What Can You Run On A Single Solar Panel?

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Calculate Solar Cost For Your Home - geni.us/wvG5 EcoFlow Delta 2 - geni.us/Z8yw7vB EcoFlow Delta Pro - geni.us/8cS2d4 DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[@danielandrews7028]

Have you seen those usb powered light bulbs. They will blow you away. They function just like a real light bulb.

[@wayneyadams]

No way Jose! I am not giving these people all this information. The last time I used one of these sites my email filled up with SPAM, plus the solar panel companies hounded the hell out of me. An honest site would not be mining for all this information, and if they claim they need it to make a legitimate estimate they are spewing bullshit! Unfortunately, I started giing them information, so I expect the gates of hell have been opened.

[@docbrown6550]

One of the companies I priced for Solar panels was $65,000 for my home, It would take me 36 years to pay for that at the cost of what I pay for my light bill now.

[@wayneyadams]

@@docbrown6550 I had the same sort of experience. The high-pressure salesmen present these rosy calculations showing how you supposedly save all this money each month and how the cost of the solar panels will be recovered in just a few years. The average person will hear this BS and be convinced the investment is worthwhile, then the bills start to roll in and surprise it was all a lie.

[@wayneyadams]

My advice to everyone is to avoid these so-called solar panel calculators because they require you to provide them with a phone number or an e-mail address which will result in endless SPAM and annoying phone calls. Sorry everydayhomerepairs, but these sites are scams designed to mine information for high pressure salesmen.

[@mrsparex]

About 7 years ago I used a Harbor Freight $200 solar kit to help build a cabin out in the woods. I charged hand tools and kept a radio going. I used a little $30 inverter. Never had temporary power turned on.

[@mattdg1981]

I built a solar generator using a harbor freight setup. 2 deep cycle batteries with a smaller car battery hooked parallel with the basic 30 amp charge controller and a 2500 watt inverter. I can run my small RV shore power line for 3 days (sparingly). It runs a small fridge and microwave as well as the AC unit (not for long but enough to keep it comfy). That being said because I can only charge at 100 watts it takes a week or more to bring the batteries back to full charge.

[@RonaldDaub-g7z]

I thought that was me talking I've gone two weeks of lighting and television and computers and phone charging with two humongous marine batteries and a 2000 watt bee stack inverter And to charge this I use three solar panels because that's all I have. Two solar panels use one controller one of my panels use one controller. Then to my 12 volt batteries into the inverter.. but I've always messed with this stuff and I am an electrician so I know what I am doing

[@mattdg1981]

@@RonaldDaub-g7z I started in the trades doing electrical work with my father. After high school I worked for a commercial outfit doing 3phase work and a lot of control wiring. I know by adding more panels I could recover power faster but I built it all to be mobile. Everything is mounted inside of a weatherproof cart with the panels mounted on the lid. The lid is at a 37 degree angle and I can pull the cart around the yard to gain more sunlight as well as having power wherever I want it.

[@thunderditrick5364]

​@@mattdg1981 hey Matt, can I ask you a little more about your setup? I'm looking into a 100 watt panel just for ac and phone. I live in my SUV most of the time and Just want it to be cool enough to be comfortable during the day.

[@mattdg1981]

@@thunderditrick5364 battery capacity is key. The more and bigger you have the better. You'll always be limited in charging capacity with only 100 watts

[@jessstone7486]

I just got a 100 w panel (brand is LMenger) that has a usb and usb-c connector. It's my first step into solar. I LOVE it: can charge my phone (much faster than wall outlet), iPod, portable speaker, and two-way radio! I have nothing else - no batt, controller, etc. But - full disclosure - I *do* live in Arizona! :)

[@baneverything5580]

I have about 12 of the solar panels with USB ports ranging from 15 watts to 120. You can use extension cables to run inside for "free" power for an Onite LED light bulb and a three speed USB fan. I got mine for hurricanes before eventually getting more and more solar stuff until I could even run a small air conditioner in my camper. Thank God for the stimulus! I`m poor and on Social Security disability and the stimulus made my dream of having emergency solar power come true!

[@occamraiser]

If it charges faster than a wall outlet then the issue is with the wall outlet which has access to way more than a few watts from a 100w-max cheap solar panel with god-knows-what thickness wires and voltage converter.

[@TheDaniel688]

For coffee, you can get an insulated carafe for many coffee makers. Brew the coffee as normal and then turn off the coffee pot. The coffee will stay hot for a couple of hours, saves electricity, and will actually taste better if it hasn't been cooking on that heating element. You can also just dump it into a thermos. Should save you 90% of the electricity vs leaving it on for an hour. Great video, very practical information here.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Good advice and thanks for the feedback!

[@MikeKeller]

Yes, we have a Mr. Coffee with 10 cup carafe, and I've found the coffee to still be hot three hours later.

[@TheDaniel688]

@@MikeKeller that's the same one I have. When my old coffee maker broke I bought another one the same size so my insulated carafe would still fit.

[@kevinholland4156]

Good idea; I usually boil up some water the first thing and put the hot water in a carafe; that way the pour-over coffee drinkers ( selfish cup) are happy; the tea drinkers are happy and the hot chocolate drinkers are happy.

[@OWK000]

Vacuum insulated carafes and cups are also excellent for brewing many types of delicate root type herbals teas like ginger, burdock, dandelion, dock and many more. Try a bag of Yogi detox tea brewed in a vacuum insulated thermal cup, preferable preheated with a bit of the steam from the tea kettle, left to steep for 1.5 to 2 hours. It's an amazing strong cup of tea. The only way to brew it. It should say on the package. Vacuum insulated carafes are wonderful!

[@powoxi]

This is legitimately cool. It's like nothing I've seen before.

[@kevinholland4156]

I always use the equation of 2 to 1. So if I have a 100AH battery preferably Lithium LiPo4 I need a minimum of 200 watts of solar to charge the battery. If you can afford more panels get them as long as your solar controller can handle that voltage or find out how many volts your solar power station will accept. Because solar panels don't produce what they say on them it doesn't hurt to go over by about 20-30% of what's rated on the panel. Make your coffee on a propane stove.

[@occamraiser]

I have 360w of panels and never get more than 260w from them. Mine are connected to 5 lead acid cells with a total capacity of about 450Ah - and a grid - tie inverter that I connect in summer to 300w of panels leaving the 60w to keep the batteries topped up....just waiting for my first power-cut now, to prove to the wife it was worth the cost of buying a garden shed to install it all in now :)

[@motoryzen]

​@@occamraiserI look forward to an update about your results..legit No bs..just neutral unfiltered truth. 🙂

[@SiXiam]

@@occamraiser Yeah it quickly becomes a pain where your 360w panels get you 260w, then you got inverter and wiring inefficiencies. Lucky to get 200 watts after that. Then lead acid is a joke compared to lifepo. You can only pull 50% out of lead acid.

