3 ms·

How about deep-cycle 12 volt batteries? You can buy a single battery for ~$130. This battery produces 55Ah and contains 660 watthours of energy. you'll need ab

• dholowiski 14y ago
  I think he's over-estimated the cost of batteries. I'm pretty sure you could get 55Ah 12V lead acid batteries for about 1/2 that. This is relatively common for people running off of solar power.
  • savrajsingh 14y ago
    After some further investigation, I discovered that my calculation exactly matches the upper bound stated by the National Renewable Energy Lab's estimates on cost, "$200/kWh" http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy02osti/31689.pdf http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy02osti/31689.pdf But yes it looks like you can also manage about half that cost for a similar system (their stated range is $80-$200 per kWh).
• lutorm 14y ago
  I think they meant to load-average so they could get away with a 600W generator instead of 5.5kW.
• lumberjack 14y ago
  That's significantly more expensive though. A 5KW gasoline generator is $500 new, significantly less used and definitely much more reliable than car batteries. It would also probably out last them. And it requires practically not maintenance whereas most car batteries that aren't in use would die without constant maintenance.