Generator Vs. Solar

[fivebucks]

You may have issues using the coffee maker and toaster with a 1000 watt genny. A quick google search showed coffee makers using 600-1200 watts and a toaster 800-1500. That would either shut down your generator or could damage it if the auto shutdown did not work properly. I know at our deer camp you can see the lights dim when the toaster goes down and we have electricity. I would skip the toaster and get a stove top old fashion coffee maker if you go with a 1000 watt genny.

[Powerstroke]

I'm not the expert on wiring. I found a chart when putting some of my own stuff together that made it fairly simple. Because long distances will affect your power output you need to know how far you plan on wiring. There's some great charts out there or else one of the "sparky" guys on here will let you know.

I'm kind of getting the idea of how this plan is starting to work out. Its tough when you're trying to modify something that doesn't belong to you. Seems like you're willing to make the investment and you just need something that the party can agree on.

Anything to spruce up the feel of deer camp sounds like a worthy project to me.

[Gus]

For the price difference between the 1000 honda and the 2000 honda, go with the 2000. Plenty of power for what you are looking at doing. I love my coffee in my ice house! No problems with the 2000. I can run a 1500 watt space heater to help heat things up faster too, and in the case of furnace issues.

Honestly, you can go as overboard as you want on these off grid setups. At our off grid fishing cabin we have 6 4-volt batteries wired into 12V charged off a solar system. That runs a half dozen lights, ceiling fan, and all the cell phones and laptops one might need for an interesting boys week.

[delcecchi]

It is an easy calculation. Voltage drop is resistance times current.

Current is watts divided by voltage. Resistance is available in tables, in ohms per length.

So figure out the length of the wire (both going and returning). add up the current draw of the lights. Pick a voltage drop you can live with, like 0.5 volts. Use the current and the voltage drop to calculate the resistance. R equals voltage drop divided by current.

Now divide r by length and look up AWG in the table to get the right ohms per foot. Make sure units are right.