How often do you actually use the 9.6 kw pro power on board?

[Rthol21]

I can't get the color I want and the 9.6 kw option

Just curious if many of you ended up using it. Initially I was hoping to use the 7.2 kw outlet to backup my house in a power loss event, but I am now getting powerwalls due to great incentives. Still, I was hoping to have this as a backup backup option if my powerwalls mess up or get depleted and my solar panels are completely covered by snow.

Other than that I am not sure if I would use it much, but having a 240v outlet on hand seems cool. Though I'd probably use it for bitcoin mining before I use it with any tools haha. I'm likely not going to tow and trailers or RVs too, though it does sound cool (if we get serious about camping we'll probably just start with a truck cap and mattress or something since it's just 2 of us)

Not a single time and I have had mine since 10/22. It was a nice selling point though lol.

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[tnugentfl]

I don't need it often, but when I do, it's invaluable.

 

[Hammick]

Our Lighting Lariat ER powers our house every single day that It's in town. Will save about $1,500 a year on our electric bills and makes me feel a little better about how quickly the value of my truck dropped. Initially just planned to use it for power outages but it power's the majority of our home so effortlessly we use it daily.

 

[Hammick]

How big is your AC? I've got a 5 ton unit and put a soft start on it. I was very very close to getting the AC to start. If you've got anything less than a 5 ton - for less than $300 you can add a soft start to it and I would be you'd be able to run the AC.

With the rest of the house off I could also power the oven and clothes dryer one at a time. The only thing I'm missing is my AC. I would love it if I had two smaller units. I considered it when we remodeled, but it just didn't work out.

I can power our 5 ton Lennox Signature AC as it has a true variable inverter. I cannot power our 4 ton upstairs Lennox Unit that has a traditional compressor. I don't plan to put a soft start on the 4 ton because there is no way I could run them both at the same time.

 

[Howard_Scott_Warshaw]

As others have stated, the 9+ kW option is only available through the HIS. the 7+ kW option is through the 30A 240V receptacle in the bed. I've used that a backup my house, backup moms house, and charge other EVs.

I use the outlets probably ever other time when driving. From charging a laptop, charging drone batteries, charging the batteries for my electric chainsaw or string trimmer, etc, I'm baffled why more manufactures aren't plastering the interior of their EVs with 120V receptacles.

The 30A generator receptacle is too inexpensive to NOT do it.

 

[invertedspear]

I've used it to power my fridge and chest freezer as well as a few other items during a half day scheduled power outage. I've also used it for outdoor work as it's a far more convenient outlet to run tools from than the house outlets.

Intended future uses: Powering the yet to be purchased RV. Running the sound system lights and bounce house for the neighborhood block parties.

The fact is that I don't use it that often, and nothing I use it for or intend to use it for wouldn't be able to be handled by a generator, but I would use a generator so rarely I'd never buy one. So it's nice to have it bundled into the truck.

 

[Dr. Hillbilly]

I use mine almost every day. I am building a retirement cottage off-grid and the Lightning powers an air compressor, a welder, miter-saw, radial arm saw, and all of the small tools.
Next week I hope to connect a 3-phase milling machine via VFD (5hp)

 

[Effonefiddy Lightning]

I use it to backup my house. Only needed a handful of times so far, but has easily been worth it.

Does anybody have a link to how exactly this thing works? I plug I plugged my truck into my house and the truck's breaker trips every time. Also, when I run the test. It detects a ground fault with nothing plugged in what's up with that.?

 

[Mach Turtle]

Depending on where you live in California, this thread may show a workable solution for you.

If you've already seen the thread, please ignore this message.

 

[SDSean]

Our Lighting Lariat ER powers our house every single day that It's in town. Will save about $1,500 a year on our electric bills and makes me feel a little better about how quickly the value of my truck dropped. Initially just planned to use it for power outages but it power's the majority of our home so effortlessly we use it daily.

I was perusing threads, and just noticed this quote above. . . @Hammick if you're still around, I'm curious when you say, "powers your house every single day" what do you mean? Are you using the Home Integration System and just throwing your breaker? Or using your plugs from the truck?
I am curious about the details of your setup. . .

 

[K6CCC]

When I bought my Lightning 5 weeks ago, I specifically wanted the 9.6KW Pro Power. As I told the sales guy, I may not use it all that often, but will definitely use it at times.

Used the front inverter just a few days later to power tools at one 2 way radio site while we were doing some maintenance on the site generator. First time to use the rear inverter was 10 days later. The 2-way radio site in the profile photo had an extended duration utility power outage - and the generator would not start. EVERYTHING at the site except the air conditioning runs off a 4,400 AH 12 volt battery system. There are eight 55 amp battery chargers. We brought up two 2KW Honda generators - each powering one charger, but when I was on site to refuel the generators, I was able to power most of the remaining chargers from the inverters for an hour which added a bunch more power into the battery.

