diy solar

diy solar

Recent content by EastTexCowboy

  1. EastTexCowboy

    Unintended consequences of Solar that we see

    I understand why some people don't have many options and it sounds like some places regulate it more. Ground mount makes more sense to me for most situations if you have the room, for all the reasons already mentioned. I ended up putting mine on the shop because it made sense at the time. Now...
  2. EastTexCowboy

    Unintended consequences of Solar that we see

    We ended up installing a mini split in the garage to keep the system functional in the summer. The unintended consequence is we now have another 400 sq ft of climate controlled storage space, which is wonderful. I'm sure there are a number of others, but that's the one that comes to mind.
  3. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    I've got a couple of the 100 lb tanks from years ago. I still use them occasionally to run a torpedo heater in the shop. What I should do is put an NG heater in the shop but I don't know that it's worth the cost. A project for sometime down the road. And three or four of the 20 lb tanks for...
  4. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    Good point. I'm not sure how they handle that but it does have a temp rating for outside, all seasons. I don't recall the high temp rating but it should be in the specs.
  5. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    Depends on your load on the gen size. We have a 27kw Generac that runs on NG. It has no problem running everything but I think a 20kw would probably do so most times. Especially now that we have the heat pumps.
  6. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    No personal experience with them but Signature Solar and Current Connected sell the EG4 Power Pro, which is rated for outside. I referenced that one earlier hoping Markus with EG4 would give us a report on how his fared during the freeze.
  7. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    I don't think I've seen any feedback on this thread on systems installed outdoors, but I could have missed it. I'd like to hear how those are faring in low temps. Maybe @Markus_EG4 could give us a report on the EG4s with the Power Pros he installed a few months back?
  8. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    It varies here. It was running 9.5 cents but when demand is up it goes up to as high as 13 cents. This past month's bill it was 11 cents.
  9. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    Yeah, she was really happy to have it. Easier to mess with than the gas gen and as it turned out they couldn't get the gas gen started either. Old crazy dad got some points on that one. :ROFLMAO:
  10. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    My daughter lives just east of you an hour or two. It's been pretty miserable up there. She got to use the cart I built for her back in the summer. Their tractor died on the road going to put out hay on the first bad day of the freeze. They ended up putting a tarp over the whole tractor and...
  11. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    They do offer them with heat strips in the air handler, but down here they don't install those unless you ask for it specifically. Not needed is the theory. Based on this round of our version of bitter cold, I'm gonna say they're right. Not needed. Part of me wants to have them installed as...
  12. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    Mitsubishi claims these are efficient down to 4F. We got down to maybe 15F at the lowest and one unit did a lengthy defrost cycle, which definitely impairs the efficiency, but otherwise we never noticed a change in the inside temps. We had two nights with it around 15F to 16F and only the one...
  13. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    Similar here on next week. Sixties and lots of rain. I'll probably still be on the grid. Oh well, we need the rain and it beats freezing my butt off.
  14. EastTexCowboy

    How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    NG. It was here when we bought the place so I can't take any credit, other than I keep it maintained. Wonderful as long as we don't lose NG, which happened quite a bit during the first big "Texas freeze". So far it hasn't been an issue here.
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