solar for shtf

[zap]

Lots of you guys are in town , do any of you use solar to run your house or for a backup? It doesn't take much to keep a few lights on and run a fridge. It might help you stay under the radar when the shtf, without using a generator all the time.



I just hooked up a 12 volt system with 2 old 6 volt batteries, 2 old solar panels, and an old 12 volt inverter I had, It won't run a whole house but is nice to know that I can make power without a generator.

[zap]

Ok so I guess all of you are going to use a generator for backup!

I was just figuring if I could do it anybody could. :D

[AOW]

Sounds like a great way to go. I'd love to get a system together myself but lack of knowledge and available funds keeps me in the only-dreaming-about-it stage.

[steveoc]

Out at BOL :

Just finished setting it up a couple of weeks ago

http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11808.JPG
http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11776.JPG
http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11778.JPG
http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11779.JPG
http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11780.JPG

Cost just under $40k for the panels, regulator, and the HUGE bank of battery - 1.5 tonne of batteries in there, at 2V per cell, 660Ah. Government wanted $70k to hook the block up to the grid.

Completely off the grid here - rainwater, diesel gen, solar power, septic tank. Working on planting an orchard next, and getting the vege patch from hell happening. The plan is to have enough resources on this block for about 12 people, a pile of dogs, and a few horse.

It can be done, but it does take a lot of $$$, and help from friends to pull it all together. Recommended, whilst you still have time though.

Oh year - GREAT bike riding roads through here too. Love it :)

Best thing is - its only 20k out of civilisation, and if the SHTF never comes, its added to the 'value' of the property.

[steveoc]

More ....

http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11782.JPG

The Clydesdale. Notice the large 4Br house on the block - not mine, mate of mine just retired from the army, and setup here. They just had their first kid :)

http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11804.JPG

Looking south - there is a giant powerplant over there, and overhead lines over the property .. lol. These are big powerlines too - was wondering about setting up an induction feed across the property right under the powerlines to pickup some free power from the magnetic field. Dont know if this is possible at all.

http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11790.JPG

These trees (some type of wattle ?) .. absolutely buzzing full of bees. I am thinking about setting up some bee keeping here, but know very little about starting a bee colony. Any ideas ?

http://steveoc.homelinux.net/Camo/small/SDC11810.JPG

My 'house' on the property .. haha, suits me fine, since the sun rises just over the hill, and its never really _that_ cold around here.

[YukonCornelius]

IMO a great idea for a stable power supply and a quiet one too. But with my funding the only solar power I'm looking into is a phone and battery charger and possibly a single low wattage panel system that can run a refrigerator.

[zap]

lets see if this works, jez that was an ordeal to resize them !!!!!

[Tumbleweed]

Steveoc I'm curious about why you have blankets on your horses? I know people do it in the winter time for show horses to keep them shed off or may put them on when they are sweat up and it's cold until they dry. I'm just wondering. I've been riding and driving horses all my life and I've never blanketed a horse. I don't even have a horse blanket.

Do you have a team of clydes and are they broke?

[ximmy]

lets see if this works, jez that was an ordeal to resize them !!!!!


zap... did you ever get this thing to work?? curious

[Book]

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/smallelectrics/img-midladygraphic.jpg

WTSHTF.

:D

[zap]

Ximmy

It was an ordeal to resize the pics, not the battery bank, and yes it all works famously, my husband had ordered the batteries before he died, we were just replacing the existing battery bank, and adding more panels to the system. Got it all up and running.

He had been on solar since 1985, I moved here in 1989.

I am planning to buy a new inverter soon, the one I have has a built in battery charger that comes on when you use a generator, But it only puts out 60 amps and the inverter takes some of that/ it is old too, so I am getting one that has a 100 amp charger in it/ mostly for winter shorter days less sun, I can turn the generator on and charge the batteries, and power the house too.


(This was just for fun I used a couple of the good old batteries out of the house system.)

I just hooked up a 12 volt system with 2 old 6 volt batteries, 2 old solar panels, and an old 12 volt inverter I had, It won't run a whole house but is nice to know that I can make power without a generator.

( this little 12 volt system is at the shop) its a joke , you can run a drill or something off it not much, a generator runs the shop.

[Liquid]

Zap, that's a sweet battery setup you have going.

I'm particularly interested in adding solar to my sailboat. I upgraded my batteries to gel cell, because you can charge them quickly (at the dock), and also run them down low without hurting them. Keep in mind with lead-acid batteries, you shouldn't discharge them more than 50% of their voltage rating, or you will slowly damage them.

With batteries, you can tell what percentage they are at by how many volts. A fully charged system should settle at around 12.8 volts.

Also, you can find 12 volt marine refrigerators, and 12 volt lighting to be very efficient. An inverter tends to draw more, so that just an idea if you want to have a backup refigerator. My fridge on the boat draws less than 4 amps while running, and runs about half the time, so it may draw only 48 amp hours a day. But it's a small fridge.

