Solar vs gas generators: What's the best generator for home backup power?

Table Of Content

• How Do Solar Power Generators Work?
• Our Complete Reviews of Solar-Powered Generators
• Determining Your Essential Wattage Requirements
• EcoFlow RIVER Pro Portable Power Station (Best Value for Money)
• Aimtom 155Wh PowerPal X Power Station
• Bluetti AC500 + B300S Home Battery Backup (Best Overall)
• Solar Charging

If you’re out in the woods, protect it from the elements with a piece of tarp or at least bring it under your tent awning. Whether you need a solar generator to take camping, load aboard your boat, or keep at your home as backup power, you need a product you can carry relatively easily. Fortunately, Goal Zero is one of the solar generator companies that also sells solutions akin to gas generators.

How Do Solar Power Generators Work?

Once you choose the right one for you, decide how fast you need the battery topped off when you can’t access the grid and find a compatible solar array from that brand. Point Zero Energy is one of the foremost names in disaster preparedness, and when you take a look at their product specs, you’ll see why. Their Titan model solar generator offers almost twice the storage of similarly priced units with a high-capacity 2,000-watt-hour battery capacity and 3,000 watt high-efficiency inverter. The EcoFlow DELTA power station is a wonderfully rugged, dependable backup generator that can help meet your power needs during a blackout. For one thing, the charging time is incredible; you can potentially go from zero to 80 percent in under an hour with a wall outlet.

Our Complete Reviews of Solar-Powered Generators

The solar panels used in conjunction with a portable solar generator are mobile and easy to manipulate. Unlike the panels found on residential or commercial properties, they are smaller in size and have a lower wattage capacity, which means less solar input than their larger counterparts. One of the brand's products made our list of the best solar-powered phone chargers, for example, and many of its home electronics do well in our tests, including its projectors and outdoor speakers. Not surprisingly, the Anker 757 solar generator impressed our testers with its smart design, solid construction and competitive pricing. When plugged into a wall outlet, its lithium iron phosphate battery can reach an 80% charge in less than an hour. Each portable power station will also have a limit to how much solar power it can accept — you can’t just connect an unlimited number of solar panels to meet your needs.

Determining Your Essential Wattage Requirements

Renting is a money pit; you have to pay the landlord, the internet bill, the gas and electric bill and more. I'm not going to lie to you, I have genuine concerns about my ability to become a homeowner someday -- and I'm far from the only Gen Zer (someone born between 1997 and 2012) who feels this way. A generation of young people is struggling to find homes, but that doesn't mean that they can't switch to clean energy -- and put more money in their pockets. Additionally, gas is a finite resource that can fluctuate in price.

EcoFlow RIVER Pro Portable Power Station (Best Value for Money)

In addition to its quick charging skills, the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max offers an impressive array of connectivity, including six AC outlets, which is more than many larger models offer. That’s good if you want to run many devices or chargers simultaneously. If you need more capacity, you can add two extra external batteries to give it a total storage of 6Wh.

Can a Solar Generator Run a Whole House?

And if the massive 3,600 watt-hour battery isn’t enough for you, you can hook it up to two additional 3,600 batteries for 10,800Wh capacity. Like with the power station, Jackery makes this one exceptionally easy to use, with color-coded cables and connectors that you can use to pair additional panels with the power station. If you’re looking for something high powered to help you weather a storm, the Yeti 1500X Portable Power Station is our top choice. If you need something portable for a camping trip, then the Jackery 500W might be your best new travel buddy. While many of the budget generators still cost over $200, this affordable option from Jackery comes in at under $150 and has a two-year warranty.

Aimtom 155Wh PowerPal X Power Station

7 Best Solar Generators of 2024, Tested by Experts - Good Housekeeping

7 Best Solar Generators of 2024, Tested by Experts.

Posted: Mon, 03 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

This way I always know what’s plugged in and what’s getting charged. Solar-powered generators are expensive, especially if you are looking to power high-energy appliances, but for many people the peace of mind they bring makes them more than worth the money. Also, compared to gas-powered generators, solar-powered generators are quieter, lighter, and are free to recharge (no fuel costs), and so for many people are less expensive over the long run. The key is making sure you select a unit that can hold and generate enough power to run whatever you plan to plug in for an extended amount of time. Jackery’s power stations have always stood out to me as being exceptionally easy to use, sort of like the iPhone of portable power stations.

