Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station (6000W Output / 3840Wh Capacity)

Nowadays, our lives depend on electricity and technology more than ever before. From lighting and home appliances like fridges, ovens and microwaves to AC units and thermostats, just about all our devices rely on electric power. This means that whenever a power outage occurs, all your electrical appliances immediately stop working, and soon after your battery-powered devices also run out of power. However, by having a backup power solution like a portable power station you can ensure that your home doesn’t run out of power during unexpected power outages or other emergency situations. These devices consist of powerful battery-powered systems that provide you with a backup source of electricity on demand, allowing you to keep all your appliances and personal devices powered up and running when access to electricity isn’t available. Plus, they’re also considerably better environmentally-friendly alternatives to gas or diesel-powered generators, as they have a quiet operation and don’t emit harmful fumes in contrast to those other options. And while most portable power stations are designed for powering just a couple devices at once, battery technology has improved a lot over the last few years, meaning that some backup power solutions can now be used to power up an entire home. That’s exactly what the newly released Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station has to offer.

The Anker SOLIX F3800 is a heavy-duty portable power station and home backup power system powered by a high-capacity LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery pack rated to have a 3840Wh capacity that’s expandable up to 26900Wh, a long-lasting battery life of 3,000 charge cycles up to 80% capacity and a 6000W power output with 120V/240V split-phase output and a 9000W peak. The power station also integrates a built-in LCD display screen and multiple connection panels featuring 3 UPS AC and 3 standard AC outputs (120V/20A), NEMA 14-50 and L14-30R AC outlets (120~240V/25A) that can respectively be used to charge an EV or power an RV, 3 USB-C (5-20V/3~5A) and 2 USB-A (5V/2.4A) outputs, and a car charger output (12V/10A), along with an AC input (120V/12~15A), Dual Solar and Car input ports (12VDC/10A) through which it accepts up to 2400W of solar input, allowing for a charge of 0 to 80% in just 1.5 hours by sunlight, plus an expansion battery port for expanding the system’s battery capacity and a Home Panel Power Port for using it as a standalone backup power system via AC coupling.

Its battery supports 3 different recharging methods including via home electricity, via car charging, or via the kit’s optional 400W solar panel, and also features Smart Temperature Monitoring. The system also boasts Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for pairing it with the Anker App, through which you can easily control and monitor energy usage and also maximize your energy savings through its settings, which offer you 3 efficient energy modes including Self-Consumption, Time-Of-Use and Automatic Backup modes.

Designed to be more capable than any other portable power station on the market, the SOLIX F3800 offers maximum power with minimal effort. Best of all, it can even be used as a standalone battery backup power system all by itself for powering your entire home by pairing it with the grid.

Below you can find our hands-on review of the Anker SOLIX F3800, where we go over everything that this heavy-duty portable power station has to offer you.

DESIGN & SPECS

Starting with the power station’s size, the Anker SOLIX F3800 comes at a relatively large size, measuring exactly 15.3 inches long by 15.6 inches wide by 27.6 inches tall. Plus, the unit also has some weight to it, as it weighs exactly 132.3 lbs.

Despite its somewhat bulky dimensions, this portable power station is still designed with portability in mind. For that, it comes equipped with an EasyTow retractable telescopic handle integrated at its back side that allows you to pull it and transport it around with ease, plus four (x4) wheels – two small swivel caster wheels at the front and two large rugged wheels at the back – that allow it to be transported through rough terrain such as gravel or even grass.

Its wheels also come equipped with brake latches that enable you to lock its wheels in place to prevent the unit from moving and ensure it remains stationary.

In addition, this portable power station also integrates a built-in carrying handle at the front and a secondary carrying handle integrated between its two swivel wheels (revealed by carefully laying the unit flat on its back) that allow it to be carried by two people if necessary.

The Anker SOLIX F3800 also features a gorgeous, ultra-modern design that seamlessly blends in with any room in your home, no matter if you set it up in your garage or even in your living room or kitchen.

More importantly, this portable power station also packs a high-quality and sturdy construction, that enables it to be used both indoors as well as outdoors, as its entire outer shell is built of highly durable plastic materials.

