A solar generator is a great resource to have on hand if you’re tired of experiencing unexpected power outages. If you’re looking to purchase a solar generator, you’re already on the right path of creating a safe and secure environment for your family to face any type of emergency situation. You probably already know the benefits of having a backup power supply, but do you know the best qualities you should be looking for when deciding which brand to purchase? 

Whether you live in a warm and sunny climate and want to make the most out of a solar panel purchase, or you’re looking to be more environmentally conscious when running your home backup battery power station, we’ve identified five of the most important features to look for when purchasing a solar panel power supply.

What is a Solar Generator

Solar panels capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity. A portable solar panel has all the capacity of a traditional solar panel, but is completely portable. Place the solar panels in direct sunlight to allow them to collect and convert the sun’s energy, and then attach them to the device you want to charge or a power station that can store the energy in its battery for future use. 

Check for Safety & Reliability Features 

If you’re purchasing a solar generator to keep your family safe during an emergency, you need to feel safe actually bringing the product into your home. You don’t want to have to worry about the product overheating or malfunctioning when you need it the most. Research what each product is made of, what safety features it possesses, and which safety tests are performed prior to sale. 

Solar generators should be made from durable materials that are high-temperature resistant, like PET, to withstand temperatures that arise from absorbing the sun’s rays and converting it into high-powered energy. You’ll want the internal systems to protect against damaging your devices that you’ll wish to run. Safety protection features can include preventing over-powerign, over-surging, and short-circuiting. The more safety tests the product goes through and passes, the better you can feel about bringing it home. Look for products with certifications from known agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy, California Energy Commission, and Federal Communications Commission. If you plan to travel with your solar generator, it will need to have passed the United Nations 38.3 Transport Safety Standard.

In order to be prepared before an emergency strikes, you’ll have to proactively purchase products. This means you could have the product sitting around for quite some time before you actually use it. You’ll want to ensure that the brand you choose has a prolonged warranty so that it doesn’t expire before you actually get a chance to use the product. On the other hand, if you often experience blackouts and find yourself using the product more often, you’ll need a trusted warranty in case of product malfunction along the way. We advise against purchasing any product with less than a 5-year warranty. Products with shorter warranty windows are less reliable and pose safety risks to your household. 

Understand its Conversion Efficiency

The conversion efficiency of your solar generator will determine how quickly it can capture and convert the sun’s energy into usable electricity. If the power is currently out, you’ll want a high efficiency that allows you to begin charging or powering devices as quickly as possible. Traditional solar generators use polycrystalline solar cells, which are made by melting fragments of silicon together, to capture and convert the sun’s energy. 

To get the best experience out of your solar generator, look for one that is made with monocrystalline solar cells. Monocrystalline solar cells are made from a single crystal of silicon, resulting in higher efficiency. Utilizing monocrystalline solar cells can provide a 50% higher conversion efficiency than other solar generators, with a transformation efficiency of ≥23.4%.

Check its Power Output

Now that you know how quickly the solar panel can capture and convert the sun’s energy, you’ll want to figure out how quickly it can emit that energy as electricity, which is often referred to as its output. This is important to know whether you want to charge devices from the solar panel itself or charge a separate battery pack. You want the output to be quick, reliable, and ultra-high. Also check how much wattage is emitted per panel so you know how many you may need or want to purchase. We suggest a minimum of 100W to make a useful impact.

Know How It’s Compatible

What are you looking to get out of this solar generator? Do you want to charge devices directly from the solar panels? Do you want to just convert the sun’s energy and attach it to a separate battery pack to store the electricity? It’s important to know what you’re looking for before you start looking for one to purchase, otherwise you can easily get overwhelmed with choices and make one that leaves you underwhelmed with the product’s usability. 

Your best bet for compatibility is to find a solar generator that is USB-compatible and has a matching backup battery power generator. This will allow you to charge devices like cell phones directly from the solar panel, but then attach it to the battery to store any extra energy for later use. Buying the two generators from the same company ensures a high-quality user experience, as well. 

Learn How to Set It Up

Obviously for solar generators to work they need to be facing and absorbing the sun’s rays. This means to get the most out of your solar panels, you’ll want them to be portable so you can relocate them at different times of the day or year. You’d also then be able to bring them inside during extreme weather to avoid unexpected damage. If you’re going to be moving the panels around and possibly putting them into storage, you should look for the one that is the simplest to set up and put away. A design involving a simple kickstand or is lightweight will be the best choice. You don’t want to struggle with set-up every time you need to use your solar generator! 

Summary

The process of purchasing any high-ticket item for your home can be stressful, but we’re here to make the process simpler for you. It’s important to do the proper research to find the product and company that fits with your family’s needs. Geneverse (formerly Generark)’s SolarPower ONE checks off all the boxes when it comes to the safest and most reliable solar generator for your home! It’s made with durable and PET high-temperature resistant materials, has internal safety protection features, and has passed 48 safety & reliable tests. It has 32 monocrystalline solar cells on each of its solar panels for 50% higher conversion efficiency, has a combined power output of 200W, and is USB-C and USB-A compatible. Bundled with our HomePower ONE, it’s wide-ranging compatibility will allow you to power almost any home device or appliance. It is also completely portable, lightweight, and boasts a 30-second hassle-free set-up, allowing you to use it anywhere with ease! Our industry leading 5-year warranty is the most expansive on the market, allowing you to safely and confidently enjoy our products with no added worry!

About Geneverse: Geneverse (formerly Generark) is the most reliablesolar generator and source of emergency backup power for your home and community. From theHomePower backup battery power station providing portable access to electricity, to theSolarPowersolar panels as a source for recharging, never be disconnected from what matters most to you. Learn more about how Geneverse and its industry-leading 5-year limited warranty can bring protection and security to your family ongeneverse.com. Never face a power outage alone, and power your home with a solar generator from Geneverse.