Build Your Own Portable Solar Powered Back up Generator

There’s nothing worse that running out of power. We use power so much every day that it has become one of those things we take for granted. Unfortunately a sudden loss of power can send you back to the dark ages, ruining your refrigerator contents, preventing you from pumping water, and keeping your electric stove and electronic gadgets from working. A typical back up generator certainly helps, but only as long as you have fuel for it. A generator with a full tank of gas can only last about 8 hours under a light load. At that point, you’ll have to get more gasoline for it. In a camping situation, that can be inconvenient.

What about a homemade solar generator? Using the power of the sun, and some spare batteries, you can have a generator with a constantly renewable energy source. Say good bye to those trips for fuel for good.

The Parts
 
This solar generator is made of 2 marine deep cycle batteries, 2 40watt solar panels, 1 charge controller and 1 power inverter. The two 85 amp/hr batteries give you 85 hours of 2 amp usage (a simple fan uses about 4 amps/hr, so this fan would run about 40 hrs straight in this configuration). The modified sine wave power inverter is a 2000 watt device that will help you power many things: Power tools, lights, fans, pumps, you name it. It will even recharge many electronic devices. You won’t want to power just anything though. The smallest air conditioners use about 600 watts. (2-3 times that for anything that generates heat) So while this power inverter would successfully run a small portable window unit A/C, it wouldn’t run it very long. The charge controller regulates the electricity from the solar panels to the batteries. Batteries don’t like being overcharged, or undercharged. These devices manage all of that.

The solar panels on this unit recharge the batteries at about 5 amps per hour in direct sunlight. You have to figure on about 5 hours of quality sunlight per day for them. Anything else is indirect and only provides some recharging. More solar panels will recharge the unit faster. Larger solar panels will too, but they become harder to manage.

At the end of the day, many people will appreciate having a quiet back up power source that they don’t have to constantly be searching for fuel for, not to mention how clean the energy is and better for the environment.

Some Caveats

• Modified sine wave inverters – They’re cheaper, but you shouldn’t use them with sensitive electronics. It will fry them. Insist on a pure sine wave inverter instead. It’s a little more expensive, but it won’t fry your iphone.
• It’s heavy. Have you picked up a car battery lately? Try two. This system works a lot easier with a heavy duty dolly.
• Opt for using thick cables between your batteries and your inverter. 6 ga or larger. Throw in a fuse to make it fire safe.
• The dolly. Don’t use the one pictured. Get the heavier duty ones with bigger tires. That will help you roll it out across gravel and loose dirt.
• Batteries. Keep your batteries at or above 60-70% charged at all times to extend their life. “deep cycle” marine batteries like the ones shown cost about $70-$100 each at Sams/Autozone. The more batteries you have, the longer it takes them to discharge down to the 60-70% level.

Kill-A-Watt tool tip

To better understand how much power your devices use, get a Kill-A-Watt tool from Lowes or online. It will help you see how many watts an electronic device uses.

How to Build Your Own Portable Solar Powered Back up Generator

I started looking into some of the biggest solar generator units on the market, because the idea of a completely silent generator that can still run large power loads while never needing gasoline is a really cool concept. Whether you want to run a portable table saw, or go tailgating  / camping where the noise of a standard generator would just be irritating, we will show you how to build a solar generator!

After seeing what was available, I found myself wanting to design my own for a number of reasons. For one it will be a lot cheaper, Two I can add several features I wanted to add that were not built in to the manufactured units, and three, because it will be a really fun project. By building your own, you will learn all about small off-grid solar setups, and also be able to fix the individual components if you ever have problems with it down the road.

For comparison, here is a popular manufactured unit. It is nice looking package, and if you don’t care about cost it might be a good option for you, especially if you are not really the maker type.

As of this writing, the unit is selling for $1999.95. It includes a 1250 Watt Ac inverter with a 1500 Watt peak surge capacity. It includes two 30W panels.
The solar generator I am going to show you how to build will cost half the price, include a 2,000 watt / 4,000 watt peak AC inverter, a 100W solar panel, a high quality true deep cycle AGM battery. I also will add extras, such as integrated LED flood lamps, a high current port for attaching jumper cables, and some others.

Main Components for our Solar Generator

I selected the components listed below based on the quality of reviews, as well as price and features suitable for this project.

Rugged Pelican Case 1620

I selected this case for our solar generator because it is waterproof / weatherproof, has rugged several sturdy handles as well as rolling wheels. I unit will be quite heavy once complete, so I needed something that can take a lot of abuse!

Kreiger 2000W / 4000W Peak AC Inverter
 
This unit should be able to run nearly anything that you could normally power off an standard 15 Amp wall outlet. It also comes with a mountable remote power switch that we will be mounting into the side of our case, as well as heavy 2 Guage battery cables and main fuse.

Renogy 100 Watt Solar Panel & Charger Kit

This kit includes a very high quality 100w monocrystalline solar panel as well as a 30A solar charger that is matched well for our needs.

Optima Blue Top 8016-103 Battery
 
This AGM battery is a deep cycle battery, which means we will be able to discharge the battery somewhat further during night time use or during short high power loads without shortening the normal life of the battery.  Another advantage of this battery is that it has both standard top posts as well as threaded posts for easier connections. One other important feature is that the battery can be mounted and used in any orientation, which is important considering our solar generator may get stood upright or laid in different directions during normal use.

DIY Portable Solar Generator – Step by Step

It is amazingly easy to build a DIY portable solar generator. You don’t need to be an expert to make one. Anyone with some interest in setting up new things can enjoy it well.

