How I Pay NOTHING for Electricity (basically) - FranklinWH Home Battery Review
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2023
- Today we look at my home-based power plant using solar panels and FranklinWH batteries. Check out more here bit.ly/Ben-Sullins
After implementing this I was able to protect my family against power outages as well as save a huge amount on my monthly energy bill. Subscribe for more and make sure to use #bulletprooflife in your comments for a heart!
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Finally a company takes LFP to home storage ! 👏👏👏
Ben: I have done just about the same thing at my house. I have two Tesla car's and power my house also. I have two power walls and a 4.8 and a 8.16 system all from Tesla. So far I am about the same as you. I really don't pay for Electricity but am waiting for winter to see how things work out. As long as the sun shines I do great. Love all your videos. Keep it up.
Yup. Made the decision in 2017 to go all electric and solar. I'm grid tied except for a small off-grid system with 25KW battery for power outages. 2 teslas that average 40,000 mi per year and 3200 sq ft. all electric home and we pay ~$200/yr in electric use. Saving about $6000 a year in gasoline and electricity costs. Not in sunny CA either. I'm in the hills of West Virginia. It was a big upfront investment but that's exactly what it is, and investment in my families future. Paying tomorrow's bills today, and about 4 months from breakeven.
@ben great video! Very educational and informative. EZ Solar Electric & Roofing installs Franklin WH along with taking people off the grid. Please let us know how we can help on your next product.
crazy, it's really happening! thanks
Very nice Ben. I am doing something similar. 8kw in Canada. EV, Hot tub and all the normal stuff. $33.05 total including all tax per month. Still have one more ICE truck to get moved to a Lightning or something like that. One more year and the system will have paid for it self. ROI 6.5 years.
What's really exciting about you doing this is the newer storage options either coming soon or just starting production.
Sodium ion are expected to be half the cost of LFP and flow batteries are a little cheaper than your setup but good for 30 years.
That on top of solar prices expected to keep falling.
So much innovation in this space!
@@BenSullinsOfficial So much more affordable innovation!
Good stuff!
Bring Our Ludicrous Future back!! Miss that weekly podcast!!
😢
Haven't seen the video yet, but love Franklin WH I just installed my companies first one last week and am doing 2 more next week
Made $230 last year on my power bill under NEM 2.0. No battery yet, but a location is set aside. As we have until 2030 to get the tax credit I will wait and watch the technology.
Hey Ben. Once again a great video. We are also looking into getting a solar system (15.39kW) with the FranklinWH batteries. We are thinking to go with two or three batteries. Our options are to start with two batteries and add a third one in a few more years once the existing two degrated (perhaps to ~80%), or start with three batteries and let all three degrate at the same rate from day one. There are multiple aspects to consider - Will I be able to save more with three vs. two batteries and being able to get to zero energy bills, if so for how long, will the batteries last longer than 12 years with leftover capacity if we use three vs. two of them and therefore they will experience lees cycles each, can these batteries last 15-20-25 years, I am assuming that installing a new one or replacing one in the future will have extra permit and installer costs, will batteries will become cheaper in the future, etc. Would a third FranklinWH aPower battery in your house make a difference? Any advise you can offer is very appreciated, thanks.
Wow that's Cool
Same experience here - smaller house, so far only solar (battery should be connected in 2 weeks), but rate of return is amazing and the fact I also charge 2 EVs is great. The energy independence part is not so important for me at the moment, but it might be in future - and we'll be ready.
Love this
I really hope all states go to time of use pricing. This will encourage people to start using the solar spike at 4pm that happens. Plus it will make batteries more economical.
Went to checkout the Franklin batteries but their website doesn't have pricing... Super disappointing =/
Pre paying for electricity is not free until you reach your ROI day which could be 10 years away. I have been doing what you describe as free electricity for 7 years and my ROI day is fast approaching.
Rainwater Harvesting,Food Production,Metane generation n Harvesting,Bio-Diesel and Solar Power,thats where my ficus is at in that order
Hey Ben have a question for you. I'm diving into TOU rates here in NC and figured you would have a better insight. I'm currently on a standard rate .12 cents all day everyday and have solar panels installed which I get a 1 to 1 rate return for the grid.
The TOU rate would be .27 cents on peak .10 cents off peak and .06.
Given that you are in TOU rate would you prefer a standard rate of .12 cents or a TOU rate plan??
If you have a battery I’d estimate the TOU rate would be cost beneficial. 12 cents is pretty good tho so really either way you’re doing good
Great video! Are you able to use solar for the pool equipment?
Yeah totally. But to minimize cost we only run our variable speed pump during super off peak rates 12a-6a
I definitely want to do this, or something similar. But, I'm in SW Ohio where we have four seasons and loads of high overcast clouds in the winter. While it will likely come, we don't have time of day billing, so energy arbitrage isn't a thing. In sum, the payback period for me would be substantial, especially with battery backup.
have you done the math on it? Energy sage has a calculator that accounts for roof orientation, trees, etc - www.energysage.com/?rc=p-bensullins
And of course, beyond the cost is the protection for your family in the event of outages etc. Hope this helps!
