I am in the process of building a smaller simi-remote cabin. We currently have a wall tent we have left there. The cabin is 512 SF in Prescott AZ. The area does get some cold but not for long. We plan on using the cabins a few weekends a month and an occasional week stay. It will be mostly used for a summer cabin with few trips up in the winter. The cabin heat is wood fire place, supplemented by propane. It will use propane for the water heater, stove and refrigerator. We used the dometic fridge occasionally. I would like to setup a solar/generator system. I currently have a Honda 2200i. I can use it for supplement when I want to run larger things such as vacuum, microwave etc. I did an energy audit and at the very extreme I will use 2,500 W-hrs a day. This is if I have everything ever thought I would need up there. Most of the time it will just be some lights and may be a radio. So realistically is is around 1,500 W-hrs. That area looks to get about 5.6 Average Sun Hours per day. Of course we will use most in summer. Nothing really needs to be left on when we leave so we will put in cut off switches. We plan on spending most of the time outside. I am look at two options:
1) One of the 1000W 12V MPP Solar all in one units with 400 Amp hours of battery with 500 watts of solar. But I heard the inverter is a power hog. Can that be shut off when not there? With the all in one can you cut off everything and just have it charge batteries?
2) Get 500 watt of solar, 40 Amp MPPT Charge controller, 200 amp ours of battery, 2,0000 Watt inverter, and transfer switch.
Looking for opinions if one is better than the other or am I way off base with everything.
1) One of the 1000W 12V MPP Solar all in one units with 400 Amp hours of battery with 500 watts of solar. But I heard the inverter is a power hog. Can that be shut off when not there? With the all in one can you cut off everything and just have it charge batteries?
2) Get 500 watt of solar, 40 Amp MPPT Charge controller, 200 amp ours of battery, 2,0000 Watt inverter, and transfer switch.
Looking for opinions if one is better than the other or am I way off base with everything.