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Best Solar Generators of July 2023
CNET ^ | 6/14/23 | Andrew Blok

Posted on 07/20/2023 11:05:07 AM PDT by DallasBiff

Pair your portable power station with portable solar panels and take the power of the sun with you wherever you go. Here's our tested picks for the best solar generators.

Solar panels and batteries are the newest innovations in portable power, mirroring home power trends. Portable power stations have been available for a while now, taking care of power needs in all sorts of situations. Using solar panels to charge on the go is the next logical step. Combine portable power stations with solar panels and you have yourself a solar generator.

Solar generators, like their gas-powered counterparts, are portable sources of backup power for your home to help you keep the lights on during a dreaded power outage. Having a solar generator can keep your devices charged up while you're enjoying the outdoors on a camping trip, too, without the noise and toxic fumes. With portable solar panels, you can recharge these stations anywhere the sun shines, even when the power is out. And portable solar generators can provide renewable energy that won't harm the environment

(Excerpt) Read more at cnet.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: electric; electricity; generators; portablepower; prepper; preppers; solar; solargenerator
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Is this possible or BS?

Saw a commercial for solar panels and they will give you a free generator, and I said to myself, how is the generator powered, and I came to the conclusion, that it was powered by lefts most evil energy, oil and natural gas.

1 posted on 07/20/2023 11:05:07 AM PDT by DallasBiff
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To: DallasBiff

From a friend’s experience with a smaller model, I plunged on a Jackery 1000. I have yet to use it.


2 posted on 07/20/2023 11:06:36 AM PDT by Man from Oz
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To: DallasBiff

How long will they power two freezers and a refrigerator and what happens as the batteries age and eventually refuse a charge?


3 posted on 07/20/2023 11:07:33 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Man from Oz
I plunged on a Jackery 1000.

A couple of Ham Radio operators I know use them. They're good for field operations. I have two 30-watt panels I have yet to set up for my go-box. I have a lithium iron phosphate battery in my go-box. Works good for my needs. Would like the Jackery or similar to run a computer in the field when the laptop battery runs out.

4 posted on 07/20/2023 11:11:21 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
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To: Man from Oz

I got a Jackery 300 and three solar panels just in case I lost power but more so for a bug-out option, and I got all of them for less than $600, but I already have a gasoline generator, so I didn’t need the Jackery 1000, but had I thought about it at the time, the 1000 would have better, both for a bug out (or just for recrational camping, etc) and for emergency home situations, because I could have used to the generator to recharge the Jackery without needing solar and the 1000 is much more likely to power higher wattage tools and appliances.


5 posted on 07/20/2023 11:13:34 AM PDT by z3n (Kakistocracy)
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To: DallasBiff
"Saw a commercial for solar panels and they will give you a free generator, and I said to myself, how is the generator powered, and I came to the conclusion, that it was powered by lefts most evil energy, oil and natural gas."

---------Solar Generator---------

Patriot Power Generator 1800

This best-selling portable solar generator is your “Magic Bullet” to protect you from blackouts, power failures & the crumbling electric grid. Use the Patriot Power Generator inside your home — to power a fridge, freezer, medical devices & more. It comes ready to use & never needs gas… ever!

The ultimate "prepper" gift Great for blackouts & tailgates Charge for FREE in the SUN Fume-free, silent & safe Use inside your home Included solar panel Power critical appliances 100% Satisfaction guarantee FREE Shipping & Handling (lower 48)

6 posted on 07/20/2023 11:14:12 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: ansel12; DallasBiff
How long will they power two freezers and a refrigerator and what happens as the batteries age and eventually refuse a charge?

If looking for a practical use of a solar portable generator, that's not it. A better use would be during construction of a new home before power has been installed, doing outside work (read: you won't be working in the rain, so there'll be solar power). Maybe if you find yourself doing a lot of jobs like that, then a solar generator is better in the long run than a gas generator (no moving parts to lead to mechanical failures, no having to buy gas, etc.)

But use cases like that IMHO are rare.

