Solar gen - first test

[MountainGirl]

Candles to light at night to keep the solar panels going?

Oh great. Another good idea to consider.
Will this never end ?!?

 

[MountainGirl]

Speaking of generators, I stopped by a QT in Waco over the weekend, and they have the good gas. Sadly I did'nt have a gas can with me. So I am headed to Melissa this week to pick up some of the good gas at Buckees for my gen. The QT by me does NOT have that gas.

I will look at the Mega 2, but feel like I might be OK with the 2400. I can quickcharge my Ryobi batteries pretty quickly to use with the three lights I have by using the gen. The external power is mainly for the fridge and freezer. Not sure how all that works, but I may have that backwards, and should run the freezer off the generator.

OK, couple things. The only advantage the Mega has over the 2400 is IF and WHEN you are charging it with solar. Do you have panels at all, if so what's their total output watts? If you're only recharging off your house current (or gen, it's the same thing) the 2400 has a max AC input of 400watts. If you run it down to the (safety default) 20% you'd have used 1800 watts doing so and it would take a minimum 5hrs on the wall or gen to recharge fully. The Mega charges up 3x as fast (with solar) but actually has a smaller battery than the 2400.

This decision should really be based on what you're going to use it for. The nice thing about freezers is that they cycle, rather than pull constant like a fan...but it also depends on your freezer. Is it a big honkin upright that cycles every hour or so? Or is it a small chest freezer that cycles maybe twice every 24hrs ? Either way, a solar generator is the thing to use... unless you know exactly when the freezer is going to cycle so you can run out and start your fuel generator to catch it. Of course, if it's been off for a while - it'll cycle as soon as you plug it into your gas generator & let it run for a while.

The 2400 will work fine for this; your challenge will be the one we all face: How fast can the solar gen be recharged, and how often will we need to.

 

[MountainGirl]

@deemus
I forgot to mention the Mega 2 has a 1600watt max input using AC (wall or gen) compared to the 400watt max AC input with the 2400. Might be faster is better if using the gen to recharge.

What's happened is the biggest complaint with solar gens has always been the slow input rate. Oupes fixed that with these new smaller versions of their behemoth Mega 5.

 

[SARGE67]

Per my #154 above, it gave me a real time usage of a simple box fan and what the power panel/battery can handle. I prolly cold have kept the fan on low all night versus high to save power, but a higher power would have over ridden that choice, you know the drill. Mine is a lower end product from a great company but when I bought it it looked interesting. I believe it's meant more for campers. I agree with kbaxter above (#157), emerging technology takes time. As long as the sun will shine the technology should get better and better. I want something more powerful and haven't even tried our one solar panel yet to see how it all works like MG has with several all at once. This one will be my learning one.

 

[SARGE67]

I'm still happy with the Oupes gens - but I might get the Mega 2, instead of the 2400, for one reason only: higher solar input capability. For recharging, my 1800 has a 400w max solar input, the 2400 is 1000w max input, and the Mega 2 's solar input max is 2100w. If push came to shove, it can be simultaneously hooked to a gen for an additional 1600w to a total input max of 3700w.

Or, I might just stop all this craziness and buy more candles.

Well, candles aren't going to blow a fan at night while you're sleeping and won't prevent the Armageddon predicted upon TenOaks in your #3.

"If I don't sleep - hell will arise at TenOaks the likes of which even God has not seen."

 

[MountainGirl]

Per my #154 above, it gave me a real time usage of a simple box fan and what the power panel/battery can handle. I prolly cold have kept the fan on low all night versus high to save power, but a higher power would have over ridden that choice, you know the drill. Mine is a lower end product from a great company but when I bought it it looked interesting. I believe it's meant more for campers. I agree with kbaxter above (#157), emerging technology takes time. As long as the sun will shine the technology should get better and better. I want something more powerful and haven't even tried our one solar panel yet to see how it all works like MG has with several all at once. This one will be my learning one.

I hear ya, brother. After your power came back on, and you plugged it in to recharge, did you happen to notice how long it took?

