Portable solar station build
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2026 11:08 am
This was in 2023 but figured I'd share pics here as I kind of have some all over and can never find them when I do share it with others.
2x 100w Renogy solar panels setup to fold out
Equipment cabinet which can also stow the panels.
Cabinet painted, and added 120v outlets on both sides. It's also mounted on a dolly for easy transport. Was cheaper to just buy a whole dolly than to implement wheels myself.
Test run with log splitter.
Better look inside. There's 2 small switches on that white panel, one is for the air intake fan, the other is a soft start for the inverter, it turns it on but with a resister in series, after a few seconds I can then turn on the big red switch to turn on the inverter itself. To connect the solar panel to the charge controller I just use a normal extension cord except I put 240v ends on it, that way I can't accidentally plug it into a power source. This station can power pretty much any 120v household load. I've tested power tools, compressor, induction cooktop etc.
The cabinet is also designed to be watertight from rain, although I've never been brave enough to actually test that.
I try to keep it covered when not in use. Over the years it's suffered a bit of damage from trees falling on it while it was stashed in the bush but overall still works fine.
Inverter is a 2000w Renogy, and charge controller is also a Renogy, I forget the exact wattage but it's a little more than what is needed for 200w solar. Battery is a AGM battery. Only went AGM as I wanted this cart to be able to be tilted for transport. If I was to spend more money I'd put 2 lifepo4 batteries in it instead.
First time using it when I camped overnight at my off grid property.
One downside of this setup is that it's HEAVY. Not something you can just grab and put in the back of a pickup without using a winch. It doesn't look that heavy but I would guess it's over 200lbs. Even wheeling it over a small ledge is hard. If ever I decide to make another I will build it out as a trailer instead so it can be pulled by an ATV.
The cabinet is also designed to be watertight from rain, although I've never been brave enough to actually test that.
I try to keep it covered when not in use. Over the years it's suffered a bit of damage from trees falling on it while it was stashed in the bush but overall still works fine. Inverter is a 2000w Renogy, and charge controller is also a Renogy, I forget the exact wattage but it's a little more than what is needed for 200w solar. Battery is a AGM battery. Only went AGM as I wanted this cart to be able to be tilted for transport. If I was to spend more money I'd put 2 lifepo4 batteries in it instead.
One downside of this setup is that it's HEAVY. Not something you can just grab and put in the back of a pickup without using a winch. It doesn't look that heavy but I would guess it's over 200lbs. Even wheeling it over a small ledge is hard. If ever I decide to make another I will build it out as a trailer instead so it can be pulled by an ATV.