It is estimated that more than 250,000 people in the United States live an off-grid lifestyle. This number is increasing every year.
That being said, many cabin owners are looking for easier ways to take their tiny homes off the grid.
With the growing popularity of solar generators, many believe they may have found the answer.
The question is, are solar generators capable of powering off-grid pods?
Let's find out.
Using a Solar Generator in a Cabin
Why would anyone choose to use a solar generator in their cabin instead of a normal solar system?
The answer is simple, ease of use and cost.
Solar system installation requires advanced electrical knowledge to set it up. In other words, your average Joe won't be able to install a solar system on his own (at least safely).
This means you need to pay someone to come out and install the system for you. This can be very difficult, depending on how off-grid you actually live.
However, solar generators can be purchased and used as is, with little to no learning curve in terms of operation.
Can a solar generator power a cabin?
In order to determine if a solar generator is capable of powering your cabin, you need to figure out your energy consumption.
To do so, follow the step-by-step guide below:Step 1: Write down your device
Very easy first step, just make an inventory of all the equipment in your cabin, here is an example:
Typical appliances
Coffee machine
microwave
Regular refrigerator/freezer
toaster
laptop and mobile phone
Bulb
Step 2: Add your device power rating
Next, you need to determine the wattage rating of your appliance. You can do this by simply looking at their nameplate rating. This is usually on a sticker or nameplate on the back of the device.
Typical Appliance Rated (Operating) Watts
coffee machine 1100 watts
microwave 800 watts
Regular Refrigerator/Freezer 700 W
toaster 800 watts
100 watts for laptops and phones
light bulb 150 watts
All 4,850 watts
final thoughts
The three most important things you need to focus on when deciding to install a solar generator for your cabin are where your cabin is located and how much peak sunlight it receives, how much energy you will be using and your total wattage how many.
With this information, you can determine how many solar panels you need, what size battery you need, and what size inverter you need.
All in all, the AC300 and AC500 are the perfect solar generators to power an off-grid cabin.