A fuelless generator is a machine that can store power and run any device that requires electricity. Traditional generators require gasoline to function. Meanwhile, the fuelless generators, of course, don't need any fuel at all.
This type of generator is less messy, and there's no unpleasant exhaust. It can be recharged by connecting them to
solar panels. You can also plug it in an outlet directly. It can power itself and supply power in return.
A fuelless generator is a form of a renewable energy system. It can be operated for hours without fuel. It produces no noise, and it requires low maintenance.
Nowadays, fuelless generators are becoming popular. This is because families can use it, especially during power outages caused by natural calamities. Each year, we experience disasters such as hurricanes, storms, floods, earthquakes, and others. Let's face it, and we can't live a day without electricity. Thus, this fuelless generator can help us survive a temporary power outage in our area.
In addition, it can also be used when traveling out in the wild. Sometimes, we need to unite with nature. However, we still need electricity to cook our food and drink clean water.
In this article, we will compare and contrast the four popular fuelless generators today. These are the
Humless Portable Solar-Ready Generator, Energy Solar Kodiak 1100 Watt Solar Generator, Lion Energy Ascent Fuelless Generator, and SolarPod Pro 1000 Solar Generator.
Before we start our review of the product, let us first discuss its features and specifications. Let us check out one by one below:
Humless Portable Solar-Ready Generator
The Humless Company
The Humless company is based in Utah. For years, they have been creating innovative solar energy products. It was founded in 2008. Since then, Humless has been receiving good feedback from its customers. Indeed, they provide reliable power systems to their patrons.
The Humless Home Power Series features the Go Series, Emergency Battery Systems, and Home Battery Systems.
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The Go Series- The company's Go Series is built to provide its customers with a portable and quiet power option. These systems are essential in replacing gas generators. These range from small to large, and you don't have to carry more with what you need.
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Emergency Battery Systems- With the Emergency Battery Systems, life continues even if the power is out. It can power the home. It can support any appliances that you have, especially during emergencies.
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Home Battery Systems- The Home battery systems of Humless use lithium batteries. With this, it can store more energy for a longer period.
Humless Home Portable Solar-Ready Generator
The Humless Home portable solar-ready generator has a 0.64kWh capacity. It is a portable solar generator that includes a strap attached to the metal shell for easy transportation. Indeed, the generator is designed for light to medium energy uses.
The input is 120V AC, and charging is 12 V to 50 V DC. Meanwhile, the output is 1.5 kW to 120 VAC and 12V DC with 4 USB outlets.
The product has a solar charging time of around 6 hours. It can support the charging of the laptop for around 8 hours. It can even run the fridge for around 12 hours.
This
solar generator can produce electricity without any emissions and loud noises. It uses an advanced lithium technology that has been used by our society since the 1970s. Lithium is used for portable home battery systems and automobiles. You can charge it either by plugging in an outlet or using solar panels.
The product dimension is 14" x 10" x 12". Meanwhile, it weighs about 38 pounds, and it can last for many years. Furthermore, the company offers a one-year warranty on their product.
Inergy Solar Kodiak 1100 Watt Solar Generator
The Inergy Company
The Inergy Company started as a start-up project that has become a leading brand in producing portable solar panels and generators. They have three products for the solar generators line-up: the
Raptor, Raptor Pro, and
Kodiak.
They launched the Kodiak Solar Generator in 2015. The company did this through the Indiegogo campaign, which is the most expandable and lightweight generator.
Meanwhile, the Raptor Pro is a solar-powered quick charger of the Inergy. It can support gadgets anywhere you go. During their Indiegogo campaign, they donated 1 unit to charity for every ten units sold.
Kodiak Portable Solar Generator
The Kodiak is their powerful solar generator. It can power smartphones, tablets, laptops, a mini-refrigerator, and other gadgets.
Its internal battery capacity is 1,100 Watts (90 Amps at 12.6 Volts). The AC inverter is 1,500 Watts with Pure Sine Wave Input of 11 to 30 VDC. The charging port is up to 600 Watts maximum.
Meanwhile, the AC output is six 110V AC plugs and 1 30 Amp RV plug, 1100 W (10Amps) maximum continuous output per AC outlet. It also has a 3,000 W starting surge maximum. The total limit for combined AC output is 1,500W.
