thomBangor
New Member
Could you send the model or link for your transfer switch? I found one by MOES and one by JONASC. Both sound made up to me, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
feedback: this forum has convinced me not to build a solar system.
- Thread starter thomBangor
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Could you send the model or link for your transfer switch? I found one by MOES and one by JONASC. Both sound made up to me, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Grid defection death spiral.Ah California, the one state with power more expensive than Maine. At least there is sun there
In case anyone's curious, a significant chunk of the power cost in Maine is distribution. As solar is adopted, fewer people pay into distribution, and that cost gets redistributed to the remaining users. Power was 20 cents/kWh here a few years ago, next year it will be 30 cents. The higher the price goes, the more people adopt solar, the fewer pay into distribution, the higher the price goes, and on-and-on.
Btw , how did you get to your numbers? Whats your budget and how did you choose 5 years for payback?
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
3KW inverter running mini split, 2 fridges, deep freezer, and TV saves 60% off power bill. The 5-Ton HVAC doesn't have to run as hard.
5-year payback
3Nice. What was your out of pocket cost?
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
I’ve got a kbota sub compact with front end loader and a 1949 farmall cub my wife inherited recently-it ain’t running but saw it running in the 90’s, gonna be fun
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
I spent four years in California, I disagree a lot with them too.
Two things you state are clearly your answer…
1) Forget about playing by their rules… make your own rules.. build a solid offgrid system that could be used now and later.. don’t let “the man stick it to you..”
2 ) forget the term ROI… many things in life have a zero ROI , yet we pursue them anyway as they bring us happiness, love or safty…OR they are fun…
If a man can’t do somthing he wants because the ROI doesn’t appear right, he’s not living…he just chasing the dollar…
In closing , if you had a nice offgrid system , and somthing happened we can’t predict, and most others had to pay a huge new amount for a rationed amount of power or didn’t have any power, how much would you be concerned with ROI sitting in your home WITH at least SOME electric power. .?
Don’t let ‘em crush your spirit… do what you want ,do it your way…Screw em..!
J.
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BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
I'm around $15K with 2 ground mounts. Rack of 6 5K batteries. I have a bunch of equipment that I haven't brought on line yet. Peek bill with this heat will be $500+ I have consistently been running around 30% per month but that may change with 100F Florida heat. The big saver was mini split in bedroom and let the rest of the house go to 80F
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Bananaman321
⚡solar idiot ⚡
With all due respect. Picking up loads like refrigerators is not going to make any significant difference in your power bill unless it is were talking about a walk-in cooler.
Better to build around capabilities of picking a load like HVAC if you want to make a significant impact on your utility.
Of course at that point might as well pickup refrigerator and lights ect. leave things like range water heater dryer microwave bathroom receptacle and kitchen receptacles on grid because these loads are intermittent and don't individually add significantly to your utility but they do substantially add to your system requirements.
Utility loads could be supplemented in an emergency like power outage.
Just food for thought. Again with all due respect.
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
I have always had a battery back up system. Usually old boat or tower site batteries. Then I moved into LiFePO4. Then added a few solar panels to it for BACKUP WITH BENIFITS
The savings was the Benefits. The main goal was to get through our famous thunder storms, tropical depressions, and pain in the ass hurricanes. During these events power goes out with no automatic generator. Hard to go out and start one up during the storm event. Afterwards my boat is a 126 gallon gas can.
So Yes, I really enjoy my fridges, freezers, and mini split running all night long
As stated previously the Mini-Split in the bedroom and raising the rest of the house up created a multiplier of savings.
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BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
No codes for an off grid portable system. Well almost none. Be safe please.
I like that…simple!
Bananaman321
⚡solar idiot ⚡
That's pretty cool you can just follow the Sun all day I assume the beer holder is on the other end
Bananaman321
⚡solar idiot ⚡
I made something similar not as egernomic thoughThat's pretty cool you can just follow the Sun all day I assume the beer holder is on the other end
Suijkerbuijk
I cannot be held responsible for this information.
