I'm thinking of buying a couple of folding solar panels and an emergency power supply. Suggestions?

Originally posted by Dr Love
What can I get that'll get me the most bang for my buck?

I'd like to keep the whole thing at $2000 or under.

Investing in crappy solar panels is what worries me the most.

4 Blue Top Optima Batteries from Sam's club $620
2 50 watt Sunforce Solar Panels Amazon.com $600
1 7amp Sunforce charge controller Amazon $20
1 Sunforce 2500w pure sine inverter Amazon $475
1 Koolatron thermoelectric cooler Amazon $100

Add some 4 gauge wire and call it done. You're in budget. You can run power tools, a dishwasher, or a washing machine off grid.

Don't worry about crappy panels... they're all soon to be obsolete just like the computer you're staring at.

Stick to propane for cooking (or preferably wood)... same goes for heating. You're not going to make either of them happen on a $2k budget.

Sri Oracle

reply to post by Dr Love

Not knowing enough about the various alternatives is what has kept me from laying out the money for any kind of system yet. I know we don't get enough wind here for total wind power (you can check average wind in your area online) so solar, or hybrid solar/wind would be best. I checked out thermoelectric but the most efficient temperature for operating those is 480-520 degrees farenheit. The average surface temperature of a wood stove is just over 400 degrees farenheit. The interior temperature averages 1000 degrees farenheit. Seems to me the solution would be an exterior recessed "pocket" for maximum efficiency using a wood stove with thermoelectric devices.
I'm watching this thread carefully and hoping you get some sound advice!