Im big on solar,small systems are so cheap to build and Craigslist is your friend for sure.Built a truck system with about 320 watts of panels,divided into 2 separate systems with 2 agm 8d batteries each for just over 3 dollars a watt using used stuff.And in panels the old panels are better than the new.IMO.SUPER build quality.

I now have a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter that can run anything continous to 1600 watts.That cost about 350 bucks


At the house I have a small setup on panels that keeps 8 agms charged,when power goes out got a day or 2 of powering house on those alone.A Honda EU 2000I backup.

If grid down I have 2500 watts on panels I would deploy,though havent yet as my site is solar poor,but no grid,up they would go.

I dont plan on ever losing electric for any reason short of civil war scenario type stuff.

My solar truck off grid power system over at Solar Garys site......
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PV/TruckPV/TruckPV.htm