Why should I have a Generator if I have Solar Panels.....?
Usually, a generator is more cost effective than a battery backup system for your solar panels. Most grid-tied solar arrays are connected to the grid without batteries. My company has installed well over 00 solar arrays for residential and commercial clients and almost none of them had battery systems with them. Many clients asked to see the costs and after that, they agreed that a generator seems better, especially if there is access to fuel readily available. Also, unless there is a battery system, the solar inverters will not operate when the electricity goes out. This is a safety feature, but it keeps you from using any power at all from the panels when the grid goes down. This explains the utility interactive solar inverters compared to the stand alone generators.
Solar panels generate DC power. If you need AC power, you need an inverter.
There is now a completely portable (and ultra-high efficient) solar power generator which produces up to 800 watts of household electricity on demand when you need it most. News of this solar backup generator (it's the first off-the-grid breakthrough in 50 years) is spreading like wildfire all across the country!
Well the sun don't shine at night does it. Nor much on cloudy days. You either need a generator or a whole lot of batteries. The batteries are a pain to maintain, they're expensive to install and they have to be replaced periodically. Generator's probably a decent alternative. I'm sure most people just stay on the grid for their backup. Even better if you live in an area where you're allowed to sell back excess capacity. If you're looking to spend this kind of money anyway you could look at a household fuel cell that runs on natural gas. Awesome technology, though if you buy the unit all prebuilt and ready to go it's going to run you like 50,000 bucks.