On the other hand, the DC output is two 12V DC Universal car sockets, 180 watts (15 Amps) maximum output per socket, 8 USB outlets, 5 V DC, and basecamp LED light ports with a maximum of 10 LEDs per port.
The Inergy Kodiak package includes a Kodiak solar generator, AC charger, manual, and a shoulder carrying strap for easy product transportation. It has an LCD screen that indicates the battery's remaining charge time, which is a good feature for a fuelless generator.
Here are the guidelines of what type of appliances can the Kodiak Solar Generator support:
- Chest freezer: 50 hours
- Laptops of 50 watts: 20+ hours
- LED Light of 6 watts: 183 hours
- The microwave of 1,000 watts: 1 hour
- Mobile phones of 5 to 7 watts: 100+ hours
- Refrigerator: 33 hours
- Tablets of 25-20 watts: 40+ hours
Lion Energy Ascent Fuelless Generator
The Lion Company
Lion Energy began its company in 2001. It was started due to the founder's desire to aid people to prepare during emergencies. Initially, they started by bringing healthy food products on the market. Then, they realized that they could help other areas of emergency preparation. Thus, they introduced portable power products.
In 2012, they started selling power generators. Then in 2014, Lion Energy was created. The company was built with the principles of unwavering reliability, unmatched safety, and continual renewability advancements.
The Lion Energy Company manufactures emergency power sources such as solar generators, kits, and bags. One of their bestsellers is the Ascent fuelless generator.
Lion Energy Ascent Fuelless Generator
This Ascent generator is a dependable source of energy, especially when you need it the most. It includes an LCD screen to indicate the remaining charge of the product. It also features a fast-charging capability.
The battery of the Ascent generator is
lithium-iron phosphate with 2,000 plus life cycles. It can charge the generator in only 2.5 hours.
The product can last up to 8 years even if used and changed daily. In addition, it increases stored power capacity from 50 amp hours and 600 watts to 150 amp hours and 1,800 watts.
It has 4 USB outputs, and each is capable of 3A at 5 V DC, with a shared total current limit of 12A or 60 Watts maximum output. It has 2 AC with 110 to 220 V or 50 to 60 Hz. The two outlets share a combined total current limit of 1,500 Watts with around 2,000 W peak.
Furthermore, the Ascent generator has one 12 V cigarette light plug output with 10A at 12V max output, one 12V Anderson power pole output with 20A at 12V max output, and one 120V AC output with 300W max continuous output.
On the other hand, the inputs are one Anderson power pole with one port with a 15A limit using 12V DC input. Lastly, the input is one AC of 10V to 120 V with 50-60 Hz.
Finally, the product dimension is 13.375" x 9.375" x 15.875" and weighs about 45.8 pounds only.
SolarPod Pro 1000 Solar Generator
The SolarPod Company
The SolarPod was created by Sunbird Solar Limited, and it is based in the United Kingdom. They have been on the market for 16 years, and they produce solar panels, power banks, power stations, and other accessories.
They offer two types of products in their power stations: the
SolarPod 240 and
SolarPod Pro 1000.
SolarPod Pro
The SolarPod Pro 1000 is a portable solar generator that can support most electric tools inside our homes, especially during emergencies. It has a 960Wh battery capacity and a 1000 W Pure Sine Wave inverter.
On one full charge, it can power a mini-refrigerator, laptop, smartphone, or television. The battery on this product is LifePO4, and it has 2000 plus cycles of lifespan. It takes 4 1/2 hours to charge the battery on AC/ DC adapter, 10 hours on the 120 W solar panel, and 2 1/2 hours on four 120 W solar panels.
Its power capacity is 24V 40Ah with 960 Wh. Meanwhile, the rated input is DC 29V/ 10A (20A maximum), and the rated output is 1000W pure sine wave with 230V electrical outlets (one 12 V 15A car adaptor and four 5V 2A USB ports).
The package includes one user manual, AC/ DC charger/ replacement fuses, and one solar charger controller. The product dimensions are 400 mm x 262 mm x 257 mm, and it weighs about 15.9 kg. Finally, the company offers a 2-year warranty on this fuelless generator.
Review of the products
The four products mentioned above are some of the best fuelless generators that are available in the market today. However, to guide you in buying a suitable product, here are some parameters to compare the four products. Check it out here:
Charging time
The Lion Energy Ascent generator and the Humless Portable Solar-Ready generator will take 2.5 hours to have a complete charge. Meanwhile, the Inergy product takes about 2 hours before it becomes fully charged.