Building portable solar generator of your own will save a significant amount of your money, apart from buying a fresh one. Out in stores, you have many full-fledged solar generators, but they are pricier.

Here I would like to tell you how to make a solar generator using parts from your local stores, in help of diagrams and graphics. To build a DIY portable solar power generator is not a tough job, anyway. It doesn’t contain any complex technologies. Even a beginner can quickly learn how to build it up and get it ready for converting sunlight to sustainable electricity.

Essential Required

Portable Solar Panels
Solar  Charger Controller
Battery Pack
AC Inverter
12V Cigarette Light Adapter
Digital Voltmeter
Cables & Wires
Clamps and Screws
Compact Case

Before moving on to our tutorial, see our graphical representation of a typical portable solar generator below.

It will give a quick idea on how components of a portable solar generator need to be laid out.

There is actually no difference between portable and stationary solar generators, despite size and capacities of their parts.

A portable solar generator is often fixed into a case, which is friendly for travels. Regularly, a briefcase or cart-style is chosen for portable solar generators.

Nonetheless, while making a DIY portable solar generator, you don’t need to integrate all parts in a case.  If you are comfortable, you can leave it run of the mill, not perfectly fixed inside a box.

In that case, you can skip the case or find a case or box to fit in the fragile parts only, like battery and inverter. You can leave solar panels, wires and cables outside.

Step 1 – Purchase Parts

As you can learn from the above graphic, we are talking about building a 150W portable solar generator. For this, I suggest you to buy the parts in the below specifics. However, as per your power requirement, you can change the specifications. Links to the Amazon pages with matching products are also given in the table.

Step 2 – Integrate Parts to the Case

If you wish to build the generator inside a case, it is time to integrate the parts. Commonly, battery, inverter and voltmeter are fixed inside the box, leaving solar panels outside.

Make sure you have bought a case that is big and sturdy enough to carry the loads of the above components. Fix them one by one in the box or case and put holes to draw the cables out to solar panels. Integrate the required output ports as well.

See the diagram on how to do the wiring of a DIY portable solar generator.

Step 3 – Connect with Solar Panels

If you have big solar panel, it is always nice to put it outside the case, not built into the outer of the case. It is also a good option to let you place the solar panel away from the rest of the device so that you can grab as much as power in sunny days. For this, you should buy long cables and wires.

Step 4 – Test the Device

As you can see, there is no complicated task in building DIY portable solar generators. If you follow the diagram above, it is quite simple for you. As you have done, you can now test the generator. Place the solar panels in sun and get the generator ready for action.

Final Thoughts

It is all about making a DIY portable solar generator. The job doesn’t include any complex steps. Everything is quite simple. You have all the parts readily available on Amazon. All you have to do is to buy them and piece together into a unit to make solar energy.

A portable solar generator is a good idea to store power for your use while going out on a camping, outing or outdoor party. It is also highly reliable in case of any emergency. If the grid power remains cut for many days, the only power option you can survive with is nothing, but solar. Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial, make your comments below.

DIY a Lithium Ion Battery Solar Power Generator for Under $400

o most of us, solar power still seems like a thing of the future. Yeah, we know some people live off the grid with them, and some folks can afford to line their roofs and heat their pools with them. Not most of us.

But it turns out that you can generate real, usable solar power in your very own home (or wherever), and it'll cost you less than $300. What's the catch? Oh, nothing. You just have to build the generator yourself.


1. Buy Yourself a Small Solar Panel

For about $100 you should be able to get one rated at 12 volts or better (look for 16 volts) at an RV or marine supplies store or from Greenbatteries Store.


2. Buy Yourself a Battery

We recommend rechargeable batteries from these green companies: Greenbatteries Store and Batteries.com. Get any size deep cycle 12 volt lead/acid or gel battery. You need the deep cycle battery for continuous use. The kind in your car is a cranking battery—just for starting an engine. Look for bargains, the cheapest ones should cost about $50-60.


3. Get a battery box to put it in for $10.

(This is good for covering up the exposed terminals in case there are children about If you going to install the system in a pump shed, cabin, or boat, skip this.) Buy a 12 volt DC meter. Radio Shack has them for about $25.


4. Buy a DC input.

I like the triple inlet model which you can find at a car parts store in the cigarette lighter parts section for about $10. This is enough to power DC appliances, and there are many commercially available, like fans, one-pint water boilers, lights, hair dryers, baby bottle warmers, and vacuum cleaners. Many cassette players, answering machines, and other electrical appliances are DC already and with the right cable will run straight off the box.


5. Invest in an Inverter.

If you want to run AC appliances, you will have to invest in an inverter. This will convert the stored DC power in the battery into AC power for most of your household appliances. I bought a 115 volt 140 watt inverter made by Power-to-Go at Pep Boys for $50. Count up the number of watts you'll be using (e.g., a small color television(=60 watts) with a VCR(=22 watts), you'll need 82 watts). A variety of cheap inverters from 100 watts to 3000 watts can be had from Lane's Professional Car Products. Type "inverters" into his search bar.


6. Attach meter and DC input.

Use a drill to attach the meter and DC input to the top of the box.


7. Use insulated Wire to Attach the Meter to the Wingnut Terminals on the Battery.

Connect the negative (-) pole first. Only handle one wire at


8. Close the Lid

I use a bungee cord to keep it tight. Put the solar panel in the sun. It takes 5-8 hours to charge a dead battery; 1-3 hours to top off a weak one. It will run radios, fans, and small wattage lights all night, or give you about 5 hours of continuous use at 115 volt AC, or about an hour boiling water. This system may be added on to with larger panels, inverters, and batteries.

