Reliable Standby Generator Backs Up Your Off-Grid Power Systems
Living off the grid and producing your own electrical power comes with its own set of headaches. Cloudy weather reduces the solar energy available which affects solar panel output. The amount of wind energy available is directly related to wind speed. Reduced wind energy or solar energy doesn’t automatically reduce consumption which drains storage batteries. Using alternative renewable energy systems goes hand in hand with conserving power, but when storage batteries reach critical levels, solar energy and off-grid power systems need another method of power production.
Off Grid Power Systems
The New Generac PWRcell Clean Energy Solar + Storage brings the promise of solar power to life with power for the entire circuit breaker panel. The PWRcell and PWRzone Solar Energy System includes features and benefits unavailable with competing products. Off grid power systems may rely on a combination of solar energy and wind energy to generate electricity and store it in a battery bank for immediate or future use. Solar panels produce direct current which charges batteries without conversion. Wind turbines produce three-phase alternating current. The inverter-charger converts it to direct current for storage in the battery bank. The same inverter-charger converts direct current into 120-volt or 120/240-volt alternating current to supply the service panel from the storage batteries. As long as wind blows and the sun shines, off grid power systems efficiently supply alternative renewable energy for living off the grid.
Off Grid Home with Solar Power and Stacked Wood for Heat and Cooking
Off Grid Generators
Living off the grid usually means a simpler lifestyle, but it doesn’t mean doing without necessities like refrigerators or running water. When the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow and battery storage is depleted, a standby off-grid generator automatically charges storage batteries while supplying the main panel with 120-volts or 120/240-volts AC. Portable generators require human intervention to work and if battery storage levels drop when the homeowner is not present, they will continue to drop until exhausted. Regular standby generators are not designed for use with off-grid power systems and factory warranties are voided if the home is not supplied with consistent and reliable utility power. A standby generator designed specifically for alternative renewable energy systems provides a backup to wind energy and solar energy power production.
EcoGen 7034 Generator
Key features:
- Backup Power designed specifically for off-grid power systems.
- G-Flex technology—variable engine speed reduces fuel consumption.
- Full Pressure lubrication with 2-year/500-hour oil change interval.
- All-Weather powder-coated aluminum enclosure
- Direct to dirt composite pad and protective fascia included.
- 3-year/2000-hour manufacturer limited warranty.
Generac provides standby off-grid power solutions for periods when available solar energy and wind energy are reduced or off line. The EcoGen 15kW Standby Generator is a propane-powered standby model with an extended service cycle designed specifically for off-grid power systems. It uses the same V-Twin, overhead valve industrial engine as other Generac models, but has an extended service interval of two years or 500 hours for oil and filter changes, compared to 100 to 200 hours for most standby generators. Because it was designed specifically for off-grid power in alternative renewable energy systems, the EcoGen 7034 includes a three-year, 2000-hour limited warranty.
EcoGen Operation
The EcoGen 15kW connects directly to existing inverter/charger units and utilizes a two-wire remote start. When the storage battery voltage drops to a specific level, the generator starts automatically. The unit provides 62.5 amperes of continuous electrical power at 120/240 volts to keep critical home appliances such as heat, refrigeration and plumbing supplied with power while the charger-inverter charges the storage batteries from generator power.
The generator shuts down automatically when the batteries reach full charge. A manual operating mode allows the homeowner to start and stop the generator. The Ecogen incorporates Generac’s Evolution Controller with numerous features and controls for efficient and clean power that meets or exceeds electric utility standards, while consuming just 0.85 gallons of propane per hour at half load. Living off the grid requires a source of alternative renewable energy. The EcoGen Standby Generator fills the gap when solar energy and wind energy are unavailable or off line. It works with your off-grid power system to keep your batteries charged and your home and other buildings supplied with electrical power.
Updated Novermber 22, 2024