Bluetti AC500 + B300S Home Battery Backup (Best Overall)

To figure out how long any given solar generator will charge any given device, you need to know the generator's capacity and the device's draw. Keeping this bulb lit for an hour would take 60 watt-hours of energy. If your solar generator has a capacity of 240 watt-hours, you could power this light for four hours without recharging.

While the existence of community solar allows Gen Z to draw electricity from a clean energy source, there might also be financial benefits. Speak to a representative of the utility or organization running your community solar program to see if you're eligible. There is a way to tamp down the cost of that electric bill though -- and help lower your carbon footprint in the process. Your emissions are nowhere near that of a fossil fuel company, but you can still be part of a larger movement and keep some cash in your pocket through switching to renewables.

AC input is also impressive at 3000W, letting you charge the EP500Pro from a wall outlet in 3.3 hours. It’ll mostly be useful at home for backup power or off-grid to power a cabin, RV or boat — basically any situation where you set it up somewhere and leave it there. If you are in an emergency and none of the above options are available, you can take the Delta Pro to any level 2 EV charging station. The Delta Pro gives you lots of options when it comes to powering appliances and other electronics. Use our handy appliance wattage guide to figure out how many watts you'll need to keep your most important lights, devices and appliances running. Brands like Bluetti, EcoFlow and Renogy are launching bigger and bigger solar generators such as the Renogy Lycan 5000, Bluetti EP500Pro and Bluetti AC500 + B300S.

The following products represent some of the best solar generators manufactured by reputable brands in terms of size, power, battery capacity, and special features. In terms of power, this generator uses a LFP battery that makes it last for approximately 2,500 life cycles. It features a maximum input of 200 watts, and solar panels can charge the machine within three to four hours. Some lower-end models that will only power small items can cost as little $200 or under, while higher-end models can cost well over $500 or upwards of $2,000. Read our guide below for more of our top picks, and check out our buying guide to generators for more information on finding the best solar power generator for your home. The SuperBase is loaded with outlets, including both 120-volt and 240-volt ACs, so you can keep larger systems and appliances running, including the oven and central air conditioner.

EcoFlow’s Delta Mini has a 1,400W output, making it a great option if you need a medium capacity option. Using 300W solar panels, it can charge in three to six hours, and when charging from the wall, it can completely charge in just 96 minutes. This option also doesn’t skimp on convenience—two back wheels and a luggage style handle help to make it a breeze to move wherever you need it.

However, after I set up the Anker SOLIX 100W, I adjusted the Anker SOLIX 200W panel to match its angle and immediately saw a 23-watt difference in the power input. Hopefully, Anker will simply add this accessory onto the 200W model in the future, but in the meantime, you can purchase a clip-on sundial separately. It’s hard to find a better value than the EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel. It produces more power for its cost and weight than anything else I’ve tested. And its XT-60 connector cable means it’s compatible out of the box with other power stations, including the Anker SOLIX F2000. When deciding what solar powered generator is right for you, consider which types of appliances, tools, and devices you need to charge and how often you’ll be without a traditional power source.

The home’s electricity is now drawing from the solar generator’s battery bank and can switch back when the blackout ends. Lithium batteries have become the gold standard for solar generators. They are lightweight and can take a deep discharge of up to 80-90% without losing capacity over time. This device evens out the voltage difference between an undercharged battery and solar panels. As a result, almost all the solar energy they produce is used to charge the generator. This is the easiest way — just plug the solar powered generator into a wall outlet and charge it like any battery-run device until it beeps 100%.

I‘m sure that Mrs. Squirrel cares little about the noise your old gas generator used to make. If you regularly discharge the battery completely, you are reducing the number of life cycles. The manufacturers usually recommend discharging lead-acid cells to only 50% of their capacity. I rarely need to use all six USB ports, but I always recommend generators with at least three AC outlets. If you have to drive all night and need your solar generator locked and loaded by tomorrow morning, that 12V car charger becomes your best friend.