Off Grid wanting to ues AC300 to power home

Product Discussion BLUETTI AC Series
1

I two AC300’s and four B300 batteries. I would like to connect to a house panel and run my small house with this system. How do I do that?
I’m not connected to the grid. I’m hooking up solar panels.
What do I need in order to connect the system to a house panel?

1 Like
2

I would like to invite two old friends of the forum @hnymann and @Derceto to share how they built their AC300 systems under this thread. :smile:

2 Likes
3

Thank you for replaying to my question.
I look forward to learning what to do to attach the Bluetti system to my house.

4

Hi @slark,

You’ve got two AC300s and four B300s, and you’re thinking of wiring them directly into your house panel. Here’s what you need to consider before you start playing electrician.

The Basics:

  • Running 24/7 with AC OUT on? The AC300s will eat up 50-70W just to idle with AC out ON. Make sure your solar setup can cover that, or you’ll be draining batteries just to keep the lights on.
     

  • Energy audit: Do the math on your power needs, including that 50W idle consumption. It’s easy to underestimate and end up in the dark.
     

  • Test run: Before you plug into the panel, use extension cords to test your system. Figure out if your setup can handle the load before you go full Frankenstein.

Safety First:

  • GFCI and breakers: Get a good GFCI and make sure your panel has proper breakers (10 or 30mA). Don’t skip this unless you want your house to feature on a “What went wrong?” forum post.
     

  • Test the system: Simulate a fault (without electrocuting yourself) and make sure the GFCI and breakers trip as they should. Trust but verify.
     

  • Hot neutral and floating ground: Since you’re dealing with 230V, I know for a fact that testing both live and neutral against the ground will show 115V on each. That’s what we call a hot neutral. And with a floating ground, your system might not be properly earthed, which means your GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, aka RCD or ELCB) might not behave as expected. Double-check everything, because without these safety measures in place, you’re playing with fire—or worse, pulling a Claude François and turning yesterday’s solar power into today’s electrifying disaster.

Bottom Line:

Connecting the AC out plug directly into your breaker board isn’t something you should wing. Do your homework, test thoroughly, and make sure your safety systems are in place. Because if they fail, so does your off-grid dream—potentially in a very dramatic way.

Hot neutral, floating ground: If you’re dealing with 230V, your GFCI might not behave as expected. Double-check everything, or you might end up with more than just a shocking surprise.

3 Likes
5

All that being said, remember, you’re diving into some serious DIY territory here, so tread carefully.

What You’ll Need:

  • A heavy-duty AC power cable (rated for the current you plan to draw)
  • A male AC plug (one that matches your house panel voltage—likely 230V)
  • Screwdriver
  • Wire strippers
  • Insulating tape
  • Voltage tester

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Prep the Cable:
  • Cut the Cable to Length: Measure how much cable you’ll need to comfortably reach from your Bluetti system to your house panel.
  • Strip the Cable: Use your wire strippers to remove about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the outer insulation from one end of the cable. You should see three wires: live (brown or black), neutral (blue), and ground (green/yellow).
  1. Attach the Plug (continued):
  • Connect the Wires:
    • Live Wire: Connect the brown or black wire (live) to the terminal labeled “L” or “Live” inside the plug.
    • Neutral Wire: Connect the blue wire (neutral) to the terminal labeled “N” or “Neutral.”
    • Ground Wire: Connect the green/yellow wire (ground) to the terminal labeled with a ground symbol or “E” (Earth).
  • Secure the Wires: Make sure the wires are tightly screwed into their respective terminals. You don’t want any loose connections here—they can cause serious problems.
  • Close the Plug: Carefully screw the plug casing back together, making sure the cable is clamped securely to prevent any strain on the connections.
  1. Connect to the House Panel:
  • Locate the Input Circuit: Find the circuit in your house panel where you’ll be plugging in your AC cable. It should be an isolated circuit designed to handle the load you plan to draw.
  • Turn Off Power: Before doing anything, turn off the power to your house panel to avoid any nasty surprises.
  • Plug It In: Insert the AC plug into the corresponding socket on your house panel. Make sure the connection is firm and secure.
  1. Test the Setup:
  • Power Up: Turn the power back on and use a voltage tester to ensure everything is working as expected. Test the outlets in your house to make sure they’re receiving power from your Bluetti system.
  • Monitor for Issues: Keep an eye (and ear) out for any unusual sounds or smells—anything out of the ordinary means something’s not right, and you should shut everything down immediately to investigate.

Final Notes:

This method effectively turns your AC300’s output into a direct power source for your house panel. But remember, this is a temporary and potentially risky solution. Make sure all connections are secure, use a proper GFCI (RCD/ELCB), and don’t overload the system.

3 Likes
6

Derceto
That’s very in-depth. Thank you.
You said: “remember, this is a temporary and potentially risky solution”.
Why is it risky?

I don’t have the panel installed yet, it is sitting on the floor right now.
I think I’ll wire the house circuits and plug directly into the AC300’s for the time being.

My house is small and the interior is still in the rough in stage.
I could easily live on 10 circuits, would a AC300 Home integration kit work?

1 Like
7

On top of the grounding vs breakers/gfci topic, building codes require certain safety protocol when connecting an external power source to a house panel. Bypassing these codes can lead to non-compliance with local regulations, and in the event of damage or an accident, your insurance might not cover it if they find out you didn’t follow standard procedures.
 
When dealing with panel wiring, take your time to make sure every connection is tight and properly insulated. Double-check all connections, use the right tools, and don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you’re unsure. A solid connection today means avoiding catastrophic failures down the line.
Bad connections easily lead to overheating, voltage drops (equipment damage), arcing, wear & tear and more.
 