Great thread, I can't wait to install solar, it's on my 'to do' list for sure.

[zap]

Liquid,

I don't know to much about gel batteries, But good, glad your getting the system up and running.

The system for my house is 48 volts at the old house we had 12 volt, The new batteries I have are actually forklift batteries 1381 amp hours, I never let them go under 80 % as per the factory, at 100% full they are 50.8 volts my inverter reads all that and I have one of those charge controllers so I know what my panels are putting out and putting into the batteries, the system is 3.5 Kw.

I will say, one of the good things my husband did was have me at his side Constantly when working here installing this system (even if i bitched about it the whole time) at least I know how it works and I am able to keep it running now that he is gone.

[Liquid]

The system for my house is 48 volts at the old house we had 12 volt, The new batteries I have are actually forklift batteries 1381 amp hours, I never let them go under 80 % as per the factory, at 100% full they are 50.8 volts my inverter reads all that and I have one of those charge controllers so I know what my panels are putting out and putting into the batteries, the system is 3.5 Kw.

I will say, one of the good things my husband did was have me at his side Constantly when working here installing this system (even if i bitched about it the whole time) at least I know how it works and I am able to keep it running now that he is gone.


1381 amp hours! Yikes, my system is only 350 right now. I believe your battery bank would cause my boat to sink. ;D Thanks for sharing your knowledge on solar with this thread, when I get to my project up and going, I'll let you know for sure and would appreciate any advise.

[zap]

Liquid,

Yes keep us updated as you get yours up and running. I'm not intelligent enough to offer you advise on solar, but I do know my system well, and there are lots of sites to read up and learn on.

I will be getting a new inverter ( Xantrex XW6048 ) soon, and will let you know how it works out.

ps the batteries weigh in about 5000 lbs.

[StackerKen]

Great thread Zap.

I think Going Solar is probably one of the smartest things a person can do.

I so wish I would have went solar when built this place and had Money 6 years ago.

I think I heard that the Technology was going to improve and Panels would Be better last longer and be cheaper....

Doesn't seem to have gotten cheaper :(

I don't have 30 to 50K laying around now....
.But I do want to start gathering panels and Batteries very soon.

[ximmy]

Thanks for the update Zap..... LOL... I need to give myself a "Genius" thread reply trophy... what a dork I am... :P :oo-->

Damn sweet set up!!!!.. I hope to have such a system in place when I get my desert compound... solar & wind power generation... for my current home I was thinking of getting some backup for the city lines... either a portable generator or... a power inverter for my car... but the costs are about the same for a 5000-6000 watt setup... I think the portable generator is a no brainer.

Zap... I was touched by your testimony of your husband's excellence. His forethought has served you well... "One of the good things my husband did was have me at his side Constantly when working here installing this system (even if i bitched about it the whole time) at least I know how it works and I am able to keep it running now that he is gone."
I wish every woman could know the type of man you had...
Ximy

[Liquid]

Zap... I was touched by your testimony of your husband's excellence. His forethought has served you well... "One of the good things my husband did was have me at his side Constantly when working here installing this system (even if i bitched about it the whole time) at least I know how it works and I am able to keep it running now that he is gone."
I wish every woman could know the type of man you had...
Ximy


Geez, you women actually exist? Not only is zap's knowledge on solar impressive, but a ximy posts how great it is that knowledge is passed on..

Thanks Zap, I'll definitely keep you updated when I get my project up and going. I currently have a xantrax 20 amp charger for my batteries, and a xantrax inverter (not installed yet). Once I get the inverter installed, I'll look more into solar. It will be a very small setup compared to yours. Most likely a couple of 120 watt panels installed on the taff rail.

[zap]

Thanks for the update Zap..... LOL... I need to give myself a "Genius" thread reply trophy... what a dork I am... :P :oo-->

Damn sweet set up!!!!.. I hope to have such a system in place when I get my desert compound... solar & wind power generation... for my current home I was thinking of getting some backup for the city lines... either a portable generator or... a power inverter for my car... but the costs are about the same for a 5000-6000 watt setup... I think the portable generator is a no brainer.

Zap... I was touched by your testimony of your husband's excellence. His forethought has served you well... "One of the good things my husband did was have me at his side Constantly when working here installing this system (even if i bitched about it the whole time) at least I know how it works and I am able to keep it running now that he is gone."
I wish every woman could know the type of man you had...

Ximy



Hey Ximmy

A generator would be good, if you are doing the desert thing, 1 thing about batteries they don't work as well, ie charging or long life if they are to hot all the time... but you can deal with that there are ways to keep them cool. Fan in the box or maybe put them under ground.

Your post made me cry this am, It is coming up on the 1 yr mark for me sept 21 he died.

You know the guy had me up his ass constantly which I didn't mind most the time, but he would never do anything on this ranch without me, constant work, build this build that, I have been here for all of it, like I said at the time I would tell him " can't you do anything by yourself" We even had a playpen at the shop so we could all go . :D

Glad I learned all I did before he had to go. Well I am off to the dump .

