Who want's an Alternative Energy Sub Forum.

[Joey]

No inverter noise at all Joey, it's barely audible and it's very quiet at our place. The inverter has a display for heatsink temperature, but I haven't figured out all the menu options yet...

yeah, all the 2 kilowatts was coming from the panels, so the batteries just acting as a smoothing capacitor.

It was interesting watching the battery load go up and down with cloud cover.
The slightest bit of cloud and the battery amps went up a few amps, only to recover when the sun came back out.

overall...I want another 24 panels...can't get enough of them..

Thought you would be happy with the SA42 , it still has plenty of room to spare , Have you tried that same load without the panels ? would be interested in reported battery voltage and how quick it goes down.
Another 24 panels !! man that's a lot of money are you going to use more 85W panels ? any reason you have chosen that size ? where are you going to put more ?

[z80]

Thought you would be happy with the SA42 , it still has plenty of room to spare , Have you tried that same load without the panels ? would be interested in reported battery voltage and how quick it goes down.?

Another 24 panels !! man that's a lot of money are you going to use more 85W panels ? any reason you have chosen that size ? where are you going to put more ?

I'll use any panel that's mono crystalline, the 85 watt ones I like cause the physical size is much more flexible.(The shed roof was sized to fit the maximum panels, and the optimum inclination angle)

With 25 year warranty I will not be alive to see the panels wear out...

The picture only shows 2/3 of the final building space Joey,so that will take another 18 panels. Will probably get about 20 panels for the main house roof also cause I want to run the reverse cycle air con with a grid feed credit.

I am only up to 25k, and budgetted for $60k.

(Business is good Joey)

[Joey]

I'll use any panel that's mono crystalline, the 85 watt ones I like cause the physical size is much more flexible.(The shed roof was sized to fit the maximum panels, and the optimum inclination angle)

With 25 year warranty I will not be alive to see the panels wear out...

The picture only shows 2/3 of the final building space Joey,so that will take another 18 panels. Will probably get about 20 panels for the main house roof also cause I want to run the reverse cycle air con with a grid feed credit.

I am only up to 25k, and budgetted for $60k.

(Business is good Joey)

Looks fantastic already , 3 sections of those panels is going to be sweet ! good insulation too !! , 20 panels for the grid feed ( all 200W panels ) was my original plan , plenty enough to run a reverse cycle aircon then lots of credit on those many days you don't need the aircon

Hadn't really thought to much about a budget , I sold off my pinball collection to fund it all so still a bit in reserve and getting the rebate was a bonus.
I still have room for another 16 x 175w or 200w panels but waiting to see if our dollar changes before committing just now , if I can go the whole 16 panels we will be making more than we are using , that in itself is a good incentive

Glad to hear business is good mate

[z80]

Here's a bit of info for those who ever use the "search button" here to ascertain "how much power can i get from a solar panel"?


The manufacturers make all sorts of claims about power output,amps,angles blah blah blah.


For a BP manufactured 85 watt panel that is correctly installed, at the correct inclination angle for Melbourne Australia....in a 48volt array.

Claimed as being 85 watts....Actual measured output is 58 watts RMS.

And...that is in absolutely clear skies at tangential aspect.



If you think 12x 85 watt panels will generate a kilowatt, think again...it will be less than 700 watts, so allow for more panels.
(and that is summer time, double it for winter is my guess at the moment)

Multiply the claimed output by 69% is my MEASURED experience.


Will report the statistics later in Winter for comparison.

[zeke.damien]

hey joey you should take some photos of your panels/ inverters/ batterys and what ever like zed has done

[Joey]

hey joey you should take some photos of your panels/ inverters/ batterys and what ever like zed has done

Will do soon when I have it all nice and neat , already posted a pic of the battery bank earlier.

[zeke.damien]

Will do soon when I have it all nice and neat , already posted a pic of the battery bank earlier.

damn i must be blind lol

[Redwight]

Here's a bit of info for those who ever use the "search button" here to ascertain "how much power can i get from a solar panel"?


The manufacturers make all sorts of claims about power output,amps,angles blah blah blah.


For a BP manufactured 85 watt panel that is correctly installed, at the correct inclination angle for Melbourne Australia....in a 48volt array.

Claimed as being 85 watts....Actual measured output is 58 watts RMS.

And...that is in absolutely clear skies at tangential aspect.



