Choosing the Right Generator for Your Solar System
What You Need to Know Introduction Every once in a while, I get a call from a customer whose old generator has finally quit for good. The question is always the same: “What generator should I buy next?” And my answer is always the same: “Well… that depends.” A generator isn’t a one-size-fits-all purchase, especially…
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Leaving the Cabin?
It’s Okay to Turn Off Your Lithium Batteries Introduction I just had a customer call me about his solar system. He was heading out for five weeks and wanted to know what he should do while he’s away, keep the system on so the sun can keep charging the batteries, or shut everything down? My…
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Powering the Next Generation:
Why Families Are Investing in Off-Grid Cabins Introduction Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with many families who are building or upgrading their off-grid cabins. The conversations often start with practical questions, how big should the solar system be, how long will the batteries last, or what kind of inverter they’ll need.…
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Why Winter is the Best Time to Plan Your Solar Project
Introduction When most people think about going solar, they picture sunny summer days and long hours of daylight. But the best time to plan your solar project is actually during the winter. Depending on where you’re located, panels may be covered in frost or snow, but that’s exactly why winter is the perfect season to…
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When to Add More Solar Panels: Signs Your Array Isn’t Keeping Up
Introduction At IOTG Solar, we believe a solar system should be more than “just enough.” It should match your lifestyle, your energy habits, and your future goals. But over time, many owners find their system just isn’t keeping up like it used to. Maybe you’ve added an EV or switched to electric DC fridge, maybe…
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How Smart Relays Can Automate Your Off-Grid Power
Introduction Wi-Fi AC plugs are available in many brands and can control almost anything that plugs into a standard home AC outlet from anywhere using Wi-Fi, but what about DC devices? I was recently asked by a customer how he could control a DC-powered device remotely over the internet, a device that itself relies on…
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Surge Power vs Continuous Power
Why It Matters for Inverter Selection Introduction Besides considering voltage changes during customer upgrades, such as moving from a 12-volt to a 24- or 48-volt battery bank, another critical factor is understanding power surges from appliances and pumps. These short bursts of high startup demand can significantly affect how a system performs. This is one…
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The Hidden Energy Losses in Off-Grid Systems
Smaller Cables, Lower Losses, & More Efficient Inverters Introduction I’ve designed many off-grid solar systems over the years, ranging from simple summer months setups to highly complex, year-round installations. One thing they all have in common is hidden energy losses, some systems suffer from them more than others. For cabins used only in the summer,…
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Higher Voltage, Smarter Solar
Smaller Cables, Lower Losses, & More Efficient Inverters Introduction I recently sat down with a new customer to talk about designing a solar system for his shop. This isn’t just any shop, it’s larger than most homes. It has three sections: two smaller sides and one massive middle bay where he can park a 45-foot…
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Charging Smarts: Lithium vs. Lead-Acid
How Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries Charge Differently Than Lead-Acid Introduction Over the past few years, we’ve seen a big shift from lead-acid to lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries. With that switch comes a learning curve, not just in the technology itself, but in how these batteries charge. Many existing inverters were designed with lead-acid in…
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