diy solar

diy solar

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  1. O

    Pool heat pumps?

    I'm semi-familiar with him, even met him at a trade show ~20 years ago. Doesn't mean I know anything though. At 15F and below I'm able to get away with upper 80's in my slabs. My staple up zones need at least 100f but 110f works best. At 32f my house doesn't need any supplemental heat thanks...
  2. O

    Surge protection advice

    That seems like it would be unwise if I'm understanding what you're saying. You would put a #12 wire under the same lug as a 3/0? Definitely not code compliant plus there's no overcurrent protection on the SPD's #12 wires and in many cases no way to install or replace it safely since there is...
  3. O

    color me stupid somebody want to edumacate me?

    Kinda sorta but there's a lot more going on than that, but whatever, it's all good. The OP and I have been talking about an atmospheric system the entire time. See below.
  4. O

    Surge protection advice

    Sorry I misread your post as saying that using a tandem breaker for the SPD. How do you wire it into your AC system without a breaker?
  5. O

    Surge protection advice

    If you do this you'll only have surge protection on one phase. No bueno.
  6. O

    color me stupid somebody want to edumacate me?

    I don't think so, at least not in the way I understand how they work. I believe they only work in a pressurized system to give your well pump some relief in-between drawdowns before it cycles again.
  7. O

    Surge protection advice

    Take some amperage measurements and look into combining some circuits. I bet you find that you have numerous single pole breakers that never see more than a few amps and can be safely ran off of one breaker. Once you do that you can install a two pole breaker and get yourself some proper surge...
  8. O

    to cheat or not to cheat... that is the question

    It will also give them more ammunition to introduce even more restrictive measures on legal interconnections.
  9. O

    to cheat or not to cheat... that is the question

    I'd be careful with this. I can't speak to the specifics since I don't understand them. But there has been a few threads where folks who had no intention of selling back still got called out by the utility because many of the new utility meters are sensitive enough to pick up the just few of...
  10. O

    230v (europe) pump on split phase?

    I believe heat is more a function of load than higher RPM's. Thinking back to some of the VFD's I hooked up there were warnings about running non VFD rated motors at too low of speed due to a risk of overheating. Not in my generic experience. Voltage is more important than hZ. Voltage much...
  11. O

    110v input into 220v circuit breaker box?

    Legal? I can't say for sure but I've done it many times. You've got a few ways to do it. -Install a jumper wire from underneath one of the incoming lugs to other. There will be two wires under one terminal. Actually I can say that's probably not "legal" because those terminals probably...
  12. O

    to cheat or not to cheat... that is the question

    Assume they will find out. Around here they send two trucks with two of thier biggest linemen in each one. One of them knocks on your door and asks you to turn off your illegally interconnected system. The other truck is pulling up to your meter pole preparing to either pull your transformer...
  13. O

    230v (europe) pump on split phase?

    Any device I've worked on that doesn't require a 3rd wire (neutral) doesn't care how it gets to 230v or 240v, it just wants to see 230v across two wires. YMMV
  14. O

    color me stupid somebody want to edumacate me?

    2 meters of water on top of the inlet gets you to less than 3PSI so I think you're still going to struggle to not lose prime. I ended up using a pump I salvaged from an espresso machine in my atmospheric system. "Fluid-O-Tech"
  15. O

    High cost vs low cost fuses

    Quality may just be one part of it. I think the biggest part is it rated to fail safely in the application. EG: Class T fuses are so expensive because of thier high AIC rating. A lesser rated fuse my fail in such a way that it creates a dangerous situation with fire and shrapnel while also...
  16. O

    Solar panels cause bad weather.

    We had numerous family camping trips that got rained out. I'm not talking a gentle spring shower either, like 100 yr flood, evacuate the campground before it's under water and you and your RV or tent are washed down the river. We thought about offering up our family vacations for hire to...
  17. O

    Solar panels cause bad weather.

    And wind turbines make the the wind stop blowing. I've often joken that I could control the weather since it always rained for a week straight after I finished up a solar project and the wind just died after I put up a small turbine.
  18. O

    color me stupid somebody want to edumacate me?

