Has anyone had experience using a "Solar Generator"

Hate to tell you, but that thing looks like total bullshit. It's just a battery and a little inverter with a solar panel. You could just buy those things for much less, and it's not gonna be very powerful. I guarantee when it says 1800 watts thats 1800 watts DC which is nothing. You could charge up some cell phones and shit, but you try to run power tools off it and it will be dead in no time.

Hey Trinity...I was thinking of putting together a small system just to power a refrigerator and a freezer that, as you know, only run intermittently. I figured at least 3 batteries, and a 1500-1800 Watt Inverter, and a 100 watt solar panel. Think that would do the trick, or do you think another solar panel? I was also considering adding an Air-X wind generator to the mix. The come with a built-in charge controller, if I'm not mistaken, and can be connected to a solar panel array. What are your thoughts?...just for refrigerator and freezer.

I use this system to run my whole house...

its a dollhouse though, with a 1 watt LED lightbulb.

I believe I read that it is recommended to have a 2500 watt generator to run a frig. Supposedly peak load can approach 2000 watts, for some brief periods of time. So your inverter might be a little wimpy, also you will need more panels to recharge your batteries in under 8 hours, and you might be a little light on the batteries too.

better to skip the inverter entirely and go with a DC fridge.

This system is enough to power some low-wattage DC lights at night, and a 12v water pump for a few minutes a day. If you plugged some 1800w appliance into your inverter, your battery would be dead in minutes. (And that 75w panel would take about 3 days to charge the battery back up to full.)
The 60ah (amp-hour) battery included with the kit is really crap. You'd want a minimum of 100ah, but the higher the better. (Batteries used in a proper solar system are typically 350ah)

If you bought these components separately it would cost:

$225 for a 75W solar panel. (Solar is currently about $3 per watt, but you can get it for as low as $1.85 per watt if you bulk buy.)

$40 for a solar charge controller. (Ebay)
$50 for a 1800W inverter. (Ebay)
$100 for a good 100ah deep cycle battery. (Ebay)
$5 for some cable.

Total: $420

And they're asking... $1,600?

LOL. What a scam.

What are some good DC fridges? I was looking at some freezers but those were in Australia! Others I saw were for RV use.

[link to www.engelaustralia.com.au]

Do you have any suggestions?

Last Edited by Andromeda on 05/05/2009 08:23 AM

Please show me where you can get panels for $1.85 a watt!!

In theory it's possible, but it's not the best solution. Even the most energy efficient (A++) of today's fridges use about 0.5kwh (kilowatt hours) per day. So you'd need 5 hours of direct sunlight to generate that from your 100W panel. (Expect 6 hours peak sunlight per day in North America) But the panel is unlikely to be 100% efficient, and you'll lose 15% of the energy through the inverter. In winter you'll struggle. And it wouldn't be totally reliable.

200W of solar panels would be better, but you'd still need a very very efficient refrigerator.

Using a chest freezer as a fridge is actually more efficient, because cold air sinks. (Whenever you open a normal fridge door, the cold air "falls out", and the compressor has to work harder to cool it down again. In a chest freezer, the cold air just stays at the bottom).

Ideally try to find a DC fridge (ie from a caravan or boat) which uses less power because you don't need an inverter.

Or you could just use propane.

Charge controllers vary in how much power they can handle, so you'd need to make sure you get one that can cope with your solar panel and your wind turbine. You need to work out how many watts peak you will generate, and buy the appropriate charge controller.

Here you go!

[link to www.atensolar.com]

$100 for a good 100ah deep cycle battery. (Ebay) SHIPPING????
$5 for some cable. a FOOT???

damn. i was looking to only spend 6k
and shipping will be a bitch

Save on system costs with SunDanzer DC-powered solar refrigerators and freezers. These highly efficient units with exceptionally low energy consumption require a smaller photovoltaic (PV) solar energy system for your refrigeration needs. SunDanzer units feature 4.33" (110 mm) of polyurethane insulation and coated steel cabinets. The brushless DC motor compressor operates on 12 or 24 VDC. A patented low-frost system reduces frost build-up for low maintenance.br>

...