The same can also be said about its 400W solar panel, the Anker SOLIX PS400 Portable Solar Panel (can be purchased together with the power station or separately), which is rated to have a IP67 waterproof design, meaning it can withstand dust and harsh weather conditions like heavy rain.

The power station’s 400W solar panel also integrates a kickstand that provides 3 angle adjustments (at 40°, 50°, or 60°) that allow you to adjust the solar panel to the right angle for maximum sunlight exposure.

INTERFACE / CONTROL PANEL

Moving on to the Anker SOLIX F3800’s interface, meaning its control and connection panel, which has a simple and user-friendly layout all around.

Starting at the front side of the unit, we have a built-in LCD display screen that provides all the information related to the power station’s status. This includes its estimated remaining battery life (at the top-left) based on its current power output, current battery capacity percentage (at the center), current power output in Watts (at the top-right), and all of its currently used connectivity options (at the bottom). Sitting at the right of its LCD display there’s a Display button to turn its LCD display On or Off, plus an IoT button at the left of its LCD display.

Integrated directly below its LCD display there are also 3 USB-C (5V/3A — 9V/3A — 15V/3A — 20V/3A — 20V/5A) that can deliver up to 100W per port and 2 USB-A (5V/2.4A) outputs that can deliver up to 12W per port, along with a car charger output (12V/10A) and a car charging button integrated at the left side of its LCD display, and the unit’s dedicated Power On/Off button.

Then, at the right side of the power station, there’s another connection panel. Right at the top, there’s a NEMA 14-50 and L14-30R AC outlets (120~240V/25A at 60Hz) that can respectively be used to charge an EV or power an RV with up to 6000W of output power.

Slightly below those NEMA ports, there are also 3 UPS AC and 3 standard AC outputs (120V/20A), for which its 3 UPS AC output ports boast full uninterrupted power supply (UPS) capability with less than 20ms to switch. That said, vital electrical appliances that require large electricity loads and also need fast power switching can be safely connected to the unit’s UPS AC outlets. There are also 2 Overcharge Protection buttons for all of these outlets.

Finally, at the left side of the power station, there’s a connection panel dedicated solely to all of its input ports. Starting at the center, we have the power station’s primary AC input (120V/12~15A) and also Dual Solar and Car input ports (12VDC/10A) through which the system accepts up to 2400W of solar input by using the included MC4 to XT-60 extension cables.

At the very top of this connection panel there’s also a Home Panel Power Port that allows for the power station to be used as a standalone backup power system via AC coupling when connected to the Anker SOLIX Home Power Panel (sold separately). This solution seamlessly integrates with the Anker SOLIX F3800 to power your home by having it draw power from your town’s electric grid and also through rooftop solar power.

Lastly, at the bottom of this connection panel there’s also an expansion battery port for expanding the system’s battery capacity

We’d also like to note that all of the power station’s connection panels are equipped with large ventilation grids and are also directly connected to its internal fans, which ensures efficient cooling even when using it at its maximum power capacity.

CONNECTIVITY

For establishing a wireless connection with its mobile app, the Anker SOLIX F3800 utilizes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE

For its power, this heavy-duty portable power station comes equipped with a high-capacity LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery pack comprised of a large array of EV-Class LFP battery cells, for which its battery pack boasts a total of 3840Wh capacity, a long-lasting battery life of 3,000 charge cycles up to 80% capacity and is rated to have a 10-year lifespan.

The power station’s 3840Wh battery can deliver 6000W of output power and also features 120V/240V split-phase output, meaning that it can be powering several home appliances and battery powered devices at once. Nevertheless, the system is ultimately capable of handling up to 9000W of peak surge power.

It’s also worth mentioning that the system has a very quiet operation, even when running at medium-to-high battery capacity.

Furthermore, while the system’s default power capacity stands at 6000W output, its total battery capacity can ultimately be expanded all the way up to 26900Wh by using a total of six (x6) Anker SOLIX BP3800 expansion batteries (sold separately).

If you need even more output power than that you can always pair the system with a second Anker SOLIX F3800 Power Station and six (x6) more SOLIX BP3800 batteries for a whopping total of 53800Wh.

