Homemade Solar Generator

[Julie]

http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_20.jpg
This unit has these components:

Two wheel cart, battery box, battery, inverter 750 watt, solar panel, mounting bracket, and solar controller.

The solar panel generates DC electricity, which is sent to the solar controller. The solar controller sends the electricity to the storage battery and then the inverter changes the electricity from DC to AC.
http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_21.jpg
Solar Controller

The solar controller was mounted onto the battery box lid (picture above). The white and green wires come from the solar panel, one set of red/black wire connects to the battery and the other set connects to the inverter. The inverter is attached to the battery box lid with a u-bolt.
http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_22.jpg
You can plug into the inverter with the appliance you want to use or just charge the battery. The solar controller has a built-in regulator to protect against over charge of the battery.
http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_23.jpg
You can see from the picture how the battery box sets on the two-wheeled cart. You can secure the battery box to the cart permanently or with a bungle rope for easy removal.
http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_24.jpg
The panel it attached to the two-wheel cart with perforated L-shaped steel. The bracket is swiveled for tilting the solar panel for maximum output.
http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_25.jpg
I was able to run our refrigerator for about four hours in the test. The inverter has two 110-vac outlets built-in to it.

You can increase your generation of electricity either by increasing the size of the inverter, the solar panel or the number of batteries.
http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/gomestic/2008/02/28/118777_26.jpg
Solar panel is the most expensive component. The battery box was $7.50. The solar controller was $45-$60. I had the two-wheel cart but they run about $20. The inverter cost $50-$75 depending on the voltage. Solar panel is $900-$1100. There are ways to scale down or eliminate some of the components. I have seen smaller setups for a cost around $300.

http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/homestead/solargen_files/image002.jpg

[texasgal]

Julie, Thanks for the great information! This is more something we can do! Buying a generator is out of reach right now so this is great! Thanks for sharing with us. :party:

[Will]

There is a video that explains how to build your own generator that is driven by the wind on You Tube. Couple that to a battery bank and an inverter and I think you might be able to run a few small items. If you click on the video link below you will see this is a three part series. The first part is just a basic build and the second and third parts involve implementation and a three phase unit.
Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX166iDh8Fs&feature=related)

[threepercent]

wanna really feel like a king when its TEOTWAWKI? take the generators and hook one up to a RV's (12v)shower pump, run a coil thorugh a propane heater, and make a shower for when there is no shower.

:)

[Charlene]

Love this! Have been considering a generator for quite some time. One concern I've had is that a generator makes so much noise and that most require gas. We live in the suburbs, and have no means to an actual bug-out location. Didn't want a generator that might attract a lot of attention in a worst-case scenario. This is great.

[LoudmouthMormon]

Come on prices, come down baby, come down! I've watched prices fall for years, but dangit, they gotta fall a bit more before landing in my price range.

Cabelas has a 60 watt/4 amp expandable system (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0061031523482a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=solar&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1) with a 175 watt inverter for $400. The Sam's Club in my area has something similar.

Cabelas also has a 400 watt/27 amp wind generator for $600 (the 30' tower kit is another $650).

[Paulg]

Have set up a small solar system. I spent $ 130 a compete syetem not including batt.plus shiping. I added a 700 watt inverter for $31 from Harbor fright. I have two RV batt as my storage unit. I ran two 80 watt lights for 7 hours as a test. Batt were down to 65%. took 2 1/2 to bring them back to 95%. Will be adding two more solar panels soon. this should cut dow my recharge time.

[Baconator]

I've been fumbling around with planning a system for several months now and the one I've looked to build is around $1400. The PV panel being the biggest chunk of that.

Sun Xtender 104Ah AGM battery
SolarPro plug-n-play 100w solar panel (comes with a 7-amp charge controller and cabling)
Xantrex xPower 1200w inverter

Plus the cabling and stuff needed to hook it all together. If you guys have experience with this stuff, am I anywhere near the right track? Electrical mathematics (watts, volts, amps, etc) are beyond my ken.

[Paulg]

Pictures

[Baconator]

Great looking setup.