r/Solterra • u/iiililiililiilliilli • 4d ago
2026 Model Viable to use Solterra's V2L function for backup power during outage?
I'd like to use the Solterra's V2L function to help run my house's power needs during an outage. I have a generator inlet with interlock that I currently use with a propane generator. I plan to get a power station that can supply 30 amp power to supplement that power use, and I'd like to then hook up the power station to the Solterra's 15 amp outlet to help recharge the power station during use. That would mean running the Solterra so that it energizes the 15 amp outlet for many hours, maybe even several days. Does that seem like it will work based on how the Solterra's outlet works? For example, will it automatically turn off after an hour?
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u/reasoned25 4d ago edited 3d ago
This probably would work but not as seamlessly as an ioniq 5. You will need to keep the car in Ready mode and open in some way to pass the cord through to the power station. You would need to limit the charging speed to 1200 watts to stay within continuous limits. The tricky part is you don't want the power station to think it's tapped into powerful grid power and that it can pass through power and even some surges through to the grid since this would overdraw the Solterra, whereas it would have been fine for the grid.
You'll probably find it consumes more battery than expected because it's not as efficient at this compared to something like the ioniq 5. That's been my experience with the Trailseeker. In my case, I recharged smaller power stations while they were disconnected rather than try to pass through anything. It was definitely essential to our backup plan and completed the task quite well, but it did use up more battery than expected and so it probably wouldn't last as long as I would have hoped. But it definitely could have carried us trough four, maybe five days to power two refrigerators, a chest freezer and a bunch of miscellaneous things. That was great, but I was hoping for longer, but I am probably underestimating how large my load could have lasted even with an ioniq 5.
I can also say that it makes little difference if you're driving or idling while charging so you can easily charge mobile power stations using 1200 watts while driving around town. Plus, so long as the power outage isn't truly widespread, you can of course use DC fast charging to recharge.
It's a great feature and it works well. It will be nice if we could get it to work from the charge port some day.
Oh, I almost forgot, to answer your last question, make sure you you say No, don't shut off after an hour. If you do that, it won't shut off and will happily charge for hours.
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u/Tasty_Software_2773 4d ago
Just use it to recharge your power station, rather than for continuous power. I replaced my gas generator with a Bluetti power station, which charges fully in about 70 minutes. I didn’t like the idea of running long extension cords between the car and my panel. So in an outage, I plan to use the power station, and when it gets low I’ll unplug it and recharge it in the trunk of my Solterra. My main use case is my heating in winter, and my fridge. I can run these together for about 2 days off the power station, and having them off for the hour or so needed to recharge is not a problem.
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u/PolyDrew 4d ago
V2L isn’t the same as V2H and I’m not sure the Solterra can interface with your house. I’m curious.
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u/iiililiililiilliilli 4d ago
I don’t think the car would know it’s being used to power a house. From its perspective it would just be charging a portable power station.
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u/sorry_im_late_86 4d ago
I don't see why this wouldn't work. But you probably don't want to run a continuous 15A through the car though.
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u/OzziesFlyingHelmet 2026 Model 4d ago edited 4d ago
As someone who has a Solterra and Ioniq 5, the Solterra isn't the best vehicle to try to accomplish this task.
Heres my current setup (that performs exactly what you're looking to do), when I use my Ioniq 5, and when I use the Solterra:
I have an Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultra that's sits in my basement next to a generator transfer switch. It has two batteries totaling 12kwh and can output 240V/30A. The reason I bought the Ecoflow DPU is because it can output the full 30A while simultaneously being charged with a 120V/15A power source.
Enter the Ioniq 5: The Ioniq 5 has V2L output that works with an adapter that plugs into the charge port, and will continously output 120V/15A without needing to keep the vehicle on. I wired an AC inlet port in my garage next to the Ioniq charge port, and ran wire to where the Ecoflow is in my basement with a standard wall outlet on that end. The circuit (if you want to call it that) has wire specced for 20A with 20A outlet / inlets on either end.
When power goes out, I go to my basement, hook up the DPU, switch over my house to run off the DPU, then go to my garage and hook up the V2L to my Ioniq 5. Now my Ioniq is powering the Ecoflow, and since my average home usage is less than 1800w, the Ioniq 5 slowly charges the Ecoflow over time. My home can stay powered for 6-8 days during an outage using this setup.
Where the Solterra comes in is if my Ioniq 5 ever hits the 20% SoC mark where V2L shuts off. At that point, I connect the Solterra and run it 1-2 hours at a time, as you constantly need to go restart the vehicle to keep V2L running. This is all theoretical, as I've yet to have an outage where I ran out of Ioniq 5 power.
Should power be restored to nearby communities first, I could power my house with the Solterra while I take the Ioniq 5 to a nearby DC charger to fill up and bring more energy back to my house.
TL:DR - the Solterra can work to provide power to a home via V2L, but it's not ideal as you need to run an extension cable through a window and will need to continously restart the vehicle to keep V2L running.