diy solar

diy solar

Beginner needs to buy components before going to Mexico

Sooooo now I need to find 2 panels. Dad was going to get them at Tesla in Fremont, CA, which is near his house, but can’t now. I see the Hanwha Q Cell is Tesla’s label, I think, but I only see 325 watt and 450 watt. I’m guessing that’s a bad idea with keeping our system 12v for now?
If you are buying all new panels that would be fine the out back will drop the voltage down to 12 volt .
I use 295watt q cells and the panel voltage is 123 volts for the string and in the pic I’m getting in 96.6 volts and I’m charging at 55.6 .
I think you can make up strings of different panels , as long as both strings are the same and you don’t go over 150volts , cold weather raises panel voltage , my area can get down to - 29o f so my voltage can’t be above 125ish
because at -29 the voltage can see over 150 vs and burn up the charge controler
im sure filter guy could help with this ?
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You’re making me hungry and thirsty. Shrimp festival November 4th
Ok , one story more we have run a restaurant in Mazatlan at the golden coast for a good 6 months, lift that restaurant up from nothing till people lining up in font of it .
every day 40 tables full !
One of the thing i like to do is cooking and i´m a pretty good one if i may say so .
But this a story were i can tell so much more about.
I build a grill 2 meter long and 90 centimeter wide straight in the open in that restaurant and an open kitchen, people love to watch me cooking up their food.
Tons of ribs, chicken , scrimp, prime rib. the whole sailing community came eating , we had a reputation for good food .
 
O my that will be great .
That will be farmed scrimp, i had a good connection with a shrimp farmer in Mazatlan .
In Mazatlan go to the Harbor end , there is a seafood restaurant, more fresh than fresh is impossible, the bring everything straight from the ocean at your table.
3 feet is like sailing in a bath tub for me . but the big rolling waves on the ocean are very gentle, easy to handle if you stay in deep water .
The shrimp come in daily. They park and sleep right out from our house. Best I can tell they’re a few miles out. We’re on the western side of the sea of Cortez or the eastern side of BC. Bad storms last night and high tide. You’re right about the landlord. But we’ve had 30+ years at $1500 a year and if the ocean or landlord took it tomorrow that’s ok. Bad ventilation, check, bad wiring, check because we did it, bad construction, not so much, it’s brick from top to bottom.
 
CC3BE2AE-5A8D-4CD8-A663-3A724AC075ED.pngOK gents, here’s what I went with. With the bigger inverter do I need bigger cables? Also, how far can I run power to the 12v water pump I mentioned? Should I use the DC load port versus AC and an inverter? The water tanks on the roof are 50-60 ft from the inverter. This pump is needed for the on demand water heaters. Anyone have off grid experience doing this?
 

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With the bigger inverter do I need bigger cables?
3000W at 120VAC is ~25A or roughly 250A at 12V. Surge “potentially” is 500A@12V but you probably won’t do that ever. I’d plan not to.
I like the ABYC chart. It has factoring for distance and loads. I’m weird and I default and go one size bigger than the chart reveals for main cables/wires.

Look up the ABYC chart and see where your existing cables fall. That’s all you’ll really need to know the answer
 
3000W at 120VAC is ~25A or roughly 250A at 12V. Surge “potentially” is 500A@12V but you probably won’t do that ever. I’d plan not to.
I like the ABYC chart. It has factoring for distance and loads. I’m weird and I default and go one size bigger than the chart reveals for main cables/wires.

Look up the ABYC chart and see where your existing cables fall. That’s all you’ll really need to know the answer
Thanks to both of you. Unfortunately I’m not sure what’s there. I just want to be prepared. I may need to use a different power source for the 12v water pump if the run is too long to use the DC load port. I’m leaving next Tuesday and should be there by Saturday. Hopefully I’ll have a little 3G so I can ask questions once I put my eyes on the panels and wires.
 
