get an MPPT charge controller and a bigger panel. At least 200 watts. That 25 watt panel is doing exactly nothing.

I just built one for my son in law, 200 ah battery, HF 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter and a Victron 100/20 solar charge controller and a 20 amp plug in charger from a ebay auction on a hand truck. Now I'm going to make one for myself....

Brilliantly done 😊

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

Thank you. Although I found out in the comments, I have a few modifications to update on it.

Great build on a budget - thanks for this! 👍🏿

My priority when the power goes out is the refrigerator. Hunt around...You may be able to find a much bigger solar panel for next to nothing, if not even free. If you can find a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, that would be a huge upgrade as well.

@maurice7413

9 күн бұрын

He has a LifePO4 battery.

Add a 4-6 way 12v cigarette socket switch panel. You can then use/charge usb appliances in complete silence, and it's 10% more efficient.

@theaccidentalprepper

6 күн бұрын

Just went online and checked them out. Looks like I could bypass the inverter and connect directly to the solar controller. I especially like the more efficiency part. Thank you for the advice.

@Theoverthinker81

6 күн бұрын

@@theaccidentalprepper no, connect it directly to the battery via a car fuse box with positive and negative terminals (some fuse boxes use the car as a negative so don't make that mistake). I did all this myself several times both large and small builds. Good luck

@theaccidentalprepper

6 күн бұрын

@@Theoverthinker81 Will do. Thanks.

I built the same configuration but ordered 2 large solar panels. Not completely portable, but can be moved from place to place. Cost - $1000.

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

Yeah, I actually want to build something much larger, but that's in the near future. Once I get this one all figured out, I actually plan on building a much smaller one for when I go bicycle camping.

Pick up a 12/24v 20A smart battery charger for $60. Maybe a Lithium battery charge indicator for $10.

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

I just ordered both. Thanks for the advice.

Nice! Only drawback I see is that maybe that's not a pure sine wave inverter.

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

No it's not. I've never even heard of a sine wave inverter until the other day in another comment. Seems like I've got a lot of education to do in building these

@vincentrobinette1507

11 күн бұрын

That's the beauty of this system. If he needs a true sinewave inverter, that's the ONLY thing he needs to replace. He can keep all the other existing equipment and battery. He doesn't even need to replace any wiring!

@theaccidentalprepper

11 күн бұрын

No it isn't but after all the advice on here I've got one on order.

@theaccidentalprepper

11 күн бұрын

@@vincentrobinette1507 after all the comments I had to educate myself on a shine inverter. Never heard of one but have one on order now greatly appreciate everyone on here who's educated me.

@crazysquirrel9425

3 күн бұрын

Motors and compressors, fans, and the like are not that picky over the sine wave. But most electronics are. People worry too much over their phones....

Nice setup,i would use at least a 100w panel though for faster charging. Thanks for sharing too.

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

Thank you. Yes, I found out the current panel won't even but a dent in the charge. Thanks for the adive.

Great job. And greater education for others

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

The comments here alone h have been a great education for me.

From this angle it looks like you have the charge controller really comfy head phones

For 1200 watt system charged with a 25 watt solar panel, it'll take you approximately 48 hours to charge the battery from Empty to full. You need a much larger panel(s) big enough to charge it within the day. And also, you said you use it as an emergency power for your well pump. Those motors are inductive loads and they do not like modified sine wave inverters. They will run hot.... You need a pure sine wave inverter.

@theaccidentalprepper

13 күн бұрын

Yeah, I stuck it out in the sun all day long, and this little solar panel did not do much at all. I've got a jackery 64 watt that I'm thinking of hooking to it. I appreciate the information on the well pump inverter because I had no idea. You probably saved me from burning some stuff out. This is all new to me, and I greatly appreciate the advice. I've never even heard of the sine wave inverter. But I will definitely educate myself on it immediately. Thank you

@jacquespoirier216

13 күн бұрын

@@theaccidentalprepper Actually, a 25 watts solar panel is only 1.5 amps per hour under a clear sky. That's around 80 hours just to charge a 100-amp battery. 200 watts of panels could almost fully charge a battery in a day.