Low energy consumption is the key that allows SunDanzer refrigerators and SunDanzer Freezers to be cost effectively powered from solar, wind, fuel cells or batteries. This technology allows refrigeration in remote locations where it was previously unavailable or prohibitively expensive.

[link to store.sundancesolar.com]

SunDanzer Features:

Runs on a single 80W module in most climates!
12 or 24 VDC with low voltage disconnect for battery protection.
Environmentally friendly CFC-free refrigerant
Rugged scratch resistant galvanized steel exterior
Easy to clean aluminum interior
Lockable lid with interior light
Patented low-frost system
Automatic control with adjustable thermostat
Baskets for food organization


SunDanzer Electrical and Physical Specification:

Input Voltage: 10.4-17VDC (12V) 22.8-31.5VDC (24V)
Power (typical-max): 40-80W
Fuse Size: 15A @12V [email protected]
Ambient T Range: 50 to 109 degrees F
Refrigerator T Range: 30 to 48 degrees F
Exterior Dimensions: 36.8W x 26.2D x 34.5H in

Shipping dimensions: 50W x 30D x 38H in, 140 lbs.

I'm in the UK. I can buy 100ah battery, including shipping for about that price. I can't imagine it's *that* much more in the US.

The electrical cable I used in my own solar system cost me about 80c per meter from the local hardware shop. I used 5 meters.

You'll find this site useful...

[link to solarbythewatt.com]

Awesome

do you know where to get individual cells cheap?

An icebox that opens on top is the go (boaties warehouse supplies). Freeze some three litre bottles of water in it and disconnect for three to four days at a time. I have a set up same as above (only 2 batteries) and only need the generator when running tools and pc.
Solar gives me the excuse to not be connected to the grid.
Front loader washers are easily converted to pedal powered washer(and clothes dryer if you have a wood stove). My wood stove heats my water also. Self sufficient from scrap seconds and 1000 dollars. I spent that in a year when grid connected so I consider it fuck all to pay for freedom. In Oz now we get reimbursed up to 7000 for solar bits so I am looking at expanding the array.

Oh yeah, don't tell NE1 about it or if you do make sure they don't know where you live. Imagine 20000 people all rocking up for a sniff of normality when the grid goes down for good.

WebsiteAussie

Dr.Know is right. There is a reason the maker of that web site put the words Solar Generator in quotes. It means it isn't really a generator.

Sorry mate, I don't know of any place cheaper than those listed at solarbythewatt.com. But expect prices to come down a lot in the next 2 years.

Companies like Nanosolar are already mass producing thin film CIGSS panels. This will drop to below $1 per watt in the next couple of years. Companies making mono- and poy-crystalline modules are going to have to drop prices in line.

Depending on what you are looking for you may find better prices from companies in New Mexico. I know I have seen lower prices but it is hard to tell when the price is by the watt instead of by the panel. I will see if I can find the links I was perusing last year and post them here.

mysolarbackup.com of Thompson, IL has a BBB rating of F on a scale of A-F they can't get any worse.

Send me your $1600 and I'll sell you some land in Florida...

i have a mysolarbackup "HUB" and it has 2 150watt panels and 3 huge batteries. It works with power tools and TV's as well as giving my computer and household items power. It also can have a wind generator hooked up to it. It works well with the sun and wind . I dont know what all the fuss it. Its a self-contained unit and works just fine. I think its a well made well thought out unit.. ask to speak to Mr. Fink @ mysolarbackup and ask him any questions you like. He made the darn thing. He is very kool and helpful. It works for me.

for the amount of power for the price I suggest you check out other sourcesthat will give you a free audit of what your power needs are before you buy from someone who only markets one item [link to epaoc.us] is one of those that you do not pay until you know the needs you want to supply

someone posted a link to EPAOC.com.
Even this site is dubious.
no where in their website, one can find the actual physical location of the company called EPA of Concord.

where is Tesla when we need him?

Hi. I'm new to all this. Don't know a THING! My dil is dependant on a ventilator. We have some battery backup, but I'd like to know if anyone can help with advice on the possibility of solar backup??? Thanks much.

Didn't clarify very well. What I'm looking for is a small unit, not a full-scale conversion. We're all on limited incomes, for one thing. Thanks again.