Thanks to both of you. Unfortunately I’m not sure what’s there. I just want to be prepared. I may need to use a different power source for the 12v water pump if the run is too long to use the DC load port. I’m leaving next Tuesday and should be there by Saturday. Hopefully I’ll have a little 3G so I can ask questions once I put my eyes on the panels and wires.
You can get cheap very heavy alu cable in mexico, in my opinion that will be the cheapest an less complicater way, what is the amperage of the 12 V pump ?
The distance is not that long .
 
Maybe try to break the difference , run the water line down to your hot water heater then hook up the pump and move the water to where you need it .
The water heaters need good water pressure to work good .
 
Maybe try to break the difference , run the water line down to your hot water heater then hook up the pump and move the water to where you need it .
The water heaters need good water pressure to work good .
The Bosch hot water on demand heater can work on a water presure of 3 meter, that is tenaka level , if you have the right one .
 
Really , that’s no bad at all .
I have had nothing but trouble with the Bosh water heaters .
I just ]dropped one in the trash last week ☹️ I ended up with a regular water heater with a 50 tank .
They use no power and don’t really burn much propane. ?‍♂️
 
Really , that’s no bad at all .
I have had nothing but trouble with the Bosh water heaters .
I just ]dropped one in the trash last week ☹️ I ended up with a regular water heater with a 50 tank .
They use no power and don’t really burn much propane. ?‍♂️
It are perfect water heaters very economical, but you have to buy the right one for your situation, i have one for at least 7 years now ,i trowed that gas boiler type what i had away, it saved me a ton of gas a year .
No maintenance so far , and if i look inside , the burners are still clean, your pressure regulator on you gas tank must be at the right pressure, these things are failing once in a while .
Do not buy an adjustable regulator these are the worst .
And use Propane and NOT Butane .
 
Mine heated water no problem but the chimney was giving me trouble in the winter below 30o
allways dripping back drafting and then it started acting up .
The unit runs 9 months out of the year I’m still on my first 100lb tank and it looks like I will make it till December so $ 50 a years is not bad for hot water for a year
I could turn it off when I’m not there but I don’t .
 
Mine heated water no problem but the chimney was giving me trouble in the winter below 30o
allways dripping back drafting and then it started acting up .
The unit runs 9 months out of the year I’m still on my first 100lb tank and it looks like I will make it till December so $ 50 a years is not bad for hot water for a year
I could turn it off when I’m not there but I don’t .
make an exhaust pipe with a 90 degrees elbow and on top a little wind hood, i the elbow drill a little drain hole , problems solved .
all from solid galvanized exhaust pipe /tube .
 
The galvanized pipe started to rot thru in a few months .
there is some thing about the condensation turning acid and rotting all the parts .
The plumbing supply wanted to sell me SS pipe and a SS drain pipe , the pipe was more then the water heater I bought . ☹️
 
The galvanized pipe started to rot thru in a few months .
there is some thing about the condensation turning acid and rotting all the parts .
The plumbing supply wanted to sell me SS pipe and a SS drain pipe , the pipe was more then the water heater I bought . ☹️
That is why you need a drain hole in the elbow at lowest point.
The acidity comes usual from sulfur in a fuel, but that was along time ago , do you get realy good propane ?
You can also isolate the exhaust pipe with glass wool or make a doubble wand pipe by yourself, use a galvanised pipe on size biger that the exhoust pipe .
 
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O I don’t know how good it is but I was getting a lot of condensation the floor was wet all the time .
The unit died and i chucked it in the trash .
I’m a contractor and have Tried the Bosh water heaters many times and they always give us trouble .
I don’t use them any more
 
O I don’t know how good it is but I was getting a lot of condensation the floor was wet all the time .
The unit died and i chucked it in the trash .
I’m a contractor and have Tried the Bosh water heaters many times and they always give us trouble .
I don’t use them any more
C3H8 + O2 give you a lot of water, you need in that cold climate to isolate your stack and have a drain pipe for the condensation to flow away , standard knowledge in cold climates .
The exhaust gasses from a Bosch are not really that hot due a great efficiency
The heater is not bad but the installation is and your propane has some sulfur in it , strange
 
Ya I had the SS drain but in the end it was not worth the trouble .
thanks for Your suggestions
 
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