offgridandy
New Member
Hi everyone. Just signed in today although I have read any number of threads here previously.
I have lived off grid on a mountain side in Mid Wales (UK) for nigh on 25 years. Started out with just a Lister generator. Added battery and inverter charger and then over many years my system, built and maintained by me has grown to this.
24Kwh FLa battery 24V.
Outback VFX2430 inverter charger.
6.2Kw PV panels in 4 strings all ground mounted.
Outback FM80 PV charge controllers.
3Kw wind turbine. ac coupled feeds the house first then back feeds through the Invertor to charge battery.
10KVa LPG genset .
I also have 2 banks of solar thermal tubes to provide DHW for 8 months of the year.
Our house is a large 3 bed stone barn conversion. Highly insulated with solid floors with wet UF heating. Heat from either oil boiler, wood stove with back boiler or newly installed ASHP, which operates (currently) only when genny runs. Theory is genny has to run in winter every couple of days so when it's operating only 2.5Kw is used for battery charging so another 3Kw goes to the ASHP but fuel consumption does not double so ASHP is nearly free. Heating system is controlled by a couple of temp stats and relays on a buffer tank. All heat sources can feed the tank and when T exceeds 40'C the oil boiler is shut off and the other sources heat the house via the UFH. Sometimes I have to further run electric fires to dump power , what a chore.
Net daily energy use (electric) around 12Kw. Most generated in winter from wind turbine 40Kw in one day.
The next plan is to upgrade to a 48V system which obviously will involve an upheaval. I have a near new 50Kwh ex EV battery to reuse. Car is one year old done only 1000 miles.
So I will plan to do a post on this battery useage. I see the forum has covered this topic before but I hope you guys can guide a dinasour (25 years on lead acid ) into the sunlit uplands of new tech batteries.
Andy
I have lived off grid on a mountain side in Mid Wales (UK) for nigh on 25 years. Started out with just a Lister generator. Added battery and inverter charger and then over many years my system, built and maintained by me has grown to this.
24Kwh FLa battery 24V.
Outback VFX2430 inverter charger.
6.2Kw PV panels in 4 strings all ground mounted.
Outback FM80 PV charge controllers.
3Kw wind turbine. ac coupled feeds the house first then back feeds through the Invertor to charge battery.
10KVa LPG genset .
I also have 2 banks of solar thermal tubes to provide DHW for 8 months of the year.
Our house is a large 3 bed stone barn conversion. Highly insulated with solid floors with wet UF heating. Heat from either oil boiler, wood stove with back boiler or newly installed ASHP, which operates (currently) only when genny runs. Theory is genny has to run in winter every couple of days so when it's operating only 2.5Kw is used for battery charging so another 3Kw goes to the ASHP but fuel consumption does not double so ASHP is nearly free. Heating system is controlled by a couple of temp stats and relays on a buffer tank. All heat sources can feed the tank and when T exceeds 40'C the oil boiler is shut off and the other sources heat the house via the UFH. Sometimes I have to further run electric fires to dump power , what a chore.
Net daily energy use (electric) around 12Kw. Most generated in winter from wind turbine 40Kw in one day.
The next plan is to upgrade to a 48V system which obviously will involve an upheaval. I have a near new 50Kwh ex EV battery to reuse. Car is one year old done only 1000 miles.
So I will plan to do a post on this battery useage. I see the forum has covered this topic before but I hope you guys can guide a dinasour (25 years on lead acid ) into the sunlit uplands of new tech batteries.
Andy