    There is another way. One can run a 2nd 30 amp circuit to your water heater like I did. I have two 5500 watt elements, each with thier own thermostat and 30 amp circuit. *why did I do that?* because I needed 11kW of heating, 5.5 wouldn't do it. Other than a few winter months I am net...
  19. O

    Arc Shield / Finger guard for AC fused disconnect GE TG3222R

    They make one I'm sure but finding where to buy it is another story. A regular supply house may have it. You could also try to find the right person at GE to email or call but at the end of the day swapping out the disconnect with one that comes with an arc shield my be easier and quicker...
  20. O

    How do wire ratings work? Found hot wires

    Has anyone suggested checking voltage drop (Vd) across the total system and then each component? That's always my first step. At the max amps of course. Vd x Amps = Watts lost across that connection = Heat
  21. O

    IntegraRack: Ground Mount with Epoxy Ground Stakes and Ballast Options

    This is a timely thread for me as I'm trying to do a new ground mount. While looking into ways to do it I bumped into several versions of the below kit. An angled single slope option would be really nice but I didn't find any...
  22. O

    IntegraRack: Ground Mount with Epoxy Ground Stakes and Ballast Options

    That's what I was seeing as well. We've used a pretty innovative racking system from Osprey a couple of times. It's actually pretty impressive how well it handles uneven terrain. It's pricey but as has been mentioned if you really take a look at the total cost, particularly when you're paying...
  23. O

    Filling in gaps between ground mounted solar panels to prevent water

    Google "extruded gasket" and you'll see a lot of options but as has been mentioned you're likely only going to slow it down.
  24. O

    IntegraRack: Ground Mount with Epoxy Ground Stakes and Ballast Options

    I like it. The less you value your time the more attractive home building your racking is. If you value your time over $2/hr then homebuilding will never pan out. If you have a full time job and want to order something that will show at your door in a few days that you can have going the...
  25. O

    Portable 2 Wire AutoStart Generator Options

    That's how I see it. Plus portable generators have a manual choke that you'll need to manage as well. If you go with a Honda then you should check these folks. https://generator-line.com/two-wire-remotes/
  26. O

    Newbie struggling on mount options

    No experience with the Goose but I do like the Sinclair for around here in SW Missouri. Our frost depth is less than 2' so piers here a lot easier than than would be in Canada. We still have to use a mini-ex and dig 60" inches. There are few areas around here to pile drive or use screw...
  27. O

    Battery tester is so smart I can't understand how it works...

    I read that as it can't see the negative terminal, perhaps due to the corrosion. But if it's like mine it won't even turn on until it can detect that it's hooked up to the battery. Sometimes you need to rotate back and forth a few times to help the clamp get through the dirt and oxide.
  28. O

    Need electrician help near DFW, TX --> Found

    Several have mentioned that they even struggled to get an licensed electrician to help just with small parts. It can be done just be prepared for it not be as easy one might be hoping.
  29. O

    Need to buy/make thicker gauge wires for outside, but problem

    Size to the specs on your panel. I bet that panel is pretty close to 10 Amps Imp and 33v Vmp I get 10 Amps @ 99V in PERFECT conditions for each string. Imp at NOC (normal operating conditions) will be closer to 8 amps. #10 is overkill in my book. From Southwire.
  30. O

    Need to buy/make thicker gauge wires for outside, but problem

    Sizing wire runs for me is a two step process. 1. First meet code. Isc x 1.25 (it used to be Isc x 1.56) 2. Then look at voltage drop keeping in mind that your array will spend almost all of its life at 80% of Imp. Rarely, if ever, will you need to up size the wire from step one.
  31. O

    Circuit breaker fail.

    These are really nice breakers for less money than the Chinese ones. Just saying...
  32. O

    DIY removal

    You may want to first identify how they are connected and get that special tool if needed. They are probably wired in series so each one adds to the voltage. I would shut off the isolator then find the wiring that connects panel 3 to 4. That will open the circuit cutting the voltage in half...
  33. O

    What are good connection point techniques for solid connections

    It's easier to spot when the loads are the highest. Anytime I complete a system, make any changes to a system or as part of an annual check up I get the system up to 100% of it's rating, even it means adding a little space heater, then start taking measurements.
  34. O

    LED lights ghosting when on solar/inverter, but not when on grid power

    It could be that case of the either the driver or fixture is grounded to whatever they are mounted to but it doesn't look like that's possible since they both appear to be plastic. But math and Watts law tells us the you've got current flowing somehow. V x A = W If either V or A = zero then...
  35. O

    What are good connection point techniques for solid connections

    Just one shart and do they call you "the fence builder.....Noooooo". "Sir Paul tells a joke"
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