7 posted on 07/20/2023 11:14:59 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: DallasBiff

well, you can power something that will take 2000 watts for 1 hour and then you need 14 hours to recharge it with the solar panels.

so you could run your refrigerator for about 4 hours

or maybe just plug it in for 1/2 hour every 4 hours or so

and it costs $2500 but I can buy a nice honda generator for $1000. and $1500 will buy a lot of gas


8 posted on 07/20/2023 11:16:40 AM PDT by algore (tv)
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To: ansel12

“How long will they power two freezers and a refrigerator”

You take two freezers and a refrigerator with you when you go camping?


9 posted on 07/20/2023 11:16:41 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: IYAS9YAS

“Would like the Jackery or similar to run a computer in the field when the laptop battery runs out.”

yes it will certainly do that. if you have the solar panels hooked up and there is sunshine you should get a really long runtime


10 posted on 07/20/2023 11:18:53 AM PDT by algore (tv)
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To: algore

and it costs $2500 but I can buy a nice honda generator for $1000. and $1500 will buy a lot of gas

~~~

I’m not a big greenie, but I do like having solar panels to diversify my options. Solar panels and something like a Jackery are more portable than a high wattage power generator, and if the SHTF, gasoline/diesel may be procurable at first but will get expensive and risky to get after some time, whereas you can at least unfold your panels as long as you have some sun and do some charging.


11 posted on 07/20/2023 11:23:24 AM PDT by z3n (Kakistocracy)
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To: algore

The Honda generators are $1300 now and going fast after Bidens claim of outlawing them thru the EPA


12 posted on 07/20/2023 11:25:26 AM PDT by Cold Heart
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To: ansel12

>> How long will they power two freezers and a refrigerator

Those “portable” generators? Not long — if at all.


13 posted on 07/20/2023 11:29:20 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (Jesus is LORD and Savior! And Donald Trump is President of the United States of America.)
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To: DallasBiff

And portable solar generators can provide renewable energy that won’t harm the environment


Because they already have when they were made when the materials were mined etc. And let’s not look to closely at where they are made and by whom. Please ignore their continual red overcast skies, and the need to wear masks.

And if you panel breaks and the parts and dust fall to the ground, no food can ever be grown it that soil.

Enjoy!


14 posted on 07/20/2023 11:29:59 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: DallasBiff

Solar generator is just a batter with a sine wave invertor and a panel that can charge the battery over time.


15 posted on 07/20/2023 11:32:05 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: ansel12
How long will they power two freezers and a refrigerator

Not long, there is a formula to figure it out.

16 posted on 07/20/2023 11:32:56 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: DallasBiff

Just get a gas generator. If the SHTF and gas/diesel aren’t available, you’re screwed and gonna die anyway. Just accept it.


17 posted on 07/20/2023 11:33:46 AM PDT by BipolarBob (My friend David got his ID stolen, so now he's just Dav.)
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To: IYAS9YAS

BFL


18 posted on 07/20/2023 11:34:45 AM PDT by rlmorel ("If you think tough men are dangerous, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of." JBP)
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To: DallasBiff
I have a solar powered generator.

It's small enough that I would not plug something like a fridge or AC into it. But it's good enough for small appliances, etc.

19 posted on 07/20/2023 11:35:09 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux - The Ultimate Windows Service Pack )
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To: DallasBiff

There is nothing wrong withe these packaged systems. But they can be costly, but they are all-in-one integrated which is best fir many people.

Dont skimp on the panels. You’ll need a decent number of them.

I prefer to “roll my own”

300AH LiFepo4 battery, 150v 50A MPPT charger, and 8 100watt panels, 2400w sinewave inverter w/4800w peak.

This lets me operate 2 series strings of 4 panels.

With this I can operate a garage fridge + stand alone freezer indefinitely.

I could operate a 5000btu AC unit at peak sun without discharging the battery.

I can operate any power tool Ive got intermittently plus lights.

Its probably between $2k and $2.5k for this.

Also, as needed you can charge the battery w genset - but you only need a small honda.

If you want to get fancy, you can wire up a transformer to create 240V split phase, so i can use this to power my house overnight (without large loads) and not have to run a genset all night.


20 posted on 07/20/2023 11:38:28 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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