I’d like to offer my sincerest thanks to Mark for inspiration to get me going on my build. There are other persons sharing their ideas on the internet, but this was a significant help. Thanks, Mark!

Obviously, there are a thousand ways to skin this cat. My Solar Generator build is my best effort for a large, pure sine wave generator to help carry us into a grid-down situation. It could be used for camping and picnic’ing, but this generator is likely destined to remain a part of my survival kit, mostly. Normally, it will be charged by solar panels on my roof. Alternately, it has an inlet for 120VAC grid-power for the standard charger.

Some considerations I baked into the design:

– 3000 Watts of Pure Sine-Wave Inverter
– 250AH worth of batteries
– Enough Solar Panels to recharge the setup in a reasonable time
– Gel Batteries
– External Studs to either gang additional batteries or jumpstart a vehicle
– An MPTT Solar Controller
– A high end charger to protect my battery investment
– Large DC Cabling to allow the inverter to perform
– Plenty of metering to keep tabs on the generator’s health
– Semi-Portable given its 175+lb weight!
– Not Weatherproof, but at least mildly weather resistant
– A big DC disconnect to keep the bulk of the power isolated
– DC outlets to provide for LED lighting, small battery chargers, radios, and such

I have attached some photos, a schematic and a parts list.

Perhaps my build will carry on the inspiration to others.

Best of Luck to all the other ModernSurvivalists out there!

Tomcat_STL

resized images…

• This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by  Tomcat_STL.

