Help me find the right solar generator

I'd like to get a solar generator, but I don't know much about them. I've researched the basics of voltages, watts, etc. - but that's about it.

Our house is wired for a generator, so all I do right now is plug in the house into the generator as you would plug in an appliance into the wall outlet -- and I like that convenience. (We use a gas powered generator when the power goes out. It powers up the whole house, except for the heat furnace, which is not a problem because we have a wood stove.)

I'd like to replace it with a solar unit, so that we are not dependent on gas.
I have found this one: https://amzn.to/3NI89b7
Is this a good unit? Will it power up the house? Will it last? What will I do when the battery wears out in case the grid has went at that point? Is there a less expensive way to do it (as I suspect there should be?)

Maybe someone can recommend a good book on "generators for dummies"? Or a place to buy a good one? Maybe there is an artesian who makes them?
I found what looks like the same thing as what's on Amazon on AliExpress, but I'm a bit paranoid about buying straight from China. Am I overthinking -- I'm pretty sure that's what Amazon does anyway?

Your help and advice will be greatly appreciated!

Just my rather poorly-informed 2 cents worth, because the item you linked to was a 7200W battery back-up generator.

We have several petro-powered generators....two gas powered 9000W and one 7200W driven by the power-shaft from one of our diesel tractors.  As you alluded to, these power many appliances, but that will vary on source of power for those appliances (natural gas vs electric for, say, hot water heater, cooking range, furnace, etc.).  So we have marked breakers in the electrical panel that need to be switched off before firing up the generator.  Downside is the petrol use, upside is that as long as the generator is running, you have power.  The battery units, be they charged with solar, electrical grid, petrol generator, etc., will have a different power curve versus time in use and loads used.....the higher the loads, the faster the draining of the batteries.  There are other factors as well that hopefully another person with more knowledge can answer.  If we ever go solar, however, we likely will over-size the system and begin to more rigorously undersize our loads....replace current electrical water heater, oven/range, deep-well pump, etc, with more efficient offerings.  And even then will practice selective turning off of unneeded circuits when prudent.  Part of what goes into our equation is experience at our location.  With a recent Christmas day ice storm that knocked out much local grid power around us, our local rural electrical coop AGAIN maintained power....and reduced our need to start generators.  If you are in an area that experiences many outages and are anticipating an increasing number in the coming years, it may be wise to diversity your power sources accordingly. Good luck!

Helena Green wrote:I'd like to get a solar generator, but I don't know much about them. I've researched the basics of voltages, watts, etc. - but that's about it.

Our house is wired for a generator, so all I do right now is plug in the house into the generator as you would plug in an appliance into the wall outlet -- and I like that convenience. (We use a gas powered generator when the power goes out. It powers up the whole house, except for the heat furnace, which is not a problem because we have a wood stove.)

I'd like to replace it with a solar unit, so that we are not dependent on gas.
I have found this one: https://amzn.to/3NI89b7
Is this a good unit? Will it power up the house? Will it last? What will I do when the battery wears out in case the grid has went at that point? Is there a less expensive way to do it (as I suspect there should be?)

Maybe someone can recommend a good book on "generators for dummies"? Or a place to buy a good one? Maybe there is an artesian who makes them?
I found what looks like the same thing as what's on Amazon on AliExpress, but I'm a bit paranoid about buying straight from China. Am I overthinking -- I'm pretty sure that's what Amazon does anyway?

Your help and advice will be greatly appreciated!

I found this video here that goes over the units you quoted capacities. Its a lot of backup and comes with  a hefty pricetag. For similar money you could install a permanent option including batteries and inverters and a solar option wired to power critical loads in the house permanently. These are really first and foremost a portable solutions for outages that do not exceed their battery capacity. You have to charge them and if the outage goes longer then your reserve they will require you to fire up your generator. Not a bad product but expensive and more made for portability then durability.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MVJP7MV?coliid=I1Z8UYBDF4KODL&colid=1ZMXT11LQPUA7&psc=0&linkCode=sl1&tag=triumphover01-20&linkId=773a3372b26d6b9e33dce6561d44348a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

cheers,  David

Hi Helena,

I would not buy the product you have shown.  

Hi Helena,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that battery generator will power up your house for only a very short time—assuming that it doesn’t get overloaded in the process.  I could go through all the math with you, but the short version is that there just isn’t much energy in that little generator.  A dedicated home backup battery is typically a rack-mounted device with many individual cells wired together.  It would be a custom creation.  It would also be huge and pretty expensive.

