Articles and buying guides
41 informational guides, written from manufacturer specifications and public references. Nothing here is a hands-on review.
Series
Power It Up
One device per post: how many watts it pulls, how many watt-hours it needs overnight or for a day, and the smallest power station that can carry it.
8 posts · ongoing
Outage Ready
Plans for a typical home through outages from 12 hours to a week: what to keep running, how much battery that takes, and when solar or a generator has to fill the gap.
5 posts
Off-Grid Builds
Sample 12V and 24V systems for a cabin, van, tiny house, shed workshop, RV and boat, each with a load list, sizing math, parts list and wiring outline.
6 posts
Spec Check
One popular power station per post: the manufacturer's published specs with sources, and what they mean in usable watt-hours. We compile specs; we don't lab-test units.
5 posts · ongoing
Head to Head
Two power stations people often weigh against each other, compared spec by spec, ending with who should buy which.
5 posts · ongoing
Buying guides
How to size a battery bank
Turn your daily loads into a battery size in watt-hours.
Inverter sizing: continuous watts and surge
Why start-up surge often decides the inverter, not running watts.
How many solar watts do you need?
Size an array to refill your battery from daily sun.
Portable power stations: what the specs mean
Capacity, output, solar input and recharge time decoded.
Planning off-grid power for a cabin
Loads, autonomy, backup generation and the winter problem.
Explainers
Watts, watt-hours and amp-hours explained
The three numbers on every battery and how they relate.
Peak sun hours explained
The number that turns panel watts into daily watt-hours.
Charge controllers: what they do
How a controller protects the battery and why MPPT is common.
Battery chemistries for solar storage
LiFePO4, NMC and lead-acid compared in plain English.
Home backup batteries: how they connect
Whole-home vs essential-loads backup, transfer equipment and permits.
12 V, 24 V or 48 V: choosing system voltage
Why bigger systems move to higher voltage.