I have used one or the other several more times - including powering tools while installing my FCSP...

 

[Hammick]

I was perusing threads, and just noticed this quote above. . . @Hammick if you're still around, I'm curious when you say, "powers your house every single day" what do you mean? Are you using the Home Integration System and just throwing your breaker? Or using your plugs from the truck?
I am curious about the details of your setup. . .

Here is a copy and paste describing our setup. Been working great for about 18 months.

"When I installed our transfer switch last September the plan was just to have it for backup. Then it morphed into powering our house from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm when our utility rates skyrocket (we are on the EV time of use plan so have the highest peak rates). Once I discovered that the Lightning would power our 5 ton AC and could go several days powering our house without charging we started turning on the Pro Power every morning we are in town.

Our transfer switch is kind of a Unicorn. It's automatic and switches the neutral and has a switch for instant transfer or 30 second delay. It's only 50 amps but that has not been a problem. Basically it's designed for a 50a Class A RV.

We have identical dual panels since we finished the basement 14 years ago. The transfer switch feeds the sub panel with a 50a breaker. The sparse sub panel is now full and the main panel is sparse. We are powering our entire house from the lightning with the exception of our 4 ton upstairs AC system, dryer and a handful of mostly unused outlets and lights.

With the Lightning ground connected to the transfer switch we would get periodic ground faults at the lightning when our 5 ton AC breaker was on. This AC unit is inverter driven and full variable which is the only reason the Lightning can run it. I went through the wiring completely and it is correct, tight, no bugs and no moisture. However, these Inverter units are much different than a tradition AC so no idea why it can cause the Lightning to ground fault. The Lightning cannot start our conventional 4 ton unit.

I finally gave up and dropped the Lightning ground at the transfer switch. All we have to do in the morning is remove the charger, turn on the truck/Pro Power and done. My wife does it most days at about 6:15 am before she makes coffee. Alexa reminds us every night to reverse the procedure.

I am at peace with removing the ground for the reasons stated by others above. Truck is in our attached garage.

When my wife retires in a few years we are selling and moving somewhere with mountains and low humidity. I will remove the transfer switch and move the breakers back to the main panel.

If you came into our house you would have no idea it wasn't running on grid power.

From Midnight to 6:00 am the grid powers our home and charges our EVs at 2 cents per kw in the winter and 3 cents per kw in the summer. On the rare occasion that we have an extended power outage we have backup power on par with super expensive Generac install.

We like sleeping in a cool environment so in the summer our programable thermostats blast all floors with cool AC from Midnight to 6:00 am at .03 cents per kw. Even on 100 degree days our house stays nice and cool until mid afternoon. Then main AC kicks on powered by the Lightning.

Our retirement home will be much smaller, much nicer and much better built. It will have V2L and whatever truck or powered RV trailer is capable of powering it. For now I love our inexpensive system (obviously ignoring the cost of the Lightning).

DISCLAIMER: Don't even think about putting in your own transfer switch unless you have experience working in main breaker panels with hot utility power."

 

[SDSean]

So long story short, your doing your own load shifting by flipping your own switch manually. . .I have that right? I was debating on something similar which is why I asked. I do have the home integration kit, and it's worked for me the 2 times the power has went out, but. . . I really want load shifting and I'm becoming increasingly concerned that SunRun alone is not going to be able to meet my needs as currently I can install my own batteries / powerwalls either (since they say they don't know how to do it after an HIS is already there).

 

[Hammick]

So long story short, your doing your own load shifting by flipping your own switch manually. . .I have that right? I was debating on something similar which is why I asked. I do have the home integration kit, and it's worked for me the 2 times the power has went out, but. . . I really want load shifting and I'm becoming increasingly concerned that SunRun alone is not going to be able to meet my needs as currently I can install my own batteries / powerwalls either (since they say they don't know how to do it after an HIS is already there).

I'm using the automatic transfer switch below. So all we have to do is go out to the garage and turn PPOB on/off. I was getting a ground fault even though I believe my transfer switch lifts the neutral so I just disconnected the truck's ground from my transfer switch. I know the risks and am comfortable with our setup. I call it the "poor man's solar". I have less $300 in my setup if you ignore the cost of the Lightning.


https://www.amazon.com/Transfer-Bri...XZYZ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[ytwytw]

I used it daily to charge my ecoflow in the cab
The ecoflow powers the mini fridge and starlink

I wish every ev can have it

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