[@mrobvious1100]

Can someone give me a general idea how much power a controller would use from the grid to recharge batteries at night versus using solar to charge the batteries during the day? I'm trying to come up with a design for a mini system where the wattage demand is about five thousand watt Peak during the day and only 1000 Watts at night using 4 100 amp hour lifepo4 batteries. I figure it's cheaper for a controller to charge them overnight. To give you an idea according to my electric company 950KW was my maximum usage month in any given month last year. (Summer) That's basically a 220 air conditioner at 1500w and a 900 watt window ac for a bedroom, and then your basics of a refrigerator, a small chest freezer, )2) 55 inch LED TVs and all LED light bulbs. This obviously takes in consideration two TVs or only on three or four hours a day and the 220ac is only running till 6 p.m. I am in Maryland and I have full sun no trees around my house from 8 a.m. until about 2 p.m. then the Sun starts to go down on the front side of my house

[@SiXiam]

@@mrobvious1100 I think a good rule of thump would be your power company cost plus 25% to charge your batteries. That would estimate the battery / inverter conversion inefficiency plus some other losses like wiring. Put simply if you want to save money try to use less power, like how they have those ultra efficient window air conditioners now that are more like heat pumps.

[@SVInLikeFlynn]

Excellent post Scott, I currently have a Jackery 300 watt and 500 watt generators each powered by 100 watt solar panels that I use on my sailboat which is on a mooring. They run my 12 volt tv and fans in addition to charging drone batteries, and iPhone and iPads. In addition to running the boat engine to keep house batteries charged up (rarely) I have a gas Honda generator for same purpose. Eventually I’d like to build a bigger solar system that would have 2 solar panels on my Bimini that would charge my house batteries and allow me to keep the refrigerator cold without running boat engine or Honda. Thanks, greetings from Chesapeake Bay.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Ummm, that sounds like a pretty awesome project 👍👍

[@Skywatchersx]

1-10 how do you rate living off grid? I’m thinking about it.

[@baneverything5580]

The 500w battery can run a dorm fridge for 24 hours per charge. A DC fridge would be more efficient though. Boats need special fridges though, right?

[@craigforsgren9993]

I’m glad I found you on uTube. I’m in the really early stages of info gathering, to set up a makeshift pontoon houseboat, all DIY, to head into the Voyager’s National Park for weeks, possibly months at a time, by being self sufficient off the grid. You really seem to have mastered the mystery of solar panels, that could really be instrumental in my plans. I hope to utilize your knowledge in the future, when I’m ready to attack this project. Again, i’m glad to have found your site…

[@dogdicer1153]

Funny story, when i was a kid, about 8, youtube was new but i was really into it. Although my mom was young, probably 30 at the time, she didnt know about it yet. I was explaining it and trying to show her, but her growing up in the myspace 9 digit texting era, she typed "Utube" instead of youtube, and back then, around 2009, utube was a hardcore adult website, and she freaked out and got mad, but i had to explain she did not spell it right, lol. Thanks for the funny memory

[@liamalepta8003]

To be straight forward and honest, for camping, outdoors recreation, sure grab yourself a solar generator unit, they are good in that capacity, for a few lights in your tent, a radio perhaps, charging your phone, powering your tv or laptop a cordless drill battery. However in a home or survival shelter or going off grid, i would encourage ppl to just get a full system. Such as a panel, a charge command a battery and a power inverter. This way you can isolate what is wrong if ever a problem. Because like anything, its going to require regular service. Such as the command unit may go out, you simply replace it not needing to open the box, most of those generators simply are not user servicable. For the price you pay because they have litium battery, is outrageous. 600 USD for the one here its a very small AH watt hour battery. For people who are on a budget, I will give you an example of my set up It was easy, i paid less than 350USD for a 100w with a 12v 100ah RV battery, with solar panel directed to the sun angled to be the most efficent. I found an app on godggle play which tells me exactly where the sun is year round, sun tracking. For hard wiring your RV, Off Grid shed/cabin, think RV set up. You can get a 100w Solar panel kit from Amazon, which comes with a panel, mounting, 25ft of cable and a charge controller for 89.00USD, I purchased a 750W Jupiter modified sine wav power inverter, which I mounted on a 2x2ft piece of plywood. I then bought a 12v deep cycle RV battery, not a car battery, the two are made differently, an RV battery is specically designed to be charged by a generator or charger or solar charge , it doesnt have the power kick a car battery does for starting a motor then recharge from a alternator. Its specifically designed to operate the lights, appliances, tvs in a RV camper. Most sold are sealed where as a car battery is not and car batteries off gas which can make you really sick, a sealed battery you can keep inside like under a counter. Deep cycle means it can go lower than 50% , mine have gone down to 75% depleated and its fine, it recharges back great, no battery damage. The price of an deep cycle rv battery is 129 then a core. I started with one battery and my solar setup. Its been over 5 years and its still going really good. litium batteries are extremely exspensive, they have many pros also, but again many people having to resort to alternative living situations probably dont have a 1000usd on hand to buy one single litium rv battery, yes one thousand doallrs or more per battery. Not letting people know the alternatives of powering a make shift shelter considering that most people look in to solar might be searching for ways to reduce costs or being off the grid. A more solid system with reliable batteries and cost efficient, if the battery is small in that solar generator it can olny operate for so long and has to be constantly recharging, yet a 100ah if keeping minimal lights and appliance going , a fan and a several lights, the battery can go three days, just like a camper. And the best suggestion ive ever seen about alternatives , learn to live needing less power, be frugal. Most of the stuff we use , we dont really need to live a good wholesome life. We have been so brain washed into giving our money to utility companies about things we really dont need. So to change your life and go solar , so also change your life so that you arent so dependant upon. Its nice ambience to live 1800s with soft lantern light , peaceful, relaxing, comforting. I have 1000 lumen LED lights outside , but not a lick of electric battery, all solar, solar yard lights, solar decrative lights. Learning how to go entirely solar is fu, but can be very inexspensive. Im not trying to say bad about this video , i just know that there hundreds uopon hundreds of people going homeless , they cant afford 2-3-4 thousand dollar gadgets, We need more youtubers making videos about how these unfortanate can get power for their shack or tents. As humans we should be sticking for our fellow citezens, not sticking up for the companies over charging for profit.

[@baneverything5580]

A 100ah 12v LiFeP04 battery rated at 2000 to 5000 charge cycles before losing 20% capacity is about 230 bucks right now. A 200ah version is 500 bucks. These can be fully discharged and are safer than regular lithium ion and last far longer. My 300ah Ampere Time runs my small air conditioner and has a 5 year warranty and is rated at 4000 full charge/discharge cycles. If cared for properly it can get way more cycles and is good for 12 to 20 years.

[@ignatiusgrippa]

Great useful advice. I'm learning about solar hoping to have a modest setup down the road. The power station in the video looks handy but when I saw the price I about spit out my coffee.