My boat use the port for main power in the winter timeAh California, the one state with power more expensive than Maine. At least there is sun there
In case anyone's curious, a significant chunk of the power cost in Maine is distribution. As solar is adopted, fewer people pay into distribution, and that cost gets redistributed to the remaining users. Power was 20 cents/kWh here a few years ago, next year it will be 30 cents. The higher the price goes, the more people adopt solar, the fewer pay into distribution, the higher the price goes, and on-and-on.
I pay 0.60 euro cent .
So what i save in the summer i use to pay that in the winter.
No i can not sent back to the gridd.
Normal price in the Netherlands will be around .
Wel we pay for the gridd it self that is about 480 euro per year .
And the power price per kwh is about 0.24/30 cent .
We do have from the state 631 euro for transport cost gas and electricity netwerk for a discount.
But the gas netwerk cost are about 223 euro per year .
Gas price will be 1.35euro per 1m3 Cube of gas
thomBangor
New Member
Cost is from a letter the power company sent me saying they're going to ask for that rate 1/1/25.
Budget is $8000. Budget and 5yr ROI are both determined by begrudging wife who doesn't want me messing with her electricity.
thomBangor
New Member
You'll get it running. Those engines never die. Does the engine turn over? Alright I guess this is off-topic, sorry.
So every kwh you don't pull off the grid saves you $0.30?
At that rate, even 2kw of solar panels could save you $3 a day, $1000 a year if you can find a legit use for the power. In a hot climate a small window air conditioner unit comes to mind. Those only draw about 1000 watts though, but maybe with 5kWh of LiFePO4 and 2kw of solar, you could run it well into the evening and cut down the use of your main house A/C. No need for grid tie.
At that rate, even 2kw of solar panels could save you $3 a day, $1000 a year if you can find a legit use for the power. In a hot climate a small window air conditioner unit comes to mind. Those only draw about 1000 watts though, but maybe with 5kWh of LiFePO4 and 2kw of solar, you could run it well into the evening and cut down the use of your main house A/C. No need for grid tie.
Q-Dog
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This is the right idea, and pretty much how I got started. At first we just wanting to keep the fridge cold and a couple of lights on, without having to drag out the generator. Started with a battery and an inverter charged from the grid. Added a couple of solar panels to keep the battery topped off. Then another battery, then more panels, then more batteries, then a pallet of panels, etc.I have always had a battery back up system. Usually old boat or tower site batteries. Then I moved into LiFePO4. Then added a few solar panels to it for BACKUP WITH BENIFITS
The savings was the Benefits. The main goal was to get through our famous thunder storms, tropical depressions, and pain in the ass hurricanes. During these events power goes out with no automatic generator. Hard to go out and start one up during the storm event. Afterwards my boat is a 126 gallon gas can.
So Yes, I really enjoy my fridges, freezers, and mini split running all night long
As stated previously the Mini-Split in the bedroom and raising the rest of the house up created a multiplier of savings.
Last summer we ran a window air conditioner off of the excess solar from the battery backup, and despite it being the hottest summer ever recorded here, our power bills went down a little bit.
We are not planning to go completely off grid, but every time the poco raises prices we get pushed a little bit more in that direction.
HalfBaked
Ever the student
Off-grid 48v system. Based on what I would have paid in monthly utility bills (not including rate hikes) I have a 4yr ROI, now 3.
I personally think getting rid of the full bill is the best way. especially if its .30/kwh. of course that will likely cost more than $8000, but then you eliminate 100% of .30/kwh
if you cant do that but still want to maximize your investment, then look into individually switchable circuits. for example, you could design a system that's enough to power the AC in the summer but in the winter when you are not using ac you could switch that out and switch in the electric water heater. that way, the power is not going to waste.
you could make the system at least cover your base loads because that's easy to do. so, base loads and a large appliance could be a good starting point
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
BarracudaBob
Harvesting free photons from clean fusion
For the people with boats, through some panels on there and start running select loads.
Bananaman321
⚡solar idiot ⚡
Ya lost me there I think there's coded messages in that picture. Where do you find this sh*t anyways?
With her on board, just set up a patreon account and watch the $$ roll in, no need for solar.
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