Solar Panels

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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dr1.com
Yes. Try emailing Jimmy Stewart, you will find his email on this board.

We have many threads and posts on this subject.
Use the search function, it's really very good!

I'm assuming you have never been to the DR...
 
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beachcomber

Member
Oct 15, 2003
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solar panels

I worked in the Spain where many of the houses had solar panels but they were not connected to Maine's electric the panels worked well but financially it makes more sense to wait for the Maine's electric to arrive if you're connected To charge up the batteries, in my opinion, at the Time I left Spain it was becoming quite popular to steal the panels its a lot of money to be sitting on your roof unless you're in the property 24 /7 , several of the homes had windmills to generate 12v for the batteries which work all through the night and rainy days
B/C:cool:
 
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NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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A few month ago I read of a rich dominican farmer somewhere in the Cibao Valley, he was fed up with the Dominican Electrical Company (EDE's). He disconnected from the main electrical grid and is now illuminating his plantation and home through solar panels. The Dominican is perfect for Solar energy because the country lies south of the Tropic of Cancer (the most northern point the Sun rays beats down on a straight line). That means, that in Dominicana solar panels would be creating electricity even on a cloudy day due to the very strong sun that prevails there. That reminds me, People - if any of you that are reading this are planning to visit the DR, ALWAYS wear some sunblock with the highest SPF. The Sun rays will burn whether its sunny, cloudy, or if you are up in the cool mountains, the sun will still burn. I personally think that all of the buildings, light posts, and traffic lights should have their own little solar panel. I have seen some street lights in Florida that have solar panels that collect sun energy during the day, and at night its turned into light, and it last all night long. The only problem is that Solar Panels are expensive to buy and maintain.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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Solar panels begin producing a little energy when the sun hits them in the morning. On cloudy days they just produce less, no matter where you are in the world. The latitude of 17 degrees north (mas or menos) make the production of solar panels more consistent over a 12 month period. We caculated that a fifty watt panel will produce some 200 usefull watt hours of dc electricity in the winter months and closer to 300 watt hours during the peak summer months. (This is sunny days). If you could use a tracking mounting devise, you can have the tilt in the angle of panel folllow the sun and and the season. Cost prohibitive unless you get into the large grid connected arrays.

A few of my recent posts pointed out a great deal of the business activity in the DR focusing on solar electricity. Jimmy has been there a long time and can meet all your solar energy needs. Sorry he wasn't on my original list.
 

drvuswld

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Nov 11, 2003
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:bandit: Thank you all for your replys...
My husband is a master electrician...and knows all about installing/using/etc. solar...it's the most cost efficienct way to produce your own electricity (yes, you still need batts). But oh man, 20 or so panels, and you've got it made...
 

Texas Bill

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Feb 11, 2003
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drvswld---

Solar is expensive!
Your "20 or so" solar panels would cost you in the neighborhood of US$10,000.00, then you'd have the expense of an equal number of deep-cycle, 6-volt batteries(another US$1500.00), plus an inverter(5KW minimum) to change to 110 square-wave ac current. Afraid it would be prohibitively expensive for the average person.
Nice to dream, though, isn't it??

Texas Bill
 

gmiller261

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Dec 29, 2002
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Are there outlets to buy 20 quality solar panels and have them installed?

I would be very interested for a home on the North coast of DR.

I assume you are talking about a 5KWh system.


Gary
 

Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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You can buy solar panels at anywhere from US$5-$7 a watt. There are three suppliers in the capital and one in Sosua/Santiago. I would give them a heads up if you want to buy 20 panels. Sometimes we had that much stock but not all the time. The standard panel is usually around 50 watts. Some come in 75w. There are bigger ones, but hard to handle. Twenty 50 watt panels would be 1000w and you could probably get them for US$5,000. The mounting structure, inverter(s), wiring, installation, batteries and some dc appliances or motors; could make this the $20,000 system mentioned somewhere. If you have the money, it would be a fun project and you are doing the right thing. Soluz sold and installed one of these big systems on a home looking over the ocean East of Sosua. Noone ever lived in the house or really used the system. We had a maintanence contract and after a few years they weren't really taking care of it (before I worked there). The system basically rusted out being so close to the salt water. I think the invertor was stolen being the house was empty. Maybe someone on the board knows the house and can give more accurate information.
 

Ohmite

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Feb 25, 2003
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My wife (quaqualita) and I have, in the past several years, replaced power hungry appliances with the most efficient we could find. We bought a propane water heater and fridge (fridge died after 7 months, long story....so we replaced it with a mid sized electric ). We don't have AC or even a microwave. All lights replaced with energy efficient florescent ( you can find a more natural colour light in Santiago or maybe even POP instead of the harsh white we all hate). 3 Fans, 2 TV's, Stereo, VCR's, video games, several computers etc.
In other words, alot of electrical equiptment.
Just over a month ago we finally bought solar panels. Something we have wanted to do for years, but the cost was prohibitive and the 40watt panels that WAS the norm in this area didn't really seem like alot of charging power. Following a thread on DR1, I found the name of a gentleman who sells more respectable sizes and a respectable price. Never mind saving the hassle of shipping and taxes.