As for recharging the system’s battery, users can choose between three (x3) different recharging methods including via home electricity (through its main AC input) via car charging or via its 400W solar panel (both via its Dual Solar and Car input ports).

When charging it via AC power, the power station takes approximately 2.7 hours for its battery to go from 0% to 100% power.

When charging the SOLIX F3800 with its 400W solar panel, it will take approximately 1.5 hours for its battery to charge from 0% to 80% power.

What’s more is that the system’s battery also features a Smart Temperature Monitoring function, for which it immediately alerts users through its mobile app if its battery pack is ever detected to start overheating.

OUR TEST

As part of our testing, we plugged in a 16-inch MacBook Pro (which is rated to have a consumption of 99.6 Watt-hours) and a secondary monitor, as well as the PreSonus Eris 5BT 2nd Gen Studio Monitors (120V voltage), the Bruvi BV-01 Brewer (also 120V voltage), and the Epson Perfection V39 Scanner (2.5W consumption) (all of which we reviewed not so long ago), while also using the power station to recharge some of our family’s mobile devices at the same time, including a Google Pixel 5 smartphone and a 10th-gen iPad.

At 100% capacity, the power station’s battery estimated that it would last a few days with that consistent load before running out of power. That said, you can expect the power station to go through around 4-10% battery consumption per day to power up and run your everyday devices.

We then ran a second test, where GadgetGram’s very own Editor-in-Chief David Novak used the power station to try recharging his Tesla, which leverages a 82Kw/h battery pack.

At 100% capacity, the power station’s battery can provide this Tesla with about 10 to 15 miles of range in emergency situations, which is quite awesome.

THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The Anker App

To control the SOLIX F3800’s operation remotely and ensure an efficient power-usage of its battery, users can install the Anker App on their smartphone, which can be downloaded for free for both iOS and Android devices.

Via the Anker App, users can easily control and monitor the energy usage of the power station’s battery.

Additionally, the app also allows users to maximize their energy savings through its settings, for which you’re offered three (x3) different efficient energy modes, which include:

• Self-Consumption Mode – This mode is designed for having the system draw its power from grid-tied solar panels during the day to either charge the power station or have it power your home.
• Time-Of-Use Mode – This mode is ideal for saving money on electricity costs by setting a peak schedule. When enabled, the power station only recharges when energy prices are low, and then powers your home when energy prices are high.
• Automatic Backup Mode – This mode is mostly suited for when power outages occur, for which the power station will automatically switch to backup power for up to 12 circuits.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

Inside their package users will find: their Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station, an AC charging cable, a 400W solar panel (if purchased together) plus a 9.84 ft. (3m) XT-60 to XT-60 solar charging cable and a MC4 solar charging connector, and a user manual.

FINAL THOUGHTS

All in all, this heavy-duty portable power station is a game-changer for any homeowner. It excels in output power, battery capacity, and both quality-of-life and safety functions, providing a reliable backup power solution with an exceptional performance across the board. Its battery life is utterly impressive, as it outlasts almost any other device you can think of, allowing you to go about your day without the constant need to recharge it, making it a must-have for any person with a busy lifestyle. On top of that, its performance is just as remarkable. The whole system runs smoothly without any hiccups and it’s noticeably quiet, especially when accounting for how much output power it can actually deliver.

In short, the Anker SOLIX F3800 is an outstanding option for anyone that needs a dependable and ultra-efficient portable power station and home backup power system, making it a wise investment for those who want a backup power solution for their home.

If you’re interested in purchasing it, know that the standalone unit (i.e. without a solar panel) is currently discounted from its normal price or $3,999, and is now going for $2,799 (saves you $1200). Each purchase also comes accompanied by a 5-Year Warranty. You can order it online either directly from Anker’s official shopping page, or alternatively, you can get it from Amazon if you’d prefer.

ACCESSORIES’ PRINCING OPTIONS

You can also add a solar panel to the power station, for which the set is currently being sold under a limited-time discount at $3,099 down from its regular price of $4,898 (saves you $1799).

Customers also have the option to further expand the system’s capabilities by adding the SOLIX Home Power Panel, an expansion battery, or even a second power station at an increased cost.