@capodad2u

12 күн бұрын

He is correct. You can purchase a solar generator from vtoman (flash 1500) for $650 delivered. That will get you 1584 watt hours 1500w with 3000w surge a pure sine wave inverter. Built in BMS and mppt controller 3 AC 4 USB and 3 DC outputs and FULLY charges in 60 min from AC and can also be charged by DC or 30v - 60v solar, all in the size of a bread box that can easily be carried and stored. I appreciate your efforts tho well done. This particular Vtoman does need higher input from solar to charge, I purchased $130 total 2 compact 100v mono panels 27"x 31" hinged them together in series and using acrylic mirrors mounted on 2 thin panels also hinged I have a small portable overclocked panel capable of 300w output at 44v DC . I'm going to add thin L channel aluminum to the back of the panels for heat dissipation and better efficiency. The panels do fine with the heat, sure they may last 10 years not 25 but seriously? I can also charge up 2 e bikes very quickly using a variable (dial it in) voltage mppt charge controller very very quickly. So for about $800 I've got a great solar generator. I also have another portable 150w suitcase and panels on the roof of my RV joined into 1 variable, tiltable panel that utilizes 2 quick release pins to adjust the whole system. I'm no prepper I don't waste my energy preparing for doom and gloom I use it for traveling anywhere in this vast great country we live in.

@theaccidentalprepper

12 күн бұрын

@capodad2u from all the comments, I've got a lot to take in and learn. I'm looking to get a camper as well in the next year or two, and this is one of the reasons I've been trying to understand solar generators is because I want it completely self-sufficient. I hate to tell you that you may not be a prepper, but you have the mindset of one. It's not all about Doom and Gloom but being self-sufficient and having to depend on no one but yourself.

great overview

And work it does! Been making hand-truck solar gens ever since the current regime took office in DC in anticipation of a failure of the grid. Folks need to pay attention to things like this. Cheers and thanks..

@theaccidentalprepper

14 күн бұрын

That was my whole reason to build one. We can pretty much live without most electricity but wanted to have something that would run our well pump.

is the inverter cooling fans blocked by the battery? the controller battery should be hooked up to the battery before it gets solar power to know how much voltage to send out.

@theaccidentalprepper

10 күн бұрын

I made sure not to block the fans but didn't know there was a sequence to hooking it up. I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

Thank u

@theaccidentalprepper

6 күн бұрын

Don't thank me until you've read the comments. There is a lot of helpful advice here and some updates to my solar generator I need to take care of.

That's not a real inverter. Its a cheap high frequency, transformerless toy inverter that can severely damage you appliances during a catastrophic failure of its H-Bridge circuit. No thanks.

@theaccidentalprepper

6 күн бұрын

Thank you for the feedback. It's too bad you couldn't offer your insights like other users have, but I get it. Some people criticize, while others teach.

dead link - shows nothing.

@williamcarroll1762

14 күн бұрын

Seems to be working fine for me. Although it does inform you that you're leaving this app and going into another one.

@maurice7413

9 күн бұрын

Dead for me also, blank page.

Why do people call these generators, they are not generators.

@theaccidentalprepper

5 күн бұрын

A solar generator is a generator. As the term generate implies. It uses solar panels to generate sunlight into electricity. It's similar to a traditional generator, but instead of using gas, diesel, or wind, solar generators use sustainable solar energy.

Yeah not going to happen as all this shit is way too expensive for my budget at least being on a fixed income so I made my own using some batteries that were sealed lead acid and they work out just fine especially since I only use it on a 300 watt inverter to charge it I use a two-way radio power supply made by Astron it's an rs20a works just fine and it keeps everything going on standby power so I leave everything all plugged in and it works out just fine and if I need to charge it during a grid down situation I can use a solar panels

@theaccidentalprepper

11 күн бұрын

In 4 months, I'm going to be on a fixed income as well.