Balcony power plant system with up to 11.5 kWh and AI: Zendure SolarFlow 800 (Pro) review & comparison
Pro or not pro - that is the question here.
With SolarFlow 800 and SolarFlow 800 Pro, Zendure offers two modular, expandable solutions for balcony power plants. We have not only tested the hybrid inverter and the all-in-one system, but also compared the two solutions with each other and revealed which one is suitable for whom.Marcus Schwarten 👁 (translated by DeepL / Marcus Schwarten) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Zendure SolarFlow 800 (Pro) test conclusion: balcony power stations from small to large
Both SolarFlow 800 products from Zendure have a high-quality finish and are easy to set up. In practice, both made a good impression, although SolarFlow 800 Pro offers even more options. It is even easier to install (apart from the higher weight) and can receive significantly more PV power. It can also be operated with a large balcony power plant with four panels.
SolarFlow 800, on the other hand, is designed for smaller systems with two solar modules, but is otherwise (apart from the display and emergency power socket) hardly inferior in terms of options. Here, too, expansion to almost 12 kWh is possible, although this makes more sense in combination with the Pro version.
Both systems can also be optionally charged via the power grid in order to take advantage of dynamic electricity tariffs. In this case, however, it is essential to pay attention to the efficiency losses and include these in the price if the task is not to be taken over by the AI ZENKI.
In terms of performance, the Zendure SolarFlow 800 Pro is positioned on the market at the level of the Solarbank 2 Pro from Anker Solix, but cannot quite compete with the new Solarbank 3 Pro. Stream from competitor EcoFlow offers a little more flexibility with its decentralized approach.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
SolarFlow 800 (Pro) is currently not available in the USA. The recommended retail price of SolarFlow 800 in Europe is 299 euros, but this is only the hybrid micro inverter without battery storage.. A better comparison with the SolarFlow 800 Pro is therefore the bundle with an AB200X battery with 1,920 Wh, which Zendure is currently offering for 699 euros.
The MSRP for the Zendure SolarFlow 800 Pro with 1,920 Wh storage is 999 euros. However, the product is currently available from Zendure for 799 euros, which is 100 euros more than SolarFlow 800 with a battery.
Table of Contents
- Zendure SolarFlow 800 (Pro) test conclusion: balcony power stations from small to large
- Specifications: Zendure SolarFlow 800 & SolarFlow 800 Pro comparison
- Equipment: Differences from SolarFlow 800 (Pro)
- Installation: Up to six batteries can be stacked
- App: ZENKI controls balcony power plant with AI
- Impressions and efficiency: No problems in the test
Last year, Zendure launched with Hyper 2000 a system from Zendure that goes far beyond the possibilities of a small balcony power plant. With the SolarFlow 800 series, the manufacturer has a new and suitable solution for this.
However, with the SolarFlow 800 and the SolarFlow 800 Pro, two different versions are available. What is the difference between the two products, what are their strengths and what can the system do? We take a look at this in this review and comparison of the Zendure SolarFlow 800 Pro and SolarFlow 800.
Specifications: Zendure SolarFlow 800 & SolarFlow 800 Pro comparison
Before we get to the differences in practice and our test impressions, we first compare the most important technical data of the SolarFlow 800 and SolarFlow 800 Pro.
| Zendure SolarFlow 800 Pro | Zendure SolarFlow 800 | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,920 Wh | - |
| expandable up to | 11,520 Wh | 11,520 Wh |
| Battery type | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Number of MPPT | 4 | 2 |
| PV input power | 2,640 W | 1,200 W |
| Output power (grid-connected) | 800 W | 800 W |
| AC charging power | 1,000 W | 1,000 W |
| Output power (not connected to the mains) | 1,000 W | - |
| Dimensions | 350 × 202 × 340 mm | 274 × 231 × 47 mm |
| Weight | 25.9 kg | 5 kg |
| RRP | 999 euros | from 299 euros |
Equipment: Differences from SolarFlow 800 (Pro)
Describing the features of SolarFlow 800 and SolarFlow 800 Pro is a great way to explain the differences. Let's start with SolarFlow 800, the simpler and cheaper solution. In its rudimentary form, this is a hybrid inverter that can be expanded with storage.
By default, the device only regulates the conversion of direct current from the solar modules into alternating current for household use. Two MPPTs with 600 W each are installed, which can accept up to 1,200 W maximum PV power. In accordance with German legislation, a maximum of 800 W of this is fed into the grid.
However, SolarFlow 800 only really makes sense in combination with at least one battery. The inverter can be combined with AB1000, AB2000, AB1000S and AB2000S batteries (available from Zendure). In this way, 960 or 1,920 Wh capacity can be added per unit, whereby a maximum of five batteries and thus 11,520 Wh can be connected. Optionally, the system can also be charged via the AC grid. More on this below.
The alternative Zendure SolarFlow 800 Pro looks better and, as the name suggests, is more powerful. Here, the inverter sits directly on a battery and is sold as a single unit. This means that 1,920 Wh is always available, although the system can also be expanded to up to 11,520 Wh. In addition, the Pro version comes with four MPPTs and can therefore receive up to 2,640 Wp from solar panels.
