Almost everybody loves food truck fare because it is adjudged to be fresh, tasty and equally healthy (depending on the food in question).
A lot of food trucks today set themselves apart from the crowd by offering meals that are not only fresh and healthy, but they also use eco-friendly preparation formats. As part of this, many food trucks are adopting the solar power strategy for their business.
It is a well known fact that propane, fuel and diesel generators are great pollutants, and many eco-friendly food trucks are now switching to solar power generators. Solar power generators are a great off-grid alternative power source for light and food preparation.
Portable solar powered generators are adjudged to be lightweight, don’t produce any fumes nor run on fossil fuels and don’t make noise like regular portable generators.
A solar power portable generator is the only generator that is safe for an indoor area use (just like a food truck) because it does not run on fossil fuels and so does not emit any fumes. Plus, many models are a rechargeable battery without an engine so they are virtually silent generators.
Because of its lightweight feature, many solar powered generators are highly portable. However, a few heavy duty models are heavy and so not suitable for outdoor activities and road trips. Having carried out some research, it has been discovered that there is no one particular solar powered generator that can be adjudged the best.
One generator can be great for one food truck but not be efficient enough for another. For that reason, we will bring you various amazing solar generators with different sizes and capacities so you can pick out the one that best suits your food truck.
Best Solar Powered Generator for Food Truck
Table of Content
- 1. Ecoflow River Solar Power Rechargeable Portable Power Station
- 2. Audew High Capacity Portable Battery Power Station
- 3. HomeGrid 5000HD Portable Solar Generator
- 4. PAXCESS S320 100-Watt Portable Solar Power Generator
- 5. Goal Zero Yeti 400 Portable Solar Power Station
- i. Arlington, VA – Solar Crepes
- ii. Portland, OR – Off the Griddle
- iii. Los Angeles, San Diego, NYC – The Green Truck
- iv. Nationwide – Sungevity Ice Pop Truck
- a. They save cost
- b. Reduced or zero pollution
1. Ecoflow River Solar Power Rechargeable Portable Power Station
One great solar power generator to use for your food truck is the Ecoflow River solar power generator. The Ecoflow River portable power station is quite powerful for a solar power generator and packs that power in a sleek and compact design. It is also a very sturdy design with proven functionality in temperatures between -4° – 140° Fahrenheit.
The Ecoflow River has a capacity of 412 Wh which the manufacturers claim is enough to power light for 100 hours, a mini portable refrigerator for 10 hours and fully charges laptops at least 5 times and mobile phones at least 30 times. You can connect these appliances using any of the 11 outlets including AC, DC and CIG outlets and USB ports.
Above the electrical outlets is an informative LCD screen showing battery level, how much longer it can run and its power output. It is very lightweight for how much power it has and also nicely portable with its carrying handle. The power station is compatible with the Ecoflow Solar Panel Charger but this is sold separately.
2. Audew High Capacity Portable Battery Power Station
The Audew portable power station is another solar powered generator to look out for. It has a high capacity of 60,000 mAh. This rechargeable battery can fully charge with any 50 watt or 100 watt solar panel in 8 hours but it can also be plugged into a regular wall outlet or car outlet.
This portable solar generator has enough power for running a car refrigerator for 5 hours, a desk fan for 8 hours and fully recharges smartphones and laptops several times. It does not have amazing power for a solar powered generator but it is enough for the basic electrical devices.
This very portable model is also pre-installed with an intelligent battery management system (BMS) that controls temperature and voltage. A final unique feature is that the AC outlets is a universal plug so it can connect to devices designed for anywhere in the world.
3. HomeGrid 5000HD Portable Solar Generator
Moving on to the most powerful portable solar power generator; the HomeGrid 5000HD. This big solar power generator was designed as food truck generator which is why it carries so much power. Its 5000 watts of running power is enough to run a variety of household appliances like a refrigerator, AC unit or portable heater making it a great power source for food trucks.
The HomeGrid 5000HD is a heavy-duty portable generator that is weather resistant and designed for prolonged use. This solar powered portable generator can connect to both 120 volt and 240 volt circuits making it a perfect fit for most food trucks.
If you plan on using the HomeGrid 5000HD elsewhere, you can move it around using the trolley design wheels and pulling handle. This model can store 3700 watts of power. Its rechargeable battery is also expandable for when you want even more power for your home.
4. PAXCESS S320 100-Watt Portable Solar Power Generator
This is the lightest portable rechargeable battery and one of the best solar power generators. It is meant for light use but is an overall versatile design with both AC and DC outlets and USB ports. The PAXCESS S320 is a very safe solar power station that is even IATA approved for air travel meaning you can carry it with you all over the world.
It has a battery management system that controls voltage, current and temperature. The PAXCESS S320 is most compatible with the PAXCESS 50 watt solar panel which only needs a connection cable for safe linking. PAXCESS recommends this rechargeable battery for CPAP machines but it should be connected to a DC converter for the longest run time.
5. Goal Zero Yeti 400 Portable Solar Power Station
Goal Zero Yeti is a well-respected brand in portable solar power generators. At full charge, the Goal Zero Yeti 400 can fully charge a laptop 5 times, a mobile phone 30 times and run small household appliances like a coffee maker for several hours.
You can directly connect up to 7 electrical devices to the solar power generator at the same time. There are two 120 volt AC outlets, two 2.1A USB ports and two 12 volt DC outlets and one outlet for charging the battery from the car.
