Generators VS Solar Panels

When trying to find a reliable source of power for living off the grid there are many things that you need to consider. Are you located in a sunny spot? What are your power requirements? Do you want to listen to nature?

Here we discuss the benefits and negatives of using solar or a generator?

Benefits of Solar:

Clean Power 

No Noise

No Fumes

Environmentally Friendly

No need to buy fuel to keep them running

Once you have purchased the gear they are free to run

Drawbacks of Solar:

• Takes a lot longer to charge
• Solar takes a lot longer to charge your batteries than a Generator. If you are using appliances with high power consumption, solar sometimes may not be enough
• Bad Weather = No Power
• If there are a number of days of bad weather and no sun, you will not be able to charge your batteries
• No charge = No power
• Initial set up costs
• The initial set up cost for a solar setup can be more expensive than that of a generator

Shop our range of Solar Kits

Benefits of Generators:

• Fast Charging
• The best way to do this is to run a battery charger off your generator
• Run appliances directly
• A generator can run your appliances without needing to charge your batteries first
• Not dependant on the weather
• A generator will provide you with reliable power as long as you keep it topped up with fuel

Drawbacks of Generators:

• Fuel
• Generators consume fuel
• Fuel is a continuous running cost for your generator
• Emissions, noise and restrictions
• Generators can be noisy
• Some areas place restrictions on what time you can turn on and run a generator
• Heavy & Bulky
• Generators are heavier than solar panels
• They are also bulkier and take up more room

Shop our range of Generators