Portable backup
Pecron E3800LFP starter plan.
A two-unit E3800LFP outage box with a 240V Connect Box for the well pump, plus a fixed 10-panel array. Sized for fridge, internet, lighting, phone charging, a standing fan, the Jura coffee machine, and the well. Treat it as a serious portable or hardwired backup, not the main HVAC or whole-home solar system.
Battery
7.68 kWh
2× 3.84 kWh LiFePO4, about 6.4-7.0 kWh usable after AC inverter losses.
Output
8,400 W
2× 4,200W combined, 120/240V through the 240V Connect Box.
Solar input
6,000 W
2× 3,000W total; four PV inputs, each 32-150V and 20A.
Cycle rating
3,500+
Per unit, to 80% capacity. Two units double the cycle budget for daily solar cycling.
Recommendation
Two units, a 240V box, and a real fixed array.
Two E3800LFP units linked with the 240V Connect Box give 7.68 kWh and 8,400W at 120/240V, which is what lets the well pump ride on the plan with a clean transfer path. Ten 440W panels are the fixed-array answer: they land near half the cost per watt of the portable kits, and the array size covers the whole critical set through daylight in every season.
Best build for the dollar
| Item | Price | Qty | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2× E3800LFP + 240V Connect Box + 2 carts | $2,697 | bundle | Verified Pecron bundle price: 7,680 Wh, 8,400W 120/240V, two carts. The 240V output is the clean path for the well pump. |
| ZNShine 440W bifacial panels | $154 | 10 | 4.4 kW at $0.35/W — about half the per-watt cost of the Amazon portable kits. 10-panel shipping minimum; curbside freight pallet. |
| Square D QO 125A critical-loads subpanel | $82.98 | 1 | Grid-isolated panel for the moved circuits (well, radon, fridge, network, lights). Home Depot price. |
| Square D QO breakers | ~$69 | 6 | QO220 2-pole for the 240V well (~$22) + 5 single-pole QO115/QO120 at ~$9-10 each (radon, fridge, network, lights, managed outlet). Plus inlet feed breaker. |
| Best build total (bundle + panels + subpanel + breakers) | $4,389 | 7.68 kWh battery plus ~8-19 kWh/day solar, enough to carry the full critical set with the well in every season. |
Prices checked Aug 9, 2026. The Solar Lab's THESOLARLAB5 code takes 5% off the Pecron bundle. The ZNShine price is the Signature Solar sale price with a 10-panel minimum; delivery is curbside freight (lift gate, pallet at the driveway, you unload). Inlet/transfer wiring, mounting (IR-30 frames + EarthScrews), and tax are additional. Verify all at checkout.
Payment: Pecron direct accepts PayPal with a 6-month 0% interest plan — the bundle runs about $427/mo for 6 months with the 5% code (deferred interest: pay in full by month 6). ShopSolar sells the same 240V dual kit from $2,497 with Shop Pay/Affirm installments at 15% APR (3-month = $2,559.69, 12-month = $2,704.56) if financing there instead.
Recommended
2× E3800 + 240V box + 10 panels
7.68 kWh battery, 8,400W at 120/240V, and a 4.4 kW fixed array. The well pump gets a clean 240V transfer path and the array carries the critical set through daylight in every season.
Solar: about 8-19 kWh/day seasonal. This is the buy above.
Portable fallback
1× E3800 + Callsun 450W kit
The lowest-cost portable entry at roughly $1,999. Smaller battery and solar, so the well pump only works through a careful 120V transfer path and the battery window is much shorter.
Expected refill: about 2.0-3.5 kWh on a decent sun day.
Not first
Beyond 10 panels
The 4.4 kW array already fills the dual-unit solar ceiling on good days. Adding more panels means moving up to the permitted EG4 whole-home plan.
Recommendation: stop at 10 unless the EG4 system is next.
