Whole house solar generators are becoming the go-to solution for the ever-increasing power outages sweeping across America.
According to PowerOutage.US, utility customers experienced 1.33 billion outage hours in 2020, up 73% from roughly 770 million in 2019. With extreme weather occurring more frequently, that number is only set to increase going into 2022. One way homeowners can ensure they are protected from any outages is to equip their home with a solar generator system, or solar generator, which can power appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and air conditioners.
One way homeowners can ensure they are protected from any outages is to equip their home with a solar generator system, or solar generator.
Solar systems are expensive, and not everyone can afford them. Solar Generators, although a viable solution, are noisy and unsustainable.
On the other hand, whole home solar generators check all the boxes. More affordable, has no noise, and is much more sustainable.
In this article, we will explain why you should look into purchasing a whole house solar generator kit and how to choose one and four of the most recommended kits available.
Why should I get a whole house solar generator kit?
1. Solar generator run silently and emit no fumes
As you may be well aware, solar generators do not emit any toxic fumes and are almost completely silent.
They emit no fumes as they do not burn any fuel in order to operate (such as gas-powered generators).
Additionally, they are silent. They emit less than 60dB (while the inverter fan is running) other than that. They make no sound. For context, a whisper is 30dB and a human conversation is about 60dB.
2. Solar power is a renewable clean energy source
One of the most important aspects to focus on, sustainability. Solar generators essentially recharge themselves via the power of the sun.
This means you do not need any grid connection in order to power your appliances. As long as there is sun, you are pretty much good to go.
3. UPS battery capacity
Most residential solar generators are designed to kick on as soon as the utility power fails and to shut off when utility power is restored automatically. in other words, you will have uninterrupted power supply (UPS).
4. Sufficient solar supply
A whole house solar generator allows you to power all of your home’s electrical appliances, such as ventilators, TVs, kitchen utensils,vacuum cleaners, and more, using clean, renewable energy.
5. Low maintenance
With solar generators, solar panel and power stations, minimal maintenance is needed to keep your system running well—just make sure it’s charged with plenty of sunshine!
6. Flexibility with generators
Many battery-based storage systems can also integrate with additional batteries or add-on products to create a customised solution for your unique home energy needs—including adding storage capacity via an additional battery.
How to choose the best whole house solar kit?
Choosing a solar generator really all comes down to what your electrical needs are. How many appliances do you want to power, and for how long?
We will get to that in a second.
With regards to the actual product. You want to make sure that the brand you decide on is using the latest technology. The reason for this is simple: LCOS - Levelised cost of storage.
Do not be swayed by brands offering extremely cheap solar generators. It is not the price tag that counts, it is the LCOS.
The LCOS is the cost of kWh (or MWh) electricity discharged from a storage device when accounting for all cost incurred and energy produced throughout the lifetime of the device.
For example, if you come across a really cheap solar generator it is almost guaranteed that the product is made from inferior technology, such as with a lead-acid battery.
The upfront cost might be lower, but you will find yourself having to pay much more in the long run as these devices do not last nearly as long as something with the latest technology.
So, rule of thumb. Go for the solar generator with the lowest LCOS.
See the below example:
Here's an example table below:
| Lithium-ion 12V, 100Ah | Lead-acid 12V, 100Ah | |
| Upfront cost | 739.99 USD | 174.99 USD |
| Depth of discharge | 80% | 50% |
| Total number of cycles | (10 years) – 3600 cycles | (2 years) – 700 cycles |
| Total kWh over lifetime | 3’456 kWh | 420 kWh |
| LCOS | 0.214 USD/kWh | 0.417 USD/kWh |
See how much cheaper the 2nd option looked at first? But look at that major difference in LCOS. The lithium battery is in fact 2 times cheaper over the long run.
Once you have got LCOS out the way, you'll want to consider the capacity. Essentially, the more power hungry appliances you want to power, the higher capacity solar generator you'll need.
Pay attention to the total capacity your solar generator of choice is rated at. This is usually measured in watt hours (Wh).
Four of the best generator kits for your home
BLUETTI AC200MAX Solar Generators
Bluetti's first expandable power station AC200 MAX with 2,048Wh LiFePO4 cells and 2,200W pure sine wave inverter.
- 2,200W AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter (4,800W Surge)
- 2,048Wh Capacity
- LiFePO4 Battery with 3,500+ Life Cycles to 80%
- Expandable Up To 6,144Wh with 2×B230, or 8,192Wh with 2×B300
- 7 Ways to Recharge (AC/Solar/Car/Generator/Lead Battery/Dual AC/AC+Solar)
- 900W Max. Solar Input
- 1300W Max. Fast Dual Charging (Solar + AC Adapter)
- Smart Control & Monitor in BLUETTI App
BLUETTI AC300 + B300 Solar Generator
Bluetti's AC300 is 100% modular, supporting up to 4×B300 (3,072Wh per pack) battery modules for a groundbreaking capacity of 12,288Wh! If you are looking for the most powerful solar generator for backup power supply. This is your best bet!
- 3,000W AC Pure Sine Wave Inverter (6,000W Surge)
- 3,072Wh Capacity (Expandable w/ up to 4 × B300 for 12,288Wh)
- LiFePO4 Battery with 3,500+ Life Cycles to 80%
- 240V Split Phase Bonding
- 24/7 UPS Home Backup
- 7 Ways to Recharge (AC/Solar/Car/Generator/Lead-acid Battery/Dual AC/AC+Solar)
- 2400W Max. Solar Input
- 5400W Max. Fast Dual Charging (Solar + AC)
BLUETTI EP500 Solar Generator
The Bluetti EP500 is shipped with a 5100Wh LiFePO4 battery pack and a 2000W rated pure sine wave AC inverter. This power station brings you the power to run your entire party, family camping trip, cabin workshops, or even your whole house for a day or two in the event of an unexpected outage.
- 5100Wh LiFePO4, 6000+ Charge Cycle
- 2000W Pure Sine Wave Output
- Movable Power Station
- In-grid UPS Mode&Flexible UPS Mode (24/7)
- Off-grid Energy Storage
- Multiple Devices Can Be Loaded Simultaneously
- Flexible Recharging Way To Keep Your EP500 Always On
- App Remote Control
- Smart Touchscreen
Bluetti EP500 Pro Solar Generator
The upgraded more powerful version of the EP500.
- 5100Wh LiFePO4, 6000+ Charge Cycle
- EP500Pro: 3000W Pure Sine Wave Output
- Movable Power Station
- In-grid UPS Mode&Flexible UPS Mode (24/7)
- Off-grid Energy Storage
- Multiple Devices Can Be Loaded Simultaneously
- Flexible Recharging Way To Keep Your EP500 Always On
- App Remote Control
- Smart Touchscreen
Final thoughts on Solar Generators
All of the solar generators mentioned above use LiFePO4 technology, which means you will get many years of usage.
This is hands down your best solution if you are looking to save on costs by not installing a full-blown solar system and to avoid polluting the environment.