That's quite a project that'll kill an idle Sunday afternoon—and power a good deal of your electrical equipment. And save you a bunch of money. Happy solar building.

UFO Lithium Power Generator 1500 Review – Portable Solar Panels Enough Energy Storage?

UFO Power Generator is a portable power generator created by the team at 4UFO, LLC. The generator promises to help your family survive when the electrical grid goes down.

 

Let’s review the UFO Power Generator 1500 system and see if it is the ‘magic bullet’ protection against power failures, blackouts, outside threats or a crumbling electric grid.

What is the UFO Power Generator?

The Patriot Power Generator is a portable power generator that uses a solar panel to generate electricity. The Patriot Power Generator is an extension of the Power 4 Patriots system, which was a guide created.

The company has been associated with its fear-based messages and tactics for propaganda-like approaches. To entice you or educate you, buying the Patriot Power Generator 1500 from 4Patriots describes how hundreds of attacks have been launched against the American power grid in the last four years and it is best you have some sort of energy to power your devices and useful electronics. They also claim that terrorists from ISIS, Iran, Russia, and North Korea are actively attempting to sabotage the American power grid on a near-daily basis – whether this is a bit too aggressive or not, portable power units are a growing trend due to the increasing demand in going off grid or even just having simple backup power storage ready.

If terrorists don’t scare you, then UFO Power Generator at least promises to help you save money off your utility bill. All jokes aside, emergencies are not easy to prepare for but in some cases you can get practical and even tactical use out of having a portable and mobile generator to power up your daily devices and units.

Let’s take a look at how this power generator claims to work.

How Does the UFO Power Generator Work?

The UFO Power Generator claims to work by combining a solar panel with a portable power generator. Here’s what’s included with your purchase:

37.5 pound generator that arrives fully charged and ready to go
100 watt folding solar panel with cells made by Bosch
25 foot solar panel extension cord
That’s the system. UFO Power Generator also throws in a bunch of other survivalist tools unrelated to power generation. You get food survival kits, for example, a Survival Spring Personal Water Filter, a multi-tool, and a pack of playing cards.

To use the system, you set up the solar panels on the ground or vertically. Then, plug the panels into the portable power supply. Once you have something that needs to be charged, plug your electronics into that power supply to keep them charged.

There’s also a “Platinum” package that includes a second solar panel along with a carrying bag.

The generator itself features a rechargeable lithium ion battery. When it’s hooked up to your solar panels, that battery will steadily recharge itself. 4Patriots makes a big deal that this battery is superior to a lead acid battery, although in reality, almost all electronics use lithium ion batteries today – so it’s not really an advantage over other generators.

UFO Power Generator Features

The UFO Power Generator comes with all of the following features:

• -2000 life cycles, which means you can charge your UFO Power Generator from empty to full 2,000 times
• 
  
• -Charge your generator in multiple ways, including through the attached solar panels or through a conventional electrical outlet. You can also charge it using wind turbines or other sources of energy.
• -3.5 hour charge time, which allows the UFO Power Generator to go from 0 to 100% in 3.5 hours
• -Holds a charge for up to 1 year
• -Up to 1,500 continuous watts of power, which is why we sometimes see the product listed as the Patriot Power Generator 1500. 4Patriots claims this is enough power to run a cell phone, tablet, laptop, radio, lights, small appliances, and “critical medical devices”.
• -2 x 120 volt AC outlets, 4 x USB outlets, 1 x 12 volt DC outlet, 1 x 12 volt Anderson Power Pole outlet (used to power emergency radio and CB units)

Wholesale Lithium-Ion Portable Power Generator and Portable Solar Power Solutions

More cool portable solar power solutions are hitting stores. Well, here comes up a Canadian start-up called Growing Greener Innovations with a serious  Yeti 1250 alternative. Branded as UFO 1000 – probably a Green Engine – the portable power solution looks a big competitor to the top-tier UFO Yeti mainly for two reasons; lithium-ion battery and the resultant lesser weight.

Fine, like the Yeti series, UFO 1000 is basically a powerful portable storage system with solar option. Simply, it means you can take it anywhere you go and grab sun energy to charge it. Or you can recharge it from wall or car sockets. The project is actually seeking crowd support on Indiegogo. As of now, it has collected around $4,000 from 12 backers out of its $40,000 goal with one month left.

Well, being a Goal Zero Yeti 1250 alternative, as you know it mainly stands out with a lithium-ion battery that is cleverly expandable too. Fine, you can stack up additional battery to the bottom of the machine as easily as you refill gas tank. Moreover, it weighs just half of the industry leader’s, thanks to lithium-ion.

Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Alternative: GRENGINE 1000 Generator

Coming to specs, UFO 1000, as its name suggests, is a 1000Wh portable power generator. Of course, this output is sufficient to use the machine to run wide range of your gadgets, toys, tools and appliances. A unit of the stackable lithium-ion battery produces up to 1200 Watt hours of energy and you can add up an extra unit to make it simply two times powerful than its Yeti counterpart. It gives you 1000 charging cycles, by the way.

You can power up the generator with solar panels at 120 watts or a car socket at 48 watts. Moreover, on top of the generator, you have got a pretty large LED emergency bar that is removable as well. That means in case of emergency you can detach it from the main body and light up your way.

Coming to ports, you have UFO 1000 with 4 AC power outlets, a 12V DC charging outlet, a pair of 3 Amps DC outlets and 4 USB ports. In addition, it has got a car jump starter and an LED display to show battery and power indications. That also lets you quickly switch between input and output functions.

