Family going off-grid in a small cabin-hale.

Dave Angelini

This is the classic go offgrid and see, or wait for funds method.  Generator and battery first. The solar panel can connect to the battery directly with 24V (fuse it). It can finish the charge and the kids will love it. I would only look at the Outback or Schneider
 inverter/ chargers and stay with whoever you pick to get a complete system you can view easily or your kids can view at the site or anywhere in the world thru their web portals.  Yes the charger is built in to the inverter/charger and you just add batteries and a generator.
Outback and Schneider both build a 2.KW or so with the Schneider having 120 and 240 if you need that. Below is a larger 48v system but the generator icon can be added to show how much you are using also. I no longer have a generator and I think after some time you will also. I spent some time at the Pacific Missile range on Kauai. It is all good out of the city!  

wellbuilt

Well. I'm  sort of in the same boat, I have been building a off grid cabin in ny . 
 The guys on the site here have been spoon feeding me  information for 3 years now. 
  They have been more then helpful
( thanks gentelmen) .
 I have a small system running on site for 3 years in a airstream trailer .
 I  looked at all sorts of   System outlines . 
 Mostly 24 volt but in the end I just settled on a out back flex power one vfxr36/48.
 I'm planing on getting 8 gc for now and holding off on the panels for a couple of months . 
 We are running a genarator 7/8 hours a day any way for heavy power tools. 
 But adleast I can get going with my electric work and get inspected .
  I really only want to power the place once. 
 The outback and gc battery's will eat up your 4000 dollars fast . 
 Most fridges imtesting here are drawing 1500 watts and the inverter burns up 34 watts hr 600 watts any way .
  Or what ever , I dident really see any reason to be on the edge of a 48 volt system .
 After looking at all the loads , and talking to the sales dept at arazona wind and sun   ( nice guys ) the answer was pretty clear. 
  In the end it's really only money and time. 
 I like the idea that the power panel is all set up with all the gadgets and gismoes .
 And there is a lot to be said for buying every thing from one  Company , that can help to design and send you all the parts you need . 
  If I did not have to pass inspection in nys things mite be different . John