SOLAR GENERATOR BUILD – DEC’17
Qty Unit Part Price Extended Price
1 EA POWER METER WITH 300A SHUNT $25.00 $25.00
1 EA BLUE LED FUEL GAUGE $8.00 $8.00
2 EA BLACK BATTERY BOX LOUVER $4.71 $9.42
1 EA 9″ 2/0 BLACK BATTERY CABLE 5/16 LUGS $7.98 $7.98
1 EA 24″ 2/0 RED BATTERY CABLE 5/16 LUGS $16.24 $16.24
1 EA 9″ 2/0 RED BATTERY CABLE 5/16 LUGS $7.98 $7.98
1 EA 12″ 2/0 BLACK BATTERY CABLE 5/16 LUGS $9.60 $9.60
1 EA 36″ 2/0 BLACK BATTERY CABLE 5/16 x 3/8 LUGS $22.87 $22.87
1 EA 18″ 2/0 RED BATTERY CABLE 5/16 x 3/8 LUGS $12.94 $12.94
1 EA 21″ 2/0 RED BATTERY CABLE 5/16 x 3/8 LUGS $14.61 $14.61
1 EA 12″ 2/0 RED BATTERY CABLE 5/16 x 3/8 LUGS $9.60 $9.60
20 EA DPW END CLAMPS $1.90 $38.00
36 EA 3M SCOTCH-WELD ORANGE MIXING NOZZLE $1.35 $48.60
1 EA 45mL CARTRIDGE BLACK DP8005 STRUCTURAL PLASTIC ADHESIVE $25.50 $25.50
1 KIT 3M SCOTCH-WELD PLUS II MANUAL APPLICATOR $45.00 $45.00
1 EA 250A CIRCUIT BREAKER $6.01 $6.01
1 EA PELICAN 1620NF OLIVE DRAB CASE WITHOUT FOAM $229.99 $229.99
1 KIT CURTIS 4-WAY ROUND CONNECTOR PLUG & SOCKET $14.49 $14.49
6 EA DPW UNIVERSAL MID-CLAMPS $8.24 $49.44
1 KIT BLUE LED TOGGLE SWITCH $8.99 $8.99
2 EA NOCO BT31S BATTERY TRAY $8.99 $17.98
1 EA BATTERY DISCONNECT SWITCH $13.99 $13.99
1 KIT CONEXT 300A ANL FUSE HOLDER & 5 SPARE 300A FUSES $8.99 $8.99
1 KIT BETTER 300A ANL FUSE HOLDER & LUG COVERS $15.99 $15.99
1 EA BETTER WIRTHCO 20247 500A BATTERY DISCONNECT SWITCH $69.99 $69.99
1 EA 4FT MALE-MALE 12V CIGARETTE LIGHTER PLUGS $7.95 $7.95
1 EA 1 TO 3 CIGARETTE LIGHTER ADAPTER $9.55 $9.55
1 EA PACK OF 2 CIGARETTE 12FT EXTENSION CORDS $14.99 $14.99
1 EA PACK OF 2 12V 4.5WATT LED LIGHT BARS $14.89 $14.89
7 EA 2/0 BATTERY COVER BOOTS $2.86 $20.02
1 EA BLUE SEA 5 GANG COMMON BUSBAR $10.87 $10.87
Qty Unit Part Price Extended Price
1 PR 50′ RED & BLACK 10AWG SOLAR EXTENSIONS WITH MC4 CONNECTORS $50.99 $50.99
1 EA RENOGY 10A MC4 WATERPROOF IN-LINE FUSE $15.52 $15.52
1 EA OLS 6-WAY FUSE BOX $8.85 $8.85
1 PR BRYKE RACING BATTERY REMOTE JUMPER POSTS $26.97 $26.97
1 EA NEVERLAND 12V WATERPROOF 3-HOLE PANEL VOLTMETER, SOCKET & USB CHARGER $15.49 $15.49
2 EA DPW 84″ P6 POWER RAIL EXTRUSION $79.85 $159.70
2 PR RENOGY 2-PIECE 100W MONOCRYSTALLINE SOLAR PANEL $266.97 $533.94
1 EA VMAXTANKS 125AH AGM DEEP CYCLE BATTERY $279.00 $279.00
1 EA VMAXTANKS 125AH AGM DEEP CYCLE BATTERY $256.49 $256.49
1 EA NOCO 13A 125VAC CHARGING PORT WITH CORD $18.49 $18.49
1 EA POWER TECHON 3000W PURE SINE WAVE INVERTER WITH REMOTE SWITCH AND LINE TERMINALS $369.95 $369.95
1 EA POWMR 30AM MPPT SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER WITH REMOTE MT50 $139.99 $139.99
1 EA WIRE STRIPPER WITH CUTTER $9.50 $9.50
10 EA SOLARROOFHOOK ROOFING SCREW KITS $6.09 $60.90
1 EA VMAXTANKS 7-STAGE SMART BATTERY CHARGER/MAINTAINER $98.99 $98.99
2 KIT SET OF 4 PELICAN 1507 PELI QUICK MOUNTS $6.77 $13.54
1 EA 10.5OZ TUBE OF POLYURETHANE FLASHING ROOF SEALANT $6.08 $6.08
1 KIT MISCELLANEOUS STAINLESS STEEL MOUNTING NUTS & BOLTS $10.44 $10.44
1 EA 45mL CARTRIDGE BLACK DP8005 STRUCTURAL PLASTIC ADHESIVE $20.00 $20.00
1 EA 1/16″ STICK OF ALUMINUM RIGHT ANGLE $6.53 $6.53
2 PR FASTRONIX 3/8″ STUD TERMINAL COVERS IN RED & BLACK $7.99 $15.98
1 EA 3″ Hole Saw $16.43 $16.43
1 EA 1-1/4″ Hole Saw $8.97 $8.97
1 KIT SOLADECK ROOF COMBINER/ENCLOSURE $72.45 $72.45
2 KIT 4PCS. 3″ SOLAR L-FOOT $9.56 $19.12
1 PR MC4 CONNECTOR TOOLS $6.99 $6.99
100 EA HEYCO SUNRUNNER S6405 STAINLESS STEEL CABLE CLIPS $0.25 $25.00
1 EA 15FT 14-GAUGE BLACK EXTENSION CORD $14.85 $14.85

TOTAL COST: $3,096.62