Load fit
What it should run
| Load | Fit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jura ENA Micro 9 | Yes | About 1,450W while heating/brewing. Avoid running other large loads at the same moment. |
| Fridge | Yes | Usually manageable. Compressor surge is why the larger inverter matters. |
| Network gear | Yes | Use a small UPS for graceful NAS/network shutdown and let Pecron be the long-duration source. |
| Lights, phones, fan | Yes | Good match. These are the loads that make the battery last. |
| Well pump | Yes | 220V circuit — the 240V Connect Box is the whole reason for the dual-unit build. Metered at 0.59 kWh/day on one leg, so real draw is likely closer to 1.2 kWh/day. Needs a 2-pole 240V breaker in the subpanel. |
| Mitsubishi HVAC | No plan | Maybe possible in narrow 240V/light-load cases, but not a reliable or clean HVAC backup design. |
Runtime
Battery-only window, in hours.
Both units hold about 7,680 Wh nominal and roughly 6.5 kWh usable. Dividing that by the load draw gives the battery-only hours below. Solar shifts the real answer to "indefinite during the day."
| Load set | Avg draw | Battery-only | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network only | 60W | ~90-100h | About 4 days. |
| Fridge + network | 180W | ~32-38h | About 1.5 days. |
| Fridge + network + lights/fan | 250W | ~24-28h | About a day. |
| Full critical set incl. radon + well | ~240-270W (5.8-6.4 kWh/day) | ~24-29h | About 1.2 days; the 10-panel array covers the day, so the battery only carries the night. |
| Well pump (while running) | ~280W | ~22-24h | It only runs ~15% of the day, so its real draw is 0.59 kWh/day. |
| Jura brewing | ~1,450W | ~4.5h | Continuous. A brew cycle is minutes, so the real cost per cup is tiny. |
| 1 kWh of stored energy runs... | For about |
|---|---|
| An LED bulb (5W) | 200 hours |
| A standing fan (30W) | 33 hours |
| Network gear (60W) | 16 hours |
| Fridge compressor average (~90W) | 11 hours |
| Well pump running (~280W) | 3.5 hours |
| Jura brew cycle (~1,450W) | 41 minutes |
Mounting angle
A fixed small array should still be aimed by season.
The Pecron build now has a real fixed array, so the seasonal aiming rules apply directly: summer low tilt, winter steep tilt, and true south. Use the same shared fixed-mount baseline as the other pages: IntegraRack IR-30 BallastRack at 30° plus IR EarthScrews where ground mounting makes sense.
| Season | Recommended tilt | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | 15°-25° | Sun is high, so flatter panels catch more light. |
| Winter | 55°-60° | Sun is low, so steeper panels face it better. |
| Year-round fixed | 30°-40° | A practical compromise if we do not want seasonal adjustments. |
Panel and rack validation
Both reviewers land on the rack we already picked.
The two independent reviewers we cross-checked — The Solar Lab and Will Prowse — both rank the IntegraRack IR-30 as their top ground mount, and both validate the Callsun bifacial panel family this plan uses.
| Reviewer | Panel pick | Rack pick | Readout |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Solar Lab | No dedicated 400W panel review — their solar-panel reviews focus on ground mounts. | IntegraRack IR-30 rated #1 of 5 mounts tested; ~$119 per leg, handles panels up to 800W. | Directly validates the rack this plan uses. |
| Will Prowse 2026 approved list | Callsun 400W class (400-440W plastic-backed N-type bifacials) as the good all-around large panel; Callsun 100W/200W N-type for 12V systems. | "My go-to rack is IntegraRack. I have tested everything available and these are the best." | Confirms the Callsun 450W 2-pack is in the panel class he approves. |
Bottom line: we switched the build to the ZNShine 440W for the ~$0.35/W price, but the panel-class logic is unchanged — 400-450W bifacials are exactly the class Will Prowse approves, and the IntegraRack IR-30 at 30° is the top mount for both him and The Solar Lab. If heavy partial shade is a real concern, Prowse's specialist pick is the Renogy Shadowflux, but it runs about double the cost per watt. Will Prowse's rack source: Current Connected.