[@RichardBreitkreutz-g5r]

Thank you very much for this informative comment. I am currently trying to put together a plan for a simple but somewhat decent set up for a small cabin. Id really rather not spend a ton of money if I can get away with a different option. I am going to look further into what you were mentioning with the RV deep cycle battery. Do you have any other resources you'd recommend for reading more about the kind of solar system you have? Thank you again!

[@dawn7882]

Bob Wells at cheap RV living is a wealth of information. We don't actually need more KZbinrs teaching as we need to direct others to Bob's channel

[@carlthetruthwilliams9447]

@@dawn7882 Went to Bob's channel. He's great. Subbed. Thank you.

[@backpackingonline]

I used 1/2 the latitude as a year round angle but flat has been sufficient: three 110 Watt panels, two 6VDC batteries for 12 VDC to run a small Norcold frig, 50 Watt amateur radio, and electrical requirements for a propane heater, a propane furnace, a propane instant hot water shower and propane 12 VDC lighting. I looked at the system as startup amps for the refrigerator and total watts. The controller is Trace 12 and my solar power system has a fuse on each circuit. I do not use an inverter. I used marine grade shielded wiring. I wanted an electrically quiet environment for my qrp amateur radio hobby. I like what you have done. I really like your presentation.

[@Nicole-xd1uj]

Thank you for such a clear explanation of power consumption. I've just moved to Mexico and the power goes out quite often so I'm going to set up a small system on my sunny balcony. The 100w panel test was very useful for me to see what I might need.

[@rogerpeterson7581]

I'm currently expanding my solar energy system to include: 4 - 36v, 260w Monocrystalline panels mfg by Canadian Solar I bought the used. The angle of the panels are 34 degrees which matches my latitude. These are wired parallel for a maximum of 1040 watts. Epever 40A 100v 12v -24v output charge controller I 200AH 24v lithium battery 3000 watt pure sign wave 24v/120v inverter. I power a small chest freezer, refrigerator, an evaporative cooler (only for a few hours at a time). I live in an area where the power company can shut off my power for up to 5 days in the event of high fire danger weather. This is a back up system for when they cut my power. I live in the Mojave desert where we get the most sunlight in the nation. I enjoyed your video.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice work on the used panels. I think used panels can be a GREAT value. Where did you get yours?

[@rogerpeterson7581]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs I bought them from a gentleman who was upgrading his system because he bought a second Tesla car and needed more power to charge two cars! I paid $70.00 each for four panels. They are top of the line Canadian Solar Company panels. It is unbelievable how good they work on cloudy days.

[@98grand5point9]

The utility is not a battery. It's a sink for excess power. Non battery systems either don't provide any backup power, or only when the sun is shining. Most solar installation companies don't tell people this. I've had several people tell me they had no idea their grid tied system wouldn't work during any outage. They said that part wasn't explained.

[@gabriellobo25]

I have 4 100watt solar panel from Eco flow and I used them to charge my delta batters . I have two batteries packs . On a sunny day I get around 290 watts -303 watts . Not to bad .

[@danthomas9688]

After discharging my Bluetti AC30 fully, I connected it to a HQST 100 watt solar panel that I put on the roof of my screened in room. I have an in-line meter that measures watt-hours installed between the panel and the solar generator. I connected these together at around 8 AM and by evening I had only charged 176 watt-hours into the 300WH unit. That is because the day was mostly cloudy and we had a thunderstorm in the afternoon. I have conducted these tests before. In March of 2021 when the days are shorter, but sunnier, one 100 watt solar panel would produce enough electricity to charge the solar generator before the sun went down. Two 100 watt panels in parallel would charge it in half that time. I also have an Ecoflow Delta 1300 solar generator which will handle 400 watts of solar. On a mostly sunny day 4 panels will charge it completely. My whole purpose for buying this stuff is preparation for a hurricane. I live in South Florida. The Ecoflow will run my refrigerator which uses 1100WH a day. Of course there is no way that I can keep that refrigerator running on solar. Knowing this I bought a 3500 peak watt inverter generator on Amazon. I figure that I can charge the solar generators a couple times a day with it plus microwave, run the coffeemaker, etc. on a gallon of gas per day. Solar will supplement the power created by the generator, not vice versa.

[@baneverything5580]

Parallel panels and 200w mono panels are very useful for cloudy days. I can sometimes get 30 to 40 watts into my portable power stations when it`s cloudy. If you`re using a 500w power station for an Onite LED light, cooking rice a few times per week, or breakfast with a 350w Dash griddle the cloudy days won`t matter much.

[@baneverything5580]

I have power stations but I also got an Ampere Time (Li Time) 12v 300ah LiFeP04 I can recharge with solar or a gas generator with a 30 amp plug-in charger to power a small 400w window ac after hurricanes or storms in Louisiana. I top it off before storms. It has been a BLESSING with all the power outages we have. They have 280ah batteries now for around 500 and some 300ah but who knows what the quality is? Li Time is a really good brand with a 5 year guarantee.

[@donbrloks3959]

Depends on your goals. Saving $ with roof full of panels. That’s a long term project with minimal savings until 6-10 years. Gets complicated if you sell your house. Will not power your house if the grid goes down without expensive batteries. Living off grid when grid power is not available. Expensive, but sometimes necessary. Small system that will power your freezer/refrigerator, lights and fans in the event of a power outage for as long as you have sunshine. Saving a large freezer full of food may be worth the investment. Could make camping more enjoyable. Maybe all you need is to keep your phone charged when the grid is down.

[@BrianRRenfro]

One thing that people forget, like in the coffee pot instance, is duty cycle. Nothing wrong with the video, this is just an addendum for people reading. The coffee pot may say 1050w on the input but once it's done brewing it will only kick the hotplate on ever so often. Say 15 seconds out of every minute. So it's really drawning 1/4 of the total wattage over time. It's like a using a circular saw. Maybe it says 1500w. You project will take you 1 hour. You won't draw 1500wh because you only use it for maybe 3 minutes added up during that hour. Duty cycle is THE MOST important thing to consider when calculating loads. Even say a laptop. It may sit idle at 10w. Watching a movie it may draw 30w.

[@millennium677]

I just wanna run my tv when there's a blackout too piss the neighbours off

[@Auxcordbroke]

This is my new goal 😂

[@naidamaraja3640]

😂😂😂😂

[@krispy3681]

I have a massive fish room. Even running a handful o led lights 10hrs a day would be great

[@loriekaczmarek9788]

I do, as well as lights and a deep freezer or small washer. And I act like oh ,the powers off?

[@millennium677]

@@loriekaczmarek9788 why not

[@lisalee2885]

Here in California...insurance companies will not cover your roof damages from solar panels screwed into roof. Apparently people are not getting on the roof and making sure those screwed areas are sealed

[@TheCookster64]

I have a barn/garage going up and I want to power it with solar. Electric outlets, lights, three garage door openers. The panels are going on mounts on the ground. It has lifetime shingles and I do not want to void the warranty.

