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Going with Offgrid Solar


I was thinking by the pallet. 460w panels.

Those are bifacial and need to be able to reflect light to the back of the panel, but since you're mounting them on the barn (with about 2" to 3" space off the roof) , that'll be a no go.

These will work, but you'll need 3 charge controllers to handle the load. You'll save 1k too. Each charge controller can handle 12 of those panels like Beth said.

 
I think in the past when Kevin looked at my yearly usage, we figured I needed 48 panels. I though buy buying a pallet, id be ahead and save a little money. I think what Kevin is alluding to is just buy 12 panels, 1 charge cont. , 1 18K Inverter, and the rest on battery's.
 
I think in the past when Kevin looked at my yearly usage, we figured I needed 48 panels. I though buy buying a pallet, id be ahead and save a little money. I think what Kevin is alluding to is just buy 12 panels, 1 charge cont. , 1 18K Inverter, and the rest on battery's.

Nope. Buy the panels, charge controllers, the inverter, and spend the rest on batteries. Remember, since your panels will face west they won't get direct sun until around noon or so, so you're going to need as much power to punch those batteries to a full charge.

These are the batteries I have and they are outstanding. I have 10 of them, but since you'll be powering your grandmother's house too, I'd look to getting 15 or 16 of them. You'll have to buy them in chunks as you can afford them, but at least you'll have power now.

 
I havent made up my mind. Ive been looking at several mounts that go behind the panels and raise them off the roof some and side rails.
 
You guys sure got my brain clanging. I could set up a couple rows up to 100 feet long, but it's 200 feet or more from the house.
 
You guys sure got my brain clanging. I could set up a couple rows up to 100 feet long, but it's 200 feet or more from the house.

No problem.... just need bigger cable to cut down on loss. The new place I'm about to build, the panels will be 300' from the barndominium.

1 awg aluminum will handle 115 amps and the biggest charger you'll buy only puts out 100 amps. The aluminum will be 1/3 the cost of copper.
 
I think when we ran our power to the house alum. was about 1/2 the price of copper.

Copper is through the roof and has been for some time.

My son collects all the copper scraps from his company's jobsites and stores it at my house and he turns it in.

Every 3 months he gets about $400 when he turns it in (unstripped).
 
Pretty close. Takes like 5 tries to get them to crimp right, but after the hundreds I've done, it's second nature now
 
Looking at transfer switch or critical load panels ? I'd like a 100 amp mounted next to my main panel.
The major items in the new panel :
1) heat pump and central air fan
2) freezer
3) fridge and microwave
4) heat-pump water heater
5) circuits for lights, tv's, computers.

How can I wire this to switch manually from grid power to the solar inverter ?
Can these items be wired to both panels ? The heat-pump gets it's power from the main panel. Can I run wires from the main heat pump breaker to another breaker in the solar sub-panel and switch between them ?
In other words, switch off grid power to the heat pump and turn on solar power ?
 
Looking at transfer switch or critical load panels ? I'd like a 100 amp mounted next to my main panel.
The major items in the new panel :
1) heat pump and central air fan
2) freezer
3) fridge and microwave
4) heat-pump water heater
5) circuits for lights, tv's, computers.

How can I wire this to switch manually from grid power to the solar inverter ?
Can these items be wired to both panels ? The heat-pump gets it's power from the main panel. Can I run wires from the main heat pump breaker to another breaker in the solar sub-panel and switch between them ?
In other words, switch off grid power to the heat pump and turn on solar power ?

What size service do you have coming into the house now (100amp, 200amp)?
 
Buy a manual transfer switch and reroute the power from the meter box into the transfer switch then refeed your main breaker box. Then wire the output of the inverter to the free legs on the transfer switch.

This way you can use either solar or line power and no mistakes are made.

 
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