Critical-loads subpanel
A small Square D panel could make this cleaner.
The useful version is not removing random circuits from the grid. It is moving a few chosen circuits into a small critical-loads subpanel, then feeding that subpanel through a code-compliant transfer setup so it can be powered by the grid normally or by the Pecron during an outage.
Good candidate circuits
Fridge
High value, moderate average load, startup surge needs inverter headroom.
Network / office
Gateway, switch, AP, NAS, and chargers if the circuit is cleanly scoped.
Selected lights
LED lighting gives a lot of comfort for very little battery draw.
Small kitchen outlet
Only if it is intentionally managed for the Jura and not shared with heavy appliances.
Well pump
Small daily energy, but it must stay on an electrician-designed transfer path to handle startup surge and wiring/ground rules.
| Component | Purpose | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Square D QO 125A load center — $82.98 | Holds the selected backup breakers. | Preferred grid-isolated option: feed it only from the Pecron inlet so backfeed is impossible by design. Do not include the 45A HVAC circuit. |
| Inlet + feed breaker (no transfer switch if grid-isolated) | Lets the Pecron feed the subpanel. | If the subpanel is fully separate from the grid, no transfer switch or interlock is needed — one inlet, one feed breaker, zero backfeed risk. Size the breaker to the actual Pecron output and cable. |
| Breaker and inlet matched to Pecron output | Limits the subpanel to what the battery can safely supply. | The breaker should be sized to the actual Pecron output and cable, not the old branch-circuit breaker size. |
| Circuit moves | Moves only chosen loads from the main panel. | Keep the list boring: fridge, network, a few lights, and maybe one managed outlet. |
Recommendation
Yes, model a small Square D critical-loads subpanel, but keep it as an electrician-installed transfer system. It is a better fit than extension cords if you want repeatable outage behavior, and it is much cheaper and simpler than trying to make the Pecron act like the EG4 whole-home stack.
Per-circuit fit
What the Pecron actually runs.
Two linked units give strong 120/240V inverter headroom and a 7.68 kWh battery, which moves the plan out of pure selected-load territory: the practical fit is now the full critical set with the well, plus short appliance bursts and carefully managed outlets. Numbers come from 152 days of Emporia circuit data at the Barn (Jan 14-Jun 14, 2026).
| Circuit | kWh/day | Peak kW | Pecron? | Readout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen outlets / fridge | 2.14 | 1.66 | Yes | Good fit if compressor surge behaves. |
| Internet / router / phones | 0.30 | 0.05 | Yes | Excellent fit and long runtime. |
| LED lighting | 0.50 | 0.10 | Yes | Good comfort value per watt. |
| Jura / managed outlet | Short use | ~1.45 | Managed | Fine for short cycles; avoid simultaneous large loads. |
| Radon fan | 2.26 | 0.49 | Yes | 24/7 load; the dual-unit battery and array carry it comfortably. |
| Critical subtotal with well | ~5.8-6.4 | ~2.0-2.6 | Yes | Fridge, network, lights, well, and radon. Range reflects the 220V well's metering uncertainty. ~1.2 days battery-only; the 10-panel array covers the daily set in all seasons. |
| Well pump (220V) | 0.59-1.18 | 0.28-2.3 | Yes | 240V 2-pole breaker via the Connect Box. Single-leg meter read, so true draw is likely ~2× the shown 0.59. |
| Water heater | 10.10 | 4.64 | No | Too much daily energy. |
| Heat pump | 23.35 | 7.63 | No | Not the right architecture for HVAC backup. |
Emporia per-circuit diagnostics
Portable fallback versus the fixed 10-panel build.