Great presentation thank you so much for sharing this important information
Hey Ben, I knew this video was coming and I’m super excited to see you post it.
My wife and I just got done installing our own solar panels and two batteries. We completed the applications and installed it all ourselves, saving a bunch of money. Having this system makes me feel good knowing I can control my energy cost and dependence. With our Tesla, and plug in hybrid Volvo, we’ve reduced our transportation cost tremendously.
Amazing!
What about the ROI? How long will it pay for itself?
Getting off gas will actually make your house self sufficient.
Thank you for the informative video. I am in agreement with most of the points you covered. I am not too far from you in Orange County. I used Energy Sage and settled on a 13.1kw solar system (32 REC410AA Pure panels, 32 Enphase IQA inverters) with two FranklinWH batteries. The project is in the midst of the city permit approval process. Although I began the process a month before the NEM 2.0 April 14th deadline, we failed to meet the deadline. I believe having the two storage batteries is still worth going through with the installation and being under NEM 3.0. I can't wait for the final completion of the system. Like you, we have two kids, a pool, a Model S and a Y. Can you elaborate more on your EV home charging routine?. What hours of the day do you schedule the charging of your two EVs. Is it always at night and to what percentage? How is it impacting the system?
We charge during “super off peak” hours of 12a-6a. This is really how we’re able to get such a low overall rate. Otherwise we’d have more solar + storage than we need
I've heard that things have gotten less than idea in many California locations, but where net metering is still available with a fair payback for energy that you produce, isn't it much more cost effective to use the grid as your battery (for when the sun doesn't shine), using a chemical battery mainly for energy arbitrage if the nighttime rates are really good compared to daytime, and then probably a propane generator or something like that for true outages (where a sizable tank of propane can replace thousands in batteries, with basically unlimited shelf life)?
yeah NEM 3.0 is a nightmare. For me tho, protecting my family and being able to do the rate arbitrage are the biggest reasons.
Great insight but would like to know how much you pay per month on the loan for that system. Can’t talk about the good without mentioning the reality.
Enjoy following your journey Ben, thank you!
1) Looking forward to replicating your results at some point... for us though we're in a condo and looking at mobile and non-traditional alternatives (at least until buying a traditional single family is possible again without the "zillow premium".) Those scenarios make a fixed solar installation into a more challenging factor (for example, we don't own our roof, and we're hamstrung in some ways by CCNRs for our HOA.)
2) I'm also curious to see how your ongoing maintenance and replacement costs accrue as you log hours operating your setup.
Really appreciate your channel and efforts, keep up the great work sir!
its still interesting to me that despite the duck curve, super-off-peak still seems to be very late in the evening... according to some of the studies I've seen.. some of the months in 2022 california traditional power plants were near idle in the mid-day due to over-production of solar.... but either way.... its kinda scary that battery storage even without solar is starting to make sense just because of the buy in pay out differences.
yeah it's strange. We have a huge amount of curtailments, especially during spring. It'd be great if we had an algorithm figure out the pricing versus people on a committee.
Does Franklin have any kind of "Energy Arbitrage" software implementation to buy/sell to the grid for additional savings?
Yep, I show it in the video how I go off-grid during our on-peak rates which are all the way up north of 80 cents per kWh!
Tesla Powerwall 3 is an LFP battery
Wow... $.50/kW hour. We're only at somewhere around $.17/kW hour, and still, our Ford Lightning off-grid charger, still has a 5 year payoff, at .50/kW it would be more like 3 years. I guess you have the savings period overnight of $.14/kW, which is great, especially for charging EV's overnight.
Several points of interest. This video shows how much he ultimately pay monthly to the utility company BUT not how much he’s paying for the solar + battery. So please don’t think you don’t have a monthly payment. Because you do just not to the utility company. It also doesn’t go into detail what kind of panels, the inverters and how it’s integrated with his battery system. PLEASE do some homework before going to your local solar company and getting quotes. Lots of good and bad installers out there.
“Treehugger Vegans who don’t lift weights” ….😂
Can you explain a little more about the rates 5:00 and how it works. I just got mine installed last week and I’m still green to all this
Not sure where you live but your utility company should have details on their site. Here the rates change by time of day and day of week. Also summer versus winter is a bit different.
@@BenSullinsOfficial I live in South Texas. Utilities as in my buy back plan? I have Gexa under a 1:1 Do I look on their website? Also do I have to personally edit the rates in myself?
