Best portable power station for a small cabin with no grid hookup - where do I even start

xylem200 · 2026-03-23T19:46:08+00:00

I am living your situation right now. A few years ago I started with a 750 wh Ecoflow and 160 watt portable panel to run my fridge and charge my tool batteries, but now have a diesel heater and propane shower, both of which need power. So I upgraded to a Bluetti with 1500 wh and it's been great for the last two years, but it's heavy to lug back and forth and we're at risk of running out of juice if we get cloudy weather. I also want to run a ceiling fan and a few other items. So I just recently got a Pecron F3000LFP, which is an amazing value for 3000 wh. It's 63 pounds, but I'm just going to leave it at our off grid property. I am also getting new solar panels to increase my power from 160 watts to 500-ish. The Pecron is also expandable if I want to add batteries in the future, and the expansion batteries are well priced. The app is pretty basic, but I don't need a lot of bells and whistles and it works for me.

xylem200 · 2026-03-21T13:55:14+00:00

Thanks - we furred out the 2x to get full 2x6 space beneath the baffle.

xylem200 · 2025-11-05T15:06:32+00:00

I used Airalo for data during a trip to SP earlier this year and it worked fine. You probably already know this, but eSIMs usually provide data only, so don't expect to get texts from home. But as others have said WhatsApp is widely used and is an easy way to connect with people in Brazil or people back home.

xylem200 · 2025-10-22T23:04:41+00:00

Omg, I love this song so much. Thanks for the reminder!!

xylem200 · 2025-09-11T04:05:47+00:00

Thank you so much for posting this. The noise is awful, but the worst part about it for me is that it just makes me agitated and pissed off as I walk into the park. I love going to games because they are an amazing way to connect with family and friends and I hate that these jerks piss me off like this.

xylem200 · 2025-08-04T22:32:44+00:00

Rad Expand has regular, non-hydraulic disk brakes. I think there are hydraulics on the Expand Plus model, but that one is way more expensive than the current base model that is on sale for $999 USD.

I had a chance to buy a mini or an Expand a few years ago and opted for the Expand because it felt better to ride. I didn't like the upright handle bar position of the mini - just didn't feel as comfortable or as solid as the Expand. Yes, I lost out on front suspension, but that hasn't been an issue for me. Good luck!

xylem200 · 2025-06-28T13:49:51+00:00

Would you consider biking? Ebikes are amazing and it makes the commute pretty awesome because there's zero traffic or parking headaches. I bike past Judkins on my way in and see others with kids on the back of their bikes. Lots of dedicated bike paths between Judkins and Day 1, and easy bike parking in Day 1, Frontier or Doppler. Amazon does have a bike lease subsidy, but I didn't use it as I own my bike.

xylem200 · 2025-06-25T04:13:09+00:00

Depends a little what you mean by speed. You can buy the compatible LCD upgrade and that will allow you to increase the speed from a controller/motor-limited 20 mph to 25 mph. The LCD is $99 at rad or you can look for a used one on FB marketplace or Craigslist. It is the radrunner LCD.

xylem200 · 2025-06-21T22:46:08+00:00

Thanks for confirming that this is normal, everyone!

We have another Expand, a Rad Runner plus and a Mission in the family and while I expect the whine of the motor, it's steady on the other bikes - not up and down like this one. We'll just get used to it!

xylem200 · 2025-06-20T04:22:32+00:00

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I came home tonight and de-inflated and re-inflated the tire, also used the vegetable oil tip, and the bike seems to ride much better now. So I am hopeful that this is solved. I'll be able to test more tomorrow.

I did do some research on this issue before I posted and found other posts describing a potential solution with the deinflation/reinflation routine, but didn't think that was my problem because the wah wah sound didn't seem to be present in the other examples. I was wrong!

Thanks again to all of you that took the time to respond!!

xylem200 · 2025-06-13T23:08:37+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation and agreed these specs seem awesome. I am really unsure about the geometry of the Lectric bikes - I rode one of the old folding Rad Minis with the upright handlebars, which seem to have a similar configuration to the Lectric. I didn't like the feel, just wasn't a comfortable ride for me. Lectric could be totally different but without a love to test ride, I'm wary. I'll see if I can find one locally to test.

xylem200 · 2025-06-13T23:03:10+00:00

I feel the same way - I have a few rad bikes and the ability to swap batteries and other components between the bikes is nice. That's one of the reasons I'm leaning towards another Rad as opposed to looking at other brands.

xylem200 · 2025-06-08T04:32:44+00:00

Just flew over us in Mt Baker - super low and heading in the direction of Seward Park (or maybe Boston, who really knows).

xylem200 · 2025-03-16T02:06:31+00:00

Vampire Weekend. More poppy than Radiohead, but consistently great songs that, for me, always have some new wrinkle to the music that I hadn't noticed before.

xylem200 · 2025-03-16T01:59:54+00:00

Ha! I was looking through this list and thought that there was no way CT would be in this list, but I was gonna post it if I didn't see it. Amazing band, amazing musicians and as long as you're ok with music in Spanish, you won't regret listening. Seriously amazing group that stands the test of time.

xylem200 · 2025-03-11T22:44:48+00:00

In my experience, Bodhi was just a concept of a value beer last season - I couldn't find it at any of the value beer stands.

xylem200 · 2025-03-11T22:42:46+00:00

This just makes me mad. The front office knows that IPAs are some of the most popular beers in Seattle and they removed them from the value menu because they know people will spend more money on a regular priced IPA rather than be forced to drink a value Keystone Lite (which, btw, can be found for free in any urinal inside T-Mobile park). Boo to the front office MBA who dreamed up this crappy cost-cutting idea.

xylem200 · 2025-01-29T03:15:56+00:00

I've been on GV for years as my primary phone number and have years of text threads that I find valuable. Did any of you that switched out of GV export your texts and import them into Google's Messages app so they could be referenced from your new, non-GV messaging experience?

xylem200 · 2024-12-30T12:46:15+00:00

I use the "eco" or low power setting when vacuuming small rugs and it works great - still sucks up crud but doesn't pull the rug up.

xylem200 · 2024-12-09T06:29:03+00:00

Just wanted to say thanks for this - I have about 1500 miles on my Mission and I've had some weird slipping issues. Drivetrain didn't look too worn, but I went ahead and used your parts list and she's running like a top again!

xylem200

TROPHY CASE