The basics you'll need are as follows.

Generating source of your choice- Solar cells, Windmill, Solar generator. This will depend on your location. NORTH of 38 N latitude is generally best with wind mills, south of that -solar applications. Sometimes a combination of them can be used. Check you local weather pattern for more help in this decision. Gas, Diesel and Bio Diesels are also options- but are limited life if fuel becomes scarce. Also fuel will go stale after time- gas in particular.

ALSO- you will need some sort of charging regulator. One to make sure your generator output doesn't go crazy give off too high of a voltage and expolde the batteries- and second- not to overcharge the batteries. Some generators have this feature built in- others do not. Check.

Disconnects between the Generator and batteries, Batteries and Converter, Converter and Home are also good ideas. Just incase one part of the system goes haywire you can save the rest from damage. They can be manual or automatic or both.


Storage Device- Batteries are the choice. Get spiral cells if you can. There is an initial cost over Lead Sulfide of about 10%- but that will pay back manytimes over in longevity. 6-10 for a really capable system. BTW- make sure these batteries are RV/Marine deep cycle batteries. These are made for long current draw down time without affecting battery perfomance. Regular car batteries are not made for this type of use and will be ( comparitively) short lived in performance and life span

Now to get from the 12 v DC current of the batteries to the 120v AC current you will need a DC- AC converter. These are readily availible off the shelf and the power rating ( in WATTS) will depend on your particular needs. Go around the house and check the manufactures tag- or the paperwork that came with the appliance. It will give you the power consumption of each appliance in watts. Fridge, Radio, TV, Lights, Freezer, Water purification, Electric tools ect. Add them up and figure what you will be using at any one time- then add 50%. This extra 50% will cover two things- longevity of the unit and any additions or unseen needs. Better to have more capability than not enough.

From there the system is faily simple. The generator gets hooked to the regulator. The output of the regulator gets hooked to the Batteries ( connected in PARRALLEL-( all the positives (+)connected together and all the Negatives(-) connected together.... NOT SERIES Positve to Negative, to Positve to Negative. That ( series connection) boosts voltage not amperage like what is needed. Then the output of the batteries is connected to the input of the converter and the out put of the converter gets connected to your home.

Rules to follow-
1) READ AND UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTIONS of the equipmet- this is no place for TIM TAYLOR types. It can cost $$ and lives if your not right.

2)IN-puts to OUT puts and if your not sure- find someone who is- and have them explain it to you until you understand the how and why. You might be the only one working on it at some point. Better to have the knowledge before you need it.

Use 4 or 2 guage wire to connect the batteries together for a typical home unit. If you want 100 amps of 120 ac power it takes 1000 amps of 12vdc power to do that. It is a ratio plus what ever the converter uses in making the DC to AC.

Think about what your buying also. Fluoresent lights take much less energy than Incandesent. LED lights for cars can be used when grouped and consume even less energy. Question is they don't give off a true spectrum light- but are on the bluish end of the scale. Irritating to some.

Think also about upping the insulation on certain Hi consumption equipment like Freezers and Refridgerators. There is a thing called Foil/Bubble /Foil material that is used in new construction. Lining the interior of these items can help keep the consumption down also. It all adds up.

That should give you the idea in nut shell.

Hope that helps.