North Americans are the largest consumer market for portable generators accounting for 35.5% of the world market. Diesel generators account for most of those sales, but as technology advances solar power generators are growing in popularity.
Are you looking for a generator that you can take with you camping or RVing? Not sure which one is right for your needs?
We have created the definitive pros and cons list for each to help you decide between solar and gas.
Gas It up
A gas-powered generator is going to have five key components to make it run. You should see a fuel tank, starter, alternator, outputs, and the internal combustion engine.
Advantages
If you need your portable generator to produce a large amount of power, then gas is going to be the smarter choice. You turn that bad boy on, and you instantly have steady, reliable power.
You’ll be able to run your high-wattage appliance with no problem when you use gas.
Because they use traditional gas engine technology, they are user-friendly. This means the learning curving for use is small. It also means that if there is a problem you can troubleshoot and make any necessary repairs.
Best of all, as long as you have gas, you can run your generator. So rain or shine, you have power. This makes them have a great power to cost ratio.
Disadvantages
One major disadvantage to gas-powered generators is that they are not a clean fuel source, which makes them not environmentally friendly. You may find that they are not allowed in some protected parks and lands.
They are also expensive to buy and require quite a bit of regular maintenance to continue running at optimal performance. You also must make sure you always have fuel with you, no fuel, no generator.
Finally, gas-powered generators are loud and emit unpleasant and toxic fumes. No one enjoys either of these things.
Harness the Sun
Solar power isn’t just for your home; now you can take this clean fuel source with you. A solar-powered generator will capture the photons from the sunlight to charge the contained battery.
From there the power gets converted to alternating current. Then you can power anything that electricity powers.
Advantages
The biggest advantage of solar powered generators is that they are environmentally friendly. They are clean running in both noise and fumes.
They also don’t require the same level of maintenance as gas versions. This makes them cheaper to both run and maintain. You can get more information on pricing at PoweredPortableSolar.com.
Disadvantages
A popular setup for those who RV is to put the generator on the roof. Unfortunately, this makes them susceptible to damage.
You will also find that solar powered generators struggle to keep up with their gas counterparts when it comes to powering larger appliances. The same goes for running multiple smaller appliances at the same time.
The biggest struggle you will face is keeping the solar panels safe from damage. If they get damaged, you are dead in the water when it comes to running your generator.
Choose Your Solar Power Generator
While there is no clear and obvious winner, we hope that we have made the decision between a solar power generator and a gas powered one a little bit easier. The best advice we can give you is to consider your intended use, and it should become clear which one is right for you.
Now that you know what generator you want check out this other equipment to taking your next camping trip to the next level.