The Goal Zero Yeti 400 is delivered with the Boulder 50 solar panel which is a 50 watt monocrystalline plug-and-play solar panel. The Boulder 50 solar panel can stand on its own using the detachable kickstand which you can remove for a permanent installment.
The LCD display offers useful information such as the run time, realtime input from the solar panel and real time power output. This offers insight on whether the solar panel is ideally placed and whether you should consider plugging in the generator into a home outlet for charging.
The Ecoflow River has a capacity of 412 Wh which the manufacturers claim is enough to power light for 100 hours, a mini portable refrigerator for 10 hours and fully charges laptops at least 5 times and mobile phones at least 30 times. You can connect these appliances using any of the 11 outlets including AC, DC and CIG outlets and USB ports.
Above the electrical outlets is an informative LCD screen showing battery level, how much longer it can run and its power output. It is very lightweight for how much power it has and also nicely portable with its carrying handle. The power station is compatible with the Ecoflow Solar Panel Charger but this is sold separately.
What to Look Out for in a Solar Powered Generator Before You Buy
When looking at a solar powered generator you want to buy, you need to consider what specific power requirements you need for your food truck. Considerations include how many appliances you’ll be running, if you want to run an AC unit, and if you need to run items such as lights and themed decor.
It is estimated that you will need at least 2900 watts of power to run everything in your food truck. There are two different kinds of electric load types, resistive loads and reactive loads. Resistive loads are electronics that take the same amount of power to run as they do to startup, things such as:
- Light bulbs
- Toasters
- Microwave ovens
- Coffee makers.
Reactive loads need more power on the initial startup, but once they begin running, they use less energy. A couple of examples of reactive load electronics are appliances such as:
- Refrigerators
- Blenders
- Air conditioners
Popular Solar Powered Food Trucks
Many food truck vendors are taking their sustainable responsibility to the next level by traveling in trucks that use solar power. Here are some of the most popular solar powered food trucks located in the United States;
i. Arlington, VA – Solar Crepes
This food truck uses local and organic food from sustainable sources. They also package their food in eco-friendly wrappers. What’s more, their food truck uses a 90-watt solar panel that produces an average 590 watt hours of power every day.
ii. Portland, OR – Off the Griddle
This portable burger joint serves up vegan and vegetarian food using natural and organic ingredients. Their cart is powered 100% by renewable energy, and the rooftop solar panels produce excess power purchased by Portland General Electric.
iii. Los Angeles, San Diego, NYC – The Green Truck
This food truck serves up regional, sustainable cuisine including vegan and vegetarian dishes. Also, any cooking oil they use powers their food trucks the next day. The Green Trucks also use solar energy to power their kitchens, giving excess energy produced back to the power grid.
iv. Nationwide – Sungevity Ice Pop Truck
While not a culinary giant, the Ice Pop Truck (by Sungevity, a solar power company) is traveling across the country giving away free organic ice pops and educating consumers on how affordable and easy investing in solar energy can be. It basically rolls to create awareness.
Many solar powered generators are actually an all-in-one portable power station with a rechargeable battery that can be charged with a solar panel, wall outlet AC supply or through a CIG port. Food trucks with solar power are presently taking a lead for several different reasons. Some of these reasons include:
Benefits of Using a Solar Powered Generator
a. They save cost
For many food truck operators solar is a cost-effective source of power. An average food truck owner operating on a traditional generator spends a minimum of $5 to $10 daily on fuel. There is also cost, labor and hassle in maintaining a generator.
And the cost of replacement or repairing generators down the line can be costlier than installing solar panels. For a food truck operating 50 hours a week, the time for pay back can be as short as 9 months.
b. Reduced or zero pollution
The majority of food trucks operate on a diesel or gasoline generator that is specifically designed to run only a few hours. Operators tend to run them at a stretch for up to 14 hours, resulting in a high output of greenhouse-gas emissions, particulate matter, nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide. And the worst pollutant is usually noise.
Considering the harmful effects, and the way solar power can offset operating costs, it is not difficult to see why solar food trucks are trending to solar. Solar power is a free energy source and the only maintenance costs associated with this model is replacing the battery.
One of the greatest feature of this model is that it is chainable. This gives you more watt hours so you can run your electronics for longer hours before having to charge the unit. Plus, the compact square box-like design makes for easy stacking so carrying several batteries with you should not pose too much of a storage problem. Of course, it is also a lightweight design.
The model with the lead acid battery is more suitable for colder climates than models with a lithium battery. It is also less susceptible to issues from power surges so you can feel safer about connecting sensitive electronics like smartphones and cameras.
Finally, the battery protecting systems such as the PWM and automatic shutdown at low charge levels helps keep the battery in good condition ensuring a longer lifespan. When it is time to replace the battery, you can easily replace it yourself with another affordable lead acid unit.
Conclusion
Even though there’s been tremendous progress with solar panels and wind turbine technology in recent years, it is still recommended that you install a generator in your food truck and ensure that there is an easy way to plug-into another electrical source. Sooner or later you will be thankful you have the flexibility to power the unit in different ways.
The other component you need to consider when considering switching to solar power is the cost of installing solar panels on a food truck. Both will require additional initial costs that could range from an additional $3,000 – $10,000 in the overall cost of the vehicle.
The additional startup cost is something to be aware while you’re in the planning phase of your business. These costs should go down as technology improves in the future, but for right now they can add an extra 5% – 10% to the total cost of a food truck build.