Design wise, GRENGINE 1000, as a Goal Zero Yeti 1250 alternative, certainly does well. It keeps very handy and stylish look in multi tones – grey, silver and green. At a glance, it absolutely  feels stronger and durable too. You have got a solid foldable carrying handle for easy moving. Meanwhile, its size and weight as compared to Yeti 1250 is really outstanding. It weighs just 24 lbs while its size goes at 11” taller X 13” longer.

What Makes it Special

Smart UFO Yeti 1250 Alternative

Goal Zero’s flagship Yeti 1250 has been one of the best sellers of portable power industry. It is a fact we don’t have many rivaling products to Yeti on shelves. The team behind GRENGINE 1000 has certainly come out with their machine as a direct rival to the market leader. As you know, a set of features absolutely make their claim true. We are going to get 1000Wh portable power pack with a light and long-lasting lithium-ion battery.

Stackable Battery Packs

It is indeed yet another revolutionary feature with UFO 1000 as a Goal Zero Yeti 1250 alternative. As of now, we are only familiar with portable power solutions with limited battery units. This one stands out the current market leaders with a cool option to expand up the battery unit with stackable battery packs. As per your need, you can increase total storage volume and enjoy unlimited source of portable power anywhere.

Highly Portable and User-friendly

Compared to many leading portable power systems including Yeti 1250, UFO 1000 is quite lightweight and portable. With just around 25lbs, carrying it will never go to hunt you during outings. Added with solar panel, you can take it anywhere with no worry about run-out of your gadgets while camping or taking an outdoor party. The carrying handle on top of the machine makes you grab it smoothly.

Price and Availability

As you know, UFO 1000 portable generator is currently seeking crowd funding on Indiegogo. All could custom and with customized wholesale price, you can book a unit of the Goal Zero Yeti 1250 alternative. The company expects to start shipping the device by January next year. Go here to make your contribution to bring into life this dream project and ensure your unit.

Final Thoughts

UFO 1000 portable solar power generator shows us how portable power industry tends to change over in coming years. So far we have many models of portable power solutions in form of chargers and generators. But added with state-of-the-art features, they are going to do well and turn out to be great alternatives to the gasoline-devouring generators and as a result to drastically cut down CO2 emissions.

Most leading portable power solutions are equipped with lead acid batteries that are hefty and not friendly for portable use. Here come these types of innovative products that merge all new features and facilities to realize wonderful portable power solutions. The UFO that we don’t know when to hit public market could be contributing much to the raising popularity of campers and businesses towards portable solar solutions.

Wholesale Wireless Solar Charger Solis XR Touts Dual Induction Coils

Wholesale Wireless Solar Charger Solis XR Touts Dual Induction Coils to Free you from Tangled Wires as you Roam Around

Portable solar power industry is growing rapidly. There is no limit for creativity in designing new products. It is here comes Dawan Global with an awesome wireless solar charger with dual induction charging coils. Branded as Solis XR, the product also features dual USB ports to let you juice up gadgets with no induction facility.

The power pack cum wireless solar charger presently seeks crowd fund on KickStarter. Dawan Global expects to realize the amazing solar charger by early next year. You could back Solis XR on KickStarter here. By the way, as of writing this, the project has collected around $500 from 10 backers out of its $15,000 goal. And you have one month left to support the project and ensure a unit with an offer.

Simply, the wireless solar charger is the realization of long-cherished dream of campers. It lets you skip the tangled wires from your backpack as you make for an outing. If you have got a phone with induction-based charging it comes out to be a wonderful piece in your survival kit. Just spread out the solar panels and place your phone on one of its induction bases to get access to unlimited sun energy.

Wireless Solar Charger: Solis XR Portable Solar Charger

Specs wise, the Solis XR wireless solar charger is definitely a worthy product. First of all, it sports a pair of 1.5 watts solar panels that you fold over the middle power pack after use. And inside the durable power pack comes a 10,000mAh polymer battery. And over the battery pack, you have the induction coils.

In addition, you have a tiny LCD display on top of the power pack to show battery status. As you know, it has a pair of 2.1A universal USB ports on the side and an outlet for charging it from wall. The product overall weighs at 10 lbs and its dimensions go at 3.5 X 6 X 0.7 inches and 12 X 6 X 0.7 inches when expanded.

First Wireless Solar Charger

Yes, we have come across variety of solar chargers, but Solis XR is really special as a wireless solar charger. Considering it as a camping solution, it really looks a unique stuff. You can go out with no worry about tangled wires. Certianly, that gives you more freedom in your outings. Plus, it also comes out to be a nice solution for daily life. Wherever you are whether an official trip or work place, no more worry about the woes of wires.

Handy and Ideal Camping Solution

The Solis XR wireless solar charger is very handy and durable. Weighing at just 10 lbs and with small size, you can carry it anywhere. Indeed, it is quite handy that you can fold the panels over the power pack to turn it to a tiny pocket-sized gadget. When you find your phone or tablet running out of juice, just unfold and place it in sunlight. If you don’t have an induction-based phone, just connect it with USB cable for recharging.

Highly Efficient and Innovative

Dawan Global has designed its wireless solar charger with a number of advanced features. It claims that it has included high quality components to set up the solar charger. Well, it has concentrated on making use of fine quality battery, highly efficient solar cells, lightweight design and finally the exclusive “cut the cords” feature. Of course, Solis XR is to change the way we have been using a portable solar charger for camping and outings.

Price and Availability

The Solis XR wireless solar charger is currently available for pre-order on KickStarter. You have different offers for the product with a starting price of $60. The team Dawan Global plans to start shipping the product by early next year. Go here to KickStarter to pre-order a unit of Solis XR solar charger.

