Hands On With Anker's New Solix F3800 Portable Power Station

The Solix F3800 from Anker is a beast. It's so heavy it needs its own wheels and luggage handle to move it around.

It stores 6000W of power that you can send out to standard 110V devices and a couple of appliance-style ports that serve electricity at 240V. Imagine plugging in your washer/dryer, or even your EV (more on that later) directly into the power station, and you'll see the appeal.

The base unit provides 3.84kWh, though you can expand that to 26.9kWh with up to 6 more (also heavy) expansion batteries. If you have a second F3800, you can chain together both base units and 12 expansion batteries for any doomsday prepper's dream setup.

And, if you're even greener than most, you can use the F3800's 2,400W solar input, which Anker says will make the sun give you a charge of 0 to 80% in just one and a half hours.

Using the Anker Solix F3800

Having the Solix F3800 in my house for a couple of weeks has me thinking about all kinds of use cases, from extreme backups in emergencies to a portable phone charging station.

I did try to power my EV up directly, which Anker says is possible via the NEMA 14-50 port, and it was exciting... for a minute. My EV, a Nisson Leaf, apparently pulls current at 27A, while the Solix F3800's breaker pops off at anything over 25 A. If your EV charges at a lower amperage, you'll likely be in luck. Just remember to activate EV charging mode by double-clicking the little button on the panel with all the plugs.

If you're looking to power your RV's electric systems, you'll want to check on the amperage requirements there, as well, but Anker says you can use the NEMA L14-30 port to do just that.

But then I started playing around with the unit and found all sorts of fun things. The Anker folks provide some great feedback on the power usage of your F3800 via the app as well as right on the display itself. I plugged in my refrigerator for several hours, ran my electric fireplace, and even plugged my entire entertainment center power strip into the power station, all to great effect.

Depending on the power draw, I can see being able to have heat, keep my food cold, and maybe even play video games for several hours if the power goes out. I even powered my electric grill for an entire meal, which is all kinds of cool.

I'm excited about the potential of powering the F3800 via the sun, but it will likely take quite a few solar panels angled directly at the sun for long periods to make it worth my while. Living in the Pacific Northwest might also make that a little iffy over time. Still, I got a little charge out of a little 100W solar panel that I adapted for the ports on the F3800. I got a 10% increase of stored power over about 6 hours on a sunny day, which isn't a lot, but it's something.

Expanding the Solix F3800

Anker was also kind enough to send along one of its 77-pound expansion batteries. The look matches the F3800, and it nestles nicely on top of the larger base unit, plugging in via a thick, fancy proprietary cable that looks like something out of a sci-fi flick.

It adds a significant amount of power storage to the F3800, too, which makes lifting it to the top of the base unit worth it. Once it's snugged in, the portable power generator is still easy to roll around on its wheels, though I did take off the expansion battery when using the luggage handle to get the base unit up and down stairs.

If you're looking to integrate an F3800 (or two), up to 12 expansion batteries, and solar power from the roof as a full home backup, you can grab the Anker Solix Home Panel and have it all ready to power your entire house in an emergency.

Now, I don't want or need a whole-home backup solution at this point; I live in a fairly robust suburban area. I like the idea of keeping the Solix F3800 plugged up in my garage and then using it occasionally for keeping our many devices powered up when camping or for the rare power outage to keep our phones and such charged. Maybe even back up the home network so we can keep abreast of any emergency situations via the internet or broadcast.

The Solix F3800 just makes me feel safer and more ready for a potential emergency. It's not the only solution you'll need if you want to keep your entire house powered for extended periods, but it's definitely part of a bigger solution. I'm a little bummed out that my EV pulls too much power on recharge, but honestly, I'd need a lot more expansion batteries to make it worth my time doing so, anyway.

Bottom line, if you want a seriously rugged portable power station for your home or RV that will let you keep essential equipment and appliances running during a short power outage, you'll want to check this out. At $3,499, it's not an impulse buy, but with the 10-year guarantee and expandability, the Anker Solix F3800 is a fantastic option to start your electric generator journey.