Thanks for that link. I have heard of doing that, I believe it is called AC coupling. I've also heard that doing AC coupling with Enphase inverters may void your warranty but I do like the idea.
- Thread starter Ringo
- Start date
Changed to solar and...... Wow!
Thanks for that link. I have heard of doing that, I believe it is called AC coupling. I've also heard that doing AC coupling with Enphase inverters may void your warranty but I do like the idea.
Its a mini-grid and no it does not void enphase warrenty.....
I will convert over to mini-grid soon enough.
g'luck
Update on Solar.
It's been awhile but I thought that I should give a little update. So MANY people have helped me and it's only fair that I give back with a progress report.
It took a LONG time to get our last 4 panels installed due to H. Sandy... broken panels and other little things that really slowed us down.
The 4 new panels produce more then the older 8 panels put together. If I connected them ALL together to the same controller I would loose all the bigger production from the new panels. I just so happen to have a second controller that I was using for a sep. system so used that.
AT this time I'm reaping around 14 kWh per day. About double what I need. Please keep in mind that this is a good day with lots of sun so this is my "best case" for this time of year.
Batteries are charged.
NO auto start Gen. I THINK that it started/ran for 20 minutes last week. Other wise ... no.
I've added the wine/bev. cooler into the system. (Edenorte meter would says that it used 14 .... how about 1.5 or less on MY meters.)
Changed small pool pump over off of Edenorte to inverter/solar for 5 hours per day. (Again.. Edenorte meter reading puts this pump to the moon and back.... how about a real less then 1.5 amps.)
Changed a couple of other things and all is well.
Our 24/7 line has ... been out about once a day for 6 to 7 hours. I don't notice nor do I care.
At this time; we only have TWO 220V items that Edenorte powers. I'm working on those. It takes some time to get enough readings to make our next step.
So we have taken a 20,000 kWh per month bill and now have it at ...... ohhhhh........ 300. Payback is less then 2 years? AND I DON'T RUN OUT OF POWER. And now the Gen and diesel use is pretty much on standby as/if needed.
Again.... I could NOT have done this without all those that contributed to this thread. I see a new one concerning solar and I'm watching that and thanking the OP for his contribution.
Ringo
It's been awhile but I thought that I should give a little update. So MANY people have helped me and it's only fair that I give back with a progress report.
It took a LONG time to get our last 4 panels installed due to H. Sandy... broken panels and other little things that really slowed us down.
The 4 new panels produce more then the older 8 panels put together. If I connected them ALL together to the same controller I would loose all the bigger production from the new panels. I just so happen to have a second controller that I was using for a sep. system so used that.
AT this time I'm reaping around 14 kWh per day. About double what I need. Please keep in mind that this is a good day with lots of sun so this is my "best case" for this time of year.
Batteries are charged.
NO auto start Gen. I THINK that it started/ran for 20 minutes last week. Other wise ... no.
I've added the wine/bev. cooler into the system. (Edenorte meter would says that it used 14 .... how about 1.5 or less on MY meters.)
Changed small pool pump over off of Edenorte to inverter/solar for 5 hours per day. (Again.. Edenorte meter reading puts this pump to the moon and back.... how about a real less then 1.5 amps.)
Changed a couple of other things and all is well.
Our 24/7 line has ... been out about once a day for 6 to 7 hours. I don't notice nor do I care.
At this time; we only have TWO 220V items that Edenorte powers. I'm working on those. It takes some time to get enough readings to make our next step.
So we have taken a 20,000 kWh per month bill and now have it at ...... ohhhhh........ 300. Payback is less then 2 years? AND I DON'T RUN OUT OF POWER. And now the Gen and diesel use is pretty much on standby as/if needed.
Again.... I could NOT have done this without all those that contributed to this thread. I see a new one concerning solar and I'm watching that and thanking the OP for his contribution.
Ringo
Holy feces.... 20,000 to 300.... like winning the lottery... and living to spend the proceeds (unlike Waking Ned Devine)
Good going Ringo........
