Off Grid Party Cabin Powered By Harbor Freight!

James decides to design and build an Off grid power system for a Hunting cabin in a swamp using Harbor Freight Thunderbolt Solar panels and a Predator Inverter generator! We also attempt to prevent electrical fires with a GoPower Transfer switch, come check it out!

[@richardblank6333]

Be interested how you setup your combiner box/ breaker box. Hope ya do a video on that and your grounding approach please

[@williamestes8409]

see ya are a fellow alabamaian i really love my harbor freight panels im up 400 watt bout up nother set soon curioud did ya up your batteries yet

[@JBAutomotive794]

This system has been installed and working well for well over a year on simple flooded lead acid batteries.

[@williamestes8409]

@@JBAutomotive794that is great yes mine works as well currently salvaging trying find all lumber I can building a 250/sf off grid cabin but I runn almost every thing off mine fans tvs cell phone light not up to.strength yet run ac but is what it is

[@JBAutomotive794]

Air conditioning is extremely power hungry. The system we installed also has an automatic transfer switch that when the generator is started is switches load from the inverter to the generator. The air conditioner runs only when the generator is running.

[@vikingnorm6935]

Really cool, I like it, my chimney caught my attic on fire 3 weeks ago burnt half my house, built something eerily close to this build but use the Predator 9000 to power my camper in my driveway when not using solar & batteries until I finish fixing my house

[@JBAutomotive794]

its a pretty decent setup for the money. as always try to utilize as much 12v lighting as possible to avoid loosing power in the inverter process. if you use only inverted power for essential things sparingly then your batteries will provide you with more usable energy.

[@vikingnorm6935]

@@JBAutomotive794 I run the generator into the camper 30 amp twist lock most of the time & just plug stuff into plugs on wall, then at night use inverter for light & tv pretty much, can’t wait until I’m back in my house

[@LunaMotorsports]

So that's what your solar system project was. I kept thinking it was a giant model of some sort. I'm sure there's a few more batteries you can get cheap.

[@JBAutomotive794]

It's getting there. I'll keep making more videos on the project as we go along. We have alot of things planned!

[@MidnightOwl99]

Do you have a wiring diagram on your batteries online?

[@SolarizeYourLife]

Did you test each panel individually??? For 25 wants you need to use a 50 watt 2 ohm resistor!!! What was your out come??!! Can you attach 8 gauge wire to the controller???

[@JBAutomotive794]

These panels are internally regulated. They are designed to be easily added and removed to the Hub. The gauge of the output wire from the controller definitely needs to be of sufficient gauge to handle the wattage of the panels under full charge conditions. 8 gauge should be ok for a short run.

[@RiddlelnYourHead]

@@JBAutomotive794 Do you use more than your lights and charging phone's? I guess what I'm asking because, I have 2 of the harbor freight 100 watt kits arriving any day, to get off grid in my 5th wheel. I have the 12v furnace for winter and AC for summer. I also Have the fridge, lights, tv, there's a surround sound system, water pump, water heater - which I guess I can turn off until needed? The LP Gas leak detector that constantly runs, 3.5 gallon RO water system.... I'm hoping the 2 kits will be enough? I have 4 battery bank as well. Only thing I don't have is the generator but harbor freight has a killer deal on that same one right now. HELP lol 😳😂

[@JBAutomotive794]

@@RiddlelnYourHead we used that system for lots of things including vacuuming and running a Television. You need to calculate your daily average usage of watts and plan your system accordingly. This system is setup to charge up a battery bank whenever sunshine is available but if need arrives, a generator can be switched over for heavy power demands such as air conditioning, electric heating/cooking elements, ect. By just starting the generator and the automatic transfer switch switches over to that.

[@Radboijoey]

The "ummm" kill me. Other then that good video.

[@Icutmetal]

Thanks for letting us know.