"Battery Packs" are storage devices. "Battery Packs" aren't "Solar Generators". Refrigerators aren't "Food Generators".

1000arms

Well-known member
For all the cranky ranting about "proper descriptions" of things, this thread has so far ignored the historical (and etymological) reason that some companies refer to battery banks with solar inputs as "solar generators": The Mobile Food Service Industry - aka "Taco Trucks".

The following is merely for entertainment and educational value:

Every standard step-van-turned-kitchen in North America was originally built with a generator as part of its base load-out. As the life-span of these trucks easily stretches past the service life (especially the "harsh environment service life" - aka the "abuse the snot out of it life") of the generator, most of the older food trucks are on their 2nd or 3rd generator (just as they are on their 2nd or 3rd transmission in many cases). Start with that replacement interval, then add on to that the "environmental" and political pressure that popped up when the "Food Truck" scene went from servicing job-sites to being cool places for white-collar folks to grab a lunch and hipsters to be seen waiting in line for their Korean-fusion pork-belly tacos (worth the wait, BTW), there were a lot of people complaining about the trucks running generators for multiple hours a day in areas that saw more traffic and had more political clout.

The term "Solar Generator" originally was applied to the commercial retrofit process of converting old Food Trucks by removing the entire fossil-fuel generator subsystem and replacing it with a package that includes a similarly shaped lump of batteries, BMS, etc. that bolted into the exact same spot in the generator bay. (These were usually shore-power charged but a lot of political goodwill could be... ahem... generated... by also connecting solar panels.) In the parts of the country where there is a thriving Food Truck industry, there is also a thriving ecosystem for the maintenance and upgrade of the trucks themselves. There are companies all over Southern California, for example, whose sole business is the design, specification, and installation of "Solar-powered-Battery-Pack-Generator-Replacement-Units". You can keep saying that 10 times fast, or you can explain to the guy who just wants to make his Korean Tacos that he can replace the Onan that's under his truck with a "Solar Generator" and get back to business and get the local enforcement folks off his back at the same time.
Maybe some people are cranky? I just don't care for what I consider to be a deceptive marketing term. :)

I do appreciate the history you posted.
 

1000arms

Well-known member
... How many car owners would look at a mechanic explaining things correctly or the stuff contractors do to their homes? It's come down to "It's broken, gotta fix. Here's the bill."
Well, I'd find another mechanic if he/she started referring to my truck's master cylinder as a "mason jar full of moonshine". :)
 

Dendy Jarrett

Expedition Portal Admin
Staff member
Gents -
I started a post earlier but something happened. Sorry for the partial message. This thread and the Solar Generator thread have both run off the rails yesterday and today. Let's bring this back into the spirit of Expedition Portal. If it continues to turn south, I'll lock it down.

Thanks -

DJ
 

67cj5

Man On a Mission
I thought we did this Dance on the other 2 Threads,

Does anyone have the Keys to the Rubber Room, I need a Nap. ???
 

billiebob

Well-known member
For all the cranky ranting about "proper descriptions" of things, this thread has so far ignored the historical (and etymological) reason that some companies refer to battery banks with solar inputs as "solar generators": The Mobile Food Service Industry - aka "Taco Trucks".

The following is merely for entertainment and educational value:

Every standard step-van-turned-kitchen in North America was originally built with a generator as part of its base load-out. As the life-span of these trucks easily stretches past the service life (especially the "harsh environment service life" - aka the "abuse the snot out of it life") of the generator, most of the older food trucks are on their 2nd or 3rd generator (just as they are on their 2nd or 3rd transmission in many cases). Start with that replacement interval, then add on to that the "environmental" and political pressure that popped up when the "Food Truck" scene went from servicing job-sites to being cool places for white-collar folks to grab a lunch and hipsters to be seen waiting in line for their Korean-fusion pork-belly tacos (worth the wait, BTW), there were a lot of people complaining about the trucks running generators for multiple hours a day in areas that saw more traffic and had more political clout.