Now I am not saying that you shouldn’t go down this route if you want to—I get all fascinated by these types of projects and I am working on a small one myself right now.  However, I doubt that you will find an off-the-shelf option that will power your whole house.

Good luck in your efforts and if you still have questions, by all means feel free to ask.

Eric

Thank you all: this is very helpful!

So, nix the Amazon unit - I had my suspicions!

But I guess I'm not ready to give up on store bought units quite yet😂😂

What about this one:
https://x.alibaba.com/AvNcKN?ck=pdp

Given your approach, you might want to contact Missouri Wind and Solar ….MWANDS.   Tell them what you are after.   I have done business with them for many years. You will talk to a human, and they will hold your hand through the process.

John F Dean wrote:Given your approach, you might want to contact Missouri Wind and Solar ….MWANDS.   Tell them what you are after.   I have done business with them for many years. You will talk to a human, and they will hold your hand through the process.

...And charge me $100K 😂😂 Already explored similar, and it's a rip off in Washington where I live. Missouri might be different. Thanks for the input, though :) ☺️

David Baillie wrote:

Helena Green wrote:I'd like to get a solar generator, but I don't know much about them. I've researched the basics of voltages, watts, etc. - but that's about it.

Our house is wired for a generator, so all I do right now is plug in the house into the generator as you would plug in an appliance into the wall outlet -- and I like that convenience. (We use a gas powered generator when the power goes out. It powers up the whole house, except for the heat furnace, which is not a problem because we have a wood stove.)

I'd like to replace it with a solar unit, so that we are not dependent on gas.
I have found this one: https://amzn.to/3NI89b7
Is this a good unit? Will it power up the house? Will it last? What will I do when the battery wears out in case the grid has went at that point? Is there a less expensive way to do it (as I suspect there should be?)

Maybe someone can recommend a good book on "generators for dummies"? Or a place to buy a good one? Maybe there is an artesian who makes them?
I found what looks like the same thing as wha

I found this video here that goes over the units you quoted capacities. Its a lot of backup and comes with  a hefty pricetag. For similar money you could install a permanent option including batteries and inverters and a solar option wired to power critical loads in the house permanently. These are really first and foremost a portable solutions for outages that do not exceed their battery capacity. You have to charge them and if the outage goes longer then your reserve they will require you to fire up your generator. Not a bad product but expensive and more made for portability then durability.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MVJP7MV?coliid=I1Z8UYBDF4KODL&colid=1ZMXT11LQPUA7&psc=0&linkCode=sl1&tag=triumphover01-20&linkId=773a3372b26d6b9e33dce6561d44348a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

cheers,  David

That would be super! But where and how do I find the permanent solution?

So far the least expensive I've researched is ~$10K, but that my area in the Nor'east US and for my requirements. It's also me doing all the setup/install. Without personal involvement I'd expect $25K and upwards for my basic system. All I require is 220v for my well.

Would my hopeful system work for you? Doubt it as none us know you solar possibilities, your current usage or what usage you wish to have when the grid goes down. You have many steps ahead of you starting with knowing your usage now and your realistic goals.

So:
Current usage:
Hopeful Grid down usage:
Period of time you wish to sustain power level:
Voltages of appliance of which you wish to run:
Overall wattage of said appliances:
Average days (and hours per) of sunshine:
  Note: few to no clouds as production is reduced

Reducing the requirements for grid power is an important step. My lighting is LED lighting my means of 18650 batteries that I can recharge by driving to the store (plugged into the 12v socket) or solar, same for our phones & computers.. Heat is my wood stove. Cooking is on the gas stove.  For us the only power requirement is the water well. Add freezer to that if grid goes down in warmer weather (which is rare).

Rj Howell wrote:So far the least expensive I've researched is ~$10K, but that my area in the Nor'east US and for my requirements. It's also me doing all the setup/install. Without personal involvement I'd expect $25K and upwards for my basic system. All I require is 220v for my well.

Would my hopeful system work for you? Doubt it as none us know you solar possibilities, your current usage or what usage you wish to have when the grid goes down. You have many steps ahead of you starting with knowing your usage now and your realistic goals.