I’d look at the rates they are charging you, not the credits
I’m still so confused with all of this. Is there a video that teaches you step my step on how all this solar, battery stuff works? And how you can actually save money. Since I’ve gone solar I’ve been paying a bill for the panels, a bill for the battery, and on top of that my bill for my buy back plan? It was way cheaper before I had solar. I just had 1 bill
Hey Ben. I’m guessing this first system you have is on NEM2.0? If so you might have adding panels as it will kick you out of NEM2.0 and move you over to NEM3.0 (NBT). With you having large batteries it’s probably less of a big deal but for anyone getting solar in CA with the big utilities the savings are more difficult
yep, I'm on NEM 2 and am adding more panels. My application was approved prior to the deadline so I'll remain on NEM2. More to come!
@@BenSullinsOfficial oh awesome! Glad you were able to to get the application in before the deadline
But what is your cost for solar system? Roi?
was included with the house when we bought. At my previous home however, we paid about 14K for 5kW which was almost enough to cover our needs without changing any usage patterns. Energy sage is a great resource here.
You're going to NEMS 3.0 in California?
Nope! NEM 3 only applies when you add solar, not batteries. So no update to my NEM plan due to this.
Can you do a rough pay back
You never shared how much it cost you in capital expenses to get that "home power plant" into operation, nor how long you expect it to last before requiring replacement. Those are key facts that can impact a decision to do what you did. Easy decision if you're a multimillionaire and the panels, batteries, and controllers are pocket change. Not if you're a typical person.
This is the first of a series, so more details to come. For reference this system costs somewhere around 32K not including solar. Still have to do the math on the payback period but given the 12yr warrant and how much we're saving it should be at least even by the end of that time.
This looks great, but what is the cost of the solar system spread out over the course of the warranty period of the batteries? Also if there is a loan on the system (most people wouldn't have the available cash to purchase a system outright), what do those costs add up to?
Ben, are you about to do some work out/food videos?!
Yes! Well sorta…stay tuned ;)
Squats and oats would be a short video! :)
Can’t wait to see what you have! More about the bulletproof life is great.
Btw: I like the moderation you’re doing with your comments. It’s so nice to see real discussion and no crypto scams in the comments for a change!
I am totally off grid. My avoided cost is twofold. No more electric bills and NO more fuel bills. I do not own an ICE anymore. The avoided electric bill is about $100 a month but my avoided FUEL costs averages about $250 a month. Add the two and you get $350 of avoided costs per month. Yearly that is $4200 a year. I have a 12kw. PVarray and a 20 kWh battery with a 20 kWh inverter. Payback is not far away and people need to wake up to the fact that avoided fuel cost is usually worth more than the electricity.
amazing!
Ben, I realized a while ago that the AVOIDED fuel cost is worth more than the electricity (each situation will vary) As fuel costs keep going up the avoided costs get even more rewarding using a PV system to fuel your transportation. The EVs I own are a Model 3 (2018, 83K miles) and a Mitsubishi MIEV (2012 with 62K miles.) I believe as more and more people realize their investment in a PV system can displace BOTH 100% of their electrical AND fuel costs there will be no stopping people wanting a PV array. I think you should do a video and break out the avoided costs for both electricity and fuel in YOUR case. I think you will be surprised at how fast an investment in a PV system will pay off when you break it down as your fuel costs are some of the highest in the nation as well as your electric rates.
They did a lot to impress you to the point , you left powerwall
Looking small bro. Do you even lift?
😢😢
so you think these batteries are better than the tesla power wall?
It's a tough call, depending on several factors. The things I like about FranklinWH are the battery chemistry (LFP) and the benefits that brings, along with the 12 year warranty. There's a lot to consider in every situation tho!
I figured it would be some sort of solar and battery setup despite the thumbnail
Will soon add some permanent panels to my off-grid batteries since the panels already on the house are grid-tied microinverters
If only you could have just used the 100+KWH of battery storage sitting in your drive way rather then an expensive dedicated system. V2X needs to happen.
It exists (Ford Lightning) but it’s not exactly as promised yet. Really just good for backup situations, not the peak shaving.
Solar panels are cheap?? You're delusional.
I enjoy watching your videos, but it just seems like all of this is completely out of reach for the average person. I have looked into solar multiple times and it doesn’t make financial sense because the loans are too expensive and electricity is still relatively cheap in my state. That doesn’t even take into account home batteries or an EV. I am all in on everything you talk about on your channel, but it feels so out of reach for the average person. I don’t want to spend 50-60k on an EV nor could I afford it. It boggles my mind that the government or power companies are not giving solar away. Yes they offer rebates, but it is not enough. They should be offering zero or low interest loans with incentives to get people to adopt this stuff. On top of that, some states (IE Florida) are even rejecting the incentives the Federal government is offering, making it even harder and confusing when you hear you are eligible for rebates but then can’t get them. The feds should offer out loans and incentive directly like they do for education.
yeah it can be daunting, agree. I've actually been thinking about creating a guide for how to get started and progress through it while being as fiscally responsible as possible. Thanks for the feedback, more to come...