"Solar Generator"

[Martinjmpr]

I know I'm not the only one here who is a little bit annoyed by this term that seems to have cropped up for the plethora of portable power packs out there.

Nevertheless, there certainly seem to be a lot of them out there. Look at what shows up on my Amazon feed:



I'm assuming these battery packs are of varying quality, made in China or elsewhere. I could see them as a good option for those who don't have the time/work space/knowledge to do a dual-battery conversion.

Biggest worry I would have is that these are cobbled together from a multitude of components (battery, charger, sockets, inverter, LCD display, power supply, etc) and if just one of those sub-components fails, what you have is a very expensive paperweight.

However, as the market "matures" I expect to see some clear leaders emerge.

And I have to say I'm looking forward to it. I think it's great that there are portable power options out there that don't require a lot of wiring knowledge or money to be workable.

 

[dreadlocks]

meh, most all those are Lithium-Ion 3S configurations which barely produce 12V full, which is problematic with low voltage cutoffs in fridges and other things.. plus they dont charge really any faster.. so other than weight they have little to offer, not much capacity for alot of money.

Now if they were LiFePo4 chemistry that could rapidly charge in a couple hours and sit above 13v fully charged, they might start being attractive..

 

[DaveInDenver]

I do not like the term. Maybe with a solar panel you could stretch the term "generator" but these are just battery packs.

 

[Ace Brown]

I do not like the term. Maybe with a solar panel you could stretch the term "generator" but these are just battery packs.

Well, they do generate space in your wallet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, they do generate space in your wallet.

They "generate" profit for the companies that make them too.

 

[burleyman]

They remind me of the plastic jump start monstrosities with an AGM inside, introduced decades ago, still available, that now litter the landscape. Included a cord for AC charging, lamp, flashing lights, dinky air compressor, battery current on/off switch, stubby cables with clamps and things I've probably forgotten. Thrown away when the battery died.

I have scavenged a few 100 amp on/off switches and cables/clamps for other uses.

Generators must spin. Solar panels and and batteries don't spin. Elderly analog man brought kicking and screaming into the digital age.

I'm also having a little trouble with marketers and reviewers everywhere I turn, but few involved with manufacturing.

 

[verdesard0g]

Anything that makes current flow besides a storage device could be considered a generator, solar, wind, hydro, engine driven. Companies that are selling solar generators without solar cells are deceiving the public!

 

[dreadlocks]

Generators must spin.

The word your thinking of is dynamo..

since everyone has an opinion on what a Generator is, lets pull out a dictionary.com:

noun

• a machine that converts one form of energy into another, especially mechanical energy into electrical energy, as a dynamo, or electrical energy into sound, as an acoustic generator.

In this definition, the solar panel itself is a 'Solar Generator' as its what is converting photons into electrons.. the battery it stores those electrons in however, is just a battery.

 

[1000arms]

I think I found a "Gatorade Generator". See:

Gatorade Cooler Equipment 3 Gallon Cooler

The time-tested favorite

www.gatorade.com

Just connect it to something that creates Gatorade (and ice?) and everyone should be good to go! ...

 

[OllieChristopher]

I know I'm not the only one here who is a little bit annoyed by this term that seems to have cropped up for the plethora of portable power packs out there.

It does not bother me a bit. In fact I will always call them a solar generator. Marketing opinions aside I know what they are used for. Many of them are pretty clever in design allowing you to charge from 2 separate power sources at a time for a quicker charge.

My educated guess would be they are marketed this way to let consumers know they can be be used with solar panels. As soon as these units flooded the market I knew exactly what their purpose was. IMO the marketing is spot on. Nothing mendacious whatsoever. Solar generators work just as described. Every single one clearly states if solar panels are included or not.

By definition In electricity generation, a generator is a device that converts motive power into electrical power for use in an external circuit. That motive power can be described as solar power in the case of the solar generator. Other forms of electricity can also be described as the motive power for a solar generator.

Battery packs or power banks are a narrower term as in they can be designed to not have a need for solar power to to generate electricity to the unit.