Final Thoughts

This dazzling wireless solar charger is indeed made for everyone. With its unique wireless charging feature, it is certainly an awesome solution for campers and hikers. Moreover, it is a wonderful choice for every lifestyle. Getting outdoors, you no longer need to worry about your phone or tablet getting ran out of juice. You can either store some energy in Solis XR from your wall outlet or easily get it charged from sun to ensure you have enough power all the time around.

Wholesale Best Portable Solar Generator to Power Up Your Gadgets and Appliances in the Wild

We have already come across top 10 folding solar chargers, flexible solar chargers and solar backpacks. Here comes our list of the best solar generator 2016. Yes, the fall is coming and it is the best time to make a look at top-selling solar generators. Absolutely, it will give you an idea on buying the best solar generator 2016.

Technically, a portable solar generator is a machine that packs three key elements; a solar unit, power storage and portable design. Of course, it means you have a solar generator quite friendly for portable uses, i.e. to collect energy from sun and store it for real time or later use.

By the way, design wise, there is no specific form for a solar generator. Well, some key models come neatly designed and well-finished. Meanwhile, some models look just run-of-the-mill with no organized shape. Meanwhile, key function of a solar generator is to produce solar energy anywhere in the wild. And goal is to ensure you make into no trouble without power during an outing or in case of an emergency.

Best Solar Generator 2016: Top 10 Solar Generators

Specs wise, a portable solar generator, as said above, mainly contains a unit of solar panel and battery for power storage. Moreover, a machine carries a charge controller to stabilize power from sun currents. Apart from that, it also features an inverter to convert DC to AC and supply power to various output ports. Well, most solar generators tout all universal output ports USBs, AC outlets and 12V DC ports and etc…

Coming to our best solar generator 2016 list, we have prepared it after making detailed research. We have considered only popular models for this list and skipped many items that haven’t yet attracted customer rating and reviews on key sites. Hence, we are sure the list would help find your favorite portable solar generator.

1. Goal Zero Yeti 400 Solar Generator Kit

We begin with Goal Zero Yeti 400, medium variant of the American firm’s Yeti series of solar generators. Goal Zero Yeti 400 is, in fact, one of the best solar generators of the recent time. Well, it has an amazing number of customers and for a price around $500, it is really cost effective when compared to its alternatives.

Anyway, in itself, Goal Zero Yeti like its cousins is just a power pack with 400Wh power inverter. Only does it turn out to be a complete solar generator when bought with a solar panel module. Here we have it with Goal Zero’s 20W Nomad 20 folding solar panel.

Under the hood, it has 33Ah 12V battery that you can also charge from car or wall outlets. That means even if there is no sun in the sky, you can go on a camping with Yeti with enough power to juice up your gadgets. It weighs just 29 lbs and the included solar panel weighs just around 3 lbs.

2. Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Generator Kit

Simply, it is top-end variant of Goal Zero’s noted brand of generators. It differs from Yeti 400 with its large output and battery storage. Well, Yeti 1250 sports a 1200Wh inverter and 100Ah battery. Sure it works the same way its younger sibling works. That is, basically it is a power pack and comes with solar panel. We’ve it with a pair of Goal Zero Boulder 30 panels, meaning it can produce 60 watts of energy overall.

You can chain together the panels and attach more panels to the grid if required. Application wise, as you see, being a big powerhouse, you can use it to power up large number of appliances rather than just phones and tablets. Fine, Goal Zero recommends it for variety of appliances like ovens, power lights and fridges and etc… The kit weighs at 116 pounds and you have it with strong dragging handle and wheels for easy moving.

3. Renogy Firefly Solar Generator

It is a very handy, all-in-one solar generator in our list of the best solar generator 2016. Great, it sports all its components in a single suitcase-style case. That means carrying it won’t make an extra burden on a hiker. Weighing at just 12 pounds, you can take it by holding on its solid handle. Coming to power, it offers a 175Wh of energy and packs up 16Ah lithium polymer battery in its compact waterproof case.

Regarding solar panel, Renogy Firefly mounts a pair of highly efficient 10W solar modules with each having a built-in 10A charge controller. Put it simply, it is a cool plug and play portable solar solution with all needed ports for connecting different of your devices. Also it touts an LCD display to show battery status and LED flashlight for nighttime lighting.

4. BePreparedSolar 2500 Watt Solar Generator

It is a large, but not a well-finished solar generator. Offering 2500W of solar energy, it packs up everything required for the system in a rugged and wheeled case. But as you can see in the picture, it looks rather run-of-the-mill. Yet it is one of the best sellers on market and is a great solution for various off-grid uses including outdoor parties, apartment, emergency and other large-scale off-grid applications.

Under the hood, the BePreparedSolar sports a 5000 Watt peak/2500W continuous inverter and a 100Ah AGM deep cycle battery. Along with it comes a pair of 100W solar panels. By the way, it is also available with different battery options like 200Ah and 300Ah. Plus, you have a 30 Amp charge controller with LCD display and 30 feet of solar cables with the heavy duty solar generator.

5. Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator Kit

Yeti 150 is the budget version of Goal Zero’s top solar generator brand. As its name tells, it can produce 150Wh of solar energy and the built-in battery is a 14000mAh unit. Well, you can charge the power pack from car and wall outlets also. However, when bought together with Goal Zero’s Nomad 20 folding solar charger, it becomes a full solar generator. It has a 2A USB port, 12V output and 80W AC socket for connecting your devices to.

6. Kalisaya KP601 KaliPAK Solar Generator

It is the flagship variant of Kalisaya’s KaliPAK solar generator line. Yes, Kalisaya is a relatively new firm into the making of portable solar generators. And this model has got two lesser powerful variants too. Function wise, KaliPAK series follows Goal Zero Yeti, i.e. it comes in two parts; power pack and solar panel module.