That Ringo, he always a Starr, wasn't he ????
Good going Ringo........
That Ringo, he always a Starr, wasn't he ????
Hey ww. As I stated! I could NOT have done this as well as it has turned out without the help of others. That simple! So many great ideas, suggestions and a little this and that. All provided by some good people.
Hope all is well with ALL our solar/energy group.
We shipped down 6 panels and 2 Outback controllers - and everyone has told us that they will be stolen if we put them up, so they still sit in the shipping boxes.... sigh.
Our carpenter told us a local guy put them up on the top of a 3 story building, and they were stolen. Sister-in-law said the ones at a university in SD were stolen, says they were 'massive'. Same story from everyone.
Very discouraging. We may just sell everything.
Our carpenter told us a local guy put them up on the top of a 3 story building, and they were stolen. Sister-in-law said the ones at a university in SD were stolen, says they were 'massive'. Same story from everyone.
Very discouraging. We may just sell everything.
Hi A.E. Without seeing your place, set-up and who is on your property it is very difficult to say anything. I know that you and yours are still dealing with H Sandy. Makes this more then a little tough for you.
IF you wish... store all the stuff at my place. I got room and no problem. Gives you time to figure things out. I'll come down and get if needed. It's your stuff so ... it's your stuff. lol
I know that you worked on this for a long time. What U want me/others to do?
IF you wish... store all the stuff at my place. I got room and no problem. Gives you time to figure things out. I'll come down and get if needed. It's your stuff so ... it's your stuff. lol
I know that you worked on this for a long time. What U want me/others to do?
Thanks for the offer Ringo, but not much anyone can do. We'll lock them up here when we leave, and decide what to do when we come back this fall. I suspect there will be an ad on DR1 at that time.
Well the offer is here if you what or need it. You have gone thru so much up in N.J. and trying to get "things" together in the D.R. ..... Life's a B, but we do what we need to do and what we can when/if.... oh never mind. lol.
Good luck A.E. and let me know if I can help.
Great thread, I'm about 3/4's through it...
Ringo - Do you have everything (batteries, panels, genset, etc) in one room? What size is the room?
With your system, would everything fit into a 1.8 x 3 meter (6' x 10') room? I'm designing my next home and am planning on a separate room on the back of the house
Ringo - Do you have everything (batteries, panels, genset, etc) in one room? What size is the room?
With your system, would everything fit into a 1.8 x 3 meter (6' x 10') room? I'm designing my next home and am planning on a separate room on the back of the house
Ventilate the room - size depends on your batteries.....number and size.
Don't cheap out on the batteries
Don't cheap out on the batteries
A lot depends on your situation and what you have to work with and security issues. Since I've changed and added over the years I don't have the best layout but it works. If I was to design and build again?
I'd put my building for maximum sun exposure for the panels to be on the roof.
12 panels in 3 racks with a foot between and at each end so they could be cleaned and adjusted. 40' long X 7.5' deep minimum roof. My panels are about 40" X 65".
Make sure to have cable runs into your elect. room and a water facet near for cleaning the panels. You may want more roof area if you have a transformer or future use.
Slightly pitched so that water runs off one edge and can be collected in a cistern under most of the building, not under generator room.
Separate rooms, each with it's own door from the outside.
Inside measurements. (will not add up to roof and you should consider roof overhang and wall block size.)
Battery room 5' X 8' with upper and lower venting blocks on one wall, doors are not air tight at all. No more then 3 banks high for easy service. Run cables through interior wall into:
Electrical room. 5' X 8' should be more then enough for everything.
Water room. 5' X 8 with cistern access, filters, UV purifier, pump, expansion tank and valves.
Fuel tank room is optional. I have two 500 gallon tanks in an 10' X 8' room but with the solar I don't need nearly that and a 100 gallon tank can be hung on an outside wall if desired or in this room and used as a shortage/tool room.
