Portable solar powered power generators

[pbharvey]

You've seen them advertised all over YouTube. They're a little bigger than a bread box. You can plug them in and charge them or use a portable solar panel. Some are powerful enough to run a refrigerator.
I'm wondering if these fit in to an emergency power plan. I have a gas generator and generally keep 20+ gallons on hand. I like the idea of something rechargeable (and quiet) that could be used if there's an extended outage and gas is scarce. I don't expect it to power my house but running a sump pump during a hurricane would be helpful. Like most things in life the decent ones come with a price tag that keeps it from being a straight impulse buy.

Anyone have experience or done the research on these?

Do they make sense for a belt & suspenders prepper?

 

[treasurehunter]

20gallons will last a day or so. These units are a must-have but only if large enough to run what you intend to. What if gas stations have no power to pump it? Stick with either Bluetti AC300 or Ecoflow Delta Pro if you want to be serious about running a sump pump, real ones pull a lot of juice, and a couple of fridges. You will also need solar panels to charge them back up. For about 4K you can build a nice backup system. It's all about peace of mind when things get bad soon.

 

[StantonCree]

I’ve looked at the jackerys and only two of their models will even power a coffee pot. Most of those things are over built phone chargers for camping.

 

[jcutonilli]

You've seen them advertised all over YouTube. They're a little bigger than a bread box. You can plug them in and charge them or use a portable solar panel. Some are powerful enough to run a refrigerator.
I'm wondering if these fit in to an emergency power plan. I have a gas generator and generally keep 20+ gallons on hand. I like the idea of something rechargeable (and quiet) that could be used if there's an extended outage and gas is scarce. I don't expect it to power my house but running a sump pump during a hurricane would be helpful. Like most things in life the decent ones come with a price tag that keeps it from being a straight impulse buy.

Anyone have experience or done the research on these?

Do they make sense for a belt & suspenders prepper?

I would equate them like electric vehicles. They work well around town, but have limitations when driving distances. Batteries tend not to store much energy compared to gas. For example the Ecoflow Delta Pro can put out 3600W of continuous power but has 3600Wh of capacity so it will likely last less than an hour at max sustained output. The HF Predator 3500 can put out 3000W of continuous power and has a claimed usage rate of 0.21 gal/hr (2.33 gal for 11 hrs) at 25% load. Even at max power the tank would last for about 2.75 hours. A 750W load (25% of the HF continuous load) would last less than 5 hours with the Ecoflow Delta Pro while the HF would last 11 hrs and burn 2.33 gal of gas.

Adding solar helps, but requires a fair amount of space and cost. The 100W HF solar panel takes up about 7 ft2 and produces an average of 500Wh per day. You would need 8 or more of these panels to fully recharge the Ecoflow in a day.

As for price the Ecoflow Delta Pro lists for $3700 compared to about $900 for the HF Predator 3500. Each solar panel is $130-190 at HF.

 

[Jimgoespewpew]

It's a battery with buttons. That's it. Go to best battery in Baltimore and buy 6v floor scrubber batteries, then get a decent inverter. These are simplified, overpriced solutions for people with more money than motivation.

 

[Melnic]

I have had for 3 yeas a smaller Jackery that was on special for $187 at the time but sells for more now.

Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, 240Wh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V/200W Pure Sine Wave AC Outlet​

I have been very impressed at how well the battery holds its charge. I use it for small device AC power for short use but mostly for hooking up to an air pump to power the air pump and not have to plug into the car for trailer tires (where its impractical to plug into the car).

I have been thinking about a solar panel, battery device like this and putting into a faraday cage with the Radios/Transcievers

 

[6-Pack]

I have a 280W one and it will power my TV/stereo (at a reasonable volume).

I've been eyeing up the EcoFlow 120V units, with a combiner so I can run my 220V well pump. My ideal system costs $12,000, so unless there's a good sale in the near future I'm going to be saving a little for it.

 

[KRC]

I'm not familiar with these breadbox sized systems, but I doubt they would power much for very long.

I am in the process of putting together a small 12V solar system with a goal to be able to run a freezer and/or fridge and perhaps some other small appliances on an intermittent basis when no gas for the generator is available. System is: 2x100W panels, 2000W inverter, 60A MPPT controller, 2 x 12V 100Ah FeLiPO4 batteries. (I already have a separate 12V emergency sump system, installed after $20K worth of damage from hurricane Andrew).

