HJL:
Welding cable is a fine way to cut amperage loss in your line. However, since it is intended by the manufacturer to be used for welding and not solar system, it is labeled for welding and not labeled for building installation. Code inspectors want to see a certain label. They will not accept deviation. After all, an abundance of engineering went into what is in that code. Welding cable use would make pulling a system when bugging out much easier. (I am assuming there are a range of “bugging out” versions with regard to situational haste.)
Since you cannot defend a fixed position, my preps are done with an eye to rapid transportation. Supplies do not sit on shelves. They sit in bins, buckets, or ammunition cans that sit on shelves.
The introduction to Enphase’s products is very enlightening. I encourage Expat to go read. I found the technological advances exciting. (The prospect of saving money does that to me.) An inverter that is smart enough to push power into my electrical system and cut my power bill is very advantageous. Shaving a kilowatt hour or two off my electric bill 10 hours a day would be very nice when the air conditioning is running. The possibility of a 3-year cash out on the investment is very encouraging. Of course, I am talking about cooling a 7,000 foot antique store in the south and not an off grid homestead. So the equipment pays for itself and I can pull it if push comes to shove.
I will also note that the father with the 300-gallon gas tank that was used over two years without additives could probably tear down, clean, and reassemble a two stroke carburetor with his eyes closed. Stabil has saved me the annual $55 trip to the mower repair. Finding and stocking a supply of “no eth” fuel has been another big saver. I’ll also mention the magic substance known as Sea Foam, which has apparently been around since the 40’s but only entered my kin a year or so ago. For the guy that is not yet that good at maintaining a two stroke being able to aspirate Sea Foam is a big money saver. It seems to dissolve fuel line at a slower rate than carb cleaner and it gets that last little bit of crud out of the way. – R.V.