DIY Solar Backup System Offers 5 kWh Storage for $1,340

A YouTube creator behind the channel “There’s A Trick For That” demonstrates a modular DIY backup power system built entirely from Amazon‑sourced components. The setup uses a 48‑volt, 100‑Ah lithium‑iron‑phosphate golf‑cart battery, an MPPT charge controller, a 48 V inverter and circuit protection, delivering about 5,000 Wh of storage and 2,000 W of output. Without solar panels the build costs roughly US$1,340, while adding two 450‑W bifacial panels brings the total to about US$2,040.

Compared with the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus portable power station, the DIY system costs about US$240 more but provides more than double (almost triple) the battery capacity and roughly three times the solar input capability. The inclusion of a weather‑proof AC charger allows charging from the grid or a generator as well as solar, making it suitable for home outage preparation, RV power, shed electricity or reducing reliance on gasoline generators.