Solar pictures

[billvon 3,121]

Someone requested these in a PM, so I figured I would post the pictures here if anyone else is interested.

I've been putting together these small solar power systems (100 watts or so) that you just plug into the wall. PANELFRONT is the front of one of these systems; PANELBACK is what the back looks like. The silver box in the picture is the inverter that turns the DC power from the panel into AC that is fed back into the grid; you just plug the orange wire into any standard outlet. If power goes out it will shut down to avoid electrocuting utility workers who are working on the lines You can have up to 10 panels plugged into one house circuit; you can just use a powerstrip to combine them.

PANEL1 is another panel; slightly different shape.

[QuickDraw 0]

Thanks Bill, i will get back to you sometime this week when i get my head together.
How many of those do you use combined in total for your usual needs ?

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[jumpwally 0]

Thats very cool,,but you have too much shit in your garage !!

wally

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[billvon 3,121]

>but you have too much shit in your garage !!

No kidding.

[billvon 3,121]

>How many of those do you use combined in total for your usual needs ?

I use a different sort of system, one that's cheaper for larger installations. I have approx 24 panels of similar size on my roof, and I generate about twice as much as I use.

[PhreeZone 20]

And Bill... while we are on the topic. Where would one find said panels and invertors?

I'd love to make my apartment a tad greener.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[n2skdvn 0]

Quote

Thats very cool,,but you have too much shit in your garage !!

wally

evil geniuses never have too much stuff in their "laboratory"

if my calculations are correct SLINKY + ESCULATOR = EVERLASTING FUN
my site

[atsaubrey 0]

I'M not sure whats going on here? You say you feed it into the grid? Why would you do this?

"GOT LEAD?"

[QuickDraw 0]

Do you use 'deep cycle' batteries to store your power and if so, how many ?
or if not what do you use ?

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[Snowbird 0]

And here I thought you must have some fancy techie sci-fi sort of setup. Is that really all there is to it?

From whom/how does one go about setting up such a system? Where would I find more info? I'm a bit technology illiterate, but the whole idea of 'unhooking from the grid' is very appealing. Is there a 'Solar Power for Dummies'?

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

[Nightingale 0]

if you have the proper arrangements with the power company, they will pay you for excess power from your system.

[skydiver30960 0]

I obviously got left out of the first part of this conversation, and therefore will be an annoying bastard by butting in and throwing out questions that I am sure have already been answered:

1.) So is this like a "plug-and-play" system to reduce the amount of juice you pull through your electric meter? Stack them up on the roof and become less dependent on the local electric company?

2.) How much does a unit cost?

3.) Assuming the answer to #1 is "yes" then how much juice does one unit put out? Can we use this information to derive a "breakeven" point of how long a unit has to be used before it's paid itself off?

Thanks guys,

Elvisio "twist caps and electrical tape" rodriguez

[Nightingale 0]

what does something like that cost?

[skydiver30960 0]

Also, if you generate twice what you use, does the electric company pay you for that juice? Or is it just a "buffer" that makes you comfortable you'll never actually be drawing from the grid?

thx again;

Elvisio "I have a bigass roof going to waste" Rodriguez

[Bolas 5]

Could this work for an RV?

I'd love to get something that could run everything off battery/solar: Including the microwave and the A/C.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[Deuce 1]

Quote

you just plug the orange wire into any standard outlet.

I have read that one should not plug a generator (the gas powered kind) right into the house circuit. Is the blackout cutoff the thing that makes it ok?

I would think one of the big plusses of a independent power source would be the ability to have power during a blackout. With the proper wiring, I'm guessing those panels could keep things running when a rolling blackout hit?

[wmw999 2,593]

I know that my son used to have a car with a solar panel on the top that powered an RV-type clamshell A/C. He only had it set to ventilate; the system took 2 panels to run a compressor, and having a second panel on the hood was just too much of a fashion statement for the previous owner.

It was pretty cool. So, I'd have to say that the answer is yes, but it might be hard to have enough panel surface area to really run everything unless you did have some good battery backup.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Could this work for an RV?

I'd love to get something that could run everything off battery/solar: Including the microwave and the A/C.

M/W for short periods may be possible.... A/C is pretty much impossible for an RV. You're looking at somewhere around 20-25 amps to start an A/C unit. You'd have to have an insane amount of panels to even think about it.