[@litestuffllc7249]

Net metering - may end in your area. Once a power company obtains enough solar contracts with home owners to totally fill their demand; they no longer want to compensate for extra power they can't sell. This is already happening in the SW where they have a lot of solar; you can't any longer get net metering -so even if you can get it now - you may not be able to in the future depending on your local areas power needs.

[@sentient8146]

I have a 12x16 float out on the river. It’s really for the harbor seals to have a place to haul out in a cold New England winter. I want to put a metal framed Christmas tree with six or eight strings of Christmas lights out there. Low budget is the key because the seals will possibly wreak havoc on my tree and panels etc. How many generated watts do I need and what is a good (relatively) system can I install. Guidance would be appreciated but being directed to a source of more usable info would be very cool. TY.

[@BrianRRenfro]

I think the biggest mistake I see even seasoned people make with "getting the max out of my panels" is when to charge JUST the battery bank, and when to charge/run other things. Most people I run into time their max usage during max solar production time. This is good if you are almost full in your batteries. The problem is most of the time they are at say 70 percent and trying to bring the bank up PLUS the loads. As most know, but seem to forget, once it gets closer to full it accepts less of charge. Okay say you are able to produce 100a of charge current. You battery is accepting 100a. Don't run anything else. Now later your battery bank starts to reach full and you are only putting 50a into it but your panels are still able to put out 100a. NOW is when to run other loads. Otherwise it's simply wasted. You got the max charge you could get into the batteries, they are STILL accepting the max they can, and you are directly using the leftovers to charge things like laptops, phones, run the TV, whatever. This figures into "how much can I do with one panel" a massive amount if you have the capacity to charge your batteries to 100 percent daily. Your panels may theoretically be able to produce 2000wh a day, but you have to use it or lose it.

[@boomerang157]

A few years ago, I bought an Ecoflow River Pro and hooked it up to a 100W Renogy panel and hung on my shed door which I swing to face the sun as it moves across the sky. I store the unit itself inside the shed. I use it to charge all my battery-operated lawn tools but bring the power station inside the house during winter to use as a small power back up if needed. I'm extremely pleased how this works in the spring and summer. However, (not that I need it for my purposes) the power station won't charge in cold temps. It seems the unit has to be in a warm environment to work.

[@mro2352]

I was looking at a Bluetti solar generator, only 260wH. It makes more sense from a flexibility perspective to plug the few solar panels on my list into an inverter and charge the device off of that than plugging the solar panels in directly.

[@KF9IV]

Really enjoyed this. It cleared up some things I was confused about.

[@roytaylor4578]

I have an Ecoflow River, a Delta 2 and a Delta Pro. I have them primarily for backup power but for the purpose of testing I have used them for the following. The Delta 2 will power my Fridge for about 30 hours. I have used the River to power my TV, Cable Box and WIFI. It is plugged into the grid so it is constantly charging but will provide backup power for 2 or 3 days. I can use my Delta Pro to power my Keurig single cup coffee maker. My Ninja Air Fryer or my toaster oven. I can also run various 12 lights and charge my phones, laptop and tablet. I charge all of this with 200W. of solar (I live in South Texas). It takes a full afternoon of sun to charge but I also have a portable 400W panel that I can use if I need to charge faster. I recently purchased a 2nd Delta Pro and a Smart Home Panel which I will have tied to my electric service panel so that I can have more backup power. This system will use both Delta Pros.

[@CamperVan-K]

You have a lot of knowledge regading what is supposed to happen with these solar panels and the EcoFlow, however, I think either I have a dud EcoFlow Delta 2 Max, or those figures are just plain wrong. Here's an example. On a hot sunny day here in England, UK, I can put the solar panel out side of my van - just like you have, on the floor, slightly tilted to catch the suns rays, and it will pull in between 70-130 Watts. I put ONLY my Acer 5 Laptop on it and that pulls out 125-127 Watts. If I put any more on it (a mobile phone, or a fan, or a heater, forget getting even an hour's worth of energy out of it). It will power a small camper oven (500W) for about 20 minutes (basically one meal). Or (not both), it will power a 50W heater (on its lowest setting) for about 3 hours. The DeltaFlow Max lasts ONE DAY when it's fully loaded up to 99% with energy - it takes about an hour to fully charge it via the household 240V plug. You can forget charging to 99% capacity, as that takes between 5-6 hours. And anytime the sun appears on it and gives it a burst of energy, the fan kicks in and uses up all the energy. When I bought the DeltaFlow 2 Max, the literature said that I could power many things in a household with it. I live in a campervan and it doesn't even power my laptop (127W) for a day. I was encouraged to hook it up to the mobile phone via an App, but I didn't, because I believed the whole system was designed to be 'off-grid' - and that kind of defeats the object - where's the point in hooking it up to the internet to get the 'best power' out of it? Anyway, I'm not best pleased with it. Especially after forking out £2k for it and it's been like this from the beginning. I wouldn't recommend that machine. It's heavy, clunky, the 240v plugs are at the 'back' of the product and it's difficult to position it in a camper van. Nuff said, me thinks. Carry on with the good work. Oh, and ps, one of the panels of the solar panel that came with it, smashed to smitherines when it landed gently on the floor. It's still useable, as it's all sandwiched between the plastic panels, but I didn't expect that so soon after buying it.

[@hippie-io7225]

I home built a solar system that supplies 1/3 of my energy use. I built a 7S battery using 18650 cells (3.3KWhr). I bought 20 used solar panels from Santan Solar for $1300 shipped. $278 for an Epever Tracer 6415AN MPPT charge controller, $215 for a 400 watt pure sign wave inverter from e-trailer. Total cost around $2300 US. My system has been running reliably for 1 1/2 years, using only 4 of the solar panels purchased. Plans are to get 100% solar powered and get those other solar panels into service. It was a lot easier than I had imagined. There are many approaches to using solar.

[@lawnpanda]

I have net metering and 2 powerwalls. The powerwalls are soley used as backup power. Nothing better than being the only house on my street w/ power during and outage

[@davidward3991]

I have 2500 grid tie power and am now working on 1500 watt starting with a 24 volt 300AH battery to help run my house.

[@Icehso140]

Good video. Funny thing is we're talking about emergency power solutions and commenters are wondering how much coffee they can brew on a full charge on a system that costs 1000s. Two words...sun tea...and wait for the power to come back on. Granted a coffee pot is a high wattage item and can easily be used for testing. But it's basically luxury camping until the power issue is fixed. I'm playing with 2-100 watt panels, a 2500 watt inverter, MPPT controller, and a 12v 100AH LiFePo battery...but just for fun and running a furnace or frig, and maybe campgrounds on vaca. Keep the numbers coming.