If you think 12x 85 watt panels will generate a kilowatt, think again...it will be less than 700 watts, so allow for more panels.
(and that is summer time, double it for winter is my guess at the moment)

Multiply the claimed output by 69% is my MEASURED experience.


Will report the statistics later in Winter for comparison.

Whereas the ones I'm used to up north only fail to output there full capacity when the sun is off angle or it's cloudy. However that is in North Western Queensland and remote area's. I'd like to experiment more but I'm not about to kit up someone elses house at anything but their expense (I rent).

[zeke.damien]

ok joey and zed at a planning stage atm here is a little image of what my requirements are



what do you think

[z80]

.you aren't on the grid at all?


cause if you are then skip the batteries and go for grid interactive feed....

[zeke.damien]

.you aren't on the grid at all?


cause if you are then skip the batteries and go for grid interactive feed....

yeah we are on the grid however i was hopeing this system would be a little independent off the grid

[z80]

yeah we are on the grid however i was hopeing this system would be a little independent off the grid

only if you have money to burn....batteries wil set you back 10k for a reliable setup.

So...rethink your config.

For a grid interactive setup you will need to wire the array for a minimum 100v, so choose your equipment carefully.


cheaper to use the grid for "virtual storage"

[Joey]

ok joey and zed at a planning stage atm here is a little image of what my requirements are

what do you think

You have your maximum load of 110w and daily usage as only 1.857KW , that isn't much more than running a standard old light bulb ?? what were you hoping to do with this setup ?

To set this up would be hugely expensive , over 25K to basically run this light globe for 5 days if the power failed ,

As Zed pointed out these batteries alone are over $1000 each , they are high maintenance Wet Cell type , Dangerous gas , need watering etc .
The Panels are going to average around $1000 each.

Might be better off giving us a better idea what you want to achieve and we should be able to advise you better which way to try within a much better budget .

[Joey]

cheaper to use the grid for "virtual storage"

Just curious about this line Zed ?? this gives the impression that a grid system will provide power if the grid fails.

[zeke.damien]

well i want to run a laptop, wireless router x2 and my dreambox off the grid if i can help it

and see what else i can run before i need more panels

[z80]

Just curious about this line Zed ?? this gives the impression that a grid system will provide power if the grid fails.

Not at all Joey.

just trying to point out to people that the cost of batteries is the single biggest thing to watch out for in terms of cost.


If people want to do the "green thing" then a completely battery only system ain't the way to go....

Pumping it on the grid shares the carbon benefit with others who may not be in a position to mitigate the carbon cost to thr environment.


Batteries have a finite life and have a significant carbon cost in their manufacture and transportation.


since the meter runs in reverse when pumping onto the grid, I classify it as a virtual battery, in $$$ terms, not electron terms

[z80]

Just heard that the Victorian government is about to legislate for a mandatory buyback price of solar generated energy.

Our electricity retailers will now have to pay us $60c a KW/h for power we pump onto the grid and charge us $18c a KW/h when we pull it back.

However as with most government stuff ups they didn't get it right.
It only applies to a maximum of 2 Kw systems.

So...in my 4 Kw system it is better for me to unplug the other 3 KW and let it run into the paddock, cause I get the same price...

[Joey]

well i want to run a laptop, wireless router x2 and my dreambox off the grid if i can help it

and see what else i can run before i need more panels

Mate as Zed suggest running an on grid system is going to be the most cost effective , after 8K rebate from gov it will cost you around 3K for a 1KW system , with the money you save it would be worth investing in a nice UPS to run your equipment which will be kept charged via your grid feed system.

[z80]

ok joey and zed at a planning stage atm here is a little image of what my requirements are



what do you think

Sorry, this is a bit late, but here are my thoughts...

Firstly,the amount of solar generation will be half of what the projected amount is.

Secondly the amount of anticipated power use (>2Kw/day)...is crap.

Maximum load 110w? why bother.......??

Thirdly, use a 48 volt setup....cables cheaper, inverter can do more.

Get at least a 1500w inverter...in case you ocassionally want to run something bigger.

lastly....get a quote from someone who doesn't make basic errors.

(Selectronics is a better brand of inverter....ask anyone)

[Joey]

lastly....get a quote from someone who doesn't make basic errors.

(Selectronics is a better brand of inverter....ask anyone)

I think that was just one of them random system designer programs you use online , amazing how far off the mark it is !!! wonder how many people see these things and go ahead and order based on that information!

100% Selectronics , a bit more expensive than some but worth every cent more