Plain-language DFW guide
Most DFW homeowners are offered one of three battery systems. Here is the honest way to compare them—by what you want to keep running, how the battery connects, and how long it can realistically last.
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These choices narrow the field faster than comparing long lists of features.
Essential loads are the circuits you truly need: a fridge, Wi-Fi, lights, a few outlets, and perhaps one AC zone or a mini-split. Whole-home backup means keeping everything available, including central air conditioning.
Central AC is the big load in Texas. Starting and running it takes much more battery power and capacity, so whole-home backup may require multiple units, solar, or both.
An inverter converts battery or solar electricity into the type your home uses. A DC-coupled system, such as Powerwall 3, can share one inverter with new solar, making it an efficient fit for a fresh solar-and-battery install.
An AC-coupled system, such as FranklinWH or Enphase, has its own inverter. That can make it easier to add to existing solar or install as battery-only backup.
Side-by-side
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) measures stored energy—how much work the battery can do over time. Continuous kilowatts (kW) measure power—how much equipment it can run at once.
| System | Usable energy | Continuous power | Connection | Best fit and trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 13.5 kWh | 11.5 kW | DC-coupled | Strong output for AC startup and whole-home capable with one unit; especially suited to new solar because its solar inverter is integrated. |
| FranklinWH aPower 2 | 15 kWh | 10 kW | AC-coupled | The largest single-unit capacity here; designed for whole-home backup without solar, with its aGate controlling which circuits get priority. |
| Enphase IQ Battery 5P | 5 kWh per unit | 3.84 kW per unit | AC-coupled | Modular for granular sizing; typically stack two or three units for whole-home needs, so the design grows with the backup goal. |
EG4 and Sol-Ark are value-oriented, hybrid-inverter options that can appeal to more hands-on or DIY-leaning buyers. Capacity, power and backup design vary, so compare the complete installed system and support—not just the battery price.
Runtime reality
A home using about 30 kWh per day may need roughly 15–20 kWh of usable capacity for overnight backup—if solar recharges the battery the next day.
Without solar, one 13.5–15 kWh unit can run essential loads for roughly one day, and longer with disciplined use. It will not run a normal Texas home with central AC for a week.
Panels can refill the battery each day, letting critical loads ride through multi-day or week-long outages almost indefinitely when weather permits. The solar pairing buys the “week,” not battery capacity alone.
Stacking two or three batteries, adding solar, or doing both is the main sizing lever.
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It can, if the battery and electrical design are sized for your loads. Central air conditioning is the big load in Texas. One high-output unit may support whole-home backup in some homes, while others need two or three units, solar, or a plan that backs up only essential circuits.
On essential loads, one 13.5–15 kWh battery lasts roughly one day and may last longer with disciplined use. It will not run a typical Texas home with central AC for a week. Solar changes the equation by recharging the battery during the day, weather permitting.
No. A battery can provide backup without solar, and some systems are designed for that use. Solar is what lets the battery refill during an extended outage, making multi-day resilience more realistic when the weather cooperates.
It affects how the system fits your home. A DC-coupled battery shares an inverter with new solar and can be efficient for a fresh solar-plus-battery project. An AC-coupled battery has its own inverter, which often makes it easier to add to existing solar or install without solar.
A home using about 30 kWh per day may need roughly 15–20 kWh of usable battery capacity for overnight backup if solar can recharge it by day. Your central AC, essential circuits, outage goals and solar production determine the actual size.