Whats Your Go-To Backup Power Source?

[ChamomileCraze]

Always looking to beef up my energy resilience for outages. I rely mainly on a Goal Zero solar generator with panels, but cloudy days can really slow charging. Anyone else finding solar a bit unreliable in winter months? I’m thinking about picking up a small propane generator for backup but worry about long-term fuel storage. What’s actually worked for you folks in extended power down scenarios, especially if you’re off-grid or trying to avoid too much noise?

 

[BlueMarigold]

Solar’s great for most months, but when those dreary winter stretches hit, the batteries just don’t stay topped up. I use a mix—have a Jackery solar setup for the basics (lights, charging devices) and a small propane generator as a backup just like you’re considering. The propane’s been reliable, even after a year stored in tanks, as long as I keep things