Solar Power at home

[Spectrism]

Different thread so I don't derail the other.

I have been building a solar power system for a few years now. Big learning curve. Battery system separate from grid. Now powers well pump, 2 refrigerators, 3 freezers, and in the summer- dehumidifier and pool pump.

Will try to import some pics.

Front roof faces southwest. Not best orientation and you can see trees are still an issue even after taking down 7 200 foot oaks.
7821

I designed a frame for the back roof which faces northeast. This will give more sun time with a flat horizontal mount. Downfalls: snow build up, not perfectly square with sun except summer time, expensive frame to build.
7822

7823

[monty]

I think if we had the battery bank back when we had the Witte light plant we could had enough electricity for more refrigerators etc. 5KW was almost too small. It powered lights in 3 houses, the well, one refrigerator and occasionally my mothers iron. If Dad was sharpening sickles for the hay mower and Mom tried to iron it overloaded the light plant

[Spectrism]

The panels are rated for about 300 W each... I normally see about 80% of that in peak conditions. Cloudy days I could see 20-30%. 10 panels front and 10 back. Rated for up to about 6000W in full sun. I have more power in summer than I can hold with the batteries. Winter will be a testing time.

7824

7825

48V system w/ 6000 W inverter. Batteries are Rolls Surrette. Double bank of 8 x 6V 400AH. I think I should have at least one more bank to take my 800AH up to 1200.

My steady power needs are about 6-8kWH per day.... not counting heavy use items like dryer, stove, washer.... which are grid powered. In summer I can run pool pump and dehumidifiers, burning up about 15kWH per day.

[Horn]

Interesting frame, wonder if you couldn't just shave the short side legs so that everything were angled south.

Or have it hump the peak of the roof.

Less you get some incredible wind there and it turns into a sailboat.

[Neuro]

Interesting frame, wonder if you couldn't just shave the short side legs so that everything were angled south.

Or have it hump the peak of the roof.

Less you get some incredible wind there and it turns into a sailboat.
Yeah the wind could be an issue, otherwise it should make sense to cut the south legs, IMO. Today I took in my solar panel at the house I am renovating in Sweden. Since I'll go back to Turkey to work for a couple of weeks, and since I haven't fastened them to the roof properly yet. I didn't want to risk them being blown off the roof. Cleaned up a couple of garbage bags of sawdust and short cut plank bits, as I went down the stairs with the garbage bags I missed the last step, and twisted the left ankle, which I can't support myself on now. Nothing fancy, just a talo-fibular ligament tear, in common with about 70% of all twisted ankles, but I heard it pop. Starts working on Tuesday, probably has to modify my sacro-iliac and lumbar adjustment techniques a bit...

Sorry for derailing your thread Spectrism, but it had a bit of solar power in it!

[Spectrism]

Interesting frame, wonder if you couldn't just shave the short side legs so that everything were angled south.

Or have it hump the peak of the roof.

Less you get some incredible wind there and it turns into a sailboat.

Good thoughts. I wrestled with them for months. Trying to angle the panels for best south sun exposure would have been a 3-dimensional nightmare. Most "experts" said not to try doing even what I did because it is cheaper and easier to just buy extra panels with a roof-pitch mount.

To get more south and western light, the frame was designed to have the back group just above the peak. My hope is that with the westerly wind, snow will be blown off the horizontal panels. I will also lace a heat wire around them to melt some of the snow so the sun can do the rest. We get a strong western wind in the winter. Not so much from the northeast because of heavy tree and hillside protection.

Building a giant wing on my roof was definitely a concern. I hope I got the aerodynamics figure right. If not, it could get exciting here. Having the upper side too close to the roof will trap wind in a pocket. This could be a problem so I left a large enough gap for a blow-through.

[Horn]

Those short side feet might get some smaller tube steel that fit into their interiors to make them even adjustable on (2) pins.

[Spectrism]

Yeah the wind could be an issue, otherwise it should make sense to cut the south legs, IMO. Today I took in my solar panel at the house I am renovating in Sweden. Since I'll go back to Turkey to work for a couple of weeks, and since I haven't fastened them to the roof properly yet. I didn't want to risk them being blown off the roof. Cleaned up a couple of garbage bags of sawdust and short cut plank bits, as I went down the stairs with the garbage bags I missed the last step, and twisted the left ankle, which I can't support myself on now. Nothing fancy, just a talo-fibular ligament tear, in common with about 70% of all twisted ankles, but I heard it pop. Starts working on Tuesday, probably has to modify my sacro-iliac and lumbar adjustment techniques a bit...

