Keep the lights on, on or off the grid.
Honest, tested guides to solar and battery backup for your home, cabin, van, or homestead. No installer calls. No fluff.
Start with your setup
Same gear, different goals. Pick where you are.
Home Backup
Home battery backup and solar backup power to ride out outages and shave your bill, right here in town.
Off-Grid & Cabins
Off-grid solar systems and kits for cabins and homesteads, full independence past the power lines.
RV
RV solar panels, kits, and battery power for RVs, trailers, and motorhomes.
Gear & Components
Solar gear and components, panels, batteries, inverters, and charge controllers, compared.
Mini Splits
Mini split heat pumps, the other half of an electrified home: sizing, wiring, warranties, and where to buy.
How much solar and battery do you actually need?
Answer a few questions about what you want to run and for how long. We size the panels, battery bank, inverter, and controller, then point you at gear that fits.
Open the sizing calculator →Latest guides
All guides →9,000 vs 12,000 BTU Mini Split: Sizing a 400 Sq Ft Room in a Hot Climate
9,000 or 12,000 BTU for a 400 sq ft room? The rules of thumb, the hot-climate adjustment, and why a modestly oversized inverter unit beats an undersized one.
Do Any Mini Splits Plug Into a Wall Outlet? 115V vs 230V, Explained
No mini split plugs into a standard wall outlet. What 115V vs 230V actually changes, why every unit needs a dedicated circuit, and what the electrician will install.
Mini Split Freezing Up: What It Means and Whether to Repair or Replace
A mini split freezing up usually means a refrigerant leak, blocked airflow, or a bad sensor. How to tell which, what ice is normal, and when replacement beats repair.
Recent reviews
All reviews →Cooper & Hunter MIA 12,000 BTU Review: The Quiet One, With a Warranty Catch
A quiet, efficient, genuinely affordable single zone heat pump that covers summer cooling and real winter heating down to 5 degrees. Budget for a licensed installer to protect the warranty, and set expectations that this is a value brand, not a premium one.
Daikin 19 Series 12,000 BTU Review: The Premium Benchmark You Cannot Self Install
The reliability and warranty benchmark for a single room, a quiet efficient inverter heat pump from the biggest name in HVAC, with coverage that outlasts almost every rival. Budget for professional install and a higher price, because both are non negotiable here.
MRCOOL DIY 5th Gen 12,000 BTU Review: The Warranty That Survives a Self Install
The strongest pick for a homeowner who wants real install savings without losing the warranty, now on current R-454B refrigerant at 23.5 SEER2. Go in clear eyed about the parts only warranty, uneven support, and leak risk at the QuickConnect fittings.