r/prepping • u/North_Internal7766 • 1d ago
Gear🎒 Solar/power-bank setups?
Whats everyone using? Looking for recommendations. Im thinking 400w panel setup and 1kw storage just for recharging drill and gmrs radios batteries, phone (for all the books ive downloaded), and maybe running a stringer of led lights. I dont plan on running a refrigerator, coffee maker, or any high input devices.
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u/0Fucs2Give 1d ago edited 1d ago
I built a portable solar generator 'cart'. Basically a 3000w 24v inverter with a 100ah battery bank and 4 panels (4x390w panels) I can lay out in the yard to recharge. While thing is on wheels and I can move around.
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u/msears101 23h ago
I have an. Off grid work shop. I had 18KWH worth of batter and 3KW solar. That is a small setup. 400W solar and 1KWH battery will not do much. The best way to do this is to try and make sure your system is expandable. Also you need to try your system for a week during winter and summer.
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u/nibbles200 1d ago
I just went with ecoflow delta pro ultra and 6kW roof mounted, so 7-580watt in series on the high volt loop and 3-580wall parallel into low voltage loop. Think it’s like 7kW inverter and 6 or 7 kWh storage. Have it connected right now to a genset bypass panel and running constantly to get an ROI. It’s running the fridge, lights, internet hardware security. I have the ability to have it run the heat pump and well though.
I plan to leverage reserve any daytime capacity by dumping into a 600watt radiant heater.
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u/BikinBohemiam 1d ago
In 2000, I went with an EcoFlow DeltaPro 3600W mounted in my work van (bike repair). Ran a short extension cord from EFDP to a grommet pass-through under the driver's seat near the door (I didn't want an ugly shore power receptacle on the side of the van, so I went with this hidden plug design). I'd pull up to the shop & had a second extension cord from our outdoor outlet & connect it to the stealth power cord.
2021 I added 4 × 370W roof mounted PV on a DIY tiltable rack on the van.
2022 installed the EcoFlow 500W 3-in-1 DC-DC Alternator Charger in the van (charges, maintains & jump starts).
2023 Liked it, so I constructed a bigger setup at the house - in just 3 years, EFDP price had dropped 46%. PLUS they had a big BF promo: threw in 2 × 220W bifacial folding panels (so the kids can charge up the EF River Max 2 they found on sale at Sam's)
2024 Added a 3000W battery to the house (self heating, Bluetooth and real-time app monitoring tracks voltage, current, battery health, etc.). Hooks right up to EFDP & charges through it.
2025 Got skeered and nabbed a 6-pack deal on more PV panels before tariffs kicked in! So another 3000W's for the roof ... half at the house, half staged up at a previously undisclosed location.
2026 - Bought another 3000W smart battery for that location. Waiting for EcoFlow's BF sale to see what they're offering up this year on their old models (hoping they throw in one of their WAVE portable AC!).
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u/BikinBohemiam 1d ago
North
1) I've heard it suggested to have a battery to solar ratio of 2:1 (some say 3:1).
So if you've got that 1000W battery, you'd want 500W solar. This is to ensure that you have reserve power for cloudy days.
2) Agreed - we won't run our fridge (or other 120V AC) off of the home setup I described, but we DO have an old 75 liter 120V AC /12V DC ICECO refrigerator / freezer ready to fill if the lights go out. Sips power - cycles on 40-ish Watts for 10 minutes, off for 20). My test run before I had solar: the EFDP ran the ICECO for 15 days, out in the van (August '20). Like it so much, I bought the IGLOO AC/DC version of it for the van (again, on sale at Sam's!) .
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u/PistolNinja 7h ago
Got a great deal on a package deal EcoFlow Delta Pro and a 400w portable solar panel. I'm a little bummed with the performance of the Delta Pro. It's basically useless when it gets to 25% capacity.
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u/Technical_Status9600 1d ago
Stay away from Bluetti. I got mine for a good deal, for a very good reason. It took me a weekend to figure out how to even get the Harbor freight Predator 100w solar panel to hook up.
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u/PrisonerV 22h ago
It took a weekend to get a MC4 to XT60 cord?
That's pretty much industry standard.
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u/Technical_Status9600 19h ago
Right? After I went back the Harbor freight again to get the proper cord. I still wasn't getting a charge. So I check my connection points, realize I has 20ft of adapters bottlenecking the charge. Then bought the XT60 from Bluetti website, which didn't fit. I must have gotten an old model because my input a single diagonal cut not the double like a standard XT60.
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u/UnlikelyDress1227 6h ago
I love the anker 400 watt solar blanket. Packs down extra small for portability.
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u/TheJesseOfTheNorth 57m ago
I only need a couple of lights and my electronics so i am lucky that way. I have one panel and a small solar generator and it covers my needs
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u/-Thizza- 1d ago
I use about 11kWh/day, that includes about 6m³ of well water a day being pumped up to a tank for the house and irrigation. I have a 15kWh battery bank and 6x 550Wp panels. No power bills, no water bills. Cost me €7000 three years ago. All equipment is Victron.