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PVWatts has information about cloud cover. Morning clouds in many locations occur and then burn off in the afternoon. Just a guess on my part, but valid I think.

So water stores about 5x more heat per LB than sand. And dry sand is less dense than water. So you need a lot more space to store much heat with sand. You can buy a ready made hot water storage tank, already insulated -- its called an electric water heater. Those elements work AC and DC...

Couple of you folks keep saying THHN. But its outdoor conduit and my understanding is that you need THWN. W in there is for water resistent. That's really what make basic Romax (MN-B) no go in the ground anywhere, even in a conduit. And THHN is not water resistent rated. Or do you know...

So your Sol Ark 15k and EG4 18k both as hybrids are best utilized between your meter and your loads, if you want them to function as a backup power system (which is the attractive aspect), and the reason to have batteries, usually, if you are net metering. If you are going to use an AIO as grid...

Lets see if I can redirect the conversation back to my needs. (all you worried about how I burry this -- I'll do it right when the times comes!) I need to understand getting HV DC from a solar array back to a different location for the inverter. Trying to understand what is involved, what...

Not to misdirect the original question, but I kind of disagree. There are a lot of roofs that are close enough. Then the panels are out of the way, no need to mow around them, no kids to throw rocks at them. But if your asphalt shingles are at year 20 of a 25 year design life, you better...

THE problem with screws through the ribs/ridges is that the installer can over-torque the screw and dent the tin on the ridge. Then you have a small but real channel of water into the structure. I met a fellow from Australia once who said that there, all metal roofing was installed with the...

Also, for the OP, your old panels are a) degraded and b) older tech. If you have limitless roof space, then you *could* add panels as you suggest. But if you are contemplating really covering your 34 kwh load, you are going to be upgrading a lot of things. Might be best to replace the old...

I am less interested in discussing load panel upgrades. We don't run the majority of the loads from a single panel or sub panels and the utility has been OK with that for years. So please leave that out of the discussion. I understand that continuous use things need 80% derated. But talking...

It don't work that way. 4 12v 100ah batteries in series = 1 48v 100ah battery. NOT 400ah. Now you see why a 48v 280ah battery is should be roughly 3x more expensive than 4x 12v 100ah bats. To elaborate, perhaps clarify. You could run 4 12v 100ah batteries in parallel. Then you would have...

You also appear to have some cables that are coming off the panel, after the main breaker, but not protected, ie no breaker. Hmmm.. Do you have a sub panel somewhere? I think you need professional help. Those smaller wires coming off the lugs right under the main 100A breaker could overheat...

I am trying to get my head around an Hybrid/AIO system. Looking at the EG4 18k for instance, it uses up to 500v, but can handle up to 600v without damage. OK, seems straight forward enough. I will have a long run for the DC lines back to the AIO, so I want max voltage. Then I look at panel...

thanks for the comments and thoughts. I was referring to a busbar in a plain old load center, in this case, the sub-panel in the shed where the PV panels will be, as well as EV charging. As others note, you can scale Alu to overcome its deficiencies if you have space, but the contacts inside a...

Nice to get some thoughts. The complication for us is that isolating "critical loads" is nearly impossible at a structural level. Main farm operation, with a 200A feed, has multiple panels. It really defies all the usual advice. There are like 5 panels/boxes coming off the main meter with a...

I have a perfect south facing roof. But its over 400 feet from the main loads. I would potentially need 200A service in the distant shed, have to move the entrance pole and meter to the shed, if I wanted a hybrid system with battery backup of the whole enterprise. After doing some...

Sonic, it seems you have a good grasp of the concepts. You could consider panels on the east and west sides. Panels are cheap. And in Florida, you are consuming power all day. Plus, your decision to incorporate batteries could help even out your usage, assuming the software allows. Its...

My family farm has a large shed, 60x120 approx with a great southern exposure, metal roof that a good pitch etc. But the service entrance for the house, and much of the load (like large motors, fans, water pumps, welders etc) fans out from the meter pole, about 400 ft from the shed. With plain...

Interestingly, when I first installed my system in 2009, for a couple weeks, I still had the old meter. Utility did not complain, we had asked. It was a spinning disc, but with remote read. Well the disk did indeed spin backwards and the numbers, analog, went backwards. BUT, the remote read...

I have quite a bit more roof space than I have need. So I don't need panels that have particularly high wattage (though of course one can save on racking with less panels). My roofs are all steel and really optimal in locations, so I 'd rather go that route. Large roofs on large sheds at a...

Tagging in here. Struggling with a similar large farm project. Will not go into details to avoid derailing your thread, but curious about the discussion.

OK, next question then. This whole business of volt rising with cold temps. This occurs, even if the amps are down, due to poor angles, clouds?

Hey guys, thanks for input. -- grid tie, though hybrid with battery backup is a temptation, or just a grid tie to save some money. In any scenario heavy loads would normally be covered by the grid. -- ground mount is out of the question. -- I don't own anything west of the house and trees in...

Ford Lightning has it, or its in the works. But expensive to have it installed such that its completely automatic. But the Lighning also has an option, quite affordable to go from 2400w 120v output, to 9800w 240v out. Now, its not automated. But at my family's farm, we already had a...

OK, I've been reading. Voc is open, so larger than Vmp, where the mp stands for maximal production. With the above panels, plugged into a Midnight Solar calculator, I get a VOC at -30C/-22F of 42.1V (547V for 13 panels, within capacity of EG4) and a Vmp of 38.4. But how is Vmp measured...

What kind of circulators do you have? Look intro grundfos Alpha if you don't have them already. Modern variable speed circulators can take far less power. The hydronic world is also talking more about how to get by with less pumps, but 5 doesn't sound so egregious. But your main pumps that...

