Bluetti EP800 Provides Whole Home-Outage Power With Off-Grid Solar Flexibility

This content was paid for by Bluetti and created by SlashGear.

Bluetti is launching a new Energy Storage System, and the EP800 promises flexibility for surviving power outages, help in saving money on monthly electricity bills, and even the potential for going completely off-grid without sacrificing creature comforts. While it may look like the existing Bluetti EP900, the new EP800 has some key differences intended to make it the go-to system for those wanting a fast way to add battery storage to their home or business.

Launched earlier in 2023, the Bluetti EP900 Energy Storage System promises breakthrough flexibility. It supports both on-grid and off-grid connections, a whopping 9,000 watts of output with sub-10ms switchover speed, and the broadest flexibility with solar panel installations.

Not every home needs an on-grid system, however, and there are some significant advantages to opting for a pure off-grid system. Arguably the most convincing is the ability to skip the inspection and paperwork processes involved in installing a system that's hooked up to the main power grid. Instead, Bluetti says, an EP800 Energy Storage System can be up and running in a matter of hours.

Part of that flexibility is down to the same B500 batteries as Bluetti uses for the EP900 system. These modular packs each provide a hefty 4,960 Wh, and an EP800 installation supports two or four of them. That way, you get between 9,920 Wh to 19,840 Wh of battery capacity.

For charging those batteries up, Bluetti offers 9,000 watts of solar input support, courtesy of dual MPPT charge controllers. The EP800 will work with any DC-coupled solar panel installation — more efficient and with less energy loss than AC-coupled setups — and the whole Energy Storage System is NEMA 4X rated so that it can be located outside without concerns around weather resilience.

In fact, Bluetti says, the aluminum alloy-clad B500 batteries can be stacked vertically rather than wall-mounted like many rivals demand. Simple hooks and screws are used to assemble the whole system, and if it is installed indoors, the EP800's sub-50dB operating volume should leave it all but unnoticeable — right up until it's needed.

When the power does go out, however, it takes under 20 ms for a switch from a grid connection to the EP800's battery. There's up to 7,600 watts of output, with support for 120V and 240V dual voltage, all monitored in Bluetti's app. From there, it's possible to track power consumption and generation, change settings remotely via WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and install over-the-air (OTA) system updates.

A Bluetti EP800 and two B500 batteries could keep a typical refrigerator running for four days: or, double that with four B500 batteries. With a four battery pack system, the EP800 could keep all the key household appliances going during a sustained outage. For example, Bluetti says, that could mean a 200W freezer for 3.5 days, a 500W washer for over a day, and still run a 2,000W electric oven for eight hours.

Since you definitely want to know your Energy Storage System is ready and waiting to kick in at a moment's notice, Bluetti provides a ten-year warranty. The B500 uses LiFePO4 batteries, which have at least a ten-year lifespan, as well as being more environmentally-friendly and efficient than prior battery chemistry types.

Adding to that, the onboard battery management system controls for things like short circuits and overcharging, while also adjusting charging rates according to current temperatures and other weather conditions. For those not keen on installing the EP800 themselves, Bluetti has a global installation team that can, optionally, fit the whole system.

Even if you don't have solar panels installed yet, the EP800 has alternative charging options. Support for charging it with a gas generator, for example, makes it straightforward to run the generator during the day, and then shut it off at night for peace & quiet without going without power. Peak-Load-Shifting automatically prioritizes free solar energy (if available) or low-cost off-peak grid energy to recharge the B500 batteries.

The EP800's stored power needn't be saved for an outage, either: instead, a home could switch over to the Energy Storage System's batteries during times when power from the electricity grid is more expensive. For homes or businesses located where grid power isn't available, a combination of solar panels and the EP800 system could deliver the energy freedom of off-grid living.

The Bluetti EP800 Energy Storage System will be priced from $5,999, and will be available from September 15. With the Bluetti Energy Freedom Program, a free 30 day trial of the EP800 system is available: 30 households with monthly bills over $100 can apply to take part, either returning the system after a month or keeping it with a 40% discount. Applications for the trial are being taken now.