This is our special offgrid kit for all of you adventurers. It features our latest and greatest bifacial solar panels, which are perfect also for mobile applications. Weighing in at only 8.8lbs, at a thickness of 0.16in., you can place these panels on your camper, boat or even canoe. While the front produces 200W, the back takes advantage of any reflected sun rays and produces an additional 170W.
Simply connect two panels in series (plus to minus) and use the DC adaptor cable to connect them to the front of the battery. It will charge to 100% in about 4 hours, depending on light conditions.
Included in the kit
1 x 1kWh Battery Tower | with integrated solar charger and 3 x USB
2 x 200W | 36V bifacial solar panels
1 x 600/1200W off-grid inverter | run your appliances or gadgets from this device
1 x Solar adapter cable | MC4 to DC charge port
1 x AC to DC charger (for when there's no sun)
Can I get the solar tax credit from the government?
Unfortunately, not for offgrid kits like this one. Here is what you need to know. To get the solar tax credit of 30% of the total system price, just make sure that
- You own the system, i.e. you bought it under your name
- It’s installed at your home in the U.S.
- The system is new and has never been installed.
- Any battery has to have at least 3kWh capacity.
Find more information here on the website of the Department of Energy.
Why should I get a battery?
A solar battery can have multiple functions for you. Thankfully, our battery solves a few problems at once, so you don’t have to buy multiple products to deal with them all.
- To store solar power. You don’t necessarily need all the solar power when it’s generated. A battery allows you to store that energy for later, like for the evening. The CraftStrom battery is in constant communication with the PowerMeter and the solar system, so it knows exactly when it can store energy that’s not needed at the moment. This only works in conjunction with our Smart Base.
- To have backup power, in case of a power outage. Instead of having one battery somewhere central, our batteries are modular, so you can simply place them wherever you need power most.
- To use as an Uninterruptible Power Supply for critical issues, such as personal medical devices. Unlike other home battery solutions, our modular design allows for keeping critical devices separately up- and running. You can even charge each battery tower individually from solar.
- To provide power during outdoor adventures, like camping trips. Usually, you’d have to buy a separate battery for this purpose, but the CraftStrom batteries are easily taken out of their grid-connected bases. Simply pull it out of the base and take it with you. It will charge directly from solar in about 4 hours.
How does the battery know when to charge from- or discharge into my home?
Simple with our Smart Base (not included in this kit). We developed a highly secure and redundant communication system into all our products. It uses two modes of communication:
- WiFi, where it connects to your home WiFi router. It allows our products to send and receive data from the APP. This data is non-critical for the operation of our products. It simply send info to your screen, or takes instructions to then use.
- CrafTalk, which uses frequencies lower than WiFi. This allows our products to communicate through walls, over long distances, without interference from other devices. Since we coded this ourselves, it’s the safest way for our products to talk. Also, since the signals don’t have to take a detour through the internet, our servers and back, this communication happens in about 0.1 seconds. This is essential, if you want to run our system “permission-free”, because you then don’t sell energy back to the grid.
Since all our products use the same communication module, they create their own network. The PowerMeter will constantly check our energy use, check that use against your solar production, and then decide what to do. It can tell the battery to store energy for later, it can tell the battery to support your solar system during high use, or it can tell it to do nothing.
Of course, you can also program the battery yourself, using the App. It uses a simple scheduler to allow you to charge and discharge any day of the week, at any time, with a range of power.
