Solar generator questions / opinions welcome

[JeffnMar]

I’m going to search the OB forums as well but wanted to post a thread on solar generator opinions. Been looking at several YouTube videos and researching blogs on what would be considered a decent solar generators that won’t break the bank. My primary use will be for dry camping and charging iPads/iPhones/camera batteries / banks of aaa batteries , etc... I won’t be running refrigerators or hair dryers :) .

I would like to have the ability to hook up a solar panel(s) to charge the generator for day-to-day use, looking like a 100 watt solar setup,is ideal for this.

Here are some of the ones I have found on Amazon, all are solar charging capable and have the ports I need for charging.

Aeiusny Portable Generator / 500 watt -$280
Paxcess / 100 watt -$136
Rokpals / 300 watt $298
Sauoki / 150 watt- $126
Rokpals / 250 watt -$215
Chafon / 356 watt -$359

I am totally new to this so I’m not sure if these are even worth purchasing or if they will fit my niche, any and all opinions welcome and thanks for the input

 

[RoarinRow]

On Amazon I picked up this:


This:


and this for total portability:

 

[BCJohn]

I have the Sauoki 400w with a 50w panel. Works good.

 

[Flashyrine]

I am not familiar with solar generators but I do own a quiet generator which is small and handy.

 

[mmp]

We bought the Goal Zero Yeti 400w from Costco several years ago and it has been great. I wired it into my trailer and it runs the water pump, lights and I just recently added a fridge. I'm in the Army Reserve and took it to a field training and had probably 8 phones charging off of it. I highly recommend their products.

 

[JeffnMar]

We bought the Goal Zero Yeti 400w from Costco several years ago and it has been great. I wired it into my trailer and it runs the water pump, lights and I just recently added a fridge. I'm in the Army Reserve and took it to a field training and had probably 8 phones charging off of it. I highly recommend their products.

Some some good things written about them, will look into it. Thank you for your service as well [emoji106]

 

[Downs]

Those Goal Zeros are awesome but pricey. I built my own out of a knock off pelican case, 3 UPS batteries and some odds and ends I gathered up on Amazon and that I had laying around. My total cost was the same or more than some of the options you listed. And it's not light as I use standard lead type batteries vs Li-Ion. But it works for me and I was able to build it in pretty short order.

Cost. This is for the basic case only, not counting two way radio, inverter ect.

Case-40ish dollars MCM electronics "Duratool" case

12 Volt fuse block-20 dollars

Power outlets- 11 dollars for 2 slot, 16 dollars for 3 slot with voltmeter. 26 total

Charge Controller- 10 dollars

Male to Male 12v cable - 10 dollars

Solar Panel- 40 dollars

Batteries- 7AH UPS batteries 20 dollars each x3. 60 dollars

SAE bulkhead connector for solar panel- 10 dollars

Various switches- ??? Shop around? Price varies and you can get them cheap.

Aluminum stock for battery hold down - Can't remeber. Maybe 10 or 15 dollars worth of material with a bunch left over in the corner of my garage waiting to get used on something.

Wiring- I bought 2 spools of wiring from a local parts store for 14 dollars each and still have a bunch left over. Lets say 20 bucks but that's over guesstimating for this project.

236 dollars total. After you factor in the little bits like wiring, connectors, switches ect you're probably looking at 250-280 dollars depending on how cheap you go on the connectors and what not.

My janky solar generator

Something i built a while back to power personal items lights/fans, and my ham radio in camp. Not fancy and quite heavy but it does the job.

www.overlandbound.com