And about temporary: have a backup plan ready. You have two AC300 so that already extends the lifespan of the setup.
Bluetti generators of this size are “home backup” solutions, and while 24/7 operation is possible with those, you should keep in mind that even full-scale offgrid systems (like my Victron/Pylontech) have a lifespan of 10-20years; it’s heavy duty, meant for that sort of use and yet, inverters are likely to fail within 15 years (they’re the weak link).
I had an MPPT failure in a Victron after 12months, and it blew up the motherboards of 16 batteries.
This adds to my notion of “have a backup plan”.
In your case you have 2 AC300. Maybe add an AC200L that’s both powerful, and compatible with B300… and also compatible with AC300’s Voc.

5 Likes
8

@Derceto has already given some very good information and just maybe I can add a bit also. I will also state that I am not an electrician, certified or otherwise, although I do some electrical work at my own risk for myself. I am going based off some assumptions that I will show here. First that you have no grid power, so your main circuit panel will be powered only by your AC300 systems. Second is that the panel is properly installed and has correctly rated circuit breakers for your home circuits. Third that your panel is properly grounded, and has the neutral correctly bonded to the ground circuit only in that main circuit panel. Fourth that you will be using the Bluetti hardware to connect the two AC300s for 240 split phase output.

So the dual-AC300 system is effectively your “grid” source. Since the output of the AC300s is limited to 30 amps your main entrance breaker should also be a 30 amp 240 volt breaker. Referring to @Derceto 's instructions for the power connection cable, make a power connection from the main panel breaker to where you will have the AC300 split phase output plug, and use flexible cabling rated for at least 30 amps (maybe 50 if you ever think of upgrading to the AC500 at some point, and for lower heating in this cable). To use flexible cabling I am assuming the AC300 set up will be very near to the main panel. This will allow you to simply plug your house into the AC300 split phase output box.

There will be no need to ground the AC300s separately (and it would be bad to do so) since your house panel is properly grounded and bonded to neutral, so any GFCI breakers should work as intended.

Maximize your solar input and you should be all set to run your things in your home.

3 Likes
9

Hi hnymann

Thank you for weighing in on my post.
We will be installing the panel soon and yes it will be properly grounded. My brother wired his house and it turned out great. Once it’s wired I will be bringing in an electrician to look over my system before I switch it on.
Thank you again for also commenting.

1 Like
10

You’re absolutely welcome. If you’re inclined, let us know how this project works out!

11

@Derceto & @hnymann pretty much said it all, including that any inverters could easily fail after awhile, especially if used 24/7. I am just weighing in, just in case the attached video may give you an idea or help out. I have been using one setup for 2 years 24/7 and another for 1 yr 24/7 (Ac 300 & Ac500). Note: I do have the AC500’s AC input plugged into my wall outlet (for those consecutive cloudy days. But still the systems are “Off grid” - most of the time and the grid power kicks in when needed, which is rare).

Currently, I have 2 AC300’s that I am not using (Backups in case something fails). However, I plan on hooking up one of the 2 AC 300’s to run my Entertainment center and All my ceiling fans and using a “subpanel” THAT IS NOT hooked up to the grid plugged into the AC300 - I have attached a video by Will Prowse that could provide a visual that may/or may not help when hooking to an off-grid subpanel. Will Prowse video

I know it may sound inefficient to run the inverters for THREE AC300/500’s, but I have invested over 3 years a little bit at a time, and the EP800/900 was not available at the time I started. And the thing is that it works for me and if something fails, it’s a little cheaper to fix than replace an entire system. Hopefully, an MPPT failure with the B300’s won’t happen like @Derceto (that sounds awful). If time permits, grab an extra AC300 when there are BIG BLUETTI sales, you can get a great deal for the inverter AND battery for essentially a few hundred dollars more than just a battery.

3 Likes
12

I love that video! I’ve been a Will Prowse fan for a while and have not watched this video, thank you!
I have a much better understanding of the direction I need to go.
Living alone, I have much less electrical needs than the average family.
I’m building the house and when I can start earning money again I’ll start saving up to have electrical run to my house. Estimate about 13 to 14 K.

2 Likes
13

You’re welcome, I look forward when Will releases his new videos. He has a lot of valuable information on his channel. I really his conversations on panels and grounding types (which can get very complicated, e.g. floating ground, earthing, etc.). That’s why my system operates off grid (floating ground) with only a regular 15 Amp outlet to provide backup power during those times of low power. Also, look up Mike Holt on that information. He’s more of an instructor watch what you want but watch this one Mike Holt - grounding (Start at 48:00 minutes)-(Especially at 51:45) at that location it talks about grounding Panels, etc. That is why I do NOT grid-tie, and yes, I do not ground my panels - now I don’t suggest this advice, but I live in the lightning capital of the US and it adds one more avenue of current to travel into my home AND blow out my panel’s diodes. My neighbor got hit with a bolt, I saw an orange flash then a ball of smoke, freaked out because I just installed my first solar panel system just 2 weeks prior. Everything was fine EXCEPT all my security cameras were fried from electricity emitting from the bolt on that side of the house (those were connected to my grid).
Also, my ground fault breakers worked in my pond and tripped before it hit my Bluetti’s. I used these: GFCI breakers. ← these items have worked several times to protect me when wires were exposed to water. I highly suggest these!
Good luck on building your system. Document it, Bluetti has contests that gives away prizes once in awhile when people tell their stories.

2 Likes