[@SuperSaltydog77]

When the panels are installed on a standard shingle roof those shingles are altered by walking on them. The aggregate (stone) is removed which is the protection of the shingle itself shortening the lifespan of the shingles. Not to mention and install defect that can cause a leak in your roof. Will the solar panel installers dispute the install warranty and claim it was the shingle installers that caused a roof leak, or even blame it on the shingle manufactures. I see a potential mess of problems that could happen with the cost of repair being put on the homeowner canceling out any posible savings from having solar panels When the roof needs to be replaced who and how are the panels going to be replaced and reinstalled, drilling more holes in a roof, creating more potential leak locations

[@Underpantsniper]

This is my big fear of anyone including myself wanting to diy a roof setup. Which is why I helped my friend build a 800watt set grid tie setup on his fence and works just great and is easier to clean and maintain.

[@SuperSaltydog77]

@@Underpantsniper From a maintenance aspect your solution is much smarter. No conflict between roof warranty and solar panel warranty.

[@Underpantsniper]

@@SuperSaltydog77 thank you. It was pretty easy and fairly cheap to do. Just replaced 3 4x4 posts with 6x6's reinforced the fence panels with extra 2x4s , 4 220 watt used mono panels, a Bluetooth controller and monitor and 1500w grid tie inverter plugged into a 20 amp GFI that was already near the fence. It was fun to build and he and his wife want to expand it soon.

[@SuperSaltydog77]

@@Underpantsniper Hope that you and your friend reap the rewards of your hard work and common-sense thinking.

[@opera5714]

I have a whole house that runs on a car battery. I have refrigeration, hot water, dishwasher, large clothes washer and a device to keep me alive. Amazing what you can do with a purpose designed system and proper engineering vs a dumb all in one box.

[@naidamaraja3640]

Would you be willing to send me info on your set up? I am so confused between panels, inverters and AGM batteries needed. I just want to run a TV, and basically the type of appliances you've menioned. Thank you in advance!

[@nmunoz69]

Great educational video. Love the math behind it...very helpful.

[@antoniopalmero4063]

I currently run my house on ~ 3.2 kw of solar panels , ( 8 x 410w ) & 7.2 kwh of LFP batteries via a 3.6kw hybrid inverter . Setup cost me about £3500 . Payback will be around 30 months i think , maybe less .

[@davidflash603]

With an AC unit?

[@michaeljose8122]

@@davidflash603 he’s in the UK I think so unlikely, ac very rare here.

[@cccpredarmy]

I've a dream about building a tinu but ultra-modular camper on a car trailer, which has all the needed tools and gadgets to live offgrid, so I can travel the world without limiting myself of comfort. My idea was to cover the roof and an extension on it with solar panels. With this video I realised that it's very possible to achieve. In fact I'm now pretty sure that you can build a completely energy self suficient camper!

[@klyons217]

Four points I want to make. (Sorry I didn't read all 246+ other comments so I may be duplicating what others wrote.) 1. I see the list at 11:34 of Watt·hours and it's tempting to add it up. But one must consider *how often* you use each device/tool. For example, maybe you need to charge your iPhone 2X per day, but the laptop only once per week. Also, maybe you need 2 pots of coffee per day? Maybe you only drink coffee on cloudy days. (People likely use more lights on cloudy days.) 2. Having a charge controller+battery with 3600 Wh capacity seems handy. So usage could fluctuate wildly. As long as over a period of (say) ten days, your battery stays 'topped off' then you are fine. But if you find it is constantly hitting zero, then you need to add more solar panels. Perhaps if the household is "smart", i.e. "today is laundry day, so no coffee" etc. then you can survive with fewer panels or a smaller battery. 3. Seems like the panel can produce up to 100W. I'd be tempted to use a mirror or reflective metal (mylar?) to get more light on the panel(s), so they are maxed out. Also, that would allow it to be over that minimum 11V more often, possibly adding *hours* to the daily collection. 4. Why only 4.6h per day? That number is just "peak" or "optimal" sun values. In reality, I think you'd get more than that per day. Have you really found that number to average out correctly? (I live in Phoenix, AZ so our number is higher!)

[@fungo6631]

What do you use your laptop for if you only need it to charge once per week?

[@andrewf3505]

In Ontario Canada we have another option. It’s called Micro-fit. We have solar panels and get paid for everything we produce. 38.5cents per kw. All the power we use comes from the grid, everything we produce is sold… normally we end up in a net positive position with our income

[@cjhsuliman13]

I converted ceiling fans to 120v ac generators. ~5A each I have 2 solar panels charging up 2 100ah batteries I connected some small 12v motors to drive the generators at speed ~0.2A It runs the furnace pump, sump pump, fridge, and a designated light circuit around my house.

[@CyndiHarrington-qv9mt]

You need minimum 500 watts and 6 deep cycle RV Marine batteries from Interstate Batteries to run a stereo TV And Radios stereos some lights can charge up a air compressor tank

[@personal.YouTube.channel]

I built a bicycle camper ! .... The frame is completely made of wood. How would I create a ground for this system when it's mobile?

[@Julkkis1980]

In my summer cabin I did a system where I have 6x280W panels, 5kVA inverter/MPPT. 14x12V 100 Ah batteries (16.8 kWh). In the winter I also run a generator to top up the batteries Not a bad system. Heating, even with that capacity can be a bit tricky when it is say -20 c.... Cost me little under 1000€ for the whole system

[@denisewilson8367]

In the USA, 14 - 12 VOLT BATTERIES COST $2800 all by themselves.That doesn't count the costs for panels, wire, fittings, charge controller, or the inverter You can't do that system for $1,000 in the USA.

[@Julkkis1980]

@@denisewilson8367 yup. I just happened to be in a right place at the right time. Ironic that the batteries came from a nuclear power plant....

[@Julkkis1980]

@@denisewilson8367 Yup. As they would here. But i just happened to work in a Power Plant, from where i got the batteries for free (annual change of backup systems). I also worked in a company that sold solar panels so i got them for half the price. So not a fair comparison pricewise 🙂

[@ComicsandThings]

this is probably the best layout I've seen.

[@diytwoincollege7079]

Most empty shed ever too. Probably because it’s brand new

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Whatever wattage the panel maker CLAIMS, divide by 2 and that is what you can reasonably expect. So you get 50 usable watts on a 100 watt panel. That accounts for cloudy days and operating temperature as well as sun angle. Anything above that is a bonus.

[@lucky13farms99]

Great video, thanks for the great info. Looking at building a solar charge shed for all the lawn equipment. Oh, if you use a thermos type coffee pot then it only has to heat the water once. :)

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Great tip on coffee pot, that would make a massive difference. 👍

[@romererunamerika9437]

excellent explanation for a beginner. Thank you Sir.

