Apex 300 Power Input Question

Product Discussion BLUETTI Apex & AC Series
1

I have an Apex 300 which I’m using to power a transfer switch. Although I’m on 240VAC North American split phase, the transfer switch is wired for purely 120VAC circuits. I’m powering the transfer switch using the NEMA 14-50 output on the Apex 300, which goes to a TT-30 adapter to the transfer switch. The Apex is set for 120VAC mode, because in testing it seems this mode allows the full 30A power on either combination of L1 or L2.

In any case, my question - I have three choices for how to wire the power input to the Apex300:

I’m running the Apex in 30A / 120VAC mode, I’m curious which would be the best option? I don’t quite understand how the power input circuitry works, so I can imagine that 30A @ 120V might be better than 50A @ 240VAC (since that would only be 25A per leg).

Advice?

1 Like
2

You need to use the tt-30 to PO90A cable. You will get 3840 watts of input.
Is your transfer switch a 120v or 240v? I think 120v.
You only get 16 amps when when in 240 amp mode with one Apex. You get 32 amps in 120v mode.
You can use the plug you have, it just takes the 240v output down to 120v output. You will not get 240v with this setup on the transfer switch. So if you do not need 240v you are good to go.

1 Like
3

@pjcar55 thank you:

  • the transfer switch is a Reliance 306 which has a L 14-30 input wired in split phase (L1, L2). However, all of my circuits on this switch are actually just wired at 120V (half of the breakers on L1, the other half on L2)
  • At first, I had the the Apex300 set to 240VAC mode, but apparently this limits L1 or L2 to 16A maximum. As a result, if I pulled more than 16A on either L1 or L2, it was browning out.

Set to 120V mode, it bridges the L1 and L2 output and seems to give up to 32A combined, which works better - for example, I can run a microwave oven and tea kettle at the same time now.

Your suggestion to use the TT30-P050A cable is for input is logical and makes sense.

I’m just wondering if anyone has actually tested this combination, and how it compares to using the 14-50 to P050A input, when the Apex is in 120V mode?

1 Like
4

The Apex needs to be in 240v mode and set to fast charging to get input from . On one Apex it does not matter what cable you use because it can only pull up to 3840 watts. Also make sure your amp setting in advanced mode is set to 32 amps or a little less.