In 2020 alone, over 50 million people above the age of six went camping in the United States.
If you happen to be one of those people you have likely already asked yourself about the benefits of using alternative power sources while out camping.
Look, most campsites or RV sites already have electrical hookups. But, ever so often there are campsites that don't have any electricity.
So what are we supposed to do here, just skip the camp site?
While you can, but you may be missing out on a very unique (uncrowded) weekend in the outdoors.
A solution to camping at sites without electricity - generate your own.
Solar Generator Vs Gas Generator
| Solar Generator | Gas Generator | |
| Average Price | $1,700 | $1,000 |
| Noise Level (7m) | 7dB | 70dB |
| Ease of use | Press a button | Complicated startup |
| Environment | Zero CO2 | 500g/H CO2 |
| Average Weight | 59 Pounds | 55+ Pounds |
| Running Cost | $0 | Ongoing costs |
Average Price
A solar generator tends to be somewhat more expensive than gas generators.
The price here is determined by the capacity, so the more capacity a solar generator has, the more expensive it will be.
The same goes for conventional gas generators.
The higher price is largely due to the more advanced technology used inside a solar generator, i.e. the battery, inverter and charge controller.
Noise Level
This is where the solar generator absolutely demolishes the gas generator (quietly).
Solar generators average 7dB at 7m which is the equivalent of a whisper. While gas generators measure in at 70dB at 7m, the same as a dish washing machine.
Using a gas generator at home might prove ok, as you can store it at the back of your home where the sound is not really heard.
However, when you are camping, there is no getting away from the awful droning sound piercing through the natural world.
Ease of use
A solar generator is pretty straight forward, you simply push a button and plug in your appliances in order to power or charge them.
As for gas generators, you often have to pursue a 5-step process in order to get the machine running.
Environment
Once again, this is where the solar generator shines through. When in nature, the last thing you want to do is pollute it, right?
Gas generators can produce 500g of CO2 per hour. One mature tree can absorb up to 21kg of CO2 a year.
We are sure you can do the math and see how gas generators and trees are not the best of friends. Solar generators on the other hand produce zero CO2, perfect for camping.
Average Weight
This really comes down to what size generator you get, and that goes for both solar and gas. Generally speaking, solar generators are slightly lighter as they don't need to carry any fuel.
As battery technology gets more advanced, you can expect solar generators to get lighter and lighter.
Running Costs
Solar generators have no moving parts, meaning they require pretty much zero maintenance. Additionally, they utilise the sun as an energy source, something that is completely abundant and never ending (at least for the few billion years).
Gas generators on the other hand will require fuel to operate. Just the way cars require petrol to drive. Once this fuel is finished, you will need to buy more. This is why the costs are ongoing.
If you want to know more information about solar generator and gas generator, this article "Solar Generator VS Generator (Technology Compared) " will give you more thoughts.
5 Benefits Of Using A Solar Generator
1. FREE CLEAN ENERGY FROM THE SUN
When you use a solar generator, you are essentially using free energy from the sun instead of using costly dirty fossil fuels. You can continue getting this free energy from the sun for the lifespan of your solar panels, which is usually around 25 to 30 years.
2. LOW MAINTENANCE COSTS
Unlike most conventional fuel or gas generators, solar generators have absolutely no moving parts and do not use a liquid fuel. No moving parts means that the likelihood you will need to pay for any types of repairs is significantly lower.
3. QUIET AND CLEAN OPERATION
Aside from the obvious financial gains of using a solar generator, choosing this green technology over other fossil fuel systems has various environmental upsides. Gas powered generators lead to air pollution alongside noise pollution, and while the latter is jut simply annoying, the former contributes to climate change.
4. IT’S AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
The overall lifespan of a solar panel is 25 to 30 years. While gas powered generators do have long lifespans, usually 20 to 40 years, they do not come without problems. You will need to perform various maintenance jobs on them to keep them operational. Additionally, you will need to continuously buy them fuel in order to use the device. Solar powered generators require no such tasks.
5. LIGHT AND EASY
Most heavy duty gas powered generators can weigh hefty amounts, sometimes up to 250 pounds. Our heavy duty solar powered EP500 Pro weighs a mere 182 pounds in comparison. Obviously, the less powerful the generator the lighter it usually weighs but in summary, solar generators weigh much less than gas powered generators.
