Solar system to prepare for life after an earthquake

I want to mount a system on a cart that I can move where needed in the event of a major power outage.

Buy the following
2 EG4 Lithium Iron Phosphate (48V) 5.12kWh with 100AH internal BMS.
1 EG4 6.5kW Off-Grid Inverter | 6500EX-48 | 6500W
XX Solar panels. need to choose these suggestions welcomed.

I want to be able to run small refrigerator, small room A/C part time. Led lights, coffee pot, run a pellet grill once a day to cook and keep the 48 volt lithium battery in my Golf Cart (for transportation) charged.
I don't want to tie into the house panel. I'll wire up one room in the house for us to live in, assuming house is still standing.

Solar panels will have to be portable not sure what space I'll have open to set them up.

Comments , suggestions are welcomed.

Remember "You can't prepare after"

If needed I'll sit on my roof rifle in hand to guard over my stuff.

Since this system would be off-grid, emergency use only (hopefully rarely/never needed),and Indio has decent sun shine, plus your loads seem quite low; the 6500 may be over killed. Do a worst case load demand, fridge+AC+golf-cart charging, my guess a 3000w would be sufficient. But doesn't hurt with the 6000w, if price is right. The 6500 PV has 90-450vdc range, so would need at least 3 parallel panels, 4 would be better. If your space is limited, then higher efficient panel would help. Punch in your address here to roughly estimate sun exposure (can change dates as well)
Indio can get cold in the winter though, heat source ? gas pipeline may be out, so may want to consider a mini-split to replace the window unit, to provide cooling & heat.

summit said:

Since this system would be off-grid, emergency use only (hopefully rarely/never needed),and Indio has decent sun shine, plus your loads seem quite low; the 6500 may be over killed. Do a worst case load demand, fridge+AC+golf-cart charging, my guess a 3000w would be sufficient. But doesn't hurt with the 6000w, if price is right. The 6500 PV has 90-450vdc range, so would need at least 3 parallel panels, 4 would be better. If your space is limited, then higher efficient panel would help. Punch in your address here to roughly estimate sun exposure (can change dates as well)

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Indio can get cold in the winter though, heat source ? gas pipeline may be out, so may want to consider a mini-split to replace the window unit, to provide cooling & heat.

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What total watt in panels should I be looking at? I don't mind over kill and I just may have a panel installed for a few areas of the house that I could switch from the grid to solar and back.

I very strongly suggest that you look for gear which will allow you to turn off the Inverter/Charger while leaving the SCC running to maintain the batteries. Most AIO's do not allow for that and keep the whole system running which has a fair bit of overhead (idle consumption) that is wasting power when not required.

This is an "Emergency System" and therefore should have the extra flexibility. There will be times when AC Power is not needed and having an Inverter consuming XXX Watts per hour at idle is just wasting power. Some AIO's have a very high idle consumption, be aware of that and check for it. It varies a lot by brand & grade/tier and even between models.

Also you have to look at the equipment you intend to run with your emergency system. If it will only be simple electronics (lights, computer etc) pretty much any Inverter Type will deal with that without issues. If you have motors (Fridge, Freezer, AC or Furnace) the Start Surges can often overwhelm many inverters if not properly sized for the loads. Start Surges can be as high as 3X the operating amperage of the device in question.

My Suggestion would be to use a Component Based build with a separate SCC, Inverter/Charger combo and Paralleled battery Packs.
A High Quality SCC like a Midnite Classic-150 can produce (96A for 12V, 92A for 24V, 86A for 48V Battery) by using just 6, 395W Solar Panels, and a separate High Efficiency Inverter/Charger that is not only above 92% Conversion Efficient but also one that only draws less than 10W @ Idle (non-powersave mode).

The main goal of an Emergency System is to waste as little as possible while providing as much as is required when it is required. An Emergency system has to operate in extremes and be able to handle that with as little overhead possible to maximize runtime availability.

Hope it Helps, Good Luck.

Ger42 said:

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Solar panels will have to be portable not sure what space I'll have open to set them up.

Comments , suggestions are welcomed.

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Solar panels of any sufficient wattage are not going to be portable unless you mount on a trailer of some kind. Be cautious of high wattage claims for some of the fold-able panels. There is a fair amount of scams and misleading ratings. Since solar irradiance is 1000w per square meter (STC) and panels have around 20-23% efficiency you can expect a 200w panel to come in at that square meter in size. Some 195w Mono (23%) panels I own are about 5ft X 2ft weighing in at 21lbs.

Mattb4 said:

Solar panels of any sufficient wattage are not going to be portable unless you mount on a trailer of some kind.

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Solar panels can be mounted to the golf cart for a self-propelled power station. I designed a tilt-mount from PVC pipe that was lightweight and adjustable. The panels are 4x 12V 100W each in series for 48V nominal. The max summer output is 320W, but on a cold clear day I can get 400W.

The system powered my furnace through the 2021 Great Houston Freeze.

Delmar said:

Solar panels can be mounted to the golf cart for a self-propelled power station. I designed a tilt-mount from PVC pipe that was lightweight and adjustable. The panels are 4x 12V 100W each in series for 48V nominal. The max summer output is 320W, but on a cold clear day I can get 400W.

The system powered my furnace through the 2021 Great Houston Freeze.

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Nice setup but insufficient PV wattage/voltage for what loads the OP mentioned. Idle loss alone for many AIO's would eat any gains.

When you are living through Armageddon you will quickly learn how to survive on 100-200 watts.

Delmar said:

When you are living through Armageddon you will quickly learn how to survive on 100-200 watts.

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I did not take this as a EOE (End of Everything) situation but rather a response to a localized natural disaster. Which thinking it out a bit more the easiest, most portable and cheapest solution to the OP is a small 2000w Honda inverter generator. To match it with solar would require a huge setup. Only problem is keeping it fueled.