Coming to KaliPAK KP601, it offers 558Wh, and under the hood it sports a 38Ah lithium-ion battery. Included solar panel is a folding four-layer unit with 40W output. You have 4 ultra-fast USB ports and a pair of 12V DC outlets. It has the dimensions of 6.7 x 13.5 x 13.5 inches and it weighs at 13 pounds.

7. Kalisaya KP401 KaliPAK Solar Generator

We also include medium variant of KaliPAK in our list of the best solar generator 2016. Well, it has got good number of customers so far with a rating of 5 stars on Amazon.com as of writing this. In fact, KP401 keeps the same format of its elder sibling in terms of style and function. It differs only when it comes to output. Yes, with the same 40W solar panel module, it offers 384 watts of solar power. And the battery inside is a 26Ah unit.

8. AspectSolar SunSocket Sun-Tracking Solar Generator

It is a very stylish and innovative solar generator. Its design is really nice with seven layers of automatically sun tracking solar cell array. Truly, solar panels mounted over the suitcase-style power pack turn around as sun moves. Therefore, the system can grab as much as sun power from day to dusk in the wild.

The solar panels total an output of 60 watts and the machine produces 250 watts of energy. Under the hood, SunSocket solar generator sports a 20Ah battery. It has four 4 USB ports, an AC socket and a 12V DC outlet to let you connect multiple devices. It has a size of 20.2 x 4.2 x 16.5 inches and weight of 25 pounds.

9. OG Solar 4000W Portable Solar Generator

It is the most powerful solar generator in our list of the best solar generator 2016 here. This OG solar product features 4000 watts of peak power and stores 1500 amp hours of energy in one dry cell battery. To charge the system from sun, you get a pair of 50 watt solar panels. And the thing is that it is not an organized machine. Though a plug and play system, it comes run-of-the-mill. It is ideal for home, apartment, emergency and outdoor events, but with its heavy 90 pounds weight, it is not recommend for hiking.

10. OG Solar 3000W Portable Solar Generator

It is a lesser powerful variant of OG Solar’s portable solar generator. We have it as the final entry in our list of the best solar generator 2016 here. Yes, as you see, it can provide 3000 watts of energy and a 100Amp battery is built inside. Plus, you get a pair of 50W solar units to power it from solar energy. It measures at 10 x 15 x 11 inches and weighs 83 pounds.

How to Make your Own Portable Solar Generator of 1000Wh Power and 100W Solar Panel for Under $400

Making own DIY solar generator is not a big job. It is a simple process and inexpensive too compared to buying new one. Yes, it costs a fortune to buy a good portable solar generator. But if you know the basics of solar technology, it is an easy task to set up a solar generator DIY in a matter of time.

In fact, setting up a DIY portable solar generator is all about assembling components. You won’treally create anything new here. You just put together solar generator parts and compoments that are readily available on market.

Well, there is actually no a specific form for a portable solar generator. Anything that wires together basic components like solar module, battery pack, inverter and charge controller is roughly a solar generator. Then, what makes a full-fledged, branded solar generator different is mainly its look and design. Well, you can also bundle up your DIY solar generator parts in a well-contained box or case to make it portable and friendly for outings.

DIY Solar Generator – 1000Wh Solar Generator

What all required for a DIY solar generator are plenty available on market. Well, for this solar generator DIY guide, we take real parts from Amazon.com as exmaples. That is, you can quickly get an idea on each part needed and buy it via the given affiliate link. Anyway, before moving into the guide let us have a look at the list of key components. We got a design diagram to give you an exact picture of the assembly of this 1000Wh solar generator.

1) Portable Solar Panel Unit – 100W
2) Solar Charge Controller – 30 Amps
3) Lead Acid Battery – 35Ah
4) Power Inverter – 1000Wh
5) Voltmeter
6) Wires and Cables
7) A Solid Case

Here we have taken Renogy’s one of top selling 100W 12V polycrystalline solar starter kit to explain how a DIY solar generator is put together. Well, the solar panel kit bundle contains a 100 watts solar panel, 30A PWM charge controller, wires and cables and mounting brackets. We have made a random pick of a power inverter and battery that can work nicely with the kit. Anyway, get familiar with each component and its specs below.

Portable Solar Panel Unit 

Needless to say, solar panel is the vital part of a DIY solar generator. You get portable solar units mainly in two variants; folding and flat glass panels. As can see, a folding solar panel is easy and hassle-free for moving. Its mounting is also simple. Coming to the conventional flat solar unit, its moving would be rather tough, but you could erect it on aluminum panel or mounting brackets to grab sunlight.

Moreover, you can also see ultra-thin foldable and curved solar panels out there, but they are pretty expensive when compared to traditional panels. But mounting a curved solar panel is amazingly awesome, thanks to its curvature to fit any irregular surface. Whatever, as a typical example, here we have taken Renogy’s 100 watts polycrystalline solar unit that can charge up 12V batteries from sunlight.

Well, this unit of solar panel guarantees you 14.6% solar conversation, which is good enough for a DIY solar generator. Fine, with that power it can produce 500 watts hours of energy on an average a day under bright sun. Luckily, the Renogy kit comes with all required mounting brackets so that you can easily put up the panel anywhere. And for taking it in your trips, you may require a carrying case, however.

Solar Charge Controller – Included in the Kit

Solar charge controller is indeed an essential part of a solar generator. It is what controls the rate at which solar energy is pumped into the battery. This way it prevents overcharging. Absolutely, it is a security feature that stabilizes power flow from the largely unstable solar source and increases lifespan of battery.