So:
Current usage:
Hopeful Grid down usage:
Period of time you wish to sustain power level:
Voltages of appliance of which you wish to run:
Overall wattage of said appliances:
Average days (and hours per) of sunshine:
  Note: few to no clouds as production is reduced

Reducing the requirements for grid power is an important step. My lighting is LED lighting my means of 18650 batteries that I can recharge by driving to the store (plugged into the 12v socket) or solar, same for our phones & computers.. Heat is my wood stove. Cooking is on the gas stove.  For us the only power requirement is the water well. Add freezer to that if grid goes down in warmer weather (which is rare).

Ok, let's see... (and don't forget that you're talking to a solar-idiot at this point, my apologies. I'm learning, though LOL)
Current usage: this generator powers up everything we need for about 6 hours:
https://www.duromaxpower.com/products/13000-watt-18-hp-portable-gas-electric-start-generator-with-co-alert?variant=41452691882161¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=4&gclid=Cj0KCQiAy9msBhD0ARIsANbk0A8y63JKxKNg51txHMAbIq7idlEJOuuXDfSy0s6ojAebq5iWvMeXn-UaArdHEALw_wcB

Hopeful Grid down usage: Would be the same as above
Period of time you wish to sustain power level: forever? 😂 (If the grid goes down... Anyway: researching solar batteries, I understand that they run for only so long, until the battery runs out. But don't they recharge during the day?)

Voltages of appliance of which you wish to run: well, freezer and water heater are the main ones. Then, there are regular lights, etc. That do not take much. How would you calculate the wattage? Shouldn't this be per-hour energy consumption? Because, for example, the well will not run all the time.
Overall wattage of said appliances:
Average days (and hours per) of sunshine: we are in Washington, so 2 per week on average!

Let's break this down.

Hopeful Grid down usage: Would be the same as above

* The generator is producing 3KW, an hour. It not an obtainable goal. This is why I ask what appliances. You need to determine what 'needs' to be run, how often and how long. Example: I need hot water for showers once a day. For both of us I plan 1hr of time. Now I can calculate my well draw and my water heater draw and see what that use is per day.
   My well requires 220v and uses 4amp (per hour). That is 880 watts of power. 200v x 4a = 880watts. My water heater (on demand) is 110v and uses 2amps (propane run) equating to 220 watts. My use for daily showers is 1100 watts or 1.1 Kilowatts.
  A 100ah LiFePo4 battery holds ~1.2kw (1200 watts). You can see how quickly power is consumed..

Period of time you wish to sustain power level: forever? 😂 (If the grid goes down... Anyway: researching solar batteries, I understand that they run for only so long, until the battery runs out. But don't they recharge during the day?)

* Example above shows you how quickly you can run through power. If grid is down and it's storming out there, usual reason for grid down) no, you won't be recharging.

Voltages of appliance of which you wish to run: well, freezer and water heater are the main ones. Then, there are regular lights, etc. That do not take much. How would you calculate the wattage? Shouldn't this be per-hour energy consumption? Because, for example, the well will not run all the time.

* My freezer (and frig) is only run for 2 hrs each day we're down. If winter, I move most perishables outside in coolers and they do not run at all. Well is tough because you require 220v and that leads to expensive inverters to split phasing and make it happen. Pricing is coming down of these, yet still $1500 and up. We run a generator for well use. Again how long do you need it? For us couple hours a day.
 Wattage example above. If only in use for 30 minutes, then 110v @ 2a = 220w /.5hr = 110watts used. It's important to go though these steps and see just what you really need.


Overall wattage of said appliances:
Average days (and hours per) of sunshine: we are in Washington, so 2 per week on average!

*2 days a week... UGH.. A stationary panel will only gain maximum for ~4hrs a day. Balance is %'s leading to and fading from. Not ideal at all..
  If you find you typical outage is less than 2 days, figure usage on that to size you power requirements. We rarely go beyond 2 days here and by then I have solar gain. If not I will run the generator a tad longer and bring the batteries back up. If you go weeks/months between outages, then a small solar array should have you ready for the next outage.

 If your cooking with electric, look at buying a camp stove. Lighting can be as simple as candles or kerosene lamps (many different oil choices). Having a small battery pack will work for recharging devices. I have several inexpensive packs here just for this (use them regularly as we travel).

 Your looking to determine your full usage and decide how you can compensate for most of it. What's left is much more doable for reasonable money.

I do hope sone of this helps.