[SOCOM42]

duplicate post and I don't know how either.

 

[SOCOM42]

When it comes to having emergency backup, a good solar generator makes the most sense. They don't use gas and don't emit harmful fumes. Gas is usually in very short supply during an emergency or disaster so you can't really rely on a gas gen. The 2500w 400ah from Delta Force Power.com is large enough to keep your fridge running, plus you can run a microwave and coffee maker and have lights.

First, we are preppers, We plan for outages, Myself, I have plenty of gasoline, propane and diesel stored for my gensets.

Gas is rotated out in a two year cycle.

Your system is useless up here in the northeast where oil burners need to be run in the winter,

then there are motors for water and air circulation and heat transfer, well pumps heat pumps.

Did you come here just to huck you product?

 

[SOCOM42]

Not trying to offend anyone here, but from what I see advertised as "solar generators" , they usually aren't telling the whole truth. Selling you a 2000, 3000, or even a 4000 watt inverter sounds impressive as hell. The screw job is in the 100 amp-hr battery they are selling you with it. Assuming conventional battery technology, you are advised to only discharge to max 50%. So now we are down to 50 amp-hrs capacity at 12 volts. That only translates to 5 amp-hrs at 120 volts. 5 amp-hrs may run some LED lights for a good while, but it isn't going to run anything with a motor for very long. Think pellet stove, fridge, pump, or freezer. I'm not saying these systems are totally useless, but buyer beware.

Then on the charging side, look at panel capacity. Solar panels never put out rated capacity. And they are only at max capacity few a few hours daily at local noon assuming sunny conditions. So beware. It may take you solar generator kit panels a couple of days to recharge your battery with the supplied panels. And that is assuming you aren't using the batteries to power anything while recharging.

So I'm not saying all solar generator kits are bad or useless. I'm just saying do your homework and know exactly what you are buying. Years ago I looked into buying a Harmon battery backup system for my Harmon pellet stove. The setup was very expensive and would only keep the stove running for a few hours. It wouldn't even power the stove thru the night.
So do your homework and fully understand what you are buying.

I use to have two pellet stoves, bought them when pellets were half the price of oil for equal BTU's.

They were used to supplement the oil burners in really cold weather, used 5 tons a year.

There was a fire at one of the pellet companies in Canada, doubled the prices, and you were limited on purchase of them.

Insult to injury, they then started charging for delivery of them at the same time because I am in the country.

I had at one time thought of making a pellet press not an extruder and doing my own,

but the local sawmill had a contract for the sale of all his sawdust, the other place uses the stuff to heat the building with.

Out went the pellet stoves and in went the propane non electric heaters, yes the do have fans that are not really needed.

As a matter of fact one blower died 3 years ago, bought a replacement, have not put it in yet, haven't needed it.

I get the tanks (my own) filled locally with no problems, and no waiting for a truck to arrive whenever they feel like it.

 

[SOCOM42]

I went to a hand fired coal stove.

My big wood stove has refractory liner to burn coal, but it is now too expensive here and no delivery.

I grew up firing the furnace in the cellar, had a coal bunker that held 2 tons of coal in it.

I remember the cost was $18.00 a ton, delivered, back then.

I watched the oil burners replace the coal in furnaces in the neighborhood over a few years, ours was about the last to go.

They just took the door off and inserted a oil gun.

One of the best jobs I had in the army early on was being a fireman.

Took care of the water heater and heat, all coal fired.

No KP or guard duty was allowed, just take care of the furnace and water heater.

In from the field 2 hours early everyday.

They asked in a formation if anyone in the company knew how to burn coal, about 6 guys responded out of about 150.

Went to fireman's school for a day to be certified.

This was in AIT.