[@paul1979uk2000]

I remember about 2 decades ago, we started to became hyper aware of the energy consumption of everything in the house, overtime as we replaced things, we started to lower the energy use whiles not changing our lifestyle, in fact, we use a lot more tech gadgets and computers now then we did back then, and yet with all that, we manage to halve our entire house power consumption, whiles not changing our lifestyle, and in fact, enhancing it with more tech stuff. It goes to show that if you become a lot more aware of what you buy, you can lower your energy use a lot without downgrading your lifestyle and reducing it in half is a massive saving on the bill then it would be if we didn't do any of that. Today it's easier for consumers, because by law in many countries, there are energy labels on products, that's putting pressure on companies to do better, especially in the EU, that's lowering the energy use of a lot of products, without losing anything.

[@kimmer6]

I do an Apollo 13 energy audit every time we lose power in NorCal. We never know if it will be out for 3 minutes or 3 days. The house used to use 28 kilowatt hours a day. We are down to 8 to 10 kilowatt hours a day using applied cleverness. The 2 garage chest freezers and a fridge run on solar/inverter/batteries, been 2+ years non stop. The battery state of charge gets a little iffy in November through February thanks to low sun angle and trees. In the summer, I see 100% charge by 1PM.

[@baneverything5580]

My sister bakes cornbread in a very high wattage oven. I use a skillet on the stovetop or hotplate.

[@solapowsj25]

It's useful to have a charger, digital signal processor, and a shunt with the solar panel run online with a small storage cell. SJ research achieved this over the last decade.

[@melissarainchild]

interesting video. In Belgium, one does not have to register the solar setup if it's off-grid (ie : not connected to anything grid wise). I may want to set this up for consumers like a few laptops, synths, a computer and some lights (LED, of course)...with this info, I can make the calculations. Thanks

[@martinmalloy8119]

to be really independent off grid you would also need a water maker desalination system then you could stay at the ocean for a really long time...

[@kw5kw]

Both my Mr. Coffee and Ninka coffee makers use 1050 watts for 10 minutes while brewing 10 to 12 cup Potts, then they drop to 0 watts until the hot plate cools down and it kicks back on for 30 seconds at 100 watts. That time interval can be between 8 and 10 minutes depending upon the ambient temperature in the kitchen affecting the cool down of the pot.

[@hannawilliams5317]

Oh my goodness! Thank you! I now actually understand the mechanics of how to figure out how much energy I actually need. 😊

[@MichaelMiller-op8fe]

I have two 230 watt 15 amp panels . 60 amp charge controller. One 200 ah. Lithium ion battery. 600 watt pure sine wave inverter. 12 volt system. 10 years ago it cost me around $1, 900. 124 months later, still good to go. 12 volt fridge freezer, LED lights and the occasional charge of my phone and my wi-fi speaker is all I need. It's a small cabin on a lot in Southern Colorado with a beautiful view. so far it's a little under $19 a month "utility bill" for my initial cost.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice, that's awesome. I'm jealous as I would love to have a small cabin where I could unplug for a bit with the family.

[@mehjabeenqureshi1144]

I wish I could have you come out to my place. I would set up one or 2 panels in my yard. I would love to use it for my instant pot and phone chargers.

[@dylan_00]

@EverydayHomeRepairs I recognize the solar farm you took a picture of, and it matches up with the solar tilt values you listed (Central Illinois)! That's my hometown, and I'm still in the area. How cool! Lol you showed your zip code later, which pretty much confirms it, but I should've watched the video before commenting 😂

[@avlisk]

FYI, I have a SunGoldPower 3000w 12v inverter which powers an Apple router, a Spectrum wi-fi modem, an Alexa device, and a ghost draw from a little-used TV. It uses about 70w per hour. My 4 X 100ah LiFePo4 batteries use about 1/4 of the total battery power per day in cloudy, rainy weather, pulling in negligible power. (Location: Central Maine, March 2024. First week testing.) Basically, one battery per day of power being used, so, 4 days without solar to recharge. Haven't been able to test with sunshine yet. I hope this is helpful.

[@avlisk]

I have 3 X 100w and 2 X 30w panels, feeding 2 charge controllers. Even with clouds, there are some amps going into the batteries, which accounts for the minor discrepancies above.

[@christopherwood12]

A couple panels can power your devices it just depends on what you have. If you live in a cabin and have a mobile, tv and a small fridge you might be able to get away with it aslong as you have some sort of storage for the power. You need to make sure that all your devices draw as little power as possible and are power efficient in solar only setups. If you have grid but solar back into the grid you don’t have to worry too much

[@annebeakke8877]

Some insurance companies in Florida will drop you if you install solar panels on your roof. They claim it compromises the integrity of the roof.

[@Kibatsume1]

It does,my boss has them . Major headache after two years

[@paperburn]

@@Kibatsume1 Probably because the roof was never designed for solar in the first place. you just can not stick these things anywhere as each site is a custom instulation.

[@firstlast-lt6xp]

It's probably cheaper to use the grid if your grid electrical cost is on the low side. The battery in the ecoflow is relatively expensive (compared to grid cost) and even though you're using solar to power the battery, the battery is ultimately charging the device. Also the amount of money you're saving using a small set of panels is tiny. At least this is what I'm finding looking into solar.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

I will be documenting an 11 kW panel installation for my home in the coming months. At least in Illinois with the federal and state incentives the pay back period is starting to get pretty reasonable (6-8 years). This is not necessarily the case in most states.

[@electroclassics]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs in Florida , i heard insurance will not cover with solar in roofs..Another thing to add of the list of reasons to move out of here asap!

[@saboabbas123]

I've done cost comparisons before and you're right. Grid power is cheap compared to a complete, in-home system + I do not want to mount the panels on my roof and the panels are outdated fairly quickly.

[@baneverything5580]

I use 11 mostly small/medium sized solar power stations and a big 300ah Ampere Time battery with solar in Louisiana because of hurricanes and other storms. For instance, we had five power outages during extreme heat emergencies this summer. I had electricity for my freezer, fridge, and a tiny air conditioner. I can`t afford to buy gas for a generator if another hurricane comes. I`m on Social Security and can`t even afford to own and use a car. 24 hours worth of gas is 20-25 bucks minimum. That`s food money I need. So I invested my stimulus and savings in electricity I can make on site.

[@reaston57]

STARTING VS. RUNNING WATTAGE Some appliances require extra power to start up, while others maintain the same power requirements constantly. To calculate your power needs correctly, you need to know which kind of load you are dealing with. (A load is defined as the device that you are powering.) There are two kinds of loads: RESISTIVE LOADS Resistive loads are pretty simple: they require the same amount of power to both start and run the equipment. Many resistive loads are involved in heating or making heat of some kind. Examples of resistive loads include: Light bulbs Coffee maker Toaster REACTIVE LOADS Reactive loads contain an electric motor, which requires additional power to start, but significantly less power to run once it gets going. Typically starting power is 3 times the amount of power to run the application. Examples of reactive loads include: Refrigerators / freezers Furnace fans Well pumps Air conditioners Bench grinders Air compressors Power tools Some household appliances, like a furnace or refrigerator, have internal fans that come on intermittently. Extra wattage/power is needed to start the fan each time. Refrigerators also have a defrost cycle that requires power in addition to the compressor and fans. Reactive loads may also require additional power when the electric motor begins to work. For example, when a saw begins cutting wood, its power requirement will increase. This is not applicable for most household appliances.

