Gas Generator vs Solar Power Station Strikes Again Here's to a new perspective... I was scrolling through a Facebook group the other day on prepping for disasters, and saw yet another version of the common debate going on – gas generators vs. electric portable power stations.  There was the usual bantering back and forth about the ease and perceived lower cost of gas generators, not to mention how powerful they are for larger equipment, as compared to the green, quiet, and more expensive solar power stations. There are plenty of pros and cons on either side of this conversation. “Gas ..read more

As summer draws to an end, we got to thinking about our favorite off grid resources. We’ve compiled a few over the years and thought it would be a great idea to share them, because we think you will like them too! Our off grid prep focuses on three primary areas – portable solar / stored energy, food (often meals ready to eat), and pre-made emergency kits. Here are some great resources for information in each of these categories. I. Portable Solar Panels and Power Stations We have already published a few articles that discuss both portable solar panels and power stations. The real question is ..read more

What Are the Benefits of a Solar-Powered Home?   Today, there are more than two million residential and commercial solar installations in the U.S. Within the next couple of years, the percentage of solar-powered homes in the country is likely to reach 2.5%. This has considerable implications for the real estate and housing construction markets as increasing numbers of buyers are interested in purchasing homes with solar systems. There’s little doubt that the installation of a new solar system will require substantial investment for current homeowners. Still, people who make this leap can ..read more

There are so many portable solar panels on the market, it's hard to make rhyme or reason as to which one is the best bang for your buck! No worries. Let us help you with that. NITECORE and ECOFLOW each provide solid choices for a powerful monocrystalline portable solar panel for off grid power. Which one is right for you? NITECORE If you like having multiple charging outputs on your solar panel, the NITECORE NSP100 is for you. With 3 USB ports, an 18V port, and a built-in 7.9mm (fits 8mm) x 5.5mm cable, it has more output choices than any other portable foldable solar panel on the m ..read more

SUN GEAR: Upgraded Waterproof Dry Bag with Wireless Bluetooth Speaker Rockville, MD: We did it. We listened to our customers, and we took your advice. We’ve made some important changes to enhance our customers’ experience with our signature product! Solar Sporting Goods has rebranded and remanufactured our dry bag backpack Bluetooth speaker into something far more than you imagined! Check out the SUN GEAR video!   All outdoor adventures deserve a waterproof dry bag backpack that actually works. And you deserve a dry bag that has a TPU watertight zipper built into the top opening. Water s ..read more

Social isolation is bad enough these days with COVID-19 on our minds. It gets worse when the power goes out! A lot of people are thinking about emergency prep needs and how to manage connectivity should one be forced off the electrical grid for a period of time. Turning to a solar + stored energy solution can have multiple benefits over gas generators. For one thing, sunshine is free and relatively easy to come by most of the time. And oh the noise and smell of gas? No thanks. Gas generator alternatives are regularly referred to as portable solar generators, or electric generators. But, let’s ..read more

Head Outdoors and Bring the Conveniences It's that time of year again for some good old camping and outdoor fun. We've been behind closed doors due to COVID19 for a few months now. Opportunities for getting out are slowly increasing, and one of the safest ways to break up the stay-at-home boredom is to hit a campground and breathe some fresh air! Some of us love getting back to nature and hitting the camp ground roughing it a little. And some of us....still want to enjoy some modern conveniences! ? So go ahead. Bring along some lights, a camping fan, an air pump for that little air matt ..read more

Solar Panel Warranties - Are You Really Covered!? Let’s talk grid-tie solar for a moment. Solar installation warranties are a hot topic, and yet the true information relative to solar panel warranties are often buried in the fine print, or easily misunderstood. The fact is, a solar panel’s warranty is only as good as the limited materials and workmanship warranty. We have put together a solar panel warranty side-by-side comparison chart on the most popular monocrystalline solar panels on the market. The more you pay per watt, the better the long-term warranty guarantees. Most of the time. In s ..read more

The Pros and Cons of Combining Wind and Solar Off Grid When working on your own off grid solar setup you might start thinking about capturing more free energy, in the form of wind. Should you go down this path? We say probably not. It’s more trouble and cost than it’s worth, particularly compared to solar. Those closely familiar with small scale wind turbines will say that nearly all wind generators have somewhat generous ratings, and the power output is usually specified at the max output. In reality, you will almost always get less energy than those ratings. There is a tendency to over-est ..read more

Connecting and Disconnecting a Solar Panel, Charge Controller and Battery You've got your solar panel and charge controller. Now you bought a battery or two. Yes, in fact, it does matter the order in which you connect the 3 most important components of an off grid solar power set up. It’s not complicated, but it is important to do it correctly. If you bought a DIY Kit, be sure to follow the instructions closely. If you are winging it, here is a simplistic explanation: Step 1 Connect the charge controller negative and positive terminals to your battery(s) negative and positive terminals ..read more