Solar Project “Done”


I wanted to create my own solar-powered generator just to see if I could do it.  Over a year ago, I bought a 100W Renogy solar starter kit, paring it with a Sunforce 1000W pure sine inverter and large AGM battery.  It has been over a year since I bought the parts, but I finally have everything together and working!  It spent the night outside just to make sure it didn’t catch fire.  I did not want to burn down the garage.

This thing is not what I want my final product to look like, but it is a good prototype of what I want.  I learned a few things along the way, and this is not a permanent installation.  The battery is hidden under the wood, but everything seems to fit pretty nicely.  I do not have the inverter secured, but I doo not plan on lugging it through the woods.  It is pretty heavy.  Yes, I know the solar panel is not going to be the most efficient sitting on the ground with a concrete footer blocking the panel, but this is just an experiment.

The next test is going to be installing a receptacle on the outside of the box and trying to light half the garage with it.  The voltage is all good, and the battery is charging.  I ran a ShopVac for about 10 minutes without issue, so lighting the garage using LEDs or T8s should be pretty easy.

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