Save Money by Building Your Own Solar Generator

The term “solar generator” is common, but it can be a bit misleading. A solar generator on its own is not capable of generating any power. Instead, a solar generator’s job is to store the energy from solar panels and then distribute that power as needed to devices and equipment. This is, for example, how popular Goal Zero and Jackery solar generators work. But those can be very expensive, which is why you might want to follow this handy guide from opengreenenergy to build your own portable solar generator.

The DIY Portable Solar Generator V2 incorporates three key systems: a solar charge controller, battery storage, and an inverter. The solar charge controller takes the raw output from a solar panel and uses that to charge the battery. The battery then stores that energy for subsequent use—whether that is immediate or during the night after the sun goes down. The inverter takes the DC power from the battery and uses that to generate the AC power required by typical household devices. Note that an inverter and a converter are different things — a converter (in this context) does the opposite and converts AC power into DC.

In this case, all three of those systems fit neatly into relatively compact Pelican-style hard case. The exterior of the case has a status display, various DC power ports (such as USB), a household AC outlet, and switches to activate the different functions.

As shown, it works with an affordable generic 100W folding solar panel array. That connects via cables to the solar generator, so users can place it where it will get the most sunlight. The battery is a LiFePO4 type, which is popular for applications like this thanks its long lifespan, energy density, high charge/discharge rate, and safety. There isn’t room for a huge battery, but the 24Ah model shown in the guide is enough for quite a lot of use.

This isn’t enough to run a RV’s air conditioner or microwave, but it is plenty for keeping phones, Bluetooth speakers, and portable refrigerators going through a weekend camping trip. And depending on the components you choose and where you source them, it can be quite a bit cheaper than Goal Zero and Jackery models.