A Home UPS That Starts Simple—and Grows with You
A real Sol-Max ESS installation demonstrates fast outage backup today, with solar, smart-load, generator, and time-of-use capability ready for tomorrow.
This is the simplest Sol-Max ESS application: grid-connected battery backup with no solar required on day one. The utility powers the home and keeps the battery ready. If the grid fails, selected circuits transfer to battery power in less than 10 milliseconds to support refrigeration, lighting, communications, pumps, and similar essential equipment. The same inverter can later expand into a solar-plus-storage system.
Download Original Article01 — Overview
A Practical First Step for Outage Resilience
The installation begins as a grid-connected home UPS with battery backup. Grid power serves the home and keeps the battery ready; during an outage, selected critical circuits transfer to stored energy in less than 10 milliseconds. It is a practical first step for outage resilience—not a limited dead end.
Without replacing the inverter, the system can later grow to include DC solar, smart-load control, generator integration, and time-of-use energy management.
02 — Built-In Capability
Capability Built Into the System
16.1 kWh
Battery Capacity
15 kW
Future DC Solar Capacity
Less Than 10 ms
Backup Transfer
30 A / 50 A / 60 A
Programmable 240 V Circuits
10 kW
Battery-Only Continuous Output
Generator-Ready
Automatic Start and Stop Support
03 — Integrated Distribution
Integrated Distribution Reduces Installation Complexity
Four built-in 120 V branch circuits and three programmable 120/240 V circuits rated at 30 A, 50 A, and 60 A allow suitable critical loads to connect directly to the ESS. Depending on the project, this may reduce or eliminate a separate critical-load subpanel, additional enclosures, extra wire runs, and related installation labor.
30 A
Smart Load
50 A
Smart Load or AC-Coupled Solar
60 A
Smart Load or Generator Input
The programmable circuits can act as smart loads, disconnecting lower-priority equipment as battery state of charge declines so higher-priority circuits can remain supported longer.
04 — Breaker Protection
Hydraulic-Magnetic Protection for Real-World Loading
The installation uses CBI hydraulic-magnetic circuit breakers. CBI describes this technology as providing 100% rating capability with operation unaffected by ambient temperature. Correct conductor sizing, operation within product ratings, code compliance, and project-specific system design remain required.
05 — Backup Runtime
Approximately 12 Hours at Average Household Use
Average U.S. household electricity use is approximately 10,500 kWh per year, or about 28.8 kWh per day. At that average rate, a 16.1 kWh battery represents about 13 hours of nominal energy. After reserve capacity and conversion losses, approximately 12 hours is a practical planning estimate. Supporting only critical circuits may extend backup duration substantially.
06 — Solar and Generator Expansion
Solar-Ready and Generator-Ready From the Beginning
Solar
Up to 15 kW of DC solar can be added later. During an extended outage, solar can support household loads and recharge the battery. During normal operation, it may reduce grid purchases.
Generator
A standby generator can connect to the dedicated 60 A input. The inverter can start it at a programmed battery level, use up to 10 kW for battery charging while continuing to support loads, and stop it after the battery recovers. This can reduce continuous generator operation and extend backup while fuel and maintenance remain available; it does not provide unlimited runtime.
07 — Everyday Energy Value
Value Every Day—not Only During an Outage
In utility territories with peak and off-peak electricity rates, the system may charge during lower-cost periods, discharge during higher-cost periods, and preserve a programmed emergency reserve. This positions the equipment as both an outage-backup asset and an everyday energy-management asset. Actual utility-bill savings depend on rates, usage, settings, and system operation and are not guaranteed.
08 — Installation Image
Actual Sol-Max ESS Installation
Figure 01
Actual Sol-Max ESS Installation
09 — References
Technical Source Notes
- [1]
Sol-Max AIO technical documentation: Integrated breakers, 15 kW PV input, 10 kW battery-only output, 100 A passthrough, less than 10 ms transfer, and generator capability.
- [2]
CBI-electric official product information: Hydraulic-magnetic breakers provide 100% rating capability independent of ambient temperature.
- [3]
U.S. Energy Information Administration: Average U.S. household electricity use is about 10,500 kWh per year.
- [4]
Sol-Max generator guidance: 60 A / 14.4 kW generator input and up to 10 kW battery charging with programmed start/stop thresholds.
10 — Download Article
End of SoNews Issue 03
Published by Sol-Max Inc.