Residential Solar Powered Products & Information

 

Hand Crank Power Generator

Solar Powered Generators

Solar powered generators are a great replacement for traditional gas powered models.  They do not put out any noxious fumes and are virtually silent, making them perfect for indoor use.  Also, there are no moving parts which nearly eliminates required maintenance.  They have the ability to power all of the same devices that a gas generator can given similar wattage outputs.  They are also capable of directly powering DC (direct current) products making them perfect for camping, RV's and specifically designed low voltage appliances for a residence.   A solar powered generator captures energy from the sun through solar panels or cells and stores the juice in self contained batteries.  They can also be charged entirely or supplementary by a residential wind turbine and by connecting them to a standard AC (alternating current) wall socket.  A car charger is also an option with most units.  The flexibility in power recharging sources can help insure that the owner will have emergency (or day to day, for those off grid) power when needed or desired.

Solar generators are basically a condensed collection of several parts normally found in home solar setups.  The self contained, portable units are usually comprised of...

SLA Batteries (Sealed Lead Acid)

Power Inverter - Changes DC Electricity to AC

Charge Controller / Fuses

Digital Display of Voltage & Charge Status

DC, AC outlets and USB ports

A Cart or Wheels for Portability

 

Device built in Wilmington, NC by Coyle Industries.

 

Store purchased solar powered generators can be attached together in a series or chain.  This is especially useful if you have more than one.  Say you have a unit for your RV & one for your home, they can be linked together to provide increased wattage - power output to enable more devices for longer periods of time.

 

Solar generators are obviously designed to be recharged with solar panels. (among other methods) but that isn't an absolute necessity.  If the primary intent is to power a refrigerator / freezer in the event of a power failure, you can make sure the batteries are charged from your homes power outlets & just plug them in when the situation arises.  The length of uptime will depend on the size of your generator and the wattage requirement of your appliances.  Being able to recharge (or use in real time) from non-traditional sources like sunlight, increases the duration of energy output indefinitely.  Note - if you are not connecting the generator to a solar or wind source you will need to plug it in every 3 or 4 months to ensure that the batteries are "topped off".

 

Solar energy generator kits are available that include solar panels, controllers, cabling and additional accessories for those that want to get the most functionality out of their investment.  These kits are typically pretty easy to configure and use for those who are even slightly handy.

 

Pros and Cons:

 

Pros
No Exhaust - Use Inside

No Flammable Fuel to Store or Buy

Free Energy - Recharging

Silent Operation

Very Low Maintenance

Portable & Scalable

Better for the Environment

Safer Operation & Storage

 

Cons

Higher Upfront Cost than Gas Generator

Weight - Usually Heavy

Lengthy Recharge Times

 

A small side note...unless the contraption is physically connected to an electrical production device such as a solar panel, pedal / hand power crank or wind turbine, the word "generator" is technically incorrect.

 


 

 

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