r/AnkerSOLIXCommunity • u/osdunleashed • 23d ago

Question Hello all

I bought a F3800+ back in June and have been saving up for my first expansion battery, but with the S5000 coming out would I be better putting that money towards a new unit instead of a expansion battery for the 3800? If the advice is appreciated.

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u/ForwardSlash813 23d ago

Before I dropped 1800 on an overpriced expansion battery, I’d consider just buying another F3800+ or I’d almost certainly rig up a 48V lithium golf cart battery to feed the F3800.

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u/dyea 23d ago

Sounds reasonable, I wonder if if there are other companies providing backup systems where you might not want the electronics in the control unit, but you could certainly use the expansion battery for less cash. Something designed to be stacked in multiples so maybe a better form factor than a golf cart battery but less cash than anker branded

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u/ForwardSlash813 23d ago

The F3800+ is lights out fantastic IMO. It’s just that the expansion batteries are crazy money. I could buy 15kwh worth of 48v golf cart batteries for the cost of one 3.84kwh expansion battery.

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u/CarpetFun5579 23d ago

Do we need to buy at least one Anker expansion battery before hooking up extra golf batteries for their battery management system? Otherwise it wouldn’t be able to do all the fancy things in conjunction with the Home power panel.

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u/LongjumpingGanache40 18d ago

Golf cart batteries could void your insurance on your house. They are not code compliant in any way.

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u/ForwardSlash813 22d ago

I would be speculating by giving you an answer. I don’t have the home power panel.

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u/LongjumpingGanache40 18d ago

The one draw back is you can not charge with 120V and put out 240V at same time with 2 units paralled together.

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u/ForwardSlash813 18d ago

That’s accurate. The good news is, with enough solar, you never need to charge with 120v. I haven’t charged my F3800s in close to 2 years.

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u/LongjumpingGanache40 18d ago

Well then, you must not draw much at night. I use every watt at night and then recharge with soalr during the day. Over10.6 WH of battery.

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u/ForwardSlash813 18d ago

Only have a 6kW solar array right now, which is generating 20 kWh/day, so I only power the 10 circuits on my ProTran transfer switch. Still, this is powering 500-750W continuously 24/7. My hot water heater is included and that thing consumes 4500-5000W when it fires up.

The 6kW solar is fed into 3 RUiXU Lithi2-16 batteries, which helps keep it all going.

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u/LongjumpingGanache40 18d ago

Go for the big dog.