So for me the simple and correct term is "solar generator" for a battery pack or portable power bank that uses solar panels as one of the sources to generate electricity to the unit.

I actually think solar generators are pretty cool and useful in the right application. At some point they might even come close and even surpass a good old fashioned fuel generator for stand alone on demand power.

IMHO, there are way more things to be annoyed with than terminology or marketing we may not agree to. Let's face it, solar generator is only a phrase that's being turned into someones own illocutionary expression of the term.

 

[roving1]

IMHO, there are way more things to be annoyed with than terminology or marketing we may not agree to.

A 7 paragraph response defending the terminology pretty much nullifies this statement lol.

 

[OllieChristopher]

A 7 paragraph response defending the terminology pretty much nullifies this statement lol.

You misunderstood Sir or Ms. I was not defending the terminology. Just explaining how I see solar generators being used. I'll be quick to admit I was just kicking back and enjoying my own outlook on the thread title.

Not to mention it might help forum members not be so uptight and correcting another member calling a product for what they may see it as.

I have followed this forum for a bunch of years and can see there are a few members that refuse to be wrong. It is kind of a bummer sifting through pages of arguments to find out worthwhile educational subject matter.

I do not believe either side should belittle another member or mock a phrase for what they interpret it to be.

This thread is pretty clear cut. I will always see a solar generator as what it is marketed for and a google search. Others will not see it that way and interpret it differently. No problemo!!

 

[Joe917]

So all batteries are "solar generators"
You just have to add solar.
While we're at it lets talk about dual purpose Lead acid batteries, deep cycle AND starting.(hint: it's a marketing ploy too)

 

[1000arms]

It does not bother me a bit. In fact I will always call them a solar generator. Marketing opinions aside I know what they are used for. Many of them are pretty clever in design allowing you to charge from 2 separate power sources at a time for a quicker charge.

My educated guess would be they are marketed this way to let consumers know they can be be used with solar panels. As soon as these units flooded the market I knew exactly what their purpose was. IMO the marketing is spot on. Nothing mendacious whatsoever. Solar generators work just as described. Every single one clearly states if solar panels are included or not.

By definition In electricity generation, a generator is a device that converts motive power into electrical power for use in an external circuit. That motive power can be described as solar power in the case of the solar generator. Other forms of electricity can also be described as the motive power for a solar generator.

Battery packs or power banks are a narrower term as in they can be designed to not have a need for solar power to to generate electricity to the unit.

So for me the simple and correct term is "solar generator" for a battery pack or portable power bank that uses solar panels as one of the sources to generate electricity to the unit.

I actually think solar generators are pretty cool and useful in the right application. At some point they might even come close and even surpass a good old fashioned fuel generator for stand alone on demand power.

IMHO, there are way more things to be annoyed with than terminology or marketing we may not agree to. Let's face it, solar generator is only a phrase that's being turned into someones own illocutionary expression of the term.

... Say, ..., have you read the following quote?

... I loathe lengthy debates and disparate comments that do nothing but drive members away. I've looked back at some of your other postings and can see you like to debate and will do everything to disprove anything anyone says that is not in agreement to you. This is a disservice to other members who are here to learn and provide valuable and helpful information to the community. ...

 

[OllieChristopher]

... Say, ..., have you read the following quote?

I was the one that wrote what you quoted. I have nether debated or made any disparate comments to anyone. I'm just relaxing and typing my description of a solar generator. After all it is the thread title. I have not made any hint for anyone to agree with my assessment of what I consider a solar generator. Nor am I making any attempts to offend anyone.

I believe in courtesy and politeness to fellow members. BTW, you might want to check your font size. Default is 15 and I think you accidentally have yours set to 26.

Now if they were LiFePo4 chemistry that could rapidly charge in a couple hours and sit above 13v fully charged, they might start being attractive..

There are already a few of the lower output LiFePo4 solar generators that can do just what you describe. As technology moves forward I can see larger size solar generators charging at a much more rapid rate than what is currently available on the market.