With the launch of the LG all-in-one Home 8 energy storage system (LG ESS Home 8) in September last year, the brand’s goal was simple: making life easy for residential solar users. The feature-rich ESS promised solar users grid independence. Even non-solar users on local Time of Use (ToU) tariffs could benefit from it.
But does it deliver on its promise?
Let’s find out.
LG Home 8 ESS At A Glance
LG has integrated a 7.kW AC-coupled inverter with a powerful 15.8kWh Li-ion battery in the Home 8. This creates an ESS that can help homeowners make the most mindful use of electricity.
Here’s how.
The ESS offers 14.4kWh of usable capacity. This is a marked improvement over the 10kWh that average solar batteries provide. But LG takes it a step further by making the Home 8 scalable – four units of the ESS are stackable. You get a total usable capacity of 57.6kWh, which means your entire home and other LG smart appliances can run on it.
Stellar usable capacity aside, the Home 8 ESS also claims an impressive 90% roundtrip efficiency. This means you can store more power than ever before and therefore have a very reliable ESS that can literally power you through emergencies. Compared to the Home 8, standardized solar batteries usually only have a roundtrip efficiency of approximately 70%.
You also get a continuous as well as a peak power supply of 4.32kW. So you can run even energy-intensive appliances for extended periods.
All these factors make the Home 8 ESS an ideal choice for running household appliances. This includes air conditioners, water pumps, and heating systems during grid failures, natural disasters, and everyday use.
You can not only power your entire house but also connect other smart LG appliances to the Home 8 ESS via its proprietary ThinQ app. It makes judicious and highly optimized energy use possible, thereby reducing overall consumption.
Even if you do not have a pre-existing photovoltaic system installed, you can still use Home 8 to control power usage.
Technical Specifications
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Connection TypeAC-coupled
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BatteryLi-Ion (HBP)
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Total Capacity15.8kWh
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Usable Capacity14.4kWh
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Nominal Voltage120/240V (Split Phase)
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Depth of Discharge (DoD)91%
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Round Trip Efficiency90%
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CEC Efficiency98% (PCS only)
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Degradation3%
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Dimensions27.5 X 49.6 X 8.1 [in]
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Weight359 lb
Why Choose the LG Home 8 ESS?
There’s no denying the technical prowess of the Home 8. But features amount to nothing if the performance of the ESS is not exceptional. However, LG leaves no room for complaint. It gives you an all-round performer in the Home 8 ESS.
Here’s why it stands out:
Smart and Sleek Design
The LG ESS Home 8 comes as a single wall-mounted, floor-standing unit with a built-in power conditioning system (PCS) and battery. This setup comprises one control unit and two modules. This makes it easy to transport and install.
Supervising engineers can get the system up and running using the 7-inch HMI touchscreen panel that comes with the unit. The installation is fast, easy, and hassle-free.
What makes the Home 8 a cut above its peers is the super sleek design that has a modern minimalistic appeal. The whole setup, including the additional energy storage box, consumes much less space than traditional solar batteries. That’s how sleek it is.
It also comes equipped with a LED home screen that shows the status of the ESS, like which mode it is running in, which phase of charging the battery is in, etc.
Versatile Performance
LG gives you total control over your power consumption with the Home 8 ESS. You can:
- Connect it to a single-phase standard three-wire electric power grid at home
- Integrate it with your pre-installed solar power grid
- Use the SE box for backup power to run your appliances
You can store renewable energy, optimally utilize electricity, and/or go off the grid. The ESS has built-in smart PMS that uses data to predict and allocate the correct power usage. It can smartly schedule power consumption from the grid by analyzing your ToU rates, the weather, energy produced, etc.
Get an energy storage system that downsizes your on-grid power consumption and seamlessly switches between different modes to maximize the self-consumption of solar.
Simply use the ThinQ app to monitor the performance of your Home 8 from the comfort of your couch. Let the app do the math and chart the best course of action for mindful power consumption. The ThinQ app makes it easy to maintain the ESS or even reach out to customer care.
You can access the app on multiple devices, including your smartphone, PC, or tablet.
Keep an eye on the ESS’s health and performance by utilizing the EnerVu app, designed for the benefit of system engineers.
The Home 8 ESS is smart, intuitive, and versatile. It will adapt to perform at its best, no matter the external conditions
Safe and Secure
LG has ensured the Home 8 ESS is safe to handle, especially since it is designed for residential use. It is UL9540A, UL1741SA, and UL1741SB(TBD) tested. The ESS is even dust and water-resistant per NEMA Type 3R, but that’s a necessity given that most homes have their solar setups in open areas.
The ESS is tried and tested for safety. It’s not just reliable but also fairly long-lasting.
Warranty
LG offers a 10-year limited warranty, which is standard, with a 70% end-of-use capacity. You can avail of the warranty only if you register on the ThinQ app and connect your Home 8 ESS to the internet. However, this condition is not a major ask – you will eventually end up doing it because you would need to monitor your ESS, and that can happen only through the app.
However, LG can definitely improve the end-of-use capacity. Although 70% is still more than the average 60% for traditional solar batteries, given the Home 8’s performance in other aspects, this could be better too.
Who is the LG Home 8 Ideal for?
Made with American residential solar users in mind, the LG Home 8 abides by North American and global safety standards. It is ideal for households that either use a lot of heavy electronic devices on solar or are metered to exorbitant ToU tariffs.
Homeowners planning to create a fully-connected smart home that runs on solar energy can also benefit from the Home 8.
The Verdict
The LG Home 8 ESS is a state-of-the-art energy storage solution for residential solar users. It is an ideal combination of innovation, functionality, and efficiency – everything you expect from an energy storage system.
With additional features that automatically switch between regulated on-grid, off-grid, and backup power solutions, you get a dependable ESS for your home. Whether you want to store excess power, run heavy electronics during peak hours, create an end-to-end connected smart home ecosystem, or need backup power, Home 8 does it all for you.
It offers a dynamic solution in a robust and reliable build that can make your journey of going solar a breeze.
Authored by Ryan Douglas
NRG Clean Power's resident writer and solar enthusiast, Ryan Douglas covers all things related to the clean energy industry.
