Real-World Home Power Backup Options Using F-150 Lightning

[Acacia1731]

Here’s another option, allowing a generator hookup to a single circuit. Worked great to run my furnace (which I needed because my main panel won’t support a normal interlock).

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...rnace-blower-using-ez-generator-switch.13133/

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[JC688]

Realistically, how much more power does option A/B provide vs option C? Both are 9.6 kw, option A is 37.5 amps and option C is 30 amps. Automatic transfer switch is not important to me.

 

[phildickerson]

Hey folks!! It took me a while to get my home power situation figured out, but yesterday, I was able to use Option E - hooking the Pro Power Onboard to a generator inlet. I thought it might be useful to share that experience, so here goes!

We are having solar installed, so it was a good time to address using the Lightning. I had already decided against SunRun because I already have an EV charger (non-Ford) and I already had 14 solar panels.

What we added is another dozen or so panels, but this time with a Tesla Gateway and two PowerWall batteries. All of that was in the range of double what SunRun would've cost, but i would only have gotten the Ford integration. Anyway, decided to go with a more typical solar system and use the Lightning as a backup to the backup.

So, what we had done was very, very simple. A generator inlet leads to a breaker in the main panel. That breaker has an interlock so that the main must be shut off to use the generator inlet. Bought a 25-ft generator cord, which goes from the Lightning to the inlet.

Immediately got the ground fault when all this was hooked up. But, in other threads on this forum, it was suggested to remove the ground pin. My electrician thought about that for a few minutes and decided it was safe and reasonable. That made everything work!

I was able to watch the Pro Power screen and see the wattage draw in realtime as we switched things on in the main panel.

Frankly, I do not know if it is code compliant, but, my electrician felt it was perfectly safe. He even pointed out that the Tesla Gateway works the same way, in that it has no earth ground and relies upon the main panel to provide a ground. He reasoned that the Lightning is acting as the Tesla Gateway when I use it.

Do note, this is not an automated solution. I will have to flip breakers to use the truck and I may have to turn off the Tesla Gateway. We are awaiting the inspector before I can really jump in and play with it.

 

[v2h8484]

He even pointed out that the Tesla Gateway works the same way, in that it has no earth ground and relies upon the main panel to provide a ground. He reasoned that the Lightning is acting as the Tesla Gateway when I use it.

That's an invalid comparison. The Lightning is an actual power source not a gateway. A more valid comparison would be Lightning vs Powewall.

 

[phildickerson]

Yes, I see your point! He was comparing the grounding of the Gateway versus the Lightning, saying that neither has an actual earth ground. But, they are very, very different devices, for sure! I think he was trying to provide a non-earth-grounded example and we were standing right by the Gateway.

All that said, I bet the PowerWalls are also not earth grounded, but I don't know that for sure!

 

[abel408]

Like @Joneii I have two Delta-Pro's with two extra batteries, and a smart home panel for key circuit backup in the house, but I still want to take advantage of the trucks 30 amp output to replenish the DP's

Hey @TaxmanHog . I hate to bring up an old thread, but I'm doing some research on this and really like the idea of Eco Flows smart control kit apired with the eco flow delta pros. Do you know if it's possible to charge the delta pros with the lightning while they are supplying power to the house?

 

[TaxmanHog]

Hey @TaxmanHog . I hate to bring up an old thread, but I'm doing some research on this and really like the idea of Eco Flows smart control kit paired with the ecoflow delta pros. Do you know if it's possible to charge the delta pros with the lightning while they are supplying power to the house?

I have not finished the setup yet, waiting on some assistance from my licensed electrician nephew to install the smart home panel [SHP], for now I use each DP/EB pair separately, one backs up the kitchen fridge the other the oil fired steam boiler.

I anticipate issues with the bonded neutral on the main load center where the SHP's 30 amp 240 feeder/sense will complicate the setup, so my plan is to run the critical loads through the SHP drawing on one DP & EB group, while keeping the second pair offline (disconnected) from the infinity cable, then feed it with power from the Lightning with a dedicated 20 amp 120 circuit from the trucks bed. I can trade either pair back and forth as needed for long term outages.

With winter only 6-8 weeks away, I need to get this project wrapped up.

 

[abel408]

I have not finished the setup yet, waiting on some assistance from my licensed electrician nephew to install the smart home panel [SHP], for now I use each DP/EB pair separately, one backs up the kitchen fridge the other the oil fired steam boiler.