I've done some research into this for my travel trailer, and hope to someday do that type of thing for dry camping. If you want, I can post some links tomorrow when I'm at work - I don't have them on this computer.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[billvon 3,121]

Answering lots of posts at once here:

>A/C is pretty much impossible for an RV. You're looking at
> somewhere around 20-25 amps to start an A/C unit. You'd have to
> have an insane amount of panels to even think about it.

We run the A/C in our (small) RV off our solar array. We can get a few hour's usage off our battery system, which is usually enough to cool down the van. When we travel we take around 300 watts worth of solar, which is enough to run the A/C at night and power all the usual stuff (fans, lights etc.)

Solar is pretty ideal for RV's, since generators are pretty expensive when you add up maintenance, fuel, replacement etc. But you do need a big battery bank and a beefy inverter to run A/C. It's cheaper than a generator, but not as convenient, since you have those panels you have to aim at the sun.

(Deuce says)

>I have read that one should not plug a generator (the gas powered
> kind) right into the house circuit. Is the blackout cutoff the thing
> that makes it ok?

Yep. You need a transfer switch for a generator to prevent electrocution; a grid interactive inverter won't work at all for backup power because it disconnects itself if the power so much as sags. There were some incidents with very early inverters electrocuting people so they are very careful about that now.

>I would think one of the big plusses of a independent power source
> would be the ability to have power during a blackout.

Can be done with solar, but is more expensive. Another option is to get a few computer UPSes; they're very cheap and will keep your PC/lights/refrig running during a blackout.

(30960 says)

>Also, if you generate twice what you use, does the electric
>company pay you for that juice?

Depends on your agreement with them. Often they do. The deal I have with SDG+E is that I can zero out my bill, but anything beyond that is my personal contribution to the California power shortage - I don't get paid for it. They average it out over a year so if I make more power in June it counts towards January.

> So is this like a "plug-and-play" system to reduce the amount of
>juice you pull through your electric meter?

Yep.

>Stack them up on the roof and become less dependent on the local
> electric company?

If you're going to do that, it's a lot cheaper to use a lot of panels and one larger inverter. Economies of scale.

>How much does a unit cost?

Small systems run $10 a watt. Larger systems run between $4-$8 a watt. In SoCal, 1000 watts of solar = 180 kilowatt-hours a month.

(snowbird says)

>Is that really all there is to it?

Depends on how much power you want. One panel won't do much; it might supply 5% of your power. If you want a larger system it's more economical to go with a larger array and one big inverter.

>From whom/how does one go about setting up such a system?

Generally the best way is to just hit the phone book and find a local solar installer. They'll talk you through all the approvals, rebate paperwork etc.

>Is there a 'Solar Power for Dummies'?

You can start at www.homepower.com - they have some good stuff there.

(Quickdraw says)

>Do you use 'deep cycle' batteries to store your power and if so, how many ?

I have three systems. One uses a rack of old telecom batteries to give me around 10kwhr of backup; should be enough for a few days of off-grid operation. We rarely have blackouts here so it's not that important to me. The other two systems just feed back into the grid and spin the meter backwards during the day.

(ATSaubrey says)

>I'M not sure whats going on here? You say you feed it into the grid?

Yep. Feed power back during the day, and use it at night. The power company likes this because their highest loads are during the day. I like it because as long as I make more than I use I don't pay anything for power.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Could this work for an RV?

I'd love to get something that could run everything off battery/solar: Including the microwave and the A/C.

Bolas,

As promised, here's a couple links to check out.

Phred's Poop Sheets

RV Solar Electric

Mark's Full-Time RV Resource

Lotsa good info there to go through...

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Deuce 1]

Thanks, Bill.

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

What about ROI? How long before you zero out your costs compared to how much you would have spent on the utility bill? How much upkeep?

Is this practical for an apartment or is it better to wait until you get your own place? (I rent the entire building I live in)

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Cajun 0]

Hey Bill, I'm working on something similar at my home, (I've got 50w of panels now) but what I'm in need of now is that 100W grid tie inverter Where can I get one and how much should I expect to pay? Thanks.

[PhreeZone 20]

Bill pointed me to Ebay for my solar needs

I forsee the DZ going to Sloar at the rate that jumpers are picking up panels.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[billvon 3,121]

>I forsee the DZ going to Sloar at the rate that jumpers are picking up panels.

Otay already has . . .