On the other hand, SolarPod will take 4 1/2 hours to charge by AC/DC adapter, 10 hours with one 120W solar panel, and 2 1/2 hours with four 120W solar panels.
So basically, the Inergy product is the fastest charging generator in the four products.
Input
The Humless product has an input of 120V AC Charging, 12V to 50V DC Charging. Meanwhile, the input of Inergy Kodiak input is 11 to 30VDC, and its charging port is up to 600W maximum.
Lion Energy's input has a total of 15A limit using 12V DC input. One AC 10V to 120V, 50 to 60Hz. And the SolarPod Pro has an input of DC 29V / 10A (20A Max).
Internal Battery and Its Capacity
The internal battery of Inergy is Lithium-Ion with a capacity of 1,100 Watts or 90 Amps at 12.6 Volts. Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, and it requires low-maintenance. In addition, the rate of self-discharge for lithium-ion is lower than other battery types, and it doesn't require priming.
Meanwhile, the battery of SolarPod Pro is
LifePO4 or Lithium Iron Phosphate, and it has a 960 watt-hour battery capacity with a 1000W Pure Sine Wave inverter. The LifePO4 batteries have ten times longer lifespan than lead-acid batteries. In addition, it is lightweight, and it can operate with much lower resistance.
The battery of Lion Energy is Lithium-Iron-Phosphate, too, just like the SolarPod Pro with a capacity of 20 amp-hours. At the same time, the Humless has a battery made of Advanced Lithium Technology and has a capacity of 0.64 kWh.
Outlets
The SolarPod Pro has two 230V/ 100 Watts outlets. It can also support one 12V 15A car adaptor and four 5V 2A USB connectors.
The Lion Energy can also support 4 USB connectors with 5V and 3A each; and 2 AC with 110-220V 50 to 60Hz outlets with a total combined output of 1,500 Watts.
On the other hand, the Inergy Kodiak can support 4 USB and six 110VAC plugs, while the Humless can only support 4 USB and four 110VAC plugs.
Price
The four products have almost the same price. However, the Humless Solar Generator is much cheaper than the three of them. Meanwhile, the SolarPod Pro is a little bit expensive than the three products in this article.
You can buy the products directly on their official website or at various online stores. They also ship their products within the United States, and you have to coordinate with their customer service representatives.
Size and Portability
The Humless measures 14" x 10" x 12," and it weighs about 38 pounds. Meanwhile, the Lion Energy measures 13.375" x 9.375" x 15.875" and weighs about 45.8 pounds.
The SolarPod Pro measures 400 mm x 262 mm x 257 mm (15" x 10.3" x 10.11") and it weighs about 15.9 kg while the Inergy measures 14" x 7" x 8" and weighs about 20 pounds only.
The Inergy Solar Kodiak is the lightest and most small solar generator among the four products, while the SolarPod Pro is the biggest in dimension.
The Verdict: Best Fuelless Generator
In sum, the
Inergy Solar Kodiak 1100 Watt Solar Generator outshines the three fuelless generators since it has 1,100 watts power bank, six outlets, a carrying strap for easy transportation, plus it is lightweight. Finally, it features a lithium-ion battery which has high energy density and low battery maintenance.
You can get the best quality of what you have paid for with the Inergy Solar Kodiak 1,100 Watt solar generator.
However, we are not saying that the three other products are not good. For this article only, we have chosen the Inergy because of the parameters set above.
The three fuelless generators, such as the SolarPod Pro, Humless, and Lion Energy, works wonderfully as well, and you can use them anytime for your home and outdoor adventures too.
Conclusion
In an emergency, having a fuelless generator is important since it will help you keep the lights on, keep your gadgets charged, and cook your food. The products mentioned above can give you all that ability using clean and renewable solar panels.
A portable fuelless generator can be stored in your garage and used during emergencies. It promotes clean energy; thus, many families nowadays opt to invest in fuelless generators for their homes. It requires low maintenance, and it can last for many years.
Make sure always to check the specifications of the product you buy to save money and effort in buying. Determine the usual power usage you have in your home, and if you do not use that much energy, you can opt to buy one of the four fuelless generators listed above.
