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I am just now moving, in 19 days, out of the city and to the country in a very rural community in Pikeville, TN. Feeling desperate to get a solar system set up asap when I take possession of my new home and before the grid goes down and shtf. (Same for water catchment system. No well on the property). Don’t know much about solar energy, and overwhelmed trying to learn. Panic is setting in big time. Can’t seem to find anyone to hire who knows how to design and install a solar system for me. Wondering if I just need to have a Generac or Titan whole house system installed??? Does anyone on this platform who knows anything about solar have any opinions about the Generac or Titan whole house systems? I thought they were all tied to the main grid and if the grid goes down, the Generac and Titan systems go down with the grid, making those systems useless. But I could be wrong. Does anyone know? Also thought about just going online to that Shop Solar Kits website and buying the Ecoflow DPK-3 Delta Pro system for about $21,000, but then I need to find someone to help me set it up so it functions as it is supposed to. Not having any luck finding any solar system designers and installers.to advise if that Ecoflo DPK-3 system is what I need. I can’t even get anyone to call me back. I keep coming across solar sales people who want to sell me a one size fits all system and they only install what they sell. They won’t help me install the Ecoflo DPK-3 kit. Does anyone have any ideas on how to find a solar contractor who can help me? I appreciate any and all feedback and help. Thank you!

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Just joined freesteading. Not sure if I am posting this in the right place or not. Does anyone know of a good solar system installer in the Pikeville, TN area? Thank you and God bless!

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Thank you for responding! This solar system business is the wild, wild west, isn’t it? The person who quoted you $60k – was it a licensed electrician who is also a solar professional, who can design and install what you need that is specific to your needs? Or did you get the vibe it was just an expensive system being sold by a slick salesman?

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Thanks for taking time to reply! Sorry to hear you are in same situation as me in PA. Good luck and hope you get your solar up and going soon without any glitches.

I don’t know if I need a Solar contractor to meet requirement for solar credits or if a licensed electrician is what I need. All the electricians I have called tell me they do not do solar. Ideally, I want and think (??) I need an electrician who understands and has a lot of experience doing both electrical and solar.

I agree that the EcoFlow delta system is a nice all in one solution and are plug and play BUT the package I want to buy requires an electrician to install the smart panel box, transfer switch, etc. So far, the electricians I have called don’t do solar.

My wife? Haha I am a 57 year old (single, heterosexual) woman with a 2 year old grand baby who is probably coming to live with me soon and I am trying to figure all this out before shtf, the grid goes down, etc. UGH…

Thanks for the link! I will check that out.

I don’t know for sure, but my understanding is that I DON’T want or need to be tied to the grid, because if the grid goes down, my power would go down with it. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong (anyone??)

I am not looking for or depending on solar credits. If I get them, great, but my main priority is just to have back up power if the grid goes down, both for short term and also for long term, as in years or a decade or more (if my solar system powers me that long?)

I have electric hvac heat and air, and also propane gas heat in 2 fireplaces & the kitchen stove AND one of those propane gas fireplaces can easily be converted to wood burning because it has a 12 inch chimney pipe opening where I can put a wood burning stove. I plan to put an Obadiah Pioneer Princess wood burning cook stove there in that propane gas fireplace that can be easily converted to wood burning, and keep the other propane gas fireplace as another backup if I don’t have electricity to power the electric hvac heat and air unit.

I have a 500 gallon propane tank buried in the yard and plan to have another 1000 gallon tank or two buried in yard, too.

I found out today that Titan does not service my area in Pikeville, TN because it is too far out in the country and too far away from Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga.

I finally got a call back from Generac and scheduling an appointment with them for an estimate in 3 weeks after I take possession of the house I am closing on at end of month.

My understanding of the Generac Powercell system is that it consists of a battery, a generator and solar panels, so when the electricity goes out, all of the solar power stored in the battery, from the solar panels, powers the home for up to 18 hours, and when the the battery is depleted (when there is no sun), then the generator kicks on.

I am not sure (?) but I think (?) the generator gets it’s power from the propane gas buried in the yard, until the sun comes out, shines on the solar panels and recharges the battery again to keep it charged up.

This is my limited understanding of the Generac Powercell at this moment which may be wrong (?) Anyone, please, feel free to correct me as I obviously hardly understand enough about how it all works to even have much of a conversation about it.

I also learned today that the solar panels that Generac uses are enphase and solar edge panels. And I know nothing about either at this time. Looking for info about them now.

Please, if you or if anyone else here knows anything about this Generac Powercell solar system OR the enphase or solar edge solar panels they use, please, feel free to chime in here and advise me.

All info and advice is welcomed and GREATLY appreciated because I know so very little about any of this and I feel incredibly vulnerable, for both my 2 year old grand baby and myself, as a single, 57 year old grandmother who in all likelihood will be raising her starting very soon. I want to get a good backup solar system but I don’t want to hoodwinked into buying some expensive system that is not that great and that I don’t need. I don’t mind paying for a good, reliable system, but I need to make sure it is good and reliable for us.

Wondering if I should also buy the EcoFlo Delta system as an additional backup to my Generac system??? Or is that overkill? They are plug and play as you say, but I am admittedly overwhelmed at the thought of trying to figure all that out on my own. I have to ask people to explain this solar stuff to me as though explaining it to a 10 year old. Maybe an 8 year old.

Thanks again for taking time to advise me. I greatly appreciate you!

Let me know how your system goes and what you decide to use.

God bless you and yours!

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How did you go about finding good consulting from a pro who understands both solar and electrical and how they tie together ??? I am having trouble finding anyone who will even call me back. Titan Solar called me back but it was a woman from a call center and she couldn’t even answer the most basic questions, like if the systems they sell are tied to the main grid and go down when the main grid goes down. They also don’t service my area because I am an hour from the main big cities. So how did you find good consulting from a pro??? I have called 8 solar companies and went online to request quotes from them with my name, phone number, email address, physical address of my home, etc. I get call backs from what seems like Angie’s List type call services with people who cannot answer even the most basic of questions. UGH…how do I find an experienced, competent, knowledgeable solar consultant? I am in Pikeville, TN. Thank you in advance for any advice you (and anyone else) can give me.

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Trying to find a solar designer & installer who is knowledgeable, experienced in solar and electrical, & trustworthy in the Pikeville, TN area who can design and install a good system for my needs, not just a cookie cutter system. Do you, or does anyone else, know of a good solar designer and installer in the Pikeville, TN area? Thank you and God bless you and yours!