04-19-2014, 11:05 AM
"Could you install several more panels so you wouldn't have to worry quite so much during cloudy days?"
You could, though that would have to be a calculation you would have to have confidence in if you wanted to do without a generator. I wouldn't want to be without one in an off grid situation. Also, enough panels to obviate the need for the generator on a gray day would likely be wasted on sunny days and there are limitations in the amount of current the charge controllers can handle. And then there are space issues. We have the lower power panels (160 watt) that were available in 2005 and our 20' rack is full with sixteen of them.
You could, though that would have to be a calculation you would have to have confidence in if you wanted to do without a generator. I wouldn't want to be without one in an off grid situation. Also, enough panels to obviate the need for the generator on a gray day would likely be wasted on sunny days and there are limitations in the amount of current the charge controllers can handle. And then there are space issues. We have the lower power panels (160 watt) that were available in 2005 and our 20' rack is full with sixteen of them.