[zap]

Here is a pic of 2 panels wired together with a pair of jumper cables hooked to them so we can jump start or charge truck/car batteries, they are putting out 18 dc volts which isn't much, but it is free power. I have cardboard under the whole mess so I can move them , I need to put wheels on it.

[zap]

here is the backside

[Phoenix]

Solar, wind, or and/or hydro are the only rational means of supplying oneself with electrical power during a prolonged disruption of power.

A generator is great for a temporary outage with a known-limited duration. Even including issues of fuel, the most dangerous & problematic issue of a generator is noise. If the power is out, and there is no certainty when it's coming back on, a generator is a bugle to alert everyone for at least a 1/2 mile that YOU have gasoline or diesel, and probably other things of value. Brag all you want about your firearms & ammunition stockpile; the smart prepper aims to never have to fire them in self-defense.

Solar panels and solar water heating are something everyone with the means should look into. And a windmill or tiny hydro generator, if you have the necessary environment (sufficient wind, a creek, stream, or river, and a large land parcel). The former makes no noise, and the latter, little to none.

[zap]

I am excited ordered this inverter friday, should have it in a couple of weeks.The XW Hybrid Inverter/Charger is a true sine wave inverter/charger that can be used for both residential and commercial applications; stand-alone, grid-backup, and grid-tie with battery energy storage. Capable of being grid-interactive or grid-independent, the XW Series will operate with generators and renewable energy sources to provide full-time or backup power.

Integrated balance-of-systems components
120/240-volt split-phase operation and true sine wave output
Unsurpassed surge capacity - innovative Full Digital Control regulates voltage to prevent a drop during a power surge.
Full 200% rated output power is delivered to the load
Efficient, power factor corrected, high-current, multistage battery charging.

Certified to UL1741 and CSA for utility-interactive applications.

[ximmy]

I am excited ordered this inverter friday, should have it in a couple of weeks.The XW Hybrid Inverter/Charger is a true sine wave inverter/charger that can be used for both residential and commercial applications; stand-alone, grid-backup, and grid-tie with battery energy storage. Capable of being grid-interactive or grid-independent, the XW Series will operate with generators and renewable energy sources to provide full-time or backup power.

Integrated balance-of-systems components
120/240-volt split-phase operation and true sine wave output
Unsurpassed surge capacity - innovative Full Digital Control regulates voltage to prevent a drop during a power surge.
Full 200% rated output power is delivered to the load
Efficient, power factor corrected, high-current, multistage battery charging.

Certified to UL1741 and CSA for utility-interactive applications.



Holy-Jeebus.... Big time!!! :o

[ximmy]

Zap, I was listening to this song tonight and thought of you and your husband... and all he sowed and taught you and now you sow with his memories and experience... thought I'd post it here
ximy

Memories
He was throwing grain into the ground below, ground below
With dreary circles of his arm, going slow, very slow
His cap pulled down roun' his ears to
Hide the smile and watery tears

My loving wife is so wonderful
How small seeds gracefully to grow
Into beautiful things that spring from these rows
With their musical names and musical sound

Dreary birds parade across the dreary sky, but down below
The woman absent mindedly begins to sow, how she sows the
Seeds her husband loved so much, but he's no longer
Here with us

But her life is so beautiful
As memories continue to grow
Into beautiful things that spring from these rows
With their musical names and musical sound
Beautiful things that spring from these rows
With their musical names and musical sounds, and musical sounds

Distant tho I am
Orange, gold, and green
Firing, flaming, colors surround me
I'm always wondering where you are.
I'm always wondering where you are.
Darling shouldn't I be the one
Wondering after all I am the one who is gone
I'm always wondering where you are.
I'm always wondering where you are.
Darling shouldn't I be the one
Wondering after all I am the one who is gone
I'm always wondering.
I was just wondering.
I was just wondering.
I'm the one...who is gone
Who is gone

But, there's beautiful things that spring from these rows
With their musical names, and musical sounds
Musical sounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xewk7OgIrPU

[zap]

Thanks Ximmy


Also, I did get my new inverter, but it is still in the box, I am waiting for the guy to put it in for me, I have to wait cause he has some real jobs to do, when I do get it in I will take pics and update. :)

[zap]

Well the inverter is still sitting out there in the box I haven't used the inverter to charge the batteries so I haven't been worried about getting the new one put in, seems like my batteries are doing great ! I had to buy a new TV in July (I know) sorry I do watch tv sometimes, anyhow the old TV used 4.5 amps. and the new one uses 1.4,both LCD,

GEZZZZ what a difference, the days are getting shorter and the sun is going down over the hill around 6;00 and my batteries are staying at 51volts / 50.6 in the am. about 95% full, for a 48 volt system, Before I would have had to run the generator a couple of times a week already, I have the fridge, tv, satellite box, computer and modem and lights running quite a bit. Taking about 2 to 3 amps 24/7 instead of 5 or 6.

I am a happy girl, though I do need to get that new inverter put in sooner or later.