The Comprehensive Guide on How to Choose Your FranklinWH System

The FranklinWH System is an intelligent home energy solution consisting of intelligent energy management control, battery storage, and system expansion accessories that work together to deliver energy optimization, seamless backup power, and greater energy freedom for the home.

With multiple intelligent energy management controllers, battery models, and expansion accessories available, there are many possible FranklinWH System configurations. This guide explains the major FranklinWH System components and helps homeowners find the FranklinWH System configuration that best fits their home and energy goals.

aGate and MAC: Choose the Right Intelligent Home Energy Management Controller

FranklinWH offers intelligent energy management controllers designed for different levels of home energy management, backup capability, and installation complexity.

aGate

The premium controller designed for advanced home energy management, supporting rich features such as multi-battery expansion (up to 15 units per aGate), Smart Circuits for flexible load control, and generator or vehicle-to-load (V2L) integration for enhanced backup resiliency, all in a single platform.
To make your FranklinWH System grid-tied, the FranklinWH aGate solution uses a micro interconnect device (MID) directly installed in the main electrical panel.
The aGate also serves as the power distribution panel with a 280 A capacity, minimizing the need for panel upgrade while supporting future load growth.

Meter Adapter Controller (MAC)

A compact and streamlined intelligent energy management controller designed for homeowners seeking a simpler and lower-cost installation with essential energy management functionality.
To make your FranklinWH System grid-tied, the FranklinWH MAC solution leverages a meter socket adapter (MSA) placed between the utility meter and the meter socket to simplify the installation and avoid panel replacement. This is because the MAC solution is mostly used for homes with meter main combo panels where the tight space makes MID installation challenging.

Quick Side-by-Side Comparison:

Intelligent Controllers	Scenario
aGate	MSA use is not approved in your location. Your service panel is above 200 A (or you plan to upgrade your panel beyond 200 A to accommodate load growth), and you require advanced energy management experience. Your service panel is 200 A or below, but you want an feature-rich energy experience that include options such as Smart Circuits, generator or V2L integration.
Meter Adapter Controller (MAC)	MSA use is approved in your location. Your home uses a meter-main combo, where streamlined integration is preferred. Your home uses a separate meter + main electrical panel (200 A or below), while you want a compact, streamlined home energy solution.

aPower 2 and aPower S: Choose the Right Battery

FranklinWH offers two major battery models designed for different home energy and solar installation needs.

aPower 2: A battery compatible with all solar inverter brands, making it ideal for solar retrofit or existing solar homes.
aPower S: A battery with direct solar-to-battery connection that doesn’t require an external solar inverter, making it ideal for new solar-plus-storage projects.

Quick Side-by-Side Comparison:

Home Batteries	Scenario
aPower 2	Adding storage to existing solar systems
aPower S	New solar + storage systems

FranklinWH System Expansion Module

The FranklinWH aHub is a leading-edge system expansion module helping homeowners unlock additional system capabilities, integrate more energy sources and loads, and build a more robust home energy system.

For aGate-based systems: Enables long-distance solar integration, Intelligent multi-PV management, and additional Smart Circuits.
For MAC-based systems: Expands the FranklinWH System with more advanced features such as generator or V2L integration, Smart Circuits, and distant solar connectivity.

Choose the Right FranklinWH System for Your Home

Different FranklinWH System components can be combined to fit different home types, solar setups, and installation requirements. Below are some typical FranklinWH System configurations and the homeowners they are best suited for.

aPower 2 + aGate: For homes with existing solar and service panels above 200 A, homeowners seeking advanced multi-source energy management, flexible load control, and high-capacity future expansion.
aPower 2 + aGate + aHub: For homes with existing solar and service panels above 200 A requiring advanced system expansion, including distant solar integration, intelligent multi-solar management, and extra Smart Circuits.
aPower S + aGate: For new solar-plus-storage projects with service panels above 200 A and homeowners seeking a highly integrated system with advanced, intelligent multi-source and load management.
aPower S + aGate + aHub: For solar-plus-storage projects with service panels above 200 A requiring additional solar integration, expanded load management, and greater backup resiliency.
aPower 2 + MAC: For homes with existing solar and service panels at or below 200 A, especially meter-main combo homes, where owners are seeking a compact and streamlined installation with essential energy management functionality.
aPower 2 + MAC + aHub: For homes with existing solar and service panels at or below 200 A, especially meter-main combo homes, while adding advanced capabilities such as Smart Circuits, generator or V2L integration, and distant solar connectivity.
aPower S + MAC: For new solar-plus-storage projects with service panels at or below 200 A, especially meter-main combo homes, prioritizing simplified installation and essential intelligent energy management functionality.
aPower S + MAC + aHub: For new solar-plus-storage projects with service panels at or below 200 A, especially meter-main combo homes, where owners are seeking a streamlined installation along with expanded features such as Smart Circuits, generator or V2L integration, and flexible solar expansion.

Note: For all the MAC-based solutions, the prerequisite is that the MSA is approved in your region.

Quick system configuration checklist:

Home Scenario	aPower 2 +aGate	aPower S + aGate	aPower 2 + MAC	aPower S + MAC	aHub
Existing solar	✓	✗	✓	✗	Optional
New solar	✗	✓	✗	✓	Optional
Homes with a meter main combo	✗	✗	✓	✓	Optional
Main electrical panel > 200 A	✓	✓	✗	✗	Optional
Main Electrical panel ≤ 200 A	✗	✗	✓	✓	Optional
Main Electrical panel ≤ 200 while expecting advanced features	✓	✓	✗	✗	Optional
Integrate distant solar	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓
Smart Circuits	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓ (MAC-Based systems)
Generator and V2L integration	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓ (MAC-based systems)
Extra Smart Circuits	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓ (aGate-based systems)
Extra generator and V2L integration	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓ （aGate-based systems)
MSA is approved	✓	✓	✓	✓	Optional
MSA is not approved	✓	✓	✗	✗	Optional

Conclusion

Choosing the right FranklinWH System starts with understanding your home’s solar setup, electrical infrastructure, energy management needs, and local utility requirements. From streamlined installations for meter main combo homes to advanced multi-source and load management for larger and more complex projects, FranklinWH offers flexible system configurations designed for different installation scenarios.

By selecting the right combination of battery, intelligent management controller, and expansion accessory, homeowners can build a tailored FranklinWH System that better meets their specific energy goals.

Contact a FranklinWH Certified Installer in your region to help find the best configuration for you today!