Sorry for derailing your thread Spectrism, but it had a bit of solar power in it!

I can sympathize over the injury. In these days we cannot afford the slightest thing. A month ago I carried an awkward heavy load too far and bent over to set it down, favoring an old knee injury. My back had a rip in it... thankfully not too bad.... but it sucked for a week.

Be careful with roof mounts. Some people think they can just screw an L-foot into the rafter. That is a sure way to make your roof leak.

[Spectrism]

Those short side feet might get some smaller tube steel that fit into their interiors to make them even adjustable on (2) pins.


I used 1.5" aluminum tubing. There is a tilt stand on the market but it tilts in one dimension. It has a limit to number of panels. Would not help with this sticky roof orientation. Nobody wanted to touch my design plans so I had to go it alone. From testing performance, I get about 50% more power from the horizontal panels than the southwesterly flush mounts. This is because I pick up 2-3 hours of morning sun much better.

[Horn]

That's how they try to mount them here, slightly off 0 to clean drain the face.

Check some of this guy Lester's installations.

http://crsolarsolutions.com/costa_rica_solar_solutions_projects/

[Dogman]

Tracking systems are best, but cost out of the ass unless you can home brew them along with the electronic tracking controls, (which for some is not very hard but a solid electronic background is a must) !

Then there are fixed locations that can be swiveled and tilted manually as needed, which can be a pain, but also keeps one from taking the system out of sight and out of mind...Until something goes wrong.

Which will happen with any moving mechanical system eventually.

Then there are the fixed systems that are pointed/aimed at a point in the sky that may not be optimal in direction but overall is as close to a setup and forget system. Which many do when it comes to roof mounts for power and or water heating.

The worst case are roofs that the major axis of the house is north, south in direction and the problems of mounts that can point the panels in the desired direction, because there are no good mounting points for panels, unless one goes custom.

And all other than tracking systems that do need proper feeding and care maintenance wise to keep them optimal, the best way to describe them is they are the best trade off between expense and practically for the budget allowed .

Spectrism looks like you are doing good going by the info you have presented as the best trade off that will work for you...

Kudos on your system !

And yes winds can be a bitch, panels can instantly turn into airfoils.

Keep on keeping on and be proud of what you are doing, despite your local nay sayers!

[Neuro]

I can sympathize over the injury. In these days we cannot afford the slightest thing. A month ago I carried an awkward heavy load too far and bent over to set it down, favoring an old knee injury. My back had a rip in it... thankfully not too bad.... but it sucked for a week.

Be careful with roof mounts. Some people think they can just screw an L-foot into the rafter. That is a sure way to make your roof leak.
Oops, thats what I did... ;) now with my sprained ankle it feels like I'm going to die any time now, so I don't care... ;D anyhoe I am going to change it soon with some proper screws that seals the hole and a dollop of silicone, if I survive that is... :)

[Serpo]

That's how they try to mount them here, slightly off 0 to clean drain the face.

Check some of this guy Lester's installations.

http://crsolarsolutions.com/costa_rica_solar_solutions_projects/

Thats good for tropical areas , if you live in a temperate zone then 30degree plus angle concentrating on winter sun iis the best angle as you will get planty of sun in the summer for batteries anyway

[Cebu_4_2]

I' m going to change it soon with some proper screws that seals the hole and a dollop of silicone, if I survive that is... :)

Use asphalt in a tube instead, silicone sucks in that kind of stuff.

[Spectrism]

Use asphalt in a tube instead, silicone sucks in that kind of stuff.


Oops, thats what I did... ;) now with my sprained ankle it feels like I'm going to die any time now, so I don't care... ;D anyhoe I am going to change it soon with some proper screws that seals the hole and a dollop of silicone, if I survive that is... :)

It gets rather expensive but I wasn't taking chances. I got the Quick Mount PV product. Watch this video. The L feet go on top of this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8JGvUw8SLM

[Cebu_4_2]

It gets rather expensive but I wasn't taking chances. I got the Quick Mount PV product. Watch this video. The L feet go on top of this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8JGvUw8SLM

.
You have got to be kidding me! I cut aluminum sheet to size and stick it under leaky looking areas to keep water out. Just cheap old aluminum stuff

[Cebu_4_2]

Use a bead of asphalt tube and make a U or W and slide it in. My shop leaks a bit and now I am down to a few drips a minute vs having to put buckets. Or put on a new roof. I need a couple more shillings to do that.