How does one PROPERLY go about designing a 100% Solar System?

[Naptown]

Greatly appreciate the suggestions from everyone here!

Did you leave the generator on all day? Or do you have the auto-starting Genset Controller (The Xantrex XW series you suggested, sounds like it automatically turns the generator on/Off when Batts hit a Default or Factory Genset thresholds or user programmed limits). Didn't realize I could get a 3rd party to turn on/off generators - guessing the Generator would either need a battery start and an add to trigger the for the ignition task. I'll have to double check the manual online before ordering.

Where I live there are too many trees that cannot by law be cut or trimmed so no solar for Naptown. (kind of an oxymoron considering I am a pro in the field)
Anyway Generally I run the Generator for a few hours in the AM and a few hours in the evening to watch TV and cool down one room in the summer if it is hot. This keeps the fridge cold, freezer frozen and provides a bit of entertainment and a reasonable place to sleep in the heat. Cooking is done with Propane along with Hot water. Well requires the generator to run. Heating is propane so that runs as well off the generator but most outages occur in the summer fall hurricane season.

[russ]

The hydrogen generators are neat! Residential units are bombs for the most part.

If you haven't worked in a hazardous gas culture (gas handling/reforming plant) it is doubtful one would understand how to go about it.

The DIY H2 generator sites are full of hot air more than hydrogen.

[bonaire]

Agreed that a generator makes for a great Portable & emergent uses system - especially for topping off batteries & High Amp appliances.

Cool stuff, but using a $14K+ Car & Li-Ion battery as a battery bank?!? Sounds like asking for an expensive problem - ones on lease actually track usage patterns.

Car with battery bank is for daily commuting and the very rare off chance of a storm outage, you can use the gender plus battery as a power source. Look for work class trucks to offer this kind of thing standard from companies like Via Motors and others. In ten years, this will be more commonplace. People are not buying EREV cars for standby, but are using them in some instances for the availability of power just as a typical car has a 12v battery that could be similarly used. The volt will burn less gasoline than a home generator delivering the same power due to the larger, lightly used genset. Just like a home battery set can be used and recharged by a cycled generator.

If you want to follow a long thread on the subject,

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?8835-Volt-as-Emergency-Power-Generator

[inetdog]

The Volt will burn less gasoline than a home generator delivering the same power due to the larger, lightly used genset.

Actually another big factor is the controls, electronic and otherwise, in an extended range EV which allow the engine to be run at its most efficient settings, including shutting the engine down and starting it up again as needed even though the load on the batteries is continuous.
An inverter type generator does a better job of running the engine efficiently than a conventional generator which has to maintain a constant engine speed to keep the AC frequency correct. But even an inverter generator cannot continue to supply a load while the engine is off.
In the simplest case, I have run a 12 volt inverter off the 12 volt auxiliary battery of a Prius and the engine just cycles as needed to keep up the 12 volts when the traction battery gets too low.

[russ]

With an EV you end up paying a premium at present - opportunity charge by the mfg?

You end up prepaying years of gas cost when buying an EV.

A cheap generator set can be quiet and the difference in efficiency won't be noticeable for the time period operated.

[inetdog]

With an EV you end up paying a premium at present - opportunity charge by the mfg?

You end up prepaying years of gas cost when buying an EV.

A cheap generator set can be quiet and the difference in efficiency won't be noticeable for the time period operated.

True. The option of using the EREV or Hybrid as a power source only makes sense if you would have the EV anyway!

[russ]

True. The option of using the EREV or Hybrid as a power source only makes sense if you would have the EV anyway!

The last car I bought was a Nissan Micra - small car and petrol engine. I preferred a diesel but the premium they charge for the common rail diesels is too much.

[inetdog]

The last car I bought was a Nissan Micra - small car and petrol engine. I preferred a diesel but the premium they charge for the common rail diesels is too much.

One of my favorites until my son drove it without oil was a 1995 Geo Metro sedan with 5 speed manual and a three cylinder 1.0 liter engine. He spun two of the crankshaft bearings and I still managed to drive it another 5000+ miles as a commute car until I found somebody with the same car with a good engine but a totalled body and sold him my car.
A nominal Chevy made by Suzuki at a factory in Canada.
It got close to 40 MPG.

[russ]

One of my favorites until my son drove it without oil was a 1995 Geo Metro sedan with 5 speed manual and a three cylinder 1.0 liter engine. He spun two of the crankshaft bearings and I still managed to drive it another 5000+ miles as a commute car until I found somebody with the same car with a good engine but a totalled body and sold him my car.
A nominal Chevy made by Suzuki at a factory in Canada.
It got close to 40 MPG.

The Micra averages just above 43 mpg.