Field notes
Articles
Guides and notes on off-grid energy, balcony solar, and rig sizing.
How El Niño Changes Off-Grid Solar Sizing
El Niño means cloudier skies, weaker solar yield, and longer outages. Here's how to re-size your off-grid battery bank, solar array, and backup generator for an El Niño season — and the gear that matters most.
Portable Power Station vs Solar Generator: What's the Difference (and Which to Buy)
Portable power station vs solar generator: what's actually different, the marketing behind the two terms, and which one you should buy based on how you'll use it.
12V vs 24V vs 48V Van Electrical Systems: Which to Choose
12V, 24V, or 48V for your van build? The voltage decision affects wire thickness, inverter size, and cost. Here's how to choose for your off-grid electrical system.
Overpaneling Explained: Can You Connect More Solar Watts Than Your Controller Rating?
Can you connect 600W of solar to a 400W charge controller? What overpaneling is, why it's usually safe, and the three numbers you must check before doing it.
How Much Solar Do I Need for a Tiny House? (With Realistic Load Examples)
A realistic, worked example of sizing solar for a tiny house — daily watt-hours, panel watts, battery amp-hours, and the mistakes that leave tiny-home owners underpowered.
Winter Solar Output: How Much Power You Actually Get in December (By US Region)
Solar panels produce far less in winter. Here's the real December output by US region, what it means for your battery bank, and how to size for the dark months.
Can a Portable Power Station Run a CPAP Machine All Night?
How big a portable power station do you need to run a CPAP all night? Real runtime math for Bluetti, EcoFlow, and Jackery, plus what the humidifier and heated tube cost you in watt-hours.
How Long Will a 100Ah Battery Run a 12V Fridge? (Real-World Numbers)
How long will a 100Ah battery run a 12V fridge? Real runtime math for LiFePO4 and lead-acid, the compressor duty cycle that changes everything, and how to size a battery for fridge + basics.
MPPT vs PWM Solar Charge Controllers: Is MPPT Worth the Extra Money?
PWM vs MPPT solar charge controller: real efficiency difference, the exact break-even point where MPPT pays for itself, and when a cheap PWM controller is actually the right call.
Solar Cable Sizing Guide: What AWG Wire Do I Need for My Panels?
What AWG solar cable do you need? A practical guide to sizing solar wire by current, voltage drop, and run length, plus the two runs that cause most off-grid wiring failures.
Can I Run an Air Conditioner on Solar? (Honest Sizing for RVs and Vans)
Can you run an air conditioner on solar? Honest sizing math for RVs and vans, why AC is the hardest off-grid load, and the four real ways people make it work.
Generator Backup for Off-Grid Solar: Propane vs Gasoline vs Diesel
Propane vs gasoline vs diesel for an off-grid backup generator - shelf life, energy density, runtime, cost, and which fuel fits each kind of rig.
LiFePO4 vs AGM vs Flooded Lead-Acid: Which Battery for Off-Grid?
LiFePO4 vs AGM vs flooded lead-acid compared for off-grid builds - usable capacity, cycle life, weight, maintenance, and cost over time, plus how to pick.
Is Balcony Solar Legal in My State? (2026 Guide)
A 2026 state-by-state guide to plug-in balcony solar legality - where it's signed and in effect, where legislation is pending, and what to check before you buy.
Bluetti vs Jackery vs EcoFlow for Van Life (2026)
Bluetti, Jackery, and EcoFlow compared for van life and off-grid builds – solar input, portability, expandability, and charging speed, plus how to pick.
Off-Grid Solar Sizing Cheat Sheet: Battery, Panel, and Inverter Ranges by Rig Type
A quick-reference cheat sheet for off-grid battery, solar panel, and inverter sizing by rig type - portable, cabin, full-time home, and homestead.
What Size Inverter Do You Need? Fridge, Microwave, CPAP, and More
Size your off-grid inverter correctly using running vs. surge watts for common appliances – fridge, microwave, CPAP, A/C, and more – plus a worked example.
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need for a 100Ah, 200Ah, or 400Ah Battery?
Size off-grid solar panels to your battery bank — 100Ah, 200Ah, 400Ah sizing charts, the math, and how sun hours and battery chemistry shift the numbers.