Comments on this system relative to the goals by those with knowledge or experience?

 

[BeoBill]

I've been looking at these for several years on and off (no pun intended), primarily for "normal" power outages. So far none really meet my needs. As far as a survival, SHTF situation like a Carrington-level event, bear in mind that none to very few of the support services we have (like pump motors, phone exchanges, means of transportation, etc.) would be operational. So about all a big battery/solar rig would be good for after a couple of days would be keeping a light lit at night. I prefer to use small solar charger/power bricks to power a radio and keep a lamp lit. Sorry preppers. You're better off looking for a potable water source...

 

[Muleskinner]

Isn't a solar "generator" really just a large solar charged battery back up? Not really a generator..

 

[jcutonilli]

Isn't a solar "generator" really just a large solar charged battery back up? Not really a generator..

I believe they use the term "generator" to designate units that have both batteries and an inverter in one unit. It does generate 120V AC power from a stand alone unit just like a generator.

 

[treasurehunter]

I recently installed two of these for 220 volts for my ac and well and two lifePo4 5K rackmount batteries along with 10 used 240watt solar panels. Powers most everything but I need two more batteries to go all night using ac and well.

EG4 6000XP Off-Grid Inverter | 8000W PV Input | 6000W Output | 480V VOC Input | 48V 120/240V Split Phase | All-In-One Solar Inverter

The EG4 6000XP is a cutting-edge 48V split-phase, off-grid inverter and charger, designed to revolutionize your energy needs. With an impressive 8kW of PV input capacity and an efficient 6kW continuous power output, it also serves as a battery 140A charger. What sets it apart is its scalability...

signaturesolar.com

 

[sckno3]

i've used the Jackery and another brand called Rouffiel that is the same as Rockpals... for a couple years now.

have used them for running fans, lights, a portable 30qt truck fridge/freezer, charging devices, and they can even run anything under 350w at home in an emergency.

the Rouffiel box ran my truck fridge for about 24hrs on a single charge and still wasnt dead. then it recharged while driving, and i ran the fridge off the truck. great portable option.

if i was buying another power pack now, and might in a month or two, i'd be looking at Bluetti. they have seriously stepped up their game and the newer units can run more and recharge way faster with battery chemistry that is both safer and longer lasting, LiFePo.

automotive lead-acid batteries only actually give you about half the rated output before they need a recharge. deep cycle like optima is a bit better, but LiFePo or most other Lithium options give you much more of the rated output compared to lead acid. a 100wh lead acid is only good for about 50wh and starts to degrade quickly if drained lower or often.

i've been gathering backups for redundancies "just in case", and have a few 100w monocrystalline panels, cabling, and buck/boost converters. looking to add an MPPT charge controller, but i can already recharge my portable boxes, any 12v automotive batteries or even set them to maintain with a low amp trickle charge.

i have a gas generator that can run most of the house off a transfer switch to the main panel.

but i'm also looking into inexpensive diy wind turbines as another layer...

fun with science!

 

[Chat-Bot]

I have this one and use it when camping for recharging lights, handheld GPS and smaller electronics. You get longer usage sticking with DC than AC.

 

[gamer_jim]

I have the Jackery 240 and like it so far. I don't have the solar charger for it yet but plan on buying one next year. Right now we just use it for lights in the tent and charging phones and GPS while camping. I wish I had gotten the next model up.

I also plan on using it for my amateur radio for portable operation. The radio I want is 6w output so this should be able to handle it along with power for tuner and maybe a laptop.

 

[kshaw]

I have the Jackery that I bought at Harbor Freight and have used it for camping and light repairs. Need a soldering iron or a Dremel at a remote location? Works great. Need to charge an Iphone or IPad at the campsight? Also works great. I use it to inflate the air mattress and power my portable XM radio. I sometimes use it to recharge batteries for my drones. I have also tested it with a 100 watt foldable solar panel and that can recharge it as needed. If you want heavy duty power, get 4 of the 100-watt solar panels at Home Depot, 2 12v deep charge batteries, a battery controller, and a power inverter and you can go up to 700 watts or so.

 

[randyho]

I really like the idea of having something I can set on the kitchen counter to keep the fridge and freezer running all night while my gas/propane gennies are safely locked away. Peace of mind, but I'd probably lean toward something home-baked and customizable along the lines of this.

 

[Speed3]

No love for the ecoflow?

