A good friend of mine bought a MEP-802A military genset recently. It so happened I was looking for ways to power a 240V arc welder and some larger 120V shop tools well away from any grid power hookups. I was considering renting a diesel powered welder / generator, but it turns out the military genset worked great instead.

Winter is here. Much of the country is experiencing windy bitter cold days that can sap the energy right of not only you but your home as well! But on the bright side, you can actually take advantage of these frigid days to conduct your own DIY home energy audit. And it can cost you nearly nothing once you know where to look!

If you have an electric golf cart, follow along to convert it to a solar golf cart and you might not need to ever plug it back in to charge again! If you dont have one (yet), I am finding it super handy, affordable (and stealthy!) way of getting around the property. I highly recommend one!

A Solar Generator is aterm for a device that can convert solar energy from the sun into electrical ACpower. Most Solar Generators use one or more solar panels to generate DCelectrical power. The DC electricity is then converted to AC electricity withan AC power inverter.

One of the ways I have been diversifying my income is to start a small business repairing Motorcycles, ATVs and Side-by-Sides. There are a lot of these types of vehicles in my area, but not many options for professional repair. I saw this as an opportunity to turn one of my hobbies into an additional income source.

I am using my Kubota B20 front end loader to cut in some new storm ditches and install culverts alongside my driveway and access roads. I made a custom tooth bar similar to the Piranha Bar out of scrap steel, and it has been working very well.

Can you realistically run an electric 48 volt golf cart on solar panels? Well, we plan to find out!

I picked up a super cheap Yamaha electric golf cart (48 volt G19) to tinker with. First we need to get it fixed up and running. I came with two new 8 volt batteries, but will need 4 more in order to reach the required 48 volts the controller needs.

We use a variety of tools to see what works best for cutting Mortise Tenon joint into some old timber beams.

I have been working on a building a new base for an old pool table to put in our basement. The table was picked up for free because the original base had been ruined. We decided to cut some timber frame beams and build a new base for it with Mortise Tenon joints.

In this series I will show you how to save money by building your own DIY Solar Generator, with all the same features as the commercial made units. The finished result will be a high quality solar generator with more serviceability and customization options to your own needs than the ready made units.

Note: The original design of this DIY solar generator used a 2,000 watt inverter. We have upgraded it to the new 3,000 watt model in the latest version along with several other improvements. Before you build the solar generator following our how to plans, be sure to watch the updates video below for the recent changes!

Solar Generators (also called Solar Powered Generators) are extremely useful tools. I started looking into some of the largest portable solar generator units on the market because the idea of a completely silent generator that can run large power loads while never needing gasoline is a really cool concept. Whether you want to run a portable table saw, or go tailgating / camping where the noise of a standard generator would be irritating, these solar generators are really handy.

I soon realized I could build my own getting to pick the components that best match my needs, and even better save approximately half the cost vs buying a manufactured solar generator. This post will show you step-by-step how to build your own weatherproof indoor/ outdoor diy solar generator!

Part 1 Component Overview (current step)
Part 2 Component Testing
Part 3 Mounting Internal External Components
Part 4 Wiring the Solar Generator
Part 5 Plexiglass Cover Design Updates
Part 6 Solar Panel Battery Bank Expansion

After seeing what was available, I found myself wanting to design my own DIY solar generator for many reasons. For one it will be a lot cheaper. Second, I can add several features I wanted to add that are not in to the manufactured units. Finally, because it will be an enjoyable project!

By building your own, you will learn all about small off-grid solar setups, and also be able to fix the individual components if you ever have problems with it down the road. You can also easily modify the plans to build a permanent style off grid solar power setup for a cabin or camper.

Another video update! This was filmed a while ago but I just finally got around to editing it down. I also filmed the method I used to load the back tires with 48 gallons of windshield washer fluid. It was easy!!

The tractor has been running great and has been coming in very handy the last several weeks.