comments:
On an overcast cloudy day i generate about 1/10th to 1/20th the rated capacity. My 1200w solar generates about 60-120w. Also, bifacial panels are amazing at collecting that ambient light, especially when placed above snow. Panels work better when cold, and bifacial can add 20% additional power from that reflected ambient light. I recently got the new Pecron F5000LFP and can recommend. This thing is amazing and the best bang for the buck there is. It has already carried me through 2 power outages and has no problem running my entire 1600sqft 2b2b house. We ran laundry, with electric clothes dryer while using the electric cook top while on it earlier today. I would buy the Pecron F5000LFP with as many solar panels as you can afford (4 panels should be very close to an average house base load in an overcast winter day with the furnace blower fan not running): https://www.pecron.com/products/pecron-f5000lfp-portable-power-station?variant=46039615930556 Couple it with a 2000W inverter Duel Fuel generator, stock a couple propane tanks. (Propane has indefinite shelf life as long as the tanks done rust through) https://www.amazon.com/WEN-3600-Watt-Generator-Lightweight-56360i/dp/B0D3WR4CFR/ Run the solar generator with panels 24/7 while the power is out. If the battery battery doesnt have enough charge to make it through the night, and you REALLLY need it to (Think dangerously cold nights without furnace), then just plug the solar generator into the WEN for 2 hours before bed to top it off. Otherwise, never use the WEN. Alternatively, you can just buy more solar panels and batteries so you never run into this scenario. With my F5000, and 4 panels. my average days so far have looked like thus. Panels start generating pitiful amounts of power around 7:30am. By 10am the battery is at 20-25% ish (from 0), I manually click the house over. And we live like normal. Throughout the day the base load is 600w, we generate about 1000-1100w with the 4 panels when there are no clouds. (1/10th that when its overcast and 100% cloud cover). By 7pm the battery is near 80-100% depending on if you do laundry and use the oven. That lasts us until right around bed time at 11-12a, again depending on if we use the oven or laundry. I flick the house back to grid for the night, and repeat. I've been doing this for 2 weeks and it is pretty amazing to know that this level of energy independence is locked in for only $3100. It has one of the highest solar inputs of any solar generator, and can be expanded to 35kWh. IMO this is the best option on the market short of a full on Off Grid or Grid tie whole home solar and battery system.