I anticipate issues with the bonded neutral on the main load center where the SHP's 30 amp 240 feeder/sense will complicate the setup, so my plan is to run the critical loads through the SHP drawing on one DP & EB group, while keeping the second pair offline (disconnected) from the infinity cable, then feed it with power from the Lightning with a dedicated 20 amp 120 circuit from the trucks bed. I can trade either pair back and forth as needed for long term outages.

With winter only 6-8 weeks away, I need to get this project wrapped up.

Thanks for that information. Seems like a much more affordable way to using the lightning to power your house and has the advantage of keeping the house powered if you have to use the truck. Only downside is having to swap Delta Pros every now and then. I assume the Delta Pros don't support passthrough charging when being used to provide power to the SHP? I was hoping to plug the lightning into the Delta Pro to charge while the using the same Delta Pro to provide power to the SHP.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Thanks for that information. Seems like a much more affordable way to using the lightning to power your house and has the advantage of keeping the house powered if you have to use the truck. Only downside is having to swap Delta Pros every now and then. I assume the Delta Pros don't support passthrough charging when being used to provide power to the SHP? I was hoping to plug the lightning into the Delta Pro to charge while the using the same Delta Pro to provide power to the SHP.

In that scenario, the DP might think the grid has been restored and switch to pass-through mode, at which time energy (still coming from the Lightning) will charge the Delta pro's [DP], but the pass through relays would have nothing coming from the grid to send to my loads.

Setting up a critical loads sub panel will solve several issues, it won't have a bonded neutral, avoiding a GFCI trip on the truck, my critical loads (hot, ground and neutrals) will be in the subpanel, as well as a 240v breaker to feed the two DP's with charging current.

Then an automatic transfer switch routing the grid feed to the sub panel, but when grid goes down the switch will transfer to the Lightning if/when it's connected to PPOB or my propane generator.

This would allow me to intermittently connect the Lightning when parked to help supply current to the critical loads and a charging current back to the DP's for the next period when the truck is not available (being driven). 7.2kw should be sufficient run my critical loads and supply a charging current to the DP's.

Sounds like a lot of work, I'm not 100% certain I will go this route trying to integrate the Lightning into the DP system.

 

[EvilUser007]

RE: Lightning and Sol-Ark Generator input:
I received an quick, detailed and awesome response from Sol-Ark Support. FWIW here is the options as they laid them out.




1. Understand the "Floating Neutral"

• A floating neutral means the neutral conductor is not bonded to the ground inside the generator (the truck in this case). This configuration avoids potential grounding conflicts when connected to an existing electrical system.
• The Sol-Ark inverter expects a bonded neutral-ground connection when operating in generator mode.

​

2. Use a Transfer Switch

• A manual or automatic transfer switch is crucial for isolating your home from the utility grid when running off the truck generator. This prevents backfeeding into the grid, which is both illegal and dangerous.
• The transfer switch will manage the connection between the generator (truck) and your home's electrical system.

​

3. Neutral-Ground Bonding Plug (if required)

• If the Sol-Ark detects a "floating neutral," it may trigger a warning or fail to detect the generator. You can address this by using a neutral-ground bonding plug:
  
  • What it is: A simple plug that connects the neutral and ground at the generator’s outlet.
  • How to make one: Use a male plug (NEMA 5-15P or similar) and connect the neutral (silver terminal) to the ground (green terminal) inside the plug with a short wire.
  • Insert the bonding plug into one of the 120V outlets on the truck.

​

4. Wiring the NEMA 14-30L Plug

• The truck’s 14-30L receptacle outputs:
  
  • Two hot legs (L1 and L2) providing 240V.
  • Neutral.
  • Ground.
• For the Sol-Ark input, you need to wire the plug as follows:
  
  • L1 and L2: Connect the two hot legs from the truck to the corresponding input terminals on the Sol-Ark.
  • Neutral: Connect the neutral to the neutral terminal on the Sol-Ark.
  • Ground: Connect the ground to the ground terminal on the Sol-Ark.

​

5. Verify Grounding

• The Sol-Ark should have a proper ground connection to your home’s grounding system.
• Ensure the generator ground from the truck is either connected directly to the home grounding electrode system (via the Sol-Ark) or properly isolated if required by local codes.

​

6. Testing the Setup

• Before energizing, verify all connections with a multimeter to ensure there are no shorts or miswiring.
• Test the generator mode on the Sol-Ark with a light load to confirm proper operation.

​

7. Safety and Compliance

• Cutting off grounding pins or bypassing safety mechanisms is unsafe and against electrical codes. Always use properly rated and listed equipment.
• Consult a licensed electrician to ensure your setup complies with local codes and standards.

​

Let me know if you'd like diagrams or further clarification on any steps!





Francisco Moreno


Level 2 Technical Support Specialist

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