Do Portable Solar Generators Require an inverter? (edit: charge controller)

[londberg21]

Looking at this guy for a cheap backup/get us started on a new, gradual solar implementation

DB Power 250

Can I just run panel power into that DC input or do I need a CC no matter what?

Thanks!

 

[Hedges]

Around these parts, "Inverter" means 12VDC to 120VAC or similar.
"Converter" may be AC to DC, like for an RV.

Reading the listing, it does say PV panel input. But I haven't found a spec sheet. You need to read that to see what PV voltage it accepts.
Possibly only a "12V" PV panel, which would be about 22Voc. Possibly higher.

 

[londberg21]

Sorry, I was thinking Charge Controller. I’ll need one eventually so may just grab one now, but also not trying to load up on stuff that may stay in the box til 2022.
And yeah, can’t find a spec sheet anywhere

 

[londberg21]

I mean I realize these plugs are different, is there a jumper I’d use between this and the generator or do I need the charge controller and a DC-style wire from there?

Panel

 

[londberg21]

Think I found another thread for info- sorry for the similarity!

 

[Forbisher]

Looking at this guy for a cheap backup/get us started on a new, gradual solar implementation

DB Power 250

Can I just run panel power into that DC input or do I need a CC no matter what?

Thanks!

Why are you looking at no name untested plus undocumented Chinese crap?? ?
A Jackery or Bluetti ain't that much more.
Is saving a few dollars worth it?

 

[londberg21]

It’s double the capacity though at that price point, right? Only likely to use it a handful of times (and for a few days at a time) before the permanent system is up and running.

 

[chrisski]

Recommend you spend a little more time figuring how to build your own.

I had an extra 92 AH battery from my RV after my solar build, already had a 400 watt inverter, and bought a PWM charge controller and one panel. That would get me about 500 wh of power a day, and I can trust the quality. I can also pull batteries from my vehicle as a back up if that deep cycle battery died for some reason.

That is about twice the power as the unit you mentioned at the same cost.

That device taught me quite a bit about what I needed to do my 1350 watts of panel, 5.2 kWh battery bank build with a 2000 watt inverter.

 

[londberg21]

Yeah I’ve ordered cells to build my system, but they won’t be here for a little bit and we’ll have a couple of trips up there before they arrive, just looking for something to bridge me until then.
I did decide to just pony up the extra $80 for the Jackery 240

 

[londberg21]

I wish I had some things lying around, but I’m literally starting with nothing- so trying to be as purposeful with each purchase as I can.
We’re buying a small hunting cabin on the family homestead land so I’m not even sure how expansive our power plan is going to get at this point- maybe we just stop at the Jackery.

 

[Hedges]

Is that drive-up to the cabin, or hike in?

I put a battery in the trunk of my Saab, wired up a home-made dual-battery isolator (3 diodes off terminals in the alternator), and plugged that into an RV trailer on my land when there.

If you added a PV panel that stayed with the cabin (or mounted on vehicle roof) and MPPT charger, it would keep charged while you were there.

 

[chrisski]

After the Jackery, which is good for small stuff, there’s some planning that goes into this solar stuff. That’ll buy you some time to figure out what’s right.

Running light, TV, a water pump for a tank located in my RV, and the blower for a propane heater does not take a whole lot, but you start using the microwave frequently, and some high wattage power tools constantly, and all of the sudden its aa whole lot more. Air Conditioning would take even more.

 

[londberg21]

It’s a short hike in, maybe a quarter mile from the road.
It’s in the Michigan UP so AC isn’t really necessary, and we’ll have a wood stove for heat. Given that we have to finish the cabin (it’s dried in but that’s pretty much it) the power tool part has been on my mind. I’ve only been inside the cabin once, for about two minutes, and it was before I realized my dad was gonna buy it from my uncle’s kids. Doing what I can to help my dad with the “new tech” part of the project. Learning and reading a ton, and we’re buying a new place of our own in Chicago, so time is precious right now! Trying to avoid missteps wherever possible, and since it’s 7 hours from home I need my payload to be right too. We have two small kids and I want them to have a place away from city life so a minimal amount of electricity wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing there either. So, a lot of things running through my mind!
Just wanna reiterate my thanks to everyone on this forum. So many awesome people with a wealth of knowledge answering these noob questions, it’s really fantastic.

 

[chrisski]

I have Milwaukee power tools, and off an inverter, I easily charge those. Not sure of your Jackery.

I have 12 volt and 18 volts. I’m not sure what the smaller 12 volt uses, but when charging the bigger 18 volt packs, I use 10 amps. In the day from two hours after sunrise to two hours after sunset, I could easily charge that without digging into the battery pack. Although 10 amps is no more than 150 watts, there may be some surge power, that requires more than a 150 watt inverter.

For bigger tools, I’m not sure. For a 700 watt coffee maker, that pulls 55 amps. My 1350 watts of panels will make enough to power that, and have a little over 5 extra amps it can push back to the batteries. If you're talking power tools powered by the inverter, I’m not sure the max wattage I would use.