A single unit with a small portable kit is the lowest-cost entry, but it stays battery-limited. The dual-unit build with a 4.4 kW array covers the full critical set with the well through daylight in every season, and the battery only needs to carry the night.
| Build | Solar / day | Critical fit | Readout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single E3800 + Callsun 450W kit | ~2.0-3.5 kWh/day | Extends a single portable battery through part of the day. | Lowest-cost entry; still battery-limited for the well and radon. |
| Dual E3800 + 10× ZNShine 440W (4.4 kW) | ~8-19 kWh/day seasonal | Covers the full critical set with the well in every season. | The buy above; array carries the day, battery carries the night. |
Wiring note
Keep panel voltage inside the input window.
Each E3800LFP solar input wants 32-150V and 20A. The ZNShine 440W has a 38.8V Voc and 14.39A Isc, so three panels in series makes about 116V Voc and 1,320W — inside the 150V and 1,500W limits with cold-weather margin. Five panels per unit (3 + 2) gives each unit about 2,200W, 4,400W total.
How many
My buy order
- Buy the 2× E3800LFP + 240V Connect Box + 2 carts bundle at $2,697. Use code THESOLARLAB5 for 5% off. This is the whole well-pump path.
- Order 10× ZNShine 440W panels ($1,540) from Signature Solar. 10-panel minimum, curbside freight, plan for a pallet at the driveway.
- Add the IntegraRack IR-30 frames and EarthScrews for the 10-panel array (mounting cost is additional).
- Wire 3 panels in series on one input and 2 on the other per unit (5 panels per unit, 2,200W each) to stay inside the 32-150V, 20A, 1,500W input limits.
Array notes
- The 4.4 kW array fills the dual-unit input ceiling on good days; the extra headroom is there for clouds, not for more panels.
- If the well pump is 120V after all, the 240V box still buys clean split-phase headroom and the units can be run independently.
- The same 10 ZNShine panels can roll into the future EG4 whole-home plan, so the array is not stranded if the portable approach is outgrown.
Why not the F5000?
The E3800 stays the better buy for our loads.
The F5000LFP ($2,199 pre-order) is a capable single-unit 240V station, but against this build it is the weaker value: the 2× E3800 + 240V Connect Box path is $2,697 and gives 7,680 Wh — 50% more battery — plus the option to run as two independent units. The F5000 cannot be linked the way two E3800s can, and The Solar Lab still rates the E3800 the better value after hands-on testing.
Sources
- Pecron E3800LFP product page for the 2× E3800LFP + 240V Connect Box + 2 carts bundle price of $2,697, battery size, inverter rating, solar input, and cycle claim.
- Signature Solar ZNShine 440W bifacial panel for the $154 price, 38.8V Voc / 14.39A Isc specs, and 10-unit minimum.
- Signature Solar FAQ — shipping for the 10-panel minimum, curbside freight delivery terms, lift gate, and the 4+ panel damage replacement rule.
- Amazon 450W bifacial 2-pack (Callsun Store) for the portable-fallback kit, N-Type 16BB / 25% efficiency specs, and $699.99 coupon price.
- IntegraRack IR-30 BallastRack and IR EarthScrews 10-pack for the shared fixed-mount baseline.
- Pecron E3800LFP manual mirror for the 32-150V solar input guidance and wiring examples.
- Emporia Barn 1-day circuit CSV (152 days) for measured per-circuit daily kWh averages including the well pump (0.59 kWh/day).
- Emporia Barn 1-hour circuit CSV for measured hourly peak kW per circuit (well pump 0.28 kW).
- The Solar Lab — Best Pecron Power Station 2026 for the hands-on verdict confirming the E3800LFP as the top Pecron value pick (with F3000 and E1000 as the mid and small picks).
- The Solar Lab Pecron hub for the 5% sitewide discount code THESOLARLAB5 and current sale pricing.
- The Solar Lab — Best Solar Panel Ground Mounts for the hands-on ranking that puts the IntegraRack IR-30 at #1.
- TubeTested — 2026 Will Prowse Approved Products for the panel and rack approvals: Callsun 400W class bifacials as the good all-around large panel, and IntegraRack as his go-to rack.
- Will Prowse ground-mount rack page for the IR-30 ordering details and ballast/spike mounting options.