 

[MountainGirl]

Well, candles aren't going to blow a fan at night while you're sleeping and won't prevent the Armageddon predicted upon TenOaks in your #3.

"If I don't sleep - hell will arise at TenOaks the likes of which even God has not seen."

Yep, and it's still true. But something good has happened in the year since I wrote that: I acclimated to the heat. As long as the humidity is under 80% I'm outside, even when it's hot! Few days ago it was 92F 53% - and I read out on the covered deck all afternoon, with a fan for breeze.

So now, my critical power need consists only for fans at night - and I'm getting that figured out.

 

[red442joe]

Just read this whole thread, and have some impressions.
My best friend is fairly heavily invested in solar. Sorry, I don't have the specs on his system.
He as a '19 Model 3, just built a house with off-gridable solar+battery, and has spent several years playing with solar as a diy'er.
We have had extensive discussions about this, as well as I did the service cabling for the solar in the house. He is the smartest person I know, highly values efficiency, has zero tolerance for bullshit, and relies on his own empirical data.

That said...
Costs are down and dropping...buy more panels, and more batteries.
Combo systems, like hybrid cars, are the WORST of both worlds. Do not use panel attached inverter panels.
Avoid proprietary plug-n-play like the plague.
Look at your system as strictly stand-alone to do what YOU want for YOU.
Do NOT rely, in any way, on grid-tie cost returns. Know power company rules for grid tie-in. The power companies WILL **** you.
Research, and know, zoning...code enforcement will **** you.
Don't get hung-up on optimizing(complicating) exposure/tracking...research what has been happening with vertical, and wall, installation.
Buy more panels, and batteries.
Research/rely more on DE-HUMIDIFICATION than comfort cooling-air-conditioning.
Oh, and, buy more panels and batteries.

Joe

 

[no2gates]

Just read this whole thread, and have some impressions.
My best friend is fairly heavily invested in solar. Sorry, I don't have the specs on his system.
He as a '19 Model 3, just built a house with off-gridable solar+battery, and has spent several years playing with solar as a diy'er.
We have had extensive discussions about this, as well as I did the service cabling for the solar in the house. He is the smartest person I know, highly values efficiency, has zero tolerance for bullshit, and relies on his own empirical data.

That said...
Costs are down and dropping...buy more panels, and more batteries.
Combo systems, like hybrid cars, are the WORST of both worlds. Do not use panel attached inverter panels.
Avoid proprietary plug-n-play like the plague.
Look at your system as strictly stand-alone to do what YOU want for YOU.
Do NOT rely, in any way, on grid-tie cost returns. Know power company rules for grid tie-in. The power companies WILL **** you.
Research, and know, zoning...code enforcement will **** you.
Don't get hung-up on optimizing(complicating) exposure/tracking...research what has been happening with vertical, and wall, installation.
Buy more panels, and batteries.
Research/rely more on DE-HUMIDIFICATION than comfort cooling-air-conditioning.
Oh, and, buy more panels and batteries.

Joe

Why the avoidance of panel attached inverters? I've got them on my system (44 panels) and the advantage is that if one panel isn't putting out as much voltage, the entire system doesn't suffer.

And, if there's a grid outage, my system will still work, unlike many other solar system that require an incoming line frequency to sync to.

 

[MountainGirl]

Here is why I do this.

I abhor being reliant on anything other than myself for my own well-being.

If/when the day comes that the grid is gone, long term or permanently, there won't be fuel/propane to be had either. Decades ago I realized that skills were the key - and set on a path to hone low tech methods. Cooking over fire. Bowl & spoon instead of electric mixer. Preserving meats without electricity. You get the idea. Those skills served me well, off-grid on the mountain.

That said. I LOVE the conveniences of modern life: A/C, hot showers, fridge/freezers and enjoy them fully, here and now! But when the power goes out? What then?