Here, as you know, the Renogy solar kit packs Renogy’s Wanderer 30A PWM solar charge controller. It is a tiny device that you can screw up to your DIY solar generator case or wall if you plan to use the system stationary. Well, this charge controller supports future expansion of the system up to a maximum of 400 watts.

Battery or Power Pack

Simply, a battery is used to store the harvested solar energy. Battery is indeed the heftiest part of the system. You can mount the battery with enough air vents in your DIY solar generator case. Variety of battery types is available on market and you can pick one based on the compatibility with the charge controller. The Renogy Wanderer is compatible only to sealed lead acid and flooded batteries.

Hence, we have picked Chrome Battery’s 12V 35Ah sealed lead acid battery for this solar generator DIY. Well, with the bundled solar panel, you can charge the battery in around 2 hours, depending on the intensity of sun, of course. This lead acid battery weighs at 23.5 pounds and has a size of 7.7 x 5.1 x 6.5 inches.

Power Inverter
Power inverter is another essential part of the solar generator. As you know, the function it does is to convert DC in the battery to AC so that your appliances and gadgets can work on it. Typically, inverter comes with universal AC sockets to charge large appliances. You can also get models with USB ports as well. Otherwise, you can use a car cigarette lighter to power up gadgets less than 150W.

Anyways, here we have taken BestTek’s 1000W inverter with dual AC outlets to convert 12V DC to 120V AC. That is why it becomes a 1000Wh DIY solar generator. The unit is, in fact, made rugged and compact for rough outdoor use. It comes with battery clamps and a cigarette lighter adapter, by the way.

Voltmeter

Voltmeter is not a very vital part of a DIY solar generator. Its function is to let you read the flow of current from photovoltaic cells. Well, based on the data, you can replace the solar unit to somewhere with better sunlight and collect more power. A voltmeter can go anywhere you have 12 volts DC. The included voltmeter offers a measuring range of 7.5V – 20V. And its size goes at 76 x 39 inches.

Wires and Cables (Included in the Kit)

When it comes to wires and cables for a DIY solar generator, you need to take good care. You need to use correct size cables to prevent loss of energy and safeguard the system from damages. For exact wire size required for a solar generator system, just go here. Anyway, the Renogy solar kit bundles 20ft 10AWG MC4 adaptor kit and 8ft 10AWG tray cable. Plus, the included inverter comes with battery clamps.

Carrying Case

Once you have all the above components, you can find a carrying case to set them up neatly. Make sure you buy a case that can endure rough outdoor conditions and a solid handle to take it along. You can fix each item of the DIY solar generator parts, except solar panel in it to make it a cool portable machine.

DIY Solar Generator Wiring Diagram

Final Words

Overall, it costs below $400 to set up this DIY solar generator. Yes, to buy as much as powerful solar generator you will have to spend around $1000, for sure. But thing is that it is not a compact and well-contained system. As per your talent to put them together, it will be doing better, however. This solution is, anyway, great for stationery and emergency use, but for camping or outdoor use, it won’t be much reliable as it not integrated.

Wholesale Lithium Ion Portable Solar Power Generator Solutions Over 1000 Watts

Looking to buy a heavy duty solar generator? Surely, you have a lot of solar generators on market today. But finding a perfect model for camping or emergency is not anyway simple. One reason for this is there is not a specific form or design for a solar generator. All are different in look and features. Also they are distrbuted on various sites. Hence, we bring to you a list of the best heavy duty portable solar generators here.

A heavy duty solar generator is just a portable solar generator with high output. Usually a portable generator is for two purposes; camping or emergency. Both needs must require your generator to be friendly for easy moving. Nevertheless, as you can see, a solar generator with more output naturally goes hefty and bulky. But many makers have smartly managed to keep them still cool for portable use.

Thus, below you can see ten best heavy duty solar generators over 1000W capacity. Each model may keep different design, but is certainly fit for portable use and powerful enough to juice up wide range of your appliances, gadgets and toys outdoors. Yes, they are all ideal for camping and emergency uses.

Heavy Duty Solar Generator: 10 Best Selling Heavy Duty Portable Solar Power Solutions Over 1000 Watts

Simply, a heavy duty solar generator might not be built in all-in-one case. Many of the large solar generators come in two parts; the main power pack and solar panel. In such case, you can place the power pack inside your tent or home and put the solar panel outside for grabbing energy. Meanwhile, some models even skip solar panel unit that you can separately buy from another vendor. Still some rare large solar generators also come in one build. Anyway, below is our list of the best large solar generators.

1. Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Generator Kit – 1200W

Yes, any talk on a solar generator starts with a Goal Zero. The American company’s Yeti solar generator is such an awesome and popular product line. Here we have the flagship model of the series bundled with a pair of Goal Zero’s own 30W Boulder solar panels. Alone, the Yeti 1250, as you know, is just a power pack that you can charge from wall or car outlet. But added with a solar panel, it goes a full-fledged and neatly designed heavy duty solar generator.

Absolutely, Yeti 1250 becomes a brilliant pick for campers with its state-of-the-art features and specs. Yes, it touts a capacity to produce as much as 1200Wh power and the battery inside is a 100Ah unit. Further, it sports a 12V, three AC, three USB ports and one Anderson Power Pole outlet for collecting energy from the device that weighs at 103 lbs. It is equipped with a strong handle and wheels for easy transportation.

