Going Beyond Blackouts with Load Shedding
Backup is here for when the grid goes down – but what about the days when things are working just fine? That’s when it’s here to save you some money.
Load shedding (also known as peak shaving) is a term for a money-saving technique of reducing one’s energy demand on the grid during peak hours. In many geographies in the US the $/wH rate of electricity fluctuates in a day, reaching its highest during peak demand hours. Shifting your grid usage to lower-peak times = lower $/wH = money saved.
Here's how that can play out with Backup:
- Using the Backup App, schedule your system to automatically turn on daily during peak demand hours.
- Connect devices that require continuous power (like your fridge, dehumidifier, or even window AC for a few hours) or devices that typically need to be recharged daily (like your laptop) and draw down from the energy stored in Backup instead of pulling energy from the grid.
- Schedule your system to recharge from the grid during low-demand hours (like the middle of the night), or recharge via solar (more on that below). As a reminder, a Backup Complete kit will recharge from the grid in 2.5 hours.
Rates vary by region but typically can range from .10-.30 savings per kWh, which means you could be saving close to a dollar per day with a basic Complete Kit, which could add up to over $300 a year in savings just by scheduling Backup to work harder for you. Check with your local energy provider for more details about rates in your area.
And for those thinking “wait if I run Backup every day, won’t it shorten the lifespan?” the answer is, nope! We planned for that kind of use. Backup’s LFP battery cells are rated for 4,000 cycles > 80% capacity which means you could fully discharge and refill Backup every single day for 10 years before seeing any meaningful change in Backup's runtime.
So go ahead, peak shave away and see those pennies turn into real dollars – the Backup App is here to help.
Setup - Is It Really That Easy To Install?
Yes, yes it is. In this video below Seth will take you through an installation from start to finish as well as some bonus setup options above the fridge and underneath the desk.
When we say Box-to-Backup in under 30 minutes, we mean it.
Short & Sweet Solar FAQ
- Do I need solar for Backup to work?
- What kind of solar setup is best?
- How do you set up the BioLite Solar add-on option?
- Will Backup work with installed rooftop solar?
Do I need solar for Backup to work?
No! Backup is designed to work perfectly and completely just by plugging into a standard wall outlet at home. Solar integration is for users who might be looking to extend runtimes with their system or take their load shedding to the next level. If you are happy with using Backup as an automatic energy storage system that auto-refills from the grid, skip this section!
What kind of solar works best with Backup?
Backup is a front-of-outlet solution, meaning there’s no rewiring to your home. With that in mind, Backup is best equipped to work with fellow front-of-outlet solar, meaning freestanding panels that connect directly to the system via an MC4 adapter.
Something like this:
Pictured above is a 400W panel. For the most seamless recharging experience, we recommend 1-2 panels for Core and 2-4 panels for a Complete Kit. For reference [2] 400W panels can refill a Complete Kit in 4.5 hours of peak sun.
Want to see if it works with freestanding 400W+ panels you already own? The MPPT controller inside your Backup can accept solar input between 20V and 150V and the connection is made on DC input via MC4 adapter. More on that in the install section below.
How do you set up the BioLite Solar add-on option?
Just like your wall outlet and Backup, setup is an easy plug-and-play solution that does not require a contractor or electrician. The only difference here is you need to connect Backup to a panel that lives outside (needs the sun after all), which means you’ll need to run a cord from indoors to outdoors. This can be through a window, under a door, through a vent or pet door, etc.
Each 400W panel purchased in our add-on section comes with a 30’ extension cable. Additional 30’ cables are available for purchase in the add-on section as well and can be chained for longer pathways.
On the bottom of your Backup units is a DC input which is where you will connect the cable that runs to your solar. This is a separate input from where you recharge from the grid, so you can have both installed at the same time no problem. You can choose when you refill from the grid and when to refill from solar using your mobile app - the default priority will always be given to solar when available.
When using the Complete system, you only need to connect the solar cable to the Extend unit and the DC-DC linker will ensure that the entire system (Core + Extend) is refilled.
This solution offers an approachable step into home solar without a massive investment. While Backup remains installed and connected to your wall outlet, these solar panels can be more flexible and either be set up more permanently thanks to IP67 rating or be set up and taken down as desired thanks to the easy footprint and freedom from wiring into your grid. And when the grid goes down, these panels are completely independent which means they’ll be working as long as the sun is shining.
Will Backup work with existing installed solar (rooftop, etc?)
Backup can benefit from installed solar when it comes to load shedding, but if you’re looking for Backup and installed solar to work together in the event of a power outage, that will unfortunately not work in most cases – and that comes down to how installed solar is, well, installed.
Most contemporary solar installations are grid interactive which means they are tied into your grid system. A typical installation is a set of panels with microinverters that turn your solar power into AC that feeds into your home or can be backfed into the grid. The benefits of this installation is an integrated flow of power into your home, typically servicing multiple rooms, and the possibility of earning money by selling power back to the grid. The drawback of this installation is that, because it is tied to the grid, when the grid goes down, the panels go down with it. More and more people are starting to pair their installed power with home battery storage and grid-isolated configurations but these installations require a professional contractor – if you are looking to operate independently from the grid these setups are great but they’re the ones that can cost upwards of $20-$30k. Backup + Freestanding Solar gives you a version of this but on a more modular level, in front of the outlet, and for a fraction of the cost. It’s less power, but a lot more flexibility. Ultimately comes down to your individual needs.
If you have installed solar and are STILL curious about how Backup can fit into your home, these are the two scenarios:
- Load Shedding: schedule devices to run off of Backup during peak demand hours that are low sunlight where solar can’t help much (such as 4-8pm in the summer). Refill Backup either during non-peak hours from the grid or refill from solar during the day.
- Automatic Backup: this is essentially the same as a non-solar customer, Backup can serve in its most traditional sense as an automatic in-room backup system to get you through a blackout on a single charge.
- Both of these scenarios require no rewiring or re-contacting your contractor as they all operate in front of the outlet.
Got an old school solar setup from the 80s or 90s with an MPPT controller in your basement? Well, hello there. Send us a DM and we can talk to you more about your unique system and see where Backup might be able to interact. (note: most folks do NOT have this… but we love a good edge case, can’t help it).
