I have had several people ask me about this small solar backup system, so I thought I would check it out and see what it was all about. The Solar Powered Generator (sold by Solutions from Science) is an 1800 watt backup “generator” that consists of a 90 watt solar panel, and “Powersource”, a charge controller, and some cable for a special discounted price of $1697 and $120 in S/H. They claim “Power Source 1800 will supply up to twelve hours of uninterrupted backup power for a small office, and up to eight hours of runtime for essential home appliances and small electronics during a power outage.”
Firstly, let’s examine the components. The 90 watt solar panel is a simple monocrystaline pv panel that could be had for well under $350 with a little looking. It is hard to tell the maker or the quality so I won’t comment on that.The “Powersource” is actually just a re-branded Duracell Powersource 1800 UPS backup. It can be had on amazon for $441.74 and less on other websites. Duracell claims ” The PowerSource 1800 will supply up to ten hours of uninterrupted backup power for a small office, and up to 1.5 hours of run time for home appliances and electronics during a power outage.” The Sunsaver charge controller is probably the 6.5 amp version which can be had for around $35.
All told, the price if purchased elsewhere would be under $850, about half the price that the “Solar Power Generator” sells for.
So, yes the “Solar Powered Generator” is overpriced, but what makes it a ripoff are the bloated claims that this will “replace gas generators” and “Amazing “Solar Generator” Is Like Having A Secret Power Plant Hidden In Your Home!” In reality, it is a small battery charged by a small solar panel that could power a laptop and modem for part of a day or a fridge for a couple of hours, and takes 14+ hours of full sun to recharge. No miracle here.
Also, it turns out that the president of Solutions from Science, Bill Heid, has had previous experience ripping people off. In the 1990s his diet breakthrough business was shut down by the FTC, and he was forced to repay $400,000.
If you need a small backup power source like this, go find the parts individually and save yourself some bucks, or find a small off grid system that can provide more power for longer periods. If you have trouble knowing what you need, contact us and we can walk you through some cost effective options.
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