Solar Generators...worth the price?

Yep it runs at half normal speed at half load, neet, the electronic inverter takes care of the voltage.. but when the load increases the gen will kick into normal running speed..

I am an electrical engineering student, and I have looked into solar panels for research.

The gasoline generator you posted has a power rating of 5000W continuous, and it cost about $600.

The same $600 can buy you a solar panel rated at about 300W. Plus you need to buy an inverter to convert from DC to 120VAC power.

I think that says it all.

Until you add in the cost of gas... especially after a hurricane.

LACamper said:

Until you add in the cost of gas... especially after a hurricane.

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And the noise that would attach the Zombies!

LACamper said:

Until you add in the cost of gas... especially after a hurricane.

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I've done extensive research on solar power myself, the cost/benefit is just not there unless you plan to spend 10 years on grid power or 100 days without. 1800w will run a small refrigerator | TV and lights | Small microwave | Hair dryer | Small water pump. HOWEVER! You will need a huge battery pack to maintain any such usage for more than incredibly short intervals. One minute with a | Small microwave | will burn 30 watts of power per minute or 1800 watts per hour. That 30 watts will take your 90 watt panel a *minimum* 1 hour to replenish unless you are in the middle of the Sahara. Your average deep cycle 12v battery can supply ~300-400 watts of power for an hour before running too low. Your battery packs only last 3-4 years tops before they require replacement, providing they don't get overcharged or discharged sooner, which is an expensive job. Basically your solar panel duty cycle is incredibly short and can only be used for emergency power. The time required to replace used power is too great and available power is too small. You are just as good off buying a power inverter for your car/truck and using it as an emergency power source. Not only that, you can take it with you when the zombies invade.

The very little research I've done says it would take 8-9 years for breakeven, even with the large federal and state credits for the installation. Well, this is for a unit to tie into the main, not a generator...which says even more in my opinion. I've gone on site to a person's home in N La and checked out the setup. It's not incredibly ugly or taking up too much space, but the cost-benefit of a ten year span disinterests me. Who knows where I'll be in 10 and you know you won't get your money back on the sale of the home.

Even factoring in fuel costs, the solar generator isn't up to but the smallest of jobs. The panel will take more than a day to recharge the battery that will power your refrigerator or window unit for an hour or so. After Katrina, I was out of power for three days before the company I work for put a gen at my house. It was actually out for over a month. During the three days, my family and 11 evacuees were miserable. My wife was going to make a trip with some neighbors to Lafayette to buy generators and window units- cost didn't matter at that point. We were prepared to drive halfway to B.R. for gasoline at twice the regular price and fill 1/2 a dozen jerry cans as well. I wish I could rely upon the employer to hook me up whenever there's a storm but I don't think they're as concerned as they were then. I eventually built the system that I described in earlier posts and have only used it for one power outage in the two years I've had it. So far it's been reasonable ( cost-wise) to operate and reliable - no trouble and I test every other month.

A small solar panel like the one linked to could be used to keep a larger bank of batteries charged. Not to run refrigerators and microwaves, but DC lighting or more specifically LED lighting, small radio, and DC fan. The idea is that the battery plant is designed to supply those low current items for a couple of days. Realistically, you are likely to be out of commercial power for a few days or less following most storms. The Panel could keep up with that and then the battery would handle after dark. You could get by like this for some time but you won't keep your freezer frozen with it. At work, we use small solar panels to keep the starting batteries on portable generators topped off. That works well but are not used to recharge dead batteries.

Bottom line is that if you want to be relatively comfortable ( AC, TV, & ice), solar will cost a small fortune for the same capabilities as a small gasoline gen can deliver.

The solars do not generate enough power to justify the price.

From what I read and see.

Somebody I know fixed him up a couple 18 wheeler batteries and a hefty inverter for not too much and he can run essentials with it.

I was out of power for 29 days after Katrina, 5500Watt gen caost me $700 to keep the referator & freezer, water well and some lights & fans going but not continously. Later I added a small A/C to the mix. Heated water on the propane stove to wash clothes & stuff by hand.

The_Shadow said:

I was out of power for 29 days after Katrina, 5500Watt gen caost me $700 to keep the referator & freezer, water well and some lights & fans going but not continously. Later I added a small A/C to the mix. Heated water on the propane stove to wash clothes & stuff by hand.

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after Gustav, my gas tankless water heater was awesome... it takes a small electrical charge to ignite the gas, and you have infinite hot water.. personally, i would spend the money now on a natural gas generator. they are quieter, don't need refueling, and you don't have to worry about someone stealing it..

I've been in the electric business since 1979 and did most of this myself, even with DIY and the 80% tax credits (50% LA 30% Fed) it will take around 6 or 7 years for a payback. This thing is 10.2 kw and has 16 - 8D AGM batteries, each battery weighs 160lbs, it takes a lot more equipment for a battery backed hybrid system. A grid-tied only (no batteries) system produces NO electricity when the main power is out.

This array is 54 ft x 15ft and can keep my freezers, refrigerators, fans, lights, and computers running (within reason) during the day in a grid down situation. I have access to up to 8.5 kw AC (the DC rating is 10.2kw) if the Sun is out. Of course you have to charge the batteries for night use, so all the power has to be shared. It's all about managing your loads at night to keep from totally depleting the batteries. Believe me you don't get much electricity (amp-hours) even out of over a ton of batteries.