Batteries
12V UL Certified
Certified to UL1973. Consistent quality, audited over time.
12V Budget
Cheaper per amp-hour. Reliable today, no long-term guarantee.
48V UL Certified
Required if you are permitting your system or tying to the grid.
48V Budget
Great build quality, but off-grid use only — not permit-legal.
Battery Capacity Testers
After a few years, you need to test the capacity of your system.
Inverters
12V Off-Grid
RVs, boats, vans and small cabins. 1,000–3,000W.
48V Off-Grid
Run a whole house off-grid. 6,000–12,000W.
48V Hybrid
Grid-tied plus battery backup. Certified for interconnection.
High-Voltage Residential
Highest efficiency. This is what I run in my own home.
3-Phase Commercial
Take an entire warehouse off-grid. Effectively unlimited capacity.
Solar Panels
Mobile Panels
Lightweight and low-profile for RVs, vans and trailers.
Standard Panels
Best cost per watt for homes, ground mounts and carports.
Solar Mounting
Ground Mount
Fast to assemble, engineered and legal for permitted installs.
Roof Mounted
Low-profile systems engineered for secure, long-lasting roof installations.
Solar Carports
Dual-purpose structures that provide shade while generating clean energy.
Generators
Anker Solar Generators
Build a system in minutes! Beginner friendly and reliable.
Jackery HomePower
This is the only Jackery that I like. The output for the size and price is fantastic.
System Packages
Don't Want to Piece it Together?
These are complete, wire-by-wire builds I’ve assembled and tested myself. Every fuse, lug and breaker is specified, so nothing shows up missing on install day.

Hand-Truck 48V System

Hand-Truck 48V System ~$2,400

Off-Grid Home Blueprint

Full 48V house system ~$9,800

Code-Compliant 48V System

Permit & inspection ready ~$13,500

Components
Battery Chargers
Reliable charging for lithium batteries.
Wire & Connectors
Wiring essentials for a clean, reliable setup.
Fuses & Breakers
Essential protection for your electrical system.
Crimpers & Tools
Tools for building and maintaining your system.
Battery Monitors
Track your battery’s power and performance.
Solar-friendly A/C
Efficient cooling built for off-grid power.
12v Fridges
Efficient cooling for life on the road.
Components

Van or RV

Mobile, 12V, tight on space and weight

Boat

Marine-rated, waterproof, heated cells

Cabin or Shed

Small off-grid build, 12V or 48V

Whole House

Off-grid or grid-tied with backup

My Favorite 100-400W Mobile Solar Panels

Great for Mobile Solar Systems!

Affiliate links below

Best Performance Callsun 100W 
Solar Panels

I tested a stack of N-type bifacial solar panels and the best bang for your buck was the callsun. I was pulling the same numbers as the most expensive renogy panel! Most N-type solar panels have a low quality back sheet and rails. Not the callsun. I ordered it randonly for another video and I could not believe how well they worked. And they are nearly the same price as a traditional panel

Callsun 100W Single

Compact 100W panel for small mobile and off-grid setups.

Callsun 100W 2-Pack

Flexible 200W total setup for RVs, vans, and small systems.

Callsun 200W 2-Pack

400W total output for higher-demand mobile power setups.

Shadowflux 120W-200W 
Solar Panels

If you have more money to spend and want the same performance as the callsun, check out the renogy shadowflux. It handles shading better than the callsun, but it comes at a price. I tell most people not to invest in “shade tolerant tech” and focus on mounting more panels in a better direction with the sun. If you have limited roofspace and you are constantly dealing with shading from large objects or leaves, the shadowflux might be worth it:

Shadowflux 120W Panels

Compact high-efficiency panels built for limited roof space.

Shadowflux 200W Panels

Higher-output panels for RVs and demanding off-grid builds.

And thats it! Most of the other panels were not performing as well or had cheap rails/backsheets/junction boxes. The panels above are my favorites out of stacks of solar panels that I tested. Stick to the ones above and you will be set.

Dirt Cheap Panels from Santan Solar

Dirt Cheap Panels

Reliable used solar panels at the lowest possible price.

Santan Solar sells used but inspected solar panels from Arizona. Every panel they sell is a high-quality name brand solar panel, and after selling 1000’s of solar panels they have only had a handful of returns.

​These are a fraction of the cost of the solar panels I recommend above, and will work for a long time.

What people don’t realize about solar panels, is that they last for decades, if not centuries. Most panels are rated for 25 years to 80% output, which is an extremely conservative goal. Most panels can produce well over 90% of their rated output after 30 years. They can also handle years of non-stop rain/hail/snow/wind without issue.

For me personally, I go for the cheapest panels possible, because cost is not really a determinant factor of performance (such as the cheap solar panels I recommend above). After my real world testing of stacks of solar panels, many cheap panels can produce the same or more power than the more expensive ones, and they have the same safety ratings, and warranties.

​The problem with santan solar is that the shipping cost is pretty steep. So be sure to use this option if you plan to build a large array only.

What About Flexible Solar Panels? ​Don't Buy them!

Every single flex panel on the market is garbage. I challenge anyone to prove me wrong on this. I have destroyed stacks of these things. The cells crack easily and take out a whole string of cells when the bus bars break. Or they have extreme degradation after a few months of summer. Even the latest “CIGS” panels that I was so excited about, are having delamination problems.

Do yourself a favor, and avoid the flex panels. None of them are good.

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