In-depth guides, comparisons and how-tos for power stations, solar and backup power.
The FranklinWH aPower 2 is a 15 kWh AC-coupled home battery that pairs with FranklinWH’s aGate, a smart switch that manages grid, solar, battery and generator. This review uses FranklinWH’s datasheet and installation guides. We haven’t tested one ourselves, so there are no hands-on runtime claims here. FranklinWH aPower 2 Specs Spec Value Usable energy […]
How to read an appliance label is the first skill you need before sizing a battery, inverter or generator. The nameplate tells you the voltage and the maximum current or power. The yellow EnergyGuide label tells you yearly energy use. Here’s what each number means and how to use it. Electrical work can be dangerous: […]
This Enphase IQ Battery 5P review is based on Enphase’s datasheet and warranty documents. The 5P is a 5 kWh, all-in-one AC battery with six built-in microinverters. Instead of one big box, you stack as many units as you need. We haven’t tested one ourselves, so there are no hands-on runtime claims here. Enphase IQ […]
How long will a 100Ah battery last? It depends on the battery type, the voltage and what you run. The quick answer for a 12V lithium battery: about 1,200 usable watt-hours, so roughly 12 hours at 100W. Here’s the math and real examples. Electrical work can be dangerous: follow the manual, fuse and size every […]
Powerwall 3 vs Enphase (and FranklinWH) is the comparison most homeowners face when they get battery quotes. All three are installer-sold LFP home batteries, but they’re built differently. Powerwall 3 has a built-in solar inverter. Enphase stacks small 5 kWh units. FranklinWH offers big 15 kWh blocks with strong generator integration. Every spec below comes […]
Inverter efficiency decides how much of your battery actually reaches your appliances. Datasheets show a peak number, often 90–95%, but real losses also include idle draw, the power an inverter uses just being switched on. For small overnight loads, idle draw can waste more energy than the load itself. Electrical work can be dangerous: follow […]
Grounding vs bonding describes two different jobs that often get mixed up. Grounding connects an electrical system to the earth, while bonding connects metal parts together and to the neutral at a single point so a fault trips the breaker fast. The National Electrical Code covers both in Article 250, and placing the neutral-ground bond […]
Is a solar battery worth it in 2026? It depends on three things: how your utility credits exported solar, whether your rates change by time of day, and how much backup power is worth to you. Battery systems homeowners own and install after Dec 31, 2025 no longer get the 30% federal credit (IRS). The […]
How many batteries to power a house depends on two numbers, not one. Energy (kWh) decides how long you last. Power (kW) decides what you can run at the same time, including the startup surge of an AC or well pump. Most homes run out of power capacity before they run out of energy. Electrical […]
Solar lease vs buy got more complicated in 2026. The 30% federal credit for homeowner-owned systems (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after Dec 31, 2025. Third-party-owned systems (leases and PPAs) may still qualify for a business credit (48E) for the owner, under rules that are still changing. That shifts the math between […]