[@martylynchian8628]

Can you charge and use your solar generator at the same time?

[@zenniz1992]

Yes, they work in parallel

[@deepfreezzeer]

East West panels will help even out the power generation during the day. You get to make more power earlier and later in the day in exchange for lower production during peak sun hours.

[@thomasd9237]

Very cool Thank you for posting this 👍👍

[@EMERGENCYRESPONSEVIC]

Probably for camping and short power outages - most likely will use the EcoFlow Delta Max 2000.

[@johnleca]

Coffee? Use fire and perk it. I want to run a small refrigerator and light at night maybe a DVD player occasionally all 12v

[@garydsouza2335]

Hi do you have to match the controller with the solar panels, i have 140 watts 12v and i want to upgrade it to 200 watts 12v next year what votronic controller can i buy....12v leisure battery

[@jdotoz]

A battery is still useful on a net metering system, especially if you have a time of use pricing scheme. You charge the battery during the day and when the expensive peak hours start in the evening, the battery can pick up load as the solar generation tails off.

[@lucianabrito7163]

Can I use that panel and generator to power my refrigerator?

[@ycplum7062]

The angle calculator gives the average angle for the daytime period. You set panel angle and then you can walk away. If you want the ideal angle at the time, the panels should be perpindicular (90 degrees) to the direction to the sun. Of course, if you do this, youneed to constantly adjust the angle of the sun changes.

[@evahsia]

I agree with everything you said, but folks who have 1-1 net metering don't need the EcoFlow. People new to solar may not understand that point. I would have spent more time on the net metering option and used a watt meter rather than the EcoFlow for measurements, as net metering is the more practical option for most people. The cost of the EcoFlow would dissuade most people.

[@frosted1030]

Facts: $799 will get you a bottom of the line ecoflow unit, and a solar cell. 1kWh. Very expensive garbage that you won't be able to recycle. You may upcycle to a door stop in three to five years.

[@mrmicro22]

Many if not most use small solar for off grid or power outage situations. Net metering provides no usable power.

[@frosted1030]

@@mrmicro22 "Many if not most use small solar for off grid or power outage situations." Check in ten years down the line. See what their current expenses are and how many times they have had parts fail and required replacements. Get a total cost VS using the grid. You will find that solar does not break even, it's a waste of money.

[@Yukonjackman1]

I was able to get years of data from my power company for my home system and now helping my neighbor set up a small system he is learning good from me not a sales person.

[@dcash7018]

Just set up a 600 watt array for brownouts

[@jonathanking6546]

I can get 300 watt panels used for $100 each. I want to power an instant on demand electric water heater, that requires 150 amps of power. I already purchased the on demand electric water heater and want to use it to be able to clean, wash clothes,and take a bath, but not be connected to the grid. I am cool with cooking, bathing, and cleaning during the day. If the sun is down, so am I.

[@griddownpowerup]

Great! If you are interested on this topic, we encourage you to really watch the award-winning documentary, 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐩 - Documentary, narrated by Dennis Quaid, which is now available free on KZbin .

[@RussellHank-t3t]

on a single 100-watt solar panel, you could run a low power car stereo and a small form factor computer and monitor. Considering the usb ports on the PC and many car stereos, you can add in a cellular phone. After these, you can determine the left over electricity and calculate how many RV LED lights you might be able to add. This could turn a man cave or she shed into a pleasant entertainment escape when everyone else in the house wants to watch TV.

[@kristifreeman5830]

This was so instructional ❤❤❤ fantastic comments as well!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Happy to help!

[@victorjcano]

Under optimum conditions, I get 5.5 A of charging current for my hundred amp hour battery. That’s using a 10 amp mppt controller

[@markfenbers1329]

You’ve got an expensive EcoFlow, but I just want a solar panel to set out on a sunny day to power and/or charge up my iPad on the job site, and if there isn’t enough sun, then I’ll charge it later. But I’d need an adapter to go from two wires from the solar panel to a USB-C (without an expensive device like an EcoFlow)? Is there such an adapter?

[@RokkuAni]

Arizona pass a bill that even act retro active. If you use solar, you going to have to pay more via fee. AND if you are plug in, they demand they can get your power you produce BEFORE you fill up your batteries. If they "need it". Careful with your state

[@keithmoss7460]

Hey are you sure you connect the negative cable first? Does it not follow same system as connecting things like a battery charger, inverter and jump leads to a battery? Good video generally thanks but have to question your connecting order?

[@johnwood551]

Everyone always shows little devices to run,but in the Summer what everyone really needs is an air conditioner. What do you need for that ? Even just an RV a/c would be nice to know.

[@livingladolcevita7318]

Obviously your assessment is correct however one wouldn't be charging/using everything at once. I try to prioritize my use of solar e.g I use the washing machine during the day so that the batteries have some time to recharge assuming it's sunny. I also use a microwave 800 watts, to boil a cup of water as this will exclusively use the battery rather than part grid and part battery when using a kettle. Something to do with the load/ discharge on the battery even though it's rated at 3.2 Kw.

[@pegleg1717]

I wish I could see a silver lining in solar but It just ain’t happening yet for me. Maybe before I die it will advance enough to be worth the time and money.

[@SplitSniper7]

Thank you SO much for putting this together. I really needed this education.

[@Sue-gc8bh]

Can have sola power for flat

[@luismarty1685]

What kit would I need to power a 1355w portable ac unit for about 8 hours?

[@alanheadrick7997]

Its best to try and run things directly from the panel itself. Next is charging battery's to run things directly at night. What I would like to do is be able to directly charge say drill batteries, power a laptop etc with out a wasteful inverter. For a laptop I guess you would need a 24vdc system then a regulator to power a laptop, if its a 19vdc laptop.

[@blankenmom]

Could you please look into home wind turbines. When you get more wind than sun on average, the wind turbine sounds like a better choice, with solar as a supplement.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

We will definitely explore that topic in the future. Thanks for the feedback 👍

[@kb9gkc]

Wind turbines produce about 10% of their rated output over the course of a year. The large wind turbines installed by your local electric company costs about $3 million dollars. Payback is 30 - 50 years, unfortunately the electronics, bearings and structure will not last that long. The power a wind turbine produces will cost 3 -4 times your current utility rate.

[@blankenmom]

@@kb9gkc - I want personal ones. We live in the PNW. We don't get sun for 9 months of the year. But we have wind every day. LOTS of wind. It would give us just enough to keep the batteries going, especially at night and particularly dark days. Unless you have a magical solar panel that works in the dark, I think this would be a better option for us. And who knows - maybe take out a few of the stupid hawks eating my chickens! Sounds like a two-fer to me!

