2,200–$5,600 |
| Selected house circuits | Portable + $399 transfer kit or inlet | Hardware + $399 | $800–$2,800 electrician | Often $3,000–$7,000 |
| Automatic whole-home (cart) | Ultra X + SHP3 | $10,999 hardware | $1,200–$3,500+ if the panel is healthy | About $12,000–$16,000 |
| Automatic whole-home (installer) | Powerwall 3 | Quote | Included in the bid | Commonly $11,000–$16,000+ |
| Size | Fridge + internet | Well (running) | Partial house | Whole-home HVAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~4 kWh (F3800 / DELTA Pro 3) | ~17 hours | ~3.5 hours (start is 6–9 kW) | ~2 hours | No. Shed HVAC. |
| ~12 kWh (Ultra X starter) | ~2 days | ~10 hours running if it can start | ~6–7 hours | Short automatic backup only. Not multi-day HVAC. |
| ~20 kWh (4× B500 or Ultra extras) | ~3–4 days | ~16 hours running | ~11 hours | Still not a silent whole-home week. Plan to shed. |
FAQ
Pick a rung, then stay in that family
The three flagships are still the default for 240 V and whole-home. The ladders below catch fridge-only budgets and the extras that make a first buy last through night two.
DELTA 3 → Ultra X
$599 essentials box through the $10,999 SHP3 stack. Same-brand extras and the $399 transfer kit.
C2000 → F3800 Plus
2 kWh fridge backup, 3 kWh wheeled F3000, then 6 kW F3800 / Plus with generator bypass.
AC200L vs EP900
A $799 portable versus the 9 kW stack. Different batteries. Pick one path.
What changed in 2026 (verify this first)
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) is not available for homeowner-owned solar or batteries placed in service after December 31, 2025. ENERGY STAR still lists 30% only through property placed in service before January 1, 2026. Any site still subtracting 30% from a 2026 install is using last year’s rules.
How long will a battery last on your loads?
Average-load math only: (kWh × efficiency × usable %) ÷ kW. We do not pretend to model surge.
Finish the kit, don’t buy a second brand
Same-brand extra batteries last longer in a multi-day outage. Soft-starts and inlet boxes make a portable actually useful on house circuits.
3.84 kWh add-on. Official page listed $1,799.99 (25 Aug 2026). Host required.
View BP3800 on Anker →
$699 panel (EcoFlow US, 28 Aug 2026) · Ultra extra $2,299 (Ultra X PDP) · Delta Pro 3 extra $1,899. EcoFlow also lists a members-only $599; that is not the public list.
View 400 W panel on EcoFlow → View DP3 extra on EcoFlow →
EcoFlow lists a home backup transfer switch at $399. Electrician required. Soft-starts via Amazon.
View transfer kit on EcoFlow →Guides people actually search
Can a battery start a well pump?
Surge, not kWh, is the constraint. What 6 kW vs 9 kW vs 11.5 kW can honestly claim.
CPAP + fridge runtime
The two loads that make a $2,000 portable worth it for many homes.
Hurricane & multi-day outages
Charge plan, flood height, critical-loads panel — no invented homeowner stories.
Free 1-page essentials checklist
Circuits to keep, circuits to shed, and a charge-before-landfall list. No email wall.
Open the checklist