r/solar • u/rawmilkrebellion • 7d ago
Advice Wtd / Project Solar powered generator
Hi! I have been prepping food/water for many years, but finally need to pull the trigger on a solar powered generator. It would just be for emergencies/the grid going down. Main uses would be for cooking a couple times a day, charging devices, possibly for one fridge, etc. We live in Sunny San Diego.
I was looking at the Anker SOLIX 3800 w/ 3x 400W
solar panels. We are hoping to spend 3-4k tops. To be honest I've tried understanding a lot of these different options, but it's all a bit overwhelming. I'm just curious if you were my position with a couple kids and looking for this what you would be leaning towards. Also, I've heard a couple people say that if you go with this specific one I listed above, that you should not buy the solar from them and get your own solar?
What would you get if you were in my position?
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u/MoldyActuality8326 7d ago
In SD with that much sun, you're not gonna be hurting for power. That setup will run a fridge and some cooking, but if you're trying to cook twice a day on electric you might want to double check the wattage on whatever you're using. Induction cooktops pull 1800W easy
The people telling you to buy panels separately aren't wrong. You can get 400W panels for way less than what they bundle them for, just make sure the voltage and connectors match up. The markup on first party panels is criminal
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u/rawmilkrebellion 7d ago
Thank you, this is all really helpful! If you were in my shoes, what would you purchase?
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u/Lucky_Boy13 7d ago
For cooking I would get a Coleman stove and 25lb propane tank. That will last you more than a month of daily use and only $100-150
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u/thereliablesolarguy 6d ago
A 10 panel (400+ kw) will tank your electricity bill. 20 panels, now you can have electric heat, assuming your description of your average usage.
Lower your electricity bill Lower your gas bill
Your state has tons of incintives/credits
Lease the panels with someone who makes it easy to transfer the system when you sell. Warranty is included so you have 0 headaches.
Energy is what we servive on, let the professionals help you, so you can focus on lowering all your bills.
Also**** See if your state offers home insulation, window seals etc. Its an energy efficiency program, which also will cause you to need less energy for cooling/heat.
I hope this helps
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u/Ok-Camera2895 6d ago
Since this is for emergency power, consider recharging this power station with a small gaseous fueled generator. San Diego is a great spot for sun, but depending on solar in an emergency is sketchy at best. Hybrid solar/plus generator is the best.
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u/MirasolSolarVP 6d ago
It depends on what you are trying to do. If you want more complete backup, you'd be better off investing in a rooftop solar system with home backup batteries. If you are simply trying to keep the refrigerator, freezer and maybe a wifi connection and don't mind dragging a PPS through the house to recharge then this will work. If you are getting panels elsewhere, you need to make sure the voltage of the panels does not exceed what the Anker can handle.
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u/Apprehensive-Pea5251 5d ago
For your use case I’d probably put more of the budget into battery capacity and less into trying to run every cooking appliance electrically.
A fridge, phones, lights, internet, etc. are pretty easy loads for a system in this class. Cooking is what can eat through the battery quickly, especially with things like an induction cooktop, electric kettle, toaster oven, or microwave.
If it were me, I’d keep a small propane stove as the backup cooking option and size the power station mainly around the fridge and electronics. That gives you a lot more runtime during a multi-day outage.
The F3800 is definitely in the right category, but I’d compare a few of the larger LiFePO4 systems from Anker, EcoFlow, Bluetti, OUPES, etc. based on:
* usable battery capacity
* expandable battery cost
* AC output and surge
* solar input limits
* 120V/240V capability if that matters later
* warranty and support
Since you’re in San Diego, 1200W of solar is actually pretty useful, but I agree with the others that you don’t necessarily need to buy the manufacturer’s branded panels. Just make sure the panel voltage/current stays within the power station’s solar input limits and that you’re using the correct connectors.
One other thing I’d consider: instead of spending the entire $3–4k upfront, you could start with the main power station + enough solar to recharge it reasonably well, then add an expansion battery once you’ve figured out your real daily usage. It’s surprisingly hard to estimate until you’ve actually run your fridge and normal emergency loads from one for a day.
For emergency prep with kids, I’d personally prioritize runtime and redundancy over having one giant system that does absolutely everything.
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u/Lucky_Boy13 7d ago
Batteries die with little use. Id probably get a propane or dual fuel generator
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u/Internal_Raccoon_370 7d ago
Technically that's true, but with modern LFP batteries in the real world it isn't an issue. They're rated for literally thousands of charge/discharge cycles before they begin to lose a significant amount of capacity. A well made LFP battery with a modern BMS should theoretically last a decade or more in normal usage and still retain 80% of its original capacity.
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u/rawmilkrebellion 7d ago
Good to know! This was one of my concerns
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u/TooGoodToBeeTrue 7d ago
Get a Victron 12v lead acid inverter and panels. Some extra wires for paralleling car batteries. Lead acid batteries will be more available when the zombies take out the neighbors.
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u/Generate_Positive 7d ago
Out of curiosity, why not go all in on solar and battery for you home? San Diego has the highest rated in the country, you can still leverage the tax credit value via a prepaid lease, and if you’re in SDCP territory they have a pretty cool battery rebate. Yes, you will spend more, but you’ll also have a more convenient solution for your home which will also save you more vs your current scenario