Then it's back to basics, and when we first bought TenOaks I set everything up for just that possibility. Firewood ready for heating or cooking, hand-pumped second well, shelf-stable food supply, necessary items for doing anything by hand. And candles, LOL. Actually though, I devised a better solution for lighting! You know those cheap little solar lights you stick in the ground in the yard? Jelly jar > filled with dirt > stick 'em in there > set them out in the sun during the day > bring in at night! They stay lit all night and no batteries required!

So. My only critical power need is for fans, and I'll figure that out.

 

[SARGE67]

I hear ya, brother. After your power came back on, and you plugged it in to recharge, did you happen to notice how long it took?

Nope. Wasn’t long though

 

[deemus]

[searches for jelly jars]


Great idea!

 

[red442joe]

Why the avoidance of panel attached inverters? I've got them on my system (44 panels) and the advantage is that if one panel isn't putting out as much voltage, the entire system doesn't suffer.

And, if there's a grid outage, my system will still work, unlike many other solar system that require an incoming line frequency to sync to.

His system, I believe, is all controlled at the battery bank. Big incoming DC.

Joe

 

[red442joe]

Why the avoidance of panel attached inverters? I've got them on my system (44 panels) and the advantage is that if one panel isn't putting out as much voltage, the entire system doesn't suffer.

And, if there's a grid outage, my system will still work, unlike many other solar system that require an incoming line frequency to sync to.

His system can work without grid tie-in, intended to be stand alone, and I beileve, they have more output without panel-inverters.
Proprietary systems didn't provide adaptability he wanted, and prevented inclusion of other brand components.

Joe

 

[no2gates]

His system can work without grid tie-in, intended to be stand alone, and I beileve, they have more output without panel-inverters.
Proprietary systems didn't provide adaptability he wanted, and prevented inclusion of other brand components.

Joe

Yes, there is up to a 5% loss with the micro-inverters

 

[red442joe]

So. My only critical power need is for fans, and I'll figure that out.

Is there a creek on Ten Oaks?
Water wheel powered fan!

Joe

 

[red442joe]

Yes, there is up to a 5% loss with the micro-inverters

Now, don't take it as gospel, but I think he's running 600 vDC to the battery charger, then inverter to house. The through-put efficiency was considerably higher than a bank inverter at the array.
I think..
As much as we discussed this, my biggest takeaway was how much he knew that I would have to do serious study to know.

Joe

 

[SARGE67]

Here is why I do this.

I abhor being reliant on anything other than myself for my own well-being.

If/when the day comes that the grid is gone, long term or permanently, there won't be fuel/propane to be had either. Decades ago I realized that skills were the key - and set on a path to hone low tech methods. Cooking over fire. Bowl & spoon instead of electric mixer. Preserving meats without electricity. You get the idea. Those skills served me well, off-grid on the mountain.

That said. I LOVE the conveniences of modern life: A/C, hot showers, fridge/freezers and enjoy them fully, here and now! But when the power goes out? What then?

Then it's back to basics, and when we first bought TenOaks I set everything up for just that possibility. Firewood ready for heating or cooking, hand-pumped second well, shelf-stable food supply, necessary items for doing anything by hand. And candles, LOL. Actually though, I devised a better solution for lighting! You know those cheap little solar lights you stick in the ground in the yard? Jelly jar > filled with dirt > stick 'em in there > set them out in the sun during the day > bring in at night! They stay lit all night and no batteries required!

So. My only critical power need is for fans, and I'll figure that out.

I really admire your creativity !! I'm certain many here including me have taken written notes of your ideas. Your hard core items are definitely note worthy and the jar with dirt to hold the solar lights are so simple I doubt anyone would have thought of it, including me and wife. She said "wow what a great idea".

 

[striker55]

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[MountainGirl]

Is there a creek on Ten Oaks?
Water wheel powered fan!

Joe

That'd be nice. There's a deep ditch near the backside of our thicket that handles low flood/rain runoff but no consistent flow in it. Wouldn't want to drink it either, given a choice. If I ever get bored I might set up a natural filtering system for fun... but having drinkable water here doesn't seem to be an issue LOL