Biting the bullet. Doubling my battery capacity $$$$$$
- Thread starter EPicTony
- Start date
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
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- 18,637
I fill up a bowl of ice from my commercial ice maker and put it in the microwave. While the heater and AC fight over the temperature. lol
Zwy
Solar Wizard
I haven't used any grid power since throwing the switch, that is a good thing. I've been running some electric heaters in the house until I get heat pumps installed. My neighbor was by yesterday, he had to order more LP gas for his house. I told him I haven't used any LP during the day since throwing the switch unless it is poor sun for the day.
This morning was foggy with snow on the way tonight into tomorrow so have no idea what production will be. I didn't run any electric heat today.
This morning was foggy with snow on the way tonight into tomorrow so have no idea what production will be. I didn't run any electric heat today.
6
629658
Guest
It is a liberating experience for sure. Even if you don’t disconnect completely, knowing you could feels great
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
You guys are missing a trick, you should be selling that excess to your neighbors.
Zwy
Solar Wizard
My next door neighbor would sure like to hook in. As I was running wire from the array he walked over and said I should run a wire to his house too.
Zwy
Solar Wizard
Sun came out this afternoon, I thought about adding some loads but the sun is now behind the clouds as rain and snow are moving in for the night. I only reached 94.5% SOC from about 65%. Not a great day but better than nothing and next few days could be total crap for weather.That’s what you get for opening your big mouth and bragging. Big man is watching.
If I had some inverter heat pumps I would have ran those. Resistive heating not so much as those do hog up the juice. Biggest user is the clothes dryer, I'm looking to replace the 6Kw unit in the house now for a heat pump dryer. That dryer wastes electricity and my wife ran it last evening after dark. One more thing about my wife, she now believes that when the sun is out she can run everything all at once. Turn on 2 1500W heaters, the dryer drawing 6Kw, the washing machine and then the well kicks in to fill the washing machine. I came in and went down to the basement, one 6500EX is outputting 6.3Kw and the other about 4.5Kw. PV coming in was the 4Kw per SCC and I only have a 8.4Kw array.
I guess she wanted to test it out. I told her she might find herself in the dark someday if she keeps it up.
Zwy
Solar Wizard
Looking at mini splits for heating in fall and spring, then cooling in summer. Need to research more on dual zone or 2 single zone. I know some use the type where a coil in installed in current ductwork but I would think running the furnace fan plus the heat pump would be wasteful for power.
I bought a 9K Pioneer 19SEER for my truck camper, nice unit if I ever finish installing it. Outside mount was fabricated and I finally painted the mounts this winter. Have to get the evaporator unit installed inside which involves building a custom cabinet next to it. I'll get to it sometime, unless I hook the boat to the truck camper and never unhook it all summer if the fishing is good.
I've had a 74 Plymouth 340 Cuda in the shop all winter that I'm installing air conditioning in it. It's a customer's car, wasn't air conditioned from the factory. Tearing into the dash next week for certain. That needs to get done first because once the weather warms up it is 100 hour work weeks for me during heat waves. I already have a list of jobs to do once the weather warms up, still have snow on the ground. People started calling 3 weeks ago, "Put me on your list". It gets earlier every year, I'm not ready for the coming season.
Zwy
Solar Wizard
If anyone has any suggestions on mini splits, I'm all ears. Heat pump dryers too.
Zwy
Solar Wizard
I'm 20 miles south of the border, an hour straight south from Rochester. I don't see a mini split efficient in the cold weather we get, I still plan on using LP gas in winter. The short days and a winter like this that was cloudy all winter for 4 to 5 day stretches wasn't a good winter for production. Very few sunny winter days.
I reached 98% SOC as the sun came back out, burning off excess Kwh now heating the house. Called a residential HVAC buddy of mine and we talked mini splits, told him to shoot me a price on a couple of 12K BTU units installed as I may not have time to install myself. I know he prefers Daikin.
Yeah, expecting on real cold days I’ll be on my natural gas furnace.
But GEER has a model that claims to go down to -32°F, I know it wouldn’t be very efficient that cold, but if I could get something that has a decent COP down to maybe 10°F or so? That would becool hot!
Mitsubishi and I think Fujitsu have cold weather models. Mr. Cool too.
But GEER has a model that claims to go down to -32°F, I know it wouldn’t be very efficient that cold, but if I could get something that has a decent COP down to maybe 10°F or so? That would be
Mitsubishi and I think Fujitsu have cold weather models. Mr. Cool too.
EastTexCowboy
Solar Wizard
EastTexCowboy
Solar Wizard
You've already heard me talk about the Mitsubishi so I won't run on and on. I've only had them a week or so now but I'm pretty happy. Mine are connected to Mitsubishi matched air handlers but it's the same tech. All I can tell you is they are incredibly quiet, the house stays the same temperature all the time instead of that up and down crap, and they're pulling maybe half the amps of my previous 14 SEER Luxaire heat pumps. These are 100% efficient down to -5 but you can always add heat strips. Obviously none of us are a fan of heat strips but with your temps you may not have a lot of options. For here, they don't even install heat strips. The real test will be summer. Ask me again in July! LOL.
I did get a quote for a 12k btu mini split to put on the garage to manage the temps for the inverters. I think he's giving me a decent deal since I bought so much from him already. $3500 installed for a Mitsubishi. I think it's 23 SEER at least.
Zwy
Solar Wizard
I can tell you I've been in the doghouse since.
EastTexCowboy
Solar Wizard
The setup on mine is that the air handler is actually powered by the condenser unit. They did have to install new line sets but the cost was still competitive. The wiring for the air handler is included in the line set. What's surprising is these air handlers are running on 14 awg wire. I mean, that's what you run for a light circuit. Very low amps. When my three ton unit is full out it's pulling about 9 amps but that's including the air handler. I basically killed three breakers in the old panel because I no longer need power to the air handler and no heat strips.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,637
I'm planning on a 3 ton heat pump (Unless I canactually convert my existing unit) . And keeping the NG furnace for emergency heating. Will also add a few mini split units.
Unless I change my mind, again. lol
Unless I change my mind, again. lol
Zwy
Solar Wizard
Do you have a link to your unit?
