Does anyone have a SOLAR GENERATOR?

[ZEROPILOT]

If you need truly reliable backup power diesel is the way to go. Compared to propane the running costs are easily less than half, even with diesel prices today. People with 25kw whole home propane generators are stunned when they figure out it can cost several hundred dollars a day to run them. Storing enough propane is tough, a 250 gallon tank with 200 gallons of propane will be used up in 2.5 days at 50% load if you could squeeze every last gallon out of it. You are at the mercy of the gas company coming to refill your tank that often. I know that our gas company would flat out refuse to come that often and we spend staggering amounts of money with them, 5,000+ gallons a week during cold fronts in the winter.
Trying to run a portable LP generator on a 20lb propane tank is an exercise in futility with each tank lasting only ~4 hours IF you can get it to run on a tank that small. If you are doing this with pre filled tanks from 7-11 you are burning though at least $5/hr in fuel.

Natural gas should be cheaper to run that LP but you need to have a plan for the utility company to turn off the gas for at least some period of time after a natural disaster.

Diesel generators have significantly longer lifespans that gas generators as well. Gas generators run at twice the RPM and are built as cheaply as possible for mass marketing.

Storing diesel isn't a walk in the park but it isn't as bad as commonly believed.

The shelf life of diesel is much better than with gasoline. Especially modern gasoline. As long as you use a long term algicide. Diesel lasts for years.
I've personally gotten an old FORD diesel tractor running. And running well on 8 year old diesel.
If that were gasoline, it'd turn into varnish. Even with stabilizer. Eventually.

 

[EppsDynasty]

Fish hatcheries. Heating them over 80f during a 30-40f cold snap burns a lot of gas.

HOLY SH!T ... That is about as cool as it gets for me. Could you please tell us what fish you are "Hatching" and what kind of heaters do you use. You are the first person I have EVER "met" that actually did heat the ponds. SO INTERESTED.

 

[EppsDynasty]

The shelf life of diesel is much better than with gasoline. Especially modern gasoline. As long as you use a long term algicide. Diesel lasts for years.
I've personally gotten an old FORD diesel tractor running. And running well on 8 year old diesel.
If that were gasoline, it'd turn into varnish. Even with stabilizer. Eventually.

Here is Commy Fornia our biggest problem with gas is ETHANOL. 10% is the norm but when our latest president came into office he allowed us in CA to use up to a 15% ethanol mix. No fuel stabilizer will fix this problem. Ethanol is an engine killer, eats away seals and burns hotter than a 100% gasoline fuel. We have the Diesel Pirates here but it's risky. People will hide fuel storage tanks in shipping containers (Diesel), even Agriculture. The problem is someone is going to tattle on you. Either the man that delivered the food or a person that wants to "get" you. Here we basically stopped prosecuting property crimes but store some diesel without a permit and your going to the slammer.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Here is Commy Fornia our biggest problem with gas is ETHANOL. 10% is the norm but when our latest president came into office he allowed us in CA to use up to a 15% ethanol mix. No fuel stabilizer will fix this problem. Ethanol is an engine killer, eats away seals and burns hotter than a 100% gasoline fuel. We have the Diesel Pirates here but it's risky. People will hide fuel storage tanks in shipping containers (Diesel), even Agriculture. The problem is someone is going to tattle on you. Either the man that delivered the food or a person that wants to "get" you. Here we basically stopped prosecuting property crimes but store some diesel without a permit and your going to the slammer.

Without dipping my toes into a political discussion, I think that ethanol will continue to be added in more and more percentages. It is absolutely horrible to modern engines and catastrophic to older vehicles as it is.
It's thinly veiled as being something to stretch our limited fuel supply. But it's mostly about subsidizing corn farming.
Either way, internal combustion vehicles are being phased out.
My use of SOLAR isn't about saving the planet as much as it's about saving my non mechanical wife and I (with a bad back, etc) from being unable to have electricity for our basic needs after the gas runs out.
It's more like a 2 month plan than a "happily ever after" one.
I have no plan or want to survive an actual apocalypse.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm not sure if solar is the future.
But it'll do in a pinch right now

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I've unboxed it.
It's small. And very heavy for its size. Probably 70 pounds.
And not surprisingly it's made in China. But thankfully. The plastic seems like ABS and not the flimsy "Chinesuem" type plastic.
In fact. The switches. Wheels and everything seem extra sturdy and not at all cheesy.
It has a 30% charge on arrival.
So far, so good.
It still seems a bit expensive for what I see.

 

[Cathie G]

I'm not sure if solar is the future.
But it'll do in a pinch right now

Since I hate corn I'd be ecstatic if they do away with ethanol.😉 I'd love to sit under some rays ☀️ instead.