2. Forty2 Max Solar Generator – 1800W

Here comes PepperMint’s cool all-in-one heavy duty solar generator; Forty4 Max. It has actually got three variants based on output. And this one, as you can see, is the top-end model with battery capacity of 2000W. Its young siblings – Forty2 Pro and Forty2 Pro+ – respectively sport 500 and 1000 watts. Great thing with this line of PepperMint solar generators is definitely their all-in-one build in a rugged suitcase-style case.

Coming to Forty2 Max, it is equipped with 180W solar panels that form the inner parts of its suitcase lids. Hence, simply you can open up the suitcase and place the system in sunlight to grab sun energy. Inside the bag feature its on-board lithium-ion battery, power inverter and other components. As outlets, you got a pair of USBs, a pair of ACs and one 24V DC port. It weighs at 75lbs and size goes at 34.25 X 35 X 6 inches.

3. Kisae Solar Generator – 1800W

KISAE’s wonderful home solar kit offers 1800 watts of energy to power up wide range of your appliances and gadgets outdoors. Inside the machine, it packs a 60Ah battery and you get an 80W crystalline solar panel with it to juice it up from sun. Well, the cool heavy duty solar generator guarantees you power all the time in the wild, thanks to its all-weather build. It weighs at 24.4 pounds and its size goes at 14.5 x 10.5 x 14 inches.

4. EnerPlex Generatr Portable Generator – 1200W

EnerPlex’s Generatr 1200 is a stylish portable power solution for emergencies and other off-grid applications. It equips a 1231Wh lithium ion battery that is capable to juice up wide variety of your gadgets including phones, tablets, laptops and fridges and etc… Like Goal Zero Yeti, you can recharge it from wall outlet or solar panel. EnerPlex suggests its Commandr series of solar units to make it a self-contained solar generator.

When it comes to its design and portability, Generatr 1200 is certainly an ideal pick. It is well-engineered as a portable power solution. You get two strong handles to carry the 42lbs machine and take it anywhere hassle-free. Coming to its outlets, it has three USBs, one 12V, one 12V Anderson, one 19V barrel and 110V AC ports.

5. BePreparedSolar Solar Generator – 2500W

BePreparedSolar’s large portable solar generator is available in different variants. Based on their battery power, you get this high power solar generator in over 20 models. Anyways, this variant comes with 5000W peak and 2500W continuous inverter. And inside its solid case, it sports a powerful AGM deep cycle 200Ah battery. Meanwhile, the solar panel comes with the solar generator is a pair of 100W units.

This heavy duty portable solar generator’s case is very rugged and equipped with wheels to let you carry it anywhere. Moreover, it touts a host of features including a 30 amp solar charge controller, three universal AC outlets, low battery alert, smart surge control, overload indicators and etc… Coming to its size, it has the dimensions of 30 X 18 X 19 inches and it weighs at around 135lbs.

6. SolarPod Solar Generator – 1000W

SolarPod 1K, as its name suggests, is a heavy duty solar generator with 1000W power. It is equipped with a 960Wh battery inside and you can power it up with 24V solar module with MC4 connectors. Certainly, it touts a charge controller for stable energy. And thanks to Pure Sine Wave inverter, it ensures clean and unwavering AC output to power up your gadgets.

Design wise, SolarPod from Sunbird Solar looks quite fantastic. Weighing at just 35 pounds, it features a pair of strong handles to let you take it with no hassle. Its size goes at 10.3 x 10.1 x 15.7 in. Its aluminum-made body ensures its durability, making it a really cool portable solar generator for wide range of off-grid uses.

7. Inergy Kodiak Solar Generator – 1500W

Inergy’s Kodiak solar generator is a largely feature-rich portable solar solution with great power output. Well, it is built with a Pure Sine wave AC inverter of 1500 watts. The onboard battery is an 1100W lithium ion unit. Inergy brought this project into life in support of a crowd funding campaign on KickStarter one year back. Still it is not available for resale on leading retail sites. Inergy accepts orders on its website only.

Coming to its other specs, Inergy supplies it with a pair of its 50W Predator 50 solar panels to total solar output of 100W. By the way, its output sockets include large number of options. They include six 110VAC plugs, one 30 Amp RV plug, four 12DC universal car ports, eight USB outlets and a pair of 12DC base camp LED lights ports. It is lightweight with just 20 lbs and its size goes at 16 X 15 X 8 inches.

8. FSP Portable Solar Generator Suitcase – 2600W

FSP Group’s Emergy 3000, the high-end model of the series, is a 2600Wh portable suitcase solar generator. Well, it exactly looks like a travel suitcase with all the components of solar generator neatly fixed inside. You have it with a high quality lithium ion battery. You charge its from sun with FSP’s 3000 flexible solar panel kit. Its total weight goes at 66.2 pounds and its is sized at 15.3 x 8.7 x 26.8 inches.

9. OG Solar Power Generator – 4000W

OG Solar’s heavy duty solar generator is one of the most powerful picks in our list today. It is up with a 135 Amp 4000 watt peak power inverter. And inside the rugged solar generator case situates a highly powerful battery. Well, when it comes to solar panel, you have it with a pair of 50 watt modules to total sun energy of 100 watts. Well, the machine features a host of output ports to let you juice the power to run variety of your gadgets during off-grid life – whether camping or emergency.

10. Lion Energy Solar Generator Bundle – 1500W

Lion Energy’s FTB 50 solar generator is yet another heavy duty solar generator that creates some vibe on market. It is a large machine with a Pure Sine Wave integrated inverter of 1500W and 2000W peak. The included battery is a lithium-ion 6000W/h 50Ah unit with life cycles of 2000. Similar to the most of above models, you can charge it up from both wall and solar. And for output, you have a pair of 110V-220V 50-60Hz.