Don't forget the controller that goes between the panels and batteries. You have to regulate the voltage being delivered to the batteries. Even a small solar cell and a couple of batteries will run some LED lights for a long time. I wired a friends barn/camp/cabin up for LED that runs off 4 batteries in series/parallel and is charged by solar. If you never needed anything other than lights you would never need the generator. He got a generator that runs on LP gas and has gas appliances. He just got a PTO generator in case something happens where he can't get LP for a while. He stays there for weeks at a time in winter and only has to run the generator a couple hours once a week to charge the batteries if needed. He is working now on his underground tornado shelter. We have brainstormed some ideas for that that would impress most prepper geeks I'm sure.