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Solar/Battery/Generator/Propane etc Experts and Resources?

Posted on 10/5/24 at 12:26 pm
Posted by McLemore
Member since Dec 2003
33531 posts
Posted on 10/5/24 at 12:26 pm
Sorry if there’s already a master thread on this somewhere. Couldn’t find.

Looking for some solid curated resources (so I’m not searching all over the place) on off-grid power. I follow some FB groups, but they’re all over the place.

Impetus:

We are on day 9 without power and have to power a well pump for water.
That and keeping food frozen or refrigerated are obviously the absolute necessities. We also power Starlink and trying to work, entertain two young boys etc etc.

I was in the process of upgrading and expanding my systems just before the storm hit.

We have about 700 amp hours of LiFePO4 batteries, a 3000W pure sine wave inverter, an older 1000W inverter I’m using just for a basic low-tech chest freezer, about 600W of portable solar panels, a couple 30amp MPPT solar charge controllers and some small basic PMW ones. A 4500 W quiet dual fuel generator, and a 14.5k W dual fuel for the house transfer switch for 220v well pump and two 110v circuits for fridge etc.


Water heater, range, dryer are all on a 250 gal propane tank. Haven’t done a split off of it for generator yet. That’s high on list and/or adding another large tank.

We heat with a wood stove even when power isn’t out and have infinite wood source (including several years worth of red oaks that blew down in the storm).

Have a large solar panel array (came with house, not financed or leased) on carport roof that currently feeds the grid for what used to be nice credits on bill but they’ve screwed that up w fees and skewed rates so that some months I’ve actually paid the power company for the privilege of giving them power. I’m cancelling that crap and using those panels on my backup system.

I’m thinking about setting up my current portable stuff for an airstream far from our house and any power source. And/or my various camper set ups.

Then doing something “whole house” like the EcoFlow or similar. Battery, solar and dual fuel generator combo. Probably adding an EV too for commuting. I know Chevy has a system where you can use car as additional home power backup. (This would be a fourth car so it’s just an experiment—we had a 2013 LEAF lease and it was perfect for daily commute—free car after credits and free home charging at night. )

I’m not super concerned about powering the central a/c. We are usually in MT in the summer and if needed I’d just do portables (going to try EcoFlow a/c once they work out kinks).

I may cross-post on Home and Garden and Outdoor Board. But a lot of what I’m researching is tech products, specs etc.

TIA.
Posted by Dallaswho
Texas
Member since Dec 2023
2453 posts
Posted on 10/7/24 at 3:32 pm to
quote:

3000W pure sine wave inverter, an older 1000W inverter I’m using just for a basic low-tech chest freezer


TLDR but this is way wrong here. Old style split phase compressors should only be run w/ full sine inverters. The cheap inverters are great for almost everything else.
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