Mattb4 said:

I did not take this as a EOE (End of Everything) situation but rather a response to a localized natural disaster. Which thinking it out a bit more the easiest, most portable and cheapest solution to the OP is a small 2000w Honda inverter generator. To match it with solar would require a huge setup. Only problem is keeping it fueled.

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I used a generator system in Florida Gasoline/propane. I always had 35 gals of gas and 7 25lb propane tanks on hand. Larger gas stations were mandated by law to have back up generators so they could pump gas after a hurricane. After one bad hurricane a neighbor drove across the state to get 110 gals of gas. Here in Coachella Valley CA if a bad earthquake hit getting gas or propane would most likely not be an option. If I plan for the worse situation , other than death, we'll stand a good chance of getting though.

Mattb4 said:

Nice setup but insufficient PV wattage/voltage for what loads the OP mentioned. Idle loss alone for many AIO's would eat any gains.

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Problem for me is I'd have to park the cart in the street in front of my house to have enough sun to be able to use solar. Too easy for someone to take off with it.

Ger42 said:

I used a generator system in Florida Gasoline/propane. I always had 35 gals of gas and 7 25lb propane tanks on hand. Larger gas stations were mandated by law to have back up generators so they could pump gas after a hurricane. After one bad hurricane a neighbor drove across the state to get 110 gals of gas. Here in Coachella Valley CA if a bad earthquake hit getting gas or propane would most likely not be an option. If I plan for the worse situation , other than death, we'll stand a good chance of getting though.

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Depending on how bad it was local supplies would be difficult. If highways were destroyed such that you could not drive to adjacent non-impacted areas getting gas could be an issue. Though I expect National disaster response would be quick to appear. In some ways a major Earthquake is an easier disaster than a major hurricane since you do not have flood/surge damage to deal with. I recall the Loma Prieta Earthquake (1989). At the time I was stationed on a ship out of Alameda. We were just outside SF returning from a deployment when news of the quake arrived. My ship was not allowed back to Port for a few days due to lack of Dock service. Annoyed several of the sailors as concern for families and also just the desire to help with recovery was with all of us.

With a small inverter generator and light loading gas usage is fairly minimal especially if you do not operate 24/7 . Could be just a couple of gallons a day.

Mattb4 said:

Depending on how bad it was local supplies would be difficult. If highways were destroyed such that you could not drive to adjacent non-impacted areas getting gas could be an issue. Though I expect National disaster response would be quick to appear. In some ways a major Earthquake is an easier disaster than a major hurricane since you do not have flood/surge damage to deal with. I recall the Loma Prieta Earthquake (1989). At the time I was stationed on a ship out of Alameda. We were just outside SF returning from a deployment when news of the quake arrived. My ship was not allowed back to Port for a few days due to lack of Dock service. Annoyed several of the sailors as concern for families and also just the desire to help with recovery was with all of us.

With a small inverter generator and light loading gas usage is fairly minimal especially if you do not operate 24/7 . Could be just a couple of gallons a day.

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Temps here in the desert get upwards of 120 during the day. Some A/C is needed for two people over 70 yrs old.

A 9kbtu minisplit will run on 3 to 5 amps, and output cool and heat fairly easy on a battery setup. Plenty for a good size room.

Mattb4 said:

Though I expect National disaster response would be quick to appear. In some ways a major Earthquake is an easier disaster than a major hurricane since you do not have flood/surge damage to deal with. I recall the Loma Prieta Earthquake (1989). At the time I was stationed on a ship out of Alameda. We were just outside SF returning from a deployment when news of the quake arrived. My ship was not allowed back to Port for a few days due to lack of Dock service. Annoyed several of the sailors as concern for families and also just the desire to help with recovery was with all of us.

With a small inverter generator and light loading gas usage is fairly minimal especially if you do not operate 24/7 . Could be just a couple of gallons a day.

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They used to recommend to plan to be on your own for up to 3 weeks if the big one hits, water could be contaminated and pipes will get broken anyways so you need lots of water. A travel trailer with solar panels on it would be my preferred option, if an 8.0 hit, I imagine my house would be uninhabitable, earthquake supplies need to be stored in multiple places. The big one is overdue.

I’d you’re over 50 yo, 300 watt panels is about all you will enjoy moving around alone.

WDB said:

They used to recommend to plan to be on your own for up to 3 weeks ...

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That is pretty serious. Californians will fall apart if their cell phones stop working for 3 hours. I can just imagine them waiting for Doordash or an Uber ride for 3 weeks. After two days from SF to SD it will look like an episode of Mad Max: The Road Warrior.

Oh wait... it looks like that now in some parts of LA.

WDB said:

They used to recommend to plan to be on your own for up to 3 weeks if the big one hits, water could be contaminated and pipes will get broken anyways so you need lots of water. A travel trailer with solar panels on it would be my preferred option, if an 8.0 hit, I imagine my house would be uninhabitable, earthquake supplies need to be stored in multiple places. The big one is overdue.

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Unless I'm out of the house an 8.0 would most likely kill us.

Ger42 said:

Unless I'm out of the house an 8.0 would most likely kill us.

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I will try to get outside, if I can’t I will try to crawl under the dining room table. I live close enough to the San Andreas fault that my house will probably fall down.

Mattb4 said:

That is pretty serious. Californians will fall apart if their cell phones stop working for 3 hours. I can just imagine them waiting for Doordash or an Uber ride for 3 weeks. After two days from SF to SD it will look like an episode of Mad Max: The Road Warrior.

Oh wait... it looks like that now in some parts of LA.

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L.A. is a dump, I hate going there.