Solar Power Vs Gas Generator for hurricanes! Which is right for you for an emergency? #diy #prepper

Solar Power Vs Gas Generator for hurricanes! Which is right for you for an emergency? #diy #prepper

It's been just over a week since Hurricane Barrel hit Houston, and there are still thousands of people without power. Prepper forums all over the Internet and Reddit have been blowing up with questions about generators and solar panels since then. Combined with Amazon Prime Days, there are some great sales going on, so now might be the time to jump onto something. Everyone's situation is different, so it's hard to make a one-size-fits-all video, but I'm going to try my best to walk you through the pros and cons of traditional generators versus solar setups like Jackery, EcoFlow, Bluetti, and Anker.

I'm going to set a parameter here: I'll use a 48-hour power outage as a benchmark. In Houston, most people were out of power for five days, but I'll use two for this example. This will make sense shortly.

For a gas generator, I'm going to pick the Sportsman 800-watt generator as my example. It's the least expensive generator that is well-built. I've owned one for a while, and other people have reviewed it. It's small in power but quiet, sips gas, and is very lightweight. You can get it at Tractor Supply for under $ 200. Yes, you can get bigger generators for not much more, but let's just stick with this—you'll understand why here soon.

For the solar generator, I'm going to go with the EcoFlow Delta. It's currently on a Prime Day sale on Amazon for under $ 500. It'll charge in your house, in your car, or with solar.

How Do These Two Items Match Up?

Let's clear up some terms. The Sportsman generator is rated at 800 watts. That means the biggest thing it can run has to pull less than 800 watts. That's a very small space heater on low or a very, very small air conditioner, maybe for a popup camper. It should also run your chest freezer, but again, the startup surge is tough. But the number that most people miss out on is runtime. The Sportsman's generator is rated for 6 hours at half a load (400 watts) on half a gallon of gas.

Now for the EcoFlow Delta. The inverter is rated to 1,800 watts, which means it can run bigger stuff than the generator, right? Yes and no. It can run up to 1,800 watts, which means it's very likely that it will run your refrigerator, chest freezer, or window air conditioner.

The second number is where things get complicated: watt-hours. Watt-hours are exactly what they sound like, the number of watts over a certain number of hours. So you can pull 1,240 watts for 1 hour, 500 watts for 2 hours, or 100 watts for 10 hours.

So, let's play this out in a real world with a very, very easy example: a pedestal fan. This is a universal item that I hope everyone has; I own several of them. On low, a pedestal fan draws around 50 watts. I know this because the manual says so and also because I've tested it with my wattmeter. If you don't own a wattmeter, you should.

For the EcoFlow, 1,240 watt-hours divided by 50 watts equals 20 hours of runtime. You see how that works? That means in a 2-day power outage like in our example, you can either run it for 10 hours one day and 10 hours the next day or 20 hours one day and zero hours the next day. We'll talk about solar stuff later.

For the generator, it lasts 6 hours on a half gallon of gas. Power isn't really an issue because 50 watts is less than 400 and far less than the 800 that the unit is rated for. So your generator is bored running this tiny little load. That doesn't mean it uses less gas, just that it will use less gas than if it were running at full power. For 24 hours, you need 2 gallons of gas. For 48 hours, you need 4. That's not bad; you need a 5-gallon gas tank, 5 gallons of gas, the generator, and an extension cord. Oh, and also, you need some oil for the engine. You can get all of that for well under $ 250. This assumes you live in a house. If you try to use a generator in an apartment, the chances of you dying are very high. Every year, lots of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning from using a generator in a small space. It also assumes that you can store gas safely, but if you're in a house, you probably have a garage.

So, generator, 5 gallons of gas, extension cord, and you're good. But that assumes that you're good with the noise. The Sportsman generator is quiet but not silent. This also assumes you're okay with the safety and security of a generator being in your backyard, that your neighbors are okay with you running a generator in your backyard, and that they don't want to come steal it in the middle of the night. Also, that you're willing to get up every 6 hours to put gas in your generator.

