I'm starting this discussion to share what i have learned over the last couple of years regarding solar energy projects.
I'll start with a "Solar Generator" that i recently used to power my sons wedding reception from start to finish. This is a custom, but simple, design. With only 3 major components. The inverter, the battery and the solar panel/controller.
First: I'll start with the Photo voltaic panel. It is simply a 200 watt Renogy ready to use system and it has everything you need to charge any 12 V automotive/marine battery included in a really nice kit. Roughly $350 includes a carrycase. I use this on several other things. On my boat i keep the trolling motor battery charged while I'm on the water. I can fish for a week and never have even a low battery. I charge my dump trailer battery frequently and i don't need to park near a power source which is nice.
Second: Is the battery. I'm using a 200 Ah Renogy AGM battery. Its great, but it's really heavy. And you can only use the top 50% of the stored energy or the battery will incur damage if it is depleted below 50%. This would be the biggest change i would make. BUY THE LITHIUM BATTERY. It will weigh less than half and you can use 100% of the stored energy with no damage.
Third: The inverter is the heart of the system. When i initially built this i used an old inverter that i had owned for almost 20 years. It still worked and was rated at 1750 watts. It worked well but eventually it failed. This old model lacked many of the Smart safety features that are common on the newer models. i was bummed when it failed but it was really a blessing in disguise. I replaced it with reputable 3000 watt model with lots of bells and whistles. The efficiency is much higher. I spent a little extra on a model with pure sine wave inversion and it works so well now that there's no comparison.
That is really all you need. I packed the battery in a Rigid tool chest with wheels and a retractable handle. Mounted the inverter on top and added the wiring to connect the inverter to the battery. Then added some quick connect wires to connect the Solar panel to the battery and it sets up in less that a minute. It exceeds the usability of my Honda EU2200 generator. Takes no maintenance. Uses no fuel. And is completely silent. I use it all of the time. Commonly I leave the solar panel outside and plug in my deep freeze and fridge in the garage to this system and just let it run those things all week.
Bottom line is that it works well and it was simple to build. In the event of a grid failure this is something everyone should have. Use it for camping, tailgating or survival. Thanks, BA
I'll start with a "Solar Generator" that i recently used to power my sons wedding reception from start to finish. This is a custom, but simple, design. With only 3 major components. The inverter, the battery and the solar panel/controller.
First: I'll start with the Photo voltaic panel. It is simply a 200 watt Renogy ready to use system and it has everything you need to charge any 12 V automotive/marine battery included in a really nice kit. Roughly $350 includes a carrycase. I use this on several other things. On my boat i keep the trolling motor battery charged while I'm on the water. I can fish for a week and never have even a low battery. I charge my dump trailer battery frequently and i don't need to park near a power source which is nice.
Second: Is the battery. I'm using a 200 Ah Renogy AGM battery. Its great, but it's really heavy. And you can only use the top 50% of the stored energy or the battery will incur damage if it is depleted below 50%. This would be the biggest change i would make. BUY THE LITHIUM BATTERY. It will weigh less than half and you can use 100% of the stored energy with no damage.
Third: The inverter is the heart of the system. When i initially built this i used an old inverter that i had owned for almost 20 years. It still worked and was rated at 1750 watts. It worked well but eventually it failed. This old model lacked many of the Smart safety features that are common on the newer models. i was bummed when it failed but it was really a blessing in disguise. I replaced it with reputable 3000 watt model with lots of bells and whistles. The efficiency is much higher. I spent a little extra on a model with pure sine wave inversion and it works so well now that there's no comparison.
That is really all you need. I packed the battery in a Rigid tool chest with wheels and a retractable handle. Mounted the inverter on top and added the wiring to connect the inverter to the battery. Then added some quick connect wires to connect the Solar panel to the battery and it sets up in less that a minute. It exceeds the usability of my Honda EU2200 generator. Takes no maintenance. Uses no fuel. And is completely silent. I use it all of the time. Commonly I leave the solar panel outside and plug in my deep freeze and fridge in the garage to this system and just let it run those things all week.
Bottom line is that it works well and it was simple to build. In the event of a grid failure this is something everyone should have. Use it for camping, tailgating or survival. Thanks, BA