Well the closest 2 meters are 2 miles apart. The furthest south to the most northerly is about 14 miles. So I don't think "consolidating" is an option. In many ways we are just happy to have power. As I noted, one of the meters really should be removed and replaced with a solar water well pump.

In a conventional grid tie system, your "A" breaker feeds power in both directions. The grid tied inverter sees the grid, matches the frequency etc and starts putting power back into your main panel. If you produce too much, it does not get used up by your other loads, B-H and it goes back...

Can you dig a deep well? I mean, if its "just" limestone, its pretty easy digging. Ground water somewhere down there? But even without groundwater, you can get a lot of cool out of a 200 ft deep hole. I don't know lot from first hand experience, but have always been fascinated by it. And...

Ugh.. Found this very well written bit out there with regards to Voc versus Vmp Photovoltaic panels are usually characterised by their short circuit current (Isc) and their open circuit voltage (Voc). It is important to make sure that the combined open circuit voltage (Voc) of a PV panel or...

Does not appear to be an option. Maybe DyMailbox can comment. I do not yet have my truck, but the GFI seems to be pretty integrated into the inverter. And getting power upstream exposes the issue of violating a brand new $70,000 truck wiring while still under warranty. As for simply not...

Typically you are going to run two rails, parallel horizontally across your shingle roof. They will be say 40" apart for a 60" panel, ballpark. Different panels have different specs as to where they want the rail, depending on things like wind and snow loads. Now those rails need to be...

Actually while hiking at today at 9,900 ft I had an epiphany. My plan has a rather glaring/stupid hole. That accessory ground rod that I dreamt up for good measure will nicely link the inverter ground to the premises ground, where ever that is (likely about 200 ft away at the first main panel)...

You last folks talk about breakers and 75c ratings and such. But for a DC HV feed to an array of panels, its not clear to me we are talking the same applications. It would indeed seem relevant to have a DC fuse in a HV DC circuit. No one that I know of has proper DC "breakers" -- lots on...

I considered that, but it leaves me still needing to run 240v wiring back to the shed. And I would be reluctant (I think its not code) to bury those those two sets of wires in the same trench...... I am contemplating moving the entrance pole to the shed..... Pretty radical I know, but just so...

I like your appraisal. In our situation, in several ways I just want to get a net metered installation in place. Out of fear they may even do away with it entirely, but grandfather the old installations. All the people dealing with utilities that refuse to allow a few watts back into the grid...

I have posted several times in the last couple days. I have time on my hands, cannot lift or be outside due to cataract surgery, so dedicating my time to figuring out what the family farm needs for solar. -- I have verified that the local utility Rolling Hills allows for net metering and grid...

I am contemplating putting some underground wires to get additional panels on a shed that would be around 125ft away from my inverter. This was suggested in a couple other threads. Another suggestion was to run the wires in conduit. Allowing for upgrades in the future, if need be. I am...

Rolling Hills in western KS is a cooperative. AFAIK, no residential versus business rates, at least for remote farms. We already have 6 different meters in various locations. $55 a month for a meter, so yup, $330/month in meter fees. So $660 a year to pump water for the cows in one location...

Lots of stuff on a sprawling farm. 39.683199480952695, -98.90626198609057 If curious. There are a lot of things at ground level that can cause problems for stuff. Huge machines moving around. Cows. Weeds to mow, or some sort of ground cover like crushed rock which is not free. But the...

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Maybe. Probably. What is the V of the sunpowers? Go to an online DC cable calculator and put in the numbers. Your total voltage is of course 8 x the voltage of your panels assuming you have all 8 in series. The amperage is 1840/total voltage. But here's the good news another user shared...

I *believe* I read in the code just recently that an all metal building could be used as ground for PV panels. I *think* there was verbiage how the structure needed to be grounded as well, ie a rod, wire to the rod etc. There are several specialty products out there that I have been looking...

I meant using the grid pass through. Spec sheet says the EG4 can pass through up to 200A. I am under no illusions that running a 20hp electric motor using solar would be a hot idea! That motor pushes tons of air through grain in storage. They would not need it during a power outage. I am...

Probably not exactly a "beginner" questions, but seems the generator forum is pretty quiet, and this question involved solar as well. Ford Lightning owners have been challenged using their massive battery pack for input into backup power in settings via transfer switches, as well as using the...

Thank you zanydroid for your actual explanations, as opposed to condescension. Interestingly, I knew that. But I was not computing. I have retrofitted several old houses that lack ground wires with GFCI breakers through the years. A real nice feature to help with old house wiring. In one...

Looking at the EG4 15kw, but applies to just about any AIO system or generator input etc. Why are 2 or 3 pole generator transfer switches so damned expensive? I mean, looking at the GE TC10324R -- looks like Home Depot has best price of around $650. But its a nice heavy box with three sets of...

I *think* when you start pricing a battery bank capable of firing that kiln, you will decide against it. Would make a lot more sense to use the grid and time your use of electricity to get better rates. Agree with 400 that until you know what that kiln draws, you cannot begin this process.

You are right, doesn't. Listen, you all that are willing to have the ground disconnected -- some of us far less experienced guys take it as gospel that every circuit ought to have a ground. I am just trying to figure out in my mind where an inspector would have a problem. Frankly, you have...

I kept re-reading this though. Lets say I have a L fault somewhere between the transfer switch and and its NOT faulted to neutral, but to something else and it finds an alternate path back to the main panel G and then "rejoins" the N wire where it is bonded to G. Now current out on L1 and L2...

Does anyone make a LF high capacity AIO? Suspect not, as that expense segment tends to be willing to assemble individual components.