The EcoFlow solves all these issues. It's silent and indoor safe. But what do you do after the first 20 hours when the battery is dead? This is where solar comes into play. You need a 200-watt solar panel or bigger. Well, why is that? Well, in the southern half of the United States, we get 5 hours of direct sunlight. 1,240 watt-hours divided by 5 hours of sunlight equals 200, in a perfect world. If the sun is shining, you can keep that fan running forever. But this also assumes that you can see the sun. If it's cloudy, you're not going to get very much. If you're in an apartment with a balcony that faces north, that's a no-go. Trees in the way? That's a no-go. See, to understand, a solar panel has to face south to work. And a 200-watt solar panel is not small. It also needs to be angled toward the sun.

Here's another factor to think about. We are basing this experiment on one fan. What happens if you want to add a second fan? The generator wouldn't care at all since you're under 400 watts—50 watts per fan * 2 is 100. The generator doesn't care. But the EcoFlow? Now, you just cut the runtime in half to 10 hours.

Now, let's take this up to what everyone wants: air conditioning. A tiny window unit pulls around 400 watts. Yes, there is a startup surge, but we'll ignore that for right now. So on a 1,240-watt EcoFlow, you'll get a little over 2 hours before the battery is dead. On a generator, it just keeps chugging along until you put gas into it. You'd have to have a very large solar array to keep that thing going on solar.

But before you run out to get a gas generator, ask yourself if you're okay storing gas. Do you have a safe place to put it? Do you have a safe place to run the generator? What about noise? What about security? Are you physically strong enough to carry it around? Is your spouse?

During the Texas freeze, my neighborhood was dead quiet. If we had had a generator, everyone within 10 blocks would have heard it. By the way, did you know that gasoline expires unless you stabilize it between 3 and 6 months?

If you're thinking about solar, do you have a clear view of the south with no trees? The best of both worlds would be all three. See, in a perfect world, I'd have a generator, a battery pack, and a solar panel. That way, during sunny days, I could charge the battery on solar and save gas. On cloudy days, I could use the generator to charge up the battery in an hour or so. But when it's done, I can shut it off and have some peace and quiet.

This is what I got my brother-in-law to do, who happens to live in Houston. He was able to direct his sister to use the EcoFlow to run his chest freezer to keep his bulk food safe while he got the generator situated.

Before I wrap this up, I want to address a couple of things I know will come up. I know that someone will suggest using a USB fan with a folding solar panel. Remember, I said I am basing this on a 48-hour situation. Those little USB fans do not last that long and don't move that much air. Is it better than nothing? Maybe, but I have my doubts. Also, I know that people will suggest using those fans that plug into a Ryobi drill battery. They also only last for a few hours, and that also assumes that you own those drills and batteries.

I hope that this was helpful and maybe answered a couple of questions about items you might be considering. Anyone from Houston, please put your thoughts down below. Thanks, and we'll catch you on the next one.

Keywords

• Gas generator
• Solar generator
• Hurricane preparedness
• EcoFlow Delta
• Sportsman generator
• Watt-hours
• Pedestal fan
• Solar panel
• Emergency power
• Gasoline storage
• Noise and security
• Texas freeze

FAQ

1. How long will a gas generator run on a gallon of gas? A: The Sportsman 800-watt generator can run for about 6 hours on half a gallon of gas at half load (400 watts).

2. Can I use a gas generator in an apartment? A: No, using a gas generator in an apartment is extremely dangerous due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

3. How many hours can an EcoFlow Delta run a pedestal fan? A: An EcoFlow Delta can run a pedestal fan drawing 50 watts for approximately 20 hours on a full charge.

4. What happens if my solar panel doesn't get enough sunlight? A: If your solar panel doesn't get enough sunlight, it won't generate sufficient power, thereby reducing the operational time of your devices.

5. Are small USB fans or fans running on drill batteries a good alternative? A: These fans usually do not last long enough or move sufficient air for a 48-hour emergency situation.

6. What should I consider when storing gasoline for a generator? A: Ensure it’s stored safely in a well-ventilated area away from your living spaces, and remember that gasoline expires in 3-6 months unless stabilized.