Generator room. I have a 50 kw in an insulated "sound proof" room that L's off one end. About 15' X 10'. A much smaller generator would work just fine as long as it would have the auto-start that my inverter controls. Generator exhaust location should be considered. Auto transfer switch in here with timers and all sorts of other stuff to control Edenorte.
I also have outside lights to tell me things. White that I have Edenorte available. Green that tells my that the generator is running. Be sure to install a knife switch between the breaker and your inverter to bypass the inverter completely.
I've not sat and drawn this up so my measurements are all over the place using some of what I do have but would need to change sizes to get panels on the roof and have that roof overhang. But you get the idea.
Good luck and thanks for reading the thread. LOT's of good people with good ideas and knowledge.
I'd put my building for maximum sun exposure for the panels to be on the roof.
12 panels in 3 racks with a foot between and at each end so they could be cleaned and adjusted. 40' long X 7.5' deep minimum roof. My panels are about 40" X 65".
Make sure to have cable runs into your elect. room and a water facet near for cleaning the panels. You may want more roof area if you have a transformer or future use.
Slightly pitched so that water runs off one edge and can be collected in a cistern under most of the building, not under generator room.
Separate rooms, each with it's own door from the outside.
Inside measurements. (will not add up to roof and you should consider roof overhang and wall block size.)
Battery room 5' X 8' with upper and lower venting blocks on one wall, doors are not air tight at all. No more then 3 banks high for easy service. Run cables through interior wall into:
Electrical room. 5' X 8' should be more then enough for everything.
Water room. 5' X 8 with cistern access, filters, UV purifier, pump, expansion tank and valves.
Fuel tank room is optional. I have two 500 gallon tanks in an 10' X 8' room but with the solar I don't need nearly that and a 100 gallon tank can be hung on an outside wall if desired or in this room and used as a shortage/tool room.
Generator room. I have a 50 kw in an insulated "sound proof" room that L's off one end. About 15' X 10'. A much smaller generator would work just fine as long as it would have the auto-start that my inverter controls. Generator exhaust location should be considered. Auto transfer switch in here with timers and all sorts of other stuff to control Edenorte.
I also have outside lights to tell me things. White that I have Edenorte available. Green that tells my that the generator is running. Be sure to install a knife switch between the breaker and your inverter to bypass the inverter completely.
I've not sat and drawn this up so my measurements are all over the place using some of what I do have but would need to change sizes to get panels on the roof and have that roof overhang. But you get the idea.
Good luck and thanks for reading the thread. LOT's of good people with good ideas and knowledge.
Good info Ringo. Thanks for the input. Now I'm back to the drawing board.
Found this for determining angles Solar Angle Calculator | Solar Panel Angle Calculator
While there's all kinds of exotic calculation tables out there, this one was kind of a simple quick check (assuming it's accurate).
Anybody adjusting your angles throughout the year to maximize exposure?
Found this for determining angles Solar Angle Calculator | Solar Panel Angle Calculator
While there's all kinds of exotic calculation tables out there, this one was kind of a simple quick check (assuming it's accurate).
Anybody adjusting your angles throughout the year to maximize exposure?
No adjusting .... the variance at RD latitude isn't enough to worry about.... 22 - 23 degrees does it
If Edenorte allowed you do that, it could work. As far as I know, they do not allow it.
My Canadians farm friends tilt their panels in the winter to take advantage of the sun and the reflection from the snow.
They say the charge is HUGE.
You boys near the water can try that reflection trick someday.
They say the charge is HUGE.
You boys near the water can try that reflection trick someday.
Maybe I'm confused, but wasn't their discussion about pushing a Smart Meter backwards a few pages back? The Smart Meter having a NET reading on the meter? Or was that a different DR power co? Or is there only one DR Power Co? I'm in the DARK here (get it? electricity joke there).
If spinning a meter backwards, how is the Safety issue handled (a lineman working on the power lines while you're pushing electricity into them)? I remember reading about that quite a few years ago when Solar first started making headway in the States. There is some type of safety method to prevent accidental electrocution of a lineman, but can't remember how that worked.