Fall Sale - EcoFlow US

Get power outage ready, go-off-grid and more with EcoFlow portable power stations & solar panels. Click to learn more!

us.ecoflow.com

I've been eyeing these up but just haven't pulled the trigger. Ideally I'd buy the delta pro and the 400w solar panels to recharge. The downside is cloudy days etc.

I found a 1400w small propane generator that I could use during those times. But when everything added together it gets pricey fast!

 

[pbharvey]

I really like the idea of having something I can set on the kitchen counter to keep the fridge and freezer running all night while my gas/propane gennies are safely locked away.

That was the idea I had.

 

[lazarus]

20gallons will last a day or so. These units are a must-have but only if large enough to run what you intend to. What if gas stations have no power to pump it? Stick with either Bluetti AC300 or Ecoflow Delta Pro if you want to be serious about running a sump pump, real ones pull a lot of juice, and a couple of fridges. You will also need solar panels to charge them back up. For about 4K you can build a nice backup system. It's all about peace of mind when things get bad soon.

It depends now what you are running. A whole house standby generator, yes 20 gallons or so. A decent sized portable like a 5-8kw generator 20 gallons is about 3 straight days if it isn’t loaded down hard. My 6000kw dual fuel burns a bit under 1.5# an hour of propane. Call it around 4 gallons of gas per 14-16hrs. 5 gallons at worst for my house (and that’s running everything except . That runs my whole house except for electric dryer, air conditioning, and induction range. Heat and hot water are oil/wood boilers. Turn the generator off at night and you can easily get 20 gallons to last 4 days. A week if you ration it a bit more during the day.

Anyway, at some point I want to consider a solar power option, but it needs to do 240v to run the well pump and central air blowers as the upstairs heat is run through them.

I have a couple portable battery/inverter options and small solar panels. A pair of 60w panels easily handles charging my 300w/300wh solar power pack at max (it can only take 60w max charging) while simultaneously charging some smaller devices direct off the panels like a couple of cell phones and LED headlamp.

That size pack works great from running small electronics like laptops, charge phones and small batteries. If I need to I can charge power tool batteries off it. It’s enough to recharge a 4ah/18v battery a bit less than 4 times. Or my bigger 40v power tool batteries about a time and a half (those are 4ah/40v)

It’ll run my 12v compressor cooler 30qt fridge for close to 2 hot summer days without charging when used at fridge temps. Set to freezer temps it’s a bit over a day (set to 20F). With the solar panel use it’s probably indefinitely. Or at least I’ve run it for about 6 days no problem.

If I were to scale it for a house, just for the very basics like run my fridge and chest freezer, run a sump pump if I needed, a few lights and a laptop and router (but not throw in a big screen TV) you’d want probably a 2, or 3kwh pack as well as probably 200-300w of solar panels to recharge it. A fridge/freezer is going to use around 1kwh a day. A chest freezer about .5-1kwh depending on the size. A 200w panel if you are reasonably lucky on a clear summer day if you adjusted panels every hour without much in the way of trees around might get you 2kwh of chrarging. About 3 for the 300w panel. More typically figure half that. And a really overcast day could be 1/10th.

Super ideally you’d want around 2 days of battery storage for what you want to use the power for, and then sufficient solar panels to recharge all of your batteries in 5 hours of strong daylight. So an ideal would be 4-6kwh and 800-1200w of panels powering it.

That would be for long term use. If the plan is to use solar to backstop the generator as well as provide overnight power when you don’t want to run the generator/give it a rest and stretch your fuel then as little as 12hrs of battery power and solar sufficient to charge it all in that ideal day is plenty. Generators are most efficient under load. So some of the power to charge the batteries coming from charging off the generator for an hour or two is just fine. An hour of generator charging to get 2 hours of battery run time is more efficient than just running the regular load at 2hrs on the generator.

What I am personally leaning towards is I am building a tear drop camper on a trailer here at some point. I plan to run 300-400w of solar panels on it and I am looking at a 200AH/12v LiFePO4 battery and inverter in it. Running a custom cable to the generator socket allows me to at least run half the circuits in my house. Just have the fridge and boiler on the leg of the breaker panel. That gives me some lights and outlets overnight, plus keeps the fridge powered and boiler running. Chest freezer is fine without power for 12hrs even. Then I can turn the generator off overnight and still have some power. No upstairs heat, but at least the basement has radiators and it’ll circulate heat in the central air units to keep the hydronic pipes from freezing up.