Choosing the Right Power System: Types and Benefits

As more and more people look to add backup power systems to their property, homestead, or cabin, a persistent question is "What should I use to charge my power station?". As you might expect, both have their pros and cons, and whether one or the other is right for you will depend on your specific needs and how you intend to use your power system.

In this article, we’ll walk you through each main option, some of the pros and cons of each, and what you’ll want to consider when making a purchase. Worth noting, we’re taking for granted here that you will be using a battery/inverter combo backup power system, and we’re simply looking to compare the different methods of charging them. For a focused look at gas generators vs solar generators, check out this blog post.

Types of Backup Power Systems

To start off, let’s get a quick overview of the 3 main ways you might set up a power station. 

1. Backup Battery-Only Systems

While this article is focused on systems that incorporate a generator component, for some people, just a basic power bank is all that’s needed for their use case. These systems rely on battery storage only and can be used for short-term outages, or are great for things like taking on the road camping, offgrid, or just charging critical systems like phones and small electronics in case of a blackout. These systems are definitely capable of powering whole homes as well, but the size and expense of the batteries needed for that capacity add up quickly. For example, if you want a whole-home system that can store enough power for your entire house for 24 hrs, that’s typically going to require 10-30kWh (including HVAC and all systems), and will cost about $7,000-$20,000.

Fortunately, as you’ll read below, there are a few other options that can be easily paired with a power station to constantly generate power while off-grid.

Pros:

Silent operation

No need for fuel

More compact than adding panels or generator

Cons:

Limited runtime 

May not be able to power larger appliances for extended periods

Expensive for the capacity

2. Backup Systems with Generators

While homes have been adding backup generators for decades, it’s only relatively recently with better battery tech that it’s become reasonable to use a power station as the source of power  the house plugs into, and a generator to run periodically to charge the power station. This allows for greater efficiency, and removes the negative of potentially “dirty” current harming sensitive electronics, as the power station outputs consistent, smooth power from the battery.

The real benefits of generators are twofold. The first is the ability to reliably run the generator at any time, in any conditions. Solar power relies on the sun, which is only out half the day in the best conditions, and can negatively impacted heavily by the weather. The second is the ability to much more cheaply store far greater amounts of power. For example, a dual-fuel generator like the EcoFlow Smart Generator 4000 can produce 20kWh of electricity with a small 5 gallon propane tank that costs $50 to buy and $15 to refill, or a few gallons of gasoline. Many homes will have propane tanks of up to 1000 gallons already. To store the same amount of electrical energy in batteries would cost around $10,000-$15,000, depending on the system.

3. Solar Generator Systems

A solar generator system adds in solar panels as the charge mechanism for the power station. The great thing about solar panels is that after the initial up-front cost, charging is free, and always available as long as the sun comes out. The big downside is that for half the day, the sun isn’t charging your panels, and depending on the size of your solar array, your power station may not fully charge if conditions aren’t right, with a full sun day. In short, you’re locked into the amount of power that you can produce and use in a day's time in a way that you’re not with a traditional gas or propane generator.

That said, if you’re in a situation with limited or no access to fuel, or are using your system very regularly or every day, solar can be a great option.

Pros and Cons of Gas Generators

Pros:

Easy and cheap to store energy - generally speaking, gas/propane/diesel is very accessible and cheap, and with its super high energy density, doesn’t take up much space. There are some long-term store concerns with gas and diesel though, as they both have a shelf life.

Can run at anytime, and anywhere - no limitations based on weather, sunlight, or time of day to generate power

No reliance on battery capacity - you’re not limited by the amount of batteries  that can be added on to your system, it’s just a question of how much fuel you want to store

Far more capacity at a much lower cost - in the example earlier, storing 20kWh worth of propane costs less than $100 including the container, while 20kWh worth of batteries cost thousands and thousands of dollars. That said, the batteries can be recharged a few thousand times, for free with solar panels.

Cons:

Requires regular maintenance - as with all internal combustion engines, routine maintenance is required to keep them in running condition.

Noise - while generators have gotten much quieter, they still produce significant noise, which may be a problem depending on your situation

Dependence on fuel supply - ultimately, you’re dependent on a fuel supply you can’t produce, and you’ll eventually need to refill, unlike with solar. 

Needs to be started and stopped - Ecoflow has solved this problem with their smart start/stop dual-fuel generator, but other generators need to be started, allowed to run until your system is full, and then shut off for maximum efficiency.

Can be more costly if used constantly - if you’re in a situation where you’re constantly using your power supply, not just as a backup, the cost of refilling fuel can add up over time.

Pros and Cons of Solar Generators

Pros:

Renewable energy source - you never need to purchase or store fuel. Once you buy your solar panels, they’ll keep producing electricity to the end of their life-span.

Can work off-grid - truly can work anywhere, even in the remotest settings.

Quiet and low maintenance - generally apart from keeping them uncovered, there’s not a ton you need to do to keep your panels running, plus they don’t make noise like a traditional generator.

Can be cheaper long-term - after the up-front cost, you can literally use your system every day for free, as long as nothing goes wrong. This means you don’t need to rely on the cost and hassle of constantly purchasing fuel.

Cons:

Initial setup cost can be high - this is true for both panels and the extra battery capacity usually needed for a solar system, the combined cost of which can be much more than a comparable generator

Limited by weather conditions - at the end of the day, you’re somewhat at the mercy of weather, and if you go through a few stormy or cloudy days, your system may not charge well or fully.

Limited maximum power usage - while with a gas generator you’re technically limited to the maximum amount it can produce if run solid for a 24 hour period, you’re generally much more limited in terms of overall capacity with a solar generator. Once you have your system, you can’t add hours of sunlight to the day, while with a gas generator, as long as you’re not absolutely at capacity, you usually have the option to just run it for a bit longer that day if you need a little more power.

Recap

To recap, while both systems absolutely have their weaknesses, both can be excellent options in the right circumstances. If you’re looking for a system that you’re going to be relying on constantly for a long period of time, solar is often going to be the right move, as it’s very low-maintenance, and free to run once it’s purchased and set up. It can also be great for very light-weight systems (backpack size etc), as they can be shrunk much smaller than gas generators. That said, if you’re looking for a unit that you’ll use purely as a backup or occasionally, and want the combination of rugged, cheap, and dependable that traditional generators offer, it’s hard to beat a gas/propane generator for that.