We already had a 1.5K Trace inverter and only 4 batteries. They have all served well for about 4 years. I keep the batteries full and everything clean and have yet to have a problem or replaced any. Yes...I'm getting to the point.

We use electricity, but wanted the solar as backup. There are sometimes blackouts that last days.
For an experiment; Last week I disconnected the street power and ran straight solar (fridge and waterpump excepted, although the waterpump does run fine I was too lazy to change the wiring in my breaker panel for an experiment). Everything ran great for 4 days AND nights. I could watch all the TV I wanted at night, outside lights on at night and fans too, just like normal.
The Batteries ran out the 4th day because I didn't tell the maid, and she ran the washing machine for about 8 hrs straight :confused: .

Everything is back to normal. I use power when I have it, and solar when I don't. Conservation plays a big part in saving electricity, and if we shut off lights and appliances that we're not using at the time, and there's no change in our daily routine.
I know I have power when I need it. And before you say "but what about when it's cloudy"...the panels even charge on an overcast day.

The power is out right now...time to blow dry my hair...:)
 

Ohmite

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Feb 25, 2003
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Thanks,

Panels were about $500 U.S. each
Charge controller about $80
The Inverter I bought years ago...used and cheap :)
Batteries I think are 2,200 pesos, though that's a guess. They were 1,200 when I bought them 4 years ago.
The systems recharges every day, but like I said, The maid used the washing machine for pretty well the entire day, and even while it was charging, with the washing machine, radio, fans, etc, the whole system was using more power then it the panels were putting in. This draws on the batteries and drains the system.

It was an experiment, to see how well it works. I knew I couldn't run solar indefinatly. I just wanted to put it through it's paces, so I know what to expect if the power is out for a long time, and also to roughly calculate what I would need to run entirely "off grid". the system was charged the next day, and it was business as usual. :)

I don't have the gentleman's name and email with me, but if ou're interested, I have a price and spec list, and we have worked out a distribution network for the POP/Sosua area.
 

gmiller261

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Dec 29, 2002
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Thanks for the information. I would be looking for 20 X 150W pannels to push 3Kwatts.

Shipping these in from the States would be prohibitive, unless there is no import duty.

You'd think the DR government would get into the action just to make some money on it.

PVs are expensive now, but if people start buying them they will get checp quick.

Wish I could go Hydrogen fuel cell. Even at 1/2 their price frrom 2 years ago they are killer. $60K for 10 KW system that would drive the whole house. Heat is still a problem, the hotter it is the lower the efficiency. Still pollutants are only water and heat.

Gary
 

Ohmite

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Feb 25, 2003
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Geeez...sorry, I thought I told my entire life story in my first post.

I bought 2, count'em, just 2 times 120w solar panels.

When I first talked to a saleman about solar, I was advised to purchase 32 panels, and I don't know how many batteries, a 100 Amp controller, etc for the reasonable cost of OVER A QUARTER MILLION PESOS......I ran ...fast!!!

I went a little cheap ..(chuckle), but got almost what I need to run indefinatly on solar. 2 more panels and an extra 8 batteries should fill the shortcomings.
The secret really is conservation.
All those years of my step father yelling at me to turn off the lights when I leave the room finally paid off.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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Soluz in Sosua/Santiago is selling used panels for $1.50/watt wholesale. The retail price would be somewhat higher (maybe). Due to the recent devaluation many of the rented systems had to pulled out. They have been used for 3-5 years and panels generally work for 20+ years as long as the seal stays in tack. For anyone interested in experimenting or doing a large system, this might be a much cheaper alternative than buying new modules. I hope this doesn't break any rules about advertising. It is for a friend.
 

lhtown

Member
Jan 8, 2002
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Ohmite said:
The secret really is conservation.

Sorry, but it bears repeating for anyone thinking of trying an "experiment" like Ohmite. Electricity consumption between identical houses with similar appliances and similar sized families can vary very dramatically.
 
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gmiller261

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Dec 29, 2002
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Tom,

Thanks, that what would be great if they have the quantity and the connectivity.

How can I get in touch with the Soluz people?

Gary
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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Soluz Dominicana S A
Gral G Luper?n 8
Sosua
(809) 571-2447
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Soluz Dominicana S A
Carr Gurabo
Santiago
(809) 724-7601
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Soluz Dominicana S A
Pd Billini 11
Cotui
(809) 240-0735
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Soluz Dominicana S A
Oficina Santiago
Santiago
(809) 971-7103


Let me know how any contact goes. Richard has scaled back quite a bit and is down there a little bit but basically doing it through email and the phone.