In addition to grid-connected charging, there is also an integrated socket that provides 1,000 W of continuous power (1,200 W peak power for up to 10 seconds), even in the event of a power failure. However, even more solar energy can be used in the household when connected to the mains if the panels or the battery provide sufficient power. There is also a display on the front that provides rudimentary information about the battery charge level.
Installation: Up to six batteries can be stacked
The first major difference is already noticeable during installation: SolarFlow 800 has (as described) only two solar inputs, SolarFlow 800 Pro has four. This means that twice as many PV modules can easily be connected to the Pro version. The setup is also simpler. This is because a tower of up to five additional batteries can simply be stacked up, which is a clean and easy-to-install solution - even if, depending on the height, mounting on a wall or similar is definitely advisable.
A high tower can also be added to the SolarFlow 800. Up to six additional batteries can be connected here. However, the inverter cannot sit as comfortably and precisely on the top as is the case with the Pro model. Instead, the inverter is connected to the top of the top battery with a short cable. It is then advisable to hang the SolarFlow 800 on a wall near the battery or batteries, for which there are also appropriate mounting options.
In both cases, installation can be carried out by yourself without any major challenges. A specialist is only required if a smart meter is also to be installed. More on this in the next section. When choosing a location, it is advisable to choose a shady spot so that the system does not heat up too much. Zendure also offers an optional Cooling system. WLAN reception (2.4 GHz) is also essential to enable the app to be set up and the system to be connected to the cloud and smart home.
App: ZENKI controls balcony power plant with AI
After installation, setup is carried out via the Zendure app (for Android and iOS), the heart of the PV system. The initial connection setup worked smoothly in the SolarFlow 800 (Pro) test and is explained simply in the app. Once your own system has been set up in the app, it's time to adjust the settings.
Both systems (which are dependent on the cloud) offer different modes for controlling the energy delivered to the house. It is very easy to set the amount of electricity fed into the house, for example 200 W, to cover the standby consumption of a household's appliances.
It gets even better when the system is added to the HEMS and thus to the Zendure energy system. This greets you as soon as you start the app with a graphical display of the current power flows and also allows you to combine even more devices. The energy feed-in can then be controlled even more intelligently.
SolarFlow 800 (Pro) can be connected to a smart meter such as Shelly Pro 3EM or everHome EcoTracker. This must first be installed in the switch box by a specialist and then the unit transmits power to match the current consumption of the home, adjusting in real-time to match demand. Alternatively, smart adapter plugs from Zendure or Shelly can also be used to monitor individual appliances / electrical devices, adjusting energy/electrical supply in real time.
In this way, the "smart electricity meter mode" or "smart socket mode" can be used to adjust the feed-in to the current consumption of the house or the tracked devices virtually in real time and thus optimize the use of the solar power produced. It is then generally no longer the case that large amounts of electricity are fed into the grid because, for example, the value set in "base load mode" is too high.
In addition to the "Electricity tariff mode" (in combination with dynamic electricity tariff) and the "Automatic mode" (simple solution) the "ZENKI mode", introduced a few months ago with SolarFlow 800 Pro and SolarFlow 2400 AC, is also available. This is an AI platform that intelligently optimizes charging, discharging and energy distribution, taking into account solar forecasts, usage patterns and dynamic electricity prices.
This promises to optimize energy use based on several factors, which worked well in our test, but requires a short training phase for forecasts and savings analysis (savings). However, if you don't use a dynamic electricity tariff, the other intelligent modes also work well. Zendure has also recently been officially connected to Home Assistant.
Impressions and efficiency: No problems in the test
Both the Zendure SolarFlow 800 and SolarFlow 800 Pro have a high-quality finish and did not cause any problems in our endurance test over a longer period of time. We tested the two systems in various settings and with up to four solar panels. In combination with a smart meter (Shelly Pro 3EM), the system quickly adapts the energy feed-in to the actual situation within a few seconds and thus ensures a high level of efficiency, i.e. wasting as little energy through system losses and using as little purchased energy from the grid as possible.. The shortfall in both directions is usually just a few watts.
If you want to install a balcony power plant with more than two large solar panels (up to 2,000 Wp are legally possible in Germany), you should definitely choose the Zendure SolarFlow 800 Pro. Because only here are four MPPTs with 2,640 Wp possible. Installation is also somewhat easier, if we disregard the high weight of over 25 kg.
However, the individual additional batteries such as the AB2000X are not much lighter at a good 20 kg. They can be used to (gradually) adapt the system to your own needs and expand it to a capacity of almost 12 kWh. This is also possible with the Zendure SolarFlow 800, but with significantly less PV input power available. However, it can also be used sensibly with a small balcony power plant and in combination with a dynamic electricity tariff. The latter can accelerate amortization if used intelligently.
Zendure SolarFlow 800 (Pro) is solid in terms of energy efficiency. With a constant discharge at 400 W, we drew 1.82 kWh from the 1.92 kWh battery until it had reached the set discharge limit of 10 percent. This corresponds to an outstanding 95 percent usable energy (more than specified), not taking into account the losses when storing the energy from the solar modules.
The efficiency when charging via the power grid, which is possible with up to 1,000 W, is significantly lower. According to measurements, only 80 percent of input energy was stored in the battery, while the rest was expended as conversion losses. The rest is conversion loss, which should definitely be taken into account when using dynamic electricity tariffs.
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
