7 articles
12V or 24V for a 2000W inverter? We compare current draw (~170A vs ~85A), cable gauge, cost and efficiency — and when 12V is fine vs. when 24V is the clearly better choice.
Power & EnergyHow much battery for a PSPS outage? Shutoffs run 24–72 hours. We size it by load — fridge (~1–2 kWh/day), essentials, whole-home — and explain why solar recharge matters for multi-day outages.
Power & EnergyWhat cable size for a 2000W inverter? At 12V the real draw is ~180–200A — we show why 1/0 AWG is the bare minimum (2/0 AWG is safer), how to size the fuse and voltage drop, and how to avoid cable fires.
Power & EnergyMPPT or PWM? We explain the difference, the efficiency (PWM roughly ~70% vs. MPPT up to ~98%) and when the pricier MPPT controller is worth it — including the important V_OC × 1.25 sizing rule.
Power & EnergyNEM 3.0 explained: California's Net Billing Tariff (since 2023) pays roughly $0.05/kWh for exported solar but charges up to ~$0.60 at peak. We break down what changed and why a battery now makes the difference.
Power & EnergyMy 2000W DIY solar setup with LiFePO4 battery, MPPT charge controller and a 400 W foldable panel — built for expandable capacity and more kWh per dollar as you scale, not for beating a pre-built on a 2 kWh sticker price. Complete bill of materials, step-by-step wiring, and a side-by-side with EcoFlow DELTA Pro and Jackery Explorer 2000 v2.
Power & EnergyHow my ~$1,800 portable home battery setup works with California's NEM 3.0 export rates, shifts evening Time-of-Use peak usage off the grid, and provides essential-load backup during PSPS outages — without an electrician or utility paperwork.