Okay, I have a cottage. There isn't electricity where it is yet and I want to have power. I've been doing some research and I would like to use a generator. Preferibly a propane generator so I could use the propane for other uses like cooking or aux heat when wood is low. But there'll be times where my loads will be really small, and having a generator run all the time wouldn't be cost effective or good for the environment among other things. So I've been researching battery banks. Basically I'd like to build a battery bank that'll use an inverter that'll supply X amount of wattage. I haven't figured out what my wattage needs are just yet. When the batteries get low, the generator would either run auto or manual, right now that doesn't matter, and recharge the batteries. If a constant large load was going, I would run off the generator totally. And possibly in the future if they have grid power come, is there a way to charge the batteries with AC mains, incase the power goes out and then if its out for a long period, the generator again would be used to charge the batteries.

My questions are, do you have any advice or suggestions for me in this trek? And, is there a way to calculate how many batteries I'd need for x amount of wattage? For instance, if I say needed 5000 watts, how would you calculate the battery amount. Plus I'd need a sizable inverter to handle these watts. And how would you use a generator which has an inverter on it (which I couldn't use in this case), to charge the batteries? And lastly if they bring grid power, how can I charge the batteries from the grid AND/OR the generator as I need it? Thanks in advance!

KeepItSimpleStupid

Look here:

Xantrex Technology Inc. - Residential Solar

cottagegoer

Ya, I never thought about turning the fridge off at night etc. I'll have to figure out loads that I'll need. The reason for the batteries in the first place was if I was using only a fraction of my generator power, I'd be wasting energy. But maybe I should try to calculate how much wattage I'd need more or less continuously, and make sure the generator can handle peak and just run off the generator 100% and forget the batteries? But then again noise will get on my nerves while trying to relax at the cottage!

Cobraguy

I called my friend and got his wife. He's at his cabin spending the Holidays and riding snowmobiles. She's going to join him this weekend and said she would have him call me after the first of the year. Sorry...

As to running things like the refrigerator while he's not there, he doesn't. He brings back anything that will spoil and shuts down the entire cabin. It's even plumbed so he shuts off the water, then opens a valve and the entire plumbing system drains. Then he just flushes the toilets and adds RV antifreeze to all the P traps. He's never frozen a thing. This is all pretty common stuff for cabins in this area.

cottagegoer

I calculated how long a single deep cell battery would last if the battery had 100 amp hours, and I was drawing 2000 watt hours. It was about a half hour. Not a lot of time. If I need more than 2000 watts, a battery wouldn't last minutes. Obviously I would have more than 1 battery, but at what point would it make sense to just match the generator power to my use amount, and just go 100% generator. Again, noise is an issue...well I got some thinking to do.