[@Phelper99]

a Sense Energy Monitor is a great tool to understand how much power your home devices use.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

In the next week or 2 I will be installing a EMPORIA VUE so I can break out to separate circuits and start understanding the energy consumption across my appliances. 👍

[@elusiveeskimo3013]

I live on a mountain surrounded by trees, so limited amount of direct sunlight on even the best of days. Where we get extended outages in both summer and winter, some lasting well over a week.before power is restored. I have 4 100w panels connected in series, run to a 30 amp MPPT charge controller, connected to 460 Ah of golf cart batteries. This connects to a 2000w inverter to cycle my refrigerator and chest freezer twice a day, preventing foods from spoiling during power outages. Note this is not a 24/7 power everything system, just running inverter for 1 hour. twice a day, for perishable food survival and charging of electronic devices. Batteries last about a week running the inverter this way without receiving any charge. With sun the solar system fully recharges the batteries in just a few short hours, so easily within 1 day.. Most storms don't last more than a couple days so this system has been able to quietly maintain battery power. Meeting my needs till grid power's been restored every time. And with no loud noise or bright lights to hint that I have power, neighbors don't know, therefore leave me alone. Seems like things could continue working like this for months, if not years. And if I ever have a string of dark days that last longer then the batteries can last between charges, do have a backup generator which can recharge the batteries in 3 hours, then go silent again. It's not been needed since putting in my solar. Most of my neighbors run noisy generators 24/7 when power goes out, running out of fuel after about 48 hours, then starting their search for more costly fuel. In winter this sometimes means dragging fuel cans on makeshift sleds through deep snow, quite the site. And a very long hike since most local stations don't have backup power, can't pump/sell fuel when power is out. Also thieves often come through during outages if roads are open, making note of where they hear generators running. Then come back in the dead of night, wee hours of the morning, stealing all generators that are not chained up or otherwise secured. Choose to laugh or cry about it, this is what happens every year around here.

[@supergg07]

I have a standby generator best investment I ever did, but I get what you’re saying because when these days I will run out of fuel, I’m sure if the grid goes down so I wouldn’t know what to do anyways cause I live by myself, and I am totally blind I have all kinds of camp stoves I have used them I can do it myself, which I’m very proud of to make my coffee and food

[@dyslectische]

Wat i use I have 2x150ah lipo4 That are 2 banks i use . 1 for the kitchen 1 for the living room. I use a boat to life on. So i have 2x300 watt panels for charging the banks up In summer no problem i can do my thing . In the winter i need port power to help charging the battery. (Wallpower from the port) Wasmachine i do not have. The port have a wasmachine wat i use . Easy life

[@1jingshen]

Great information in helping me in my purchase and installation of my 2 new solar panels

[@dennisdickinson8337]

But then hearing problem with the watt meter you could only put in less than 20% of advertised output it's called ohm's law At your meter if you can be careful of course if you have the ability check your voltage in your amperage multiply the two and that's what you're actually putting into the grid electricity is like water you have to overcome the incoming voltage or pressure if you will to put anything in

[@lisalee2885]

Its recommended to not put solar panels on roof but to do a specific awning for them 👍👍👍

[@KunihiraNakarungi]

Do you have a branch in Uganda

[@Bob-p2q9q]

A straight up 100 watt panel ain't really gonna run shit However if you buy a 100 watt panel battery controller, inverter,battery or batteries, then it depends on how much battery or power station,and your inverter Example 1 panel ,charge a large power station you can run your whole house,charge a small battery with small inverter you can recharge your phone

[@griddownpowerup]

Great! If you are interested on this topic, we encourage you to really watch the award-winning documentary, 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐩 - Documentary, narrated by Dennis Quaid, which is now available free on KZbin .

[@michaele8347]

I’m seeing the eco flow 3600kwh at about $2500. Why not just go with a generator at that point?

[@subbaiyerkuppurajukuppuraj2025]

Excellent educative program,it's very useful to every home.

[@IBEW126]

I’m trying to put solar panels on my 2022 Jeep Gladiator Diesel Engine with Eco Generator also thinking about putting extra batteries in the bed. Could use ideas and advice.

[@i_am_a_freespirit]

I started out with my 100w solar panel and 1 deep cycle marine battery. Several years ago I had the panel on the ground and every 2 to 3 hours I would readjust the panel to get the best sunlight. It took almost 3 days to charge up the one battery, so I went back to "Nature Power" and right around memorial day one year ago I came across a good deal with scratch and dent Solar panels two - 200w Panels with all hook-ups and one extra regulator for my 18w panel for around $ 300.00. I was assured that the panel was like new and ONLY had a couple of dents in the aluminum frame. I started with my Solar panel collection in 2012, when I purchased a solar lantern. It came from "Northern Tools" and the Solar panel with it is a 5w solar panel. My lantern is long gone, but I still use that panel to charge up my other rechargeables...cellphones, radio, flashlights, batteries for my drill, other lights etc. I finally mounted my 18w solar panel (got it from our local TSC) on my other shed, and once I get another battery it will only be used for the lighting in that shed. The shed I live in has all together 500w Solar panels mounted to the rooftop as a temporary set-up, because eventually I am going to purchase 6 more 200w Solar panels (unless I can find a better deal on bigger Panels). On the South side of the roof is the 100w solar panel facing East, and on the middle section of the rooftop I mounted both 200w panels. One facing East and the other facing West. This way I can capture the most amount of sunlight in the daytime. Approximately 6 hours per day. I have three deep cycle marine batteries hooked up to those two panels in the center of my live in shed in parallel fashion to keep my 12v. I haven't learned enough about the serial hook up other then the voltage is higher with that setup. And I am at the moment not sure what I would use it for. My CPAP machine runs on 12v with an 175w inverter. My Fan runs on 12v with my 100w Inverter. My Fan is 11years old already and still runs great. I use, for myself, a 60w crockpot, I can run my TV and many more small appliances with different inverters up to 800w. I test everything as I need it. I wonder how much energy would a 2000w to 3000w Inverter use from my three batteries? Would I be better off investing in a 3000w inverter or continue like I am doing now...matching my inverters to my appliances? My thoughts on that is that a 3000w inverter hooked to my batteries would have to run 24/7, therefore using Energy 24/7. My 100w Inverter also uses Energy the entire time, but not as much as the big one. I have my lights, my fan, and other things hooked up to it, and I do not want to constantly get up to shut the big Inverter off or turn it on every time I need it to run. By having my panels mounted to the middle of the roof, I only need a short amount of wiring to go both directions inside my shed to hook up my lights (under cabinet lights) I recently found out after the severe storms we had here in southern Kentucky, that you have to climb the rooftop to clean the solar panels periodically, or like you pointed out, they will not operate properly due to dust and debris.