The term "Solar Generator" originally was applied to the commercial retrofit process of converting old Food Trucks by removing the entire fossil-fuel generator subsystem and replacing it with a package that includes a similarly shaped lump of batteries, BMS, etc. that bolted into the exact same spot in the generator bay. (These were usually shore-power charged but a lot of political goodwill could be... ahem... generated... by also connecting solar panels.) In the parts of the country where there is a thriving Food Truck industry, there is also a thriving ecosystem for the maintenance and upgrade of the trucks themselves. There are companies all over Southern California, for example, whose sole business is the design, specification, and installation of "Solar-powered-Battery-Pack-Generator-Replacement-Units". You can keep saying that 10 times fast, or you can explain to the guy who just wants to make his Korean Tacos that he can replace the Onan that's under his truck with a "Solar Generator" and get back to business and get the local enforcement folks off his back at the same time.
sometimes I have te read a sentence a few times to catch its drift, thank you Herbie I had to do that often
 

billiebob

Well-known member
Gents -
I started a post earlier but something happened. Sorry for the partial message. This thread and the Solar Generator thread have both run off the rails yesterday and today. Let's bring this back into the spirit of Expedition Portal. If it continues to turn south, I'll lock it down.

Thanks -

DJ

I think we are just finally adjusting to the new reality.
 

OllieChristopher

Well-known member
Well I can see this and the Solar Generator thread has run their course. Kind of a bummer as I was actually looking forward to more of our members. showing their solar generator and battery pack solutions.

Why food generator was entered into this thread title I have no idea. The OP made a confusing statement that a fridge doesn't generate food. To me anything that holds food generates it. Just as when I generate the food to be put inside of device which is generated for preparation and consumption. I was hoping to see maybe a blue tooth app or list of simple ingredients to enjoy while traveling.

Here is my food generator list for a 2-3 day trip. This is when I'm camping off my motorcycle so no refrigeration is needed. A similar list can be generated to put inside a fridge or cooler that generates food as well.

3 each of cookie/pretzel snacks,
2 pineapple cups,
1 each carrot/green bean cups,
chicken salad snack,
2 each Mac and cheese singles,
2 each Knorr chicken/rice meals,
instant potatoes/gravy,
1 each small can/foil of chicken,
2 each 8oz almond milk,
2 cups cereal,
1 bag dried cherries,
1 bag mixed nuts,
paper towels, cup, spork.

 

1000arms

Well-known member
If we're going to be that picky about terminology then you should understand the difference between the terms "promotion," "advertising," and "marketing."
:unsure: ... Did you mean that "you should understand the difference between the terms "promotion", "advertising", and "marketing"."? ... :cool:

I just don't care for what I consider to be a deceptive marketing/advertising/promotion term. :)
 
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1000arms

Well-known member
Imagine the howls if he said lifter instead of follower on an overhead cam engine though!
I think "Solar Generator" is a deceptive and dishonest marketing term when applied to a battery pack.

Battery packs are storage devices, which are charged and discharged, but don't generate electricity.

Refrigerators are also storage devices. One can put food in a fridge (at least until it is full), one can take food out of a fridge (at least until it is empty), but, the fridge doesn't generate food.

There are many ways to generate electricity. For example, one could use gasoline, diesel fuel, wind, water, humans, and/or the sun. It can be quite useful to store this energy for use at another time. Perhaps for when the wind isn't blowing, the sun isn't shining, when one wants the quiet of a non-running engine, or simply doesn't want to pedal at the moment. Batteries can be used to store energy for those times. "Battery Packs" have a battery, or batteries, for storage.

Solar panels covert solar energy in to electrical energy. Battery packs don't convert solar energy in to electrical energy, but, rather, they can store electrical energy from gas generators, diesel generators, hydro, humans, and from solar panels.

Please don't be fooled by the marketing term "Solar Generator". Please don't trust any company that uses the marketing term "Solar Generator" on anything that isn't (only) a solar panel.



I just don't care for what I consider to be a deceptive marketing term. :)
 

67cj5

Man On a Mission
I think it is quite a pointless thread because many items are called many things across the globe from country to country, Take Dodge Vans, One is a Mercedes and the smaller ones are actually Peugeot and Citroens which are GARBAGE and RUST BUCKETS with very cheap plastic breakable parts And The Pontiac GTO Is actually a Holden Monaro which is an Australian Car,

If a person is getting their Draws in a Knot because something is called something that does not identify what the Item is then they need to get out more, Because a persons name does not Identify that they are a man or a woman it is there gender, Or Human for that matter.

Even Trees, They are all Wood but there are thousands of Tree species across the planet. We can talk of birds they all have feathers and wings and that is what we think of when we talk of them Yet Penguins and Emus have wings but they can't fly It still does not change the fact that they are Birds.

Go for a walk around the Yard people and get away from the computer, You need to get in touch with the real world.
 

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