crystalworks
New Member
Just wanted to introduce and say "Hi, and thank you" to the members here. I have been learning about solar for a couple of years now and this forum has been a valuable resource. Much of the high level stuff is still over my head, but I'm getting there.
Background, so obviously it gets ridiculously hot in S. Texas and our bills were starting to regularly top $500/mo in the summer months. Well, last year I said enough was enough. I had decided to start learning solar a couple of years ago and do a 3 phase learning path. Phase 1 was very simple and done in a few months, phase 2 was just completed 3 months ago, and phase 3 will be expensive so is likely a couple of years out. Will redirect the savings from Phase 2 to that. Anyway, details below.
Phase 1: Simple 12v system powering 2 12v attic fans in gables. Started with x2 Renogy 100w panels (like everyone does, but now use x2 275w Canadian Solar), 12v lead acid car battery I had laying around (now 12v LiFePo4 PowerQueen 100AH), and a cheap 30A MPPT controller. Gets the job done and has been working great in helping to keep our attic from reaching 150f every day.
Phase 2: 1 ton EG4 hybrid mini split on x6 275w Candadian Solar panels & grid wired, 2 ton EG4 hybrid mini split on x8 400w bi-facial Canadian Solar panels & grid tied. Only been completed about 2.5 months but seems to have cut grid usage by ~40%. We don't run the 14 SEER 5ton central during the day anymore. Savings between $200-300 in the summer, don't know exact as only gotten one complete bill so far with system in place. $210 savings on that one.
Phase 3: Haven't picked all the hardware for this yet, as new things are constantly released. But goal will be off-grid inverter(s) with battery backups with manual changeover to grid if need be. Would probably need ~20kW of solar, but unsure now with how usage has dropped from phase 2... so calculations might change that.
Anyway, will post pics if anyone's interested, but again... thank you and aloha.
Background, so obviously it gets ridiculously hot in S. Texas and our bills were starting to regularly top $500/mo in the summer months. Well, last year I said enough was enough. I had decided to start learning solar a couple of years ago and do a 3 phase learning path. Phase 1 was very simple and done in a few months, phase 2 was just completed 3 months ago, and phase 3 will be expensive so is likely a couple of years out. Will redirect the savings from Phase 2 to that. Anyway, details below.
Phase 1: Simple 12v system powering 2 12v attic fans in gables. Started with x2 Renogy 100w panels (like everyone does, but now use x2 275w Canadian Solar), 12v lead acid car battery I had laying around (now 12v LiFePo4 PowerQueen 100AH), and a cheap 30A MPPT controller. Gets the job done and has been working great in helping to keep our attic from reaching 150f every day.
Phase 2: 1 ton EG4 hybrid mini split on x6 275w Candadian Solar panels & grid wired, 2 ton EG4 hybrid mini split on x8 400w bi-facial Canadian Solar panels & grid tied. Only been completed about 2.5 months but seems to have cut grid usage by ~40%. We don't run the 14 SEER 5ton central during the day anymore. Savings between $200-300 in the summer, don't know exact as only gotten one complete bill so far with system in place. $210 savings on that one.
Phase 3: Haven't picked all the hardware for this yet, as new things are constantly released. But goal will be off-grid inverter(s) with battery backups with manual changeover to grid if need be. Would probably need ~20kW of solar, but unsure now with how usage has dropped from phase 2... so calculations might change that.
Anyway, will post pics if anyone's interested, but again... thank you and aloha.