Can I use an All-In-One Solar Power System to supplement my energy supply?

[LosFelizGirl]

Hi friends,

Can I use one of these All-In-One-Solar Power Systems as an additional source of electricity along side my utility grid electricity?
I'm really not interested in energy storage or delivery back to the grid.
I am just after supplementing the current supply I get from the grid with a bit from the sun.
Make sense?
Is this possible with these All-In One-Systems? My bill was $600+ in July so looking to get that down. I live in the the desert so it's super HOT! Anyway, I attached my electric bill so you could see my usage.
My house is 1200 square feet (central AC). Work studio is 400 square feet (has it's own split unit).


Thanks!

 

[Firewalker30091985]

You can make a so-called 0 injection with a hybrid inverter and battery. Thus you send nothing to the grid but have the full benefit of it.
How many KWh do you need per day?

 

[Bud Martin]

So according to your bill, you are using about 62kWh per day and about 24 ~ 28c per Watt.
So if you want to cut down the utility usage to half, that will be about 30kWh/day will be from Solar.
Do you have the budget in mind?
Did you look into better insulation for your home and also look into stuff that are plugged in 24/7 wasting energy?
BTW, are you planing to DIY?

 

[LosFelizGirl]

You can make a so-called 0 injection with a hybrid inverter and battery. Thus you send nothing to the grid but have the full benefit of it.
How many KWh do you need per day?

Hi. Thanks for the quick reply! Your answer sounds promising! Being a newbie I reallu don't know what 0 injection means. I do't know what an inverter and a batter are though! I attached my bill, it says my average use per day this year is 62 kWh.

 

[Firewalker30091985]

To generate 62kkw at a sunny place for it 10kwp are enough. with something more one is certainly better served a plant with about 15kwp is sufficient to cover 62kwh.

I generate in Germany with 9.75kwp about 50-60kwh per day.

In the desert with proper sun the whole day, this is certainly easy to create.... With own power you are at 15kwp at about 15-17000 € ind dollar I think the same about due to the weak euro.

Provided you get a pallet of solar cells relatively cheap... the inverter from China with 10kwp can 14.8kwp PV input.

greetings from Germany

 

[LosFelizGirl]

So according to your bill, you are using about 62kWh per day and about 24c per Watt.
So if you want to cut down the utility usage to half, that will be about 30kWh/day will be from Solar.
Do you have the budget in mind?
Did you look into better insulation for your home and also look into stuff that are plugged in 24/7 wasting energy?

Thanks so much for your reply and breaking it down how you did. My house is very well insulated. Always a good reminder though to make sure to unplug things. As far as budget goes, I would spend a few thousand on it...I really have no idea how much these things cost. I do want something that is safe and a solid piece of gear though so, I don't mind spending for that.

 

[Firewalker30091985]

I can not tell you unfortunately what an assembly with you costs I have built my own construction and was around 400 € for angles, screws and wooden beams.

I have 30 cells a 325W installed and a battery with 22kwh in LifePO4.

 

[LosFelizGirl]

So according to your bill, you are using about 62kWh per day and about 24 ~ 28c per Watt.
So if you want to cut down the utility usage to half, that will be about 30kWh/day will be from Solar.
Do you have the budget in mind?
Did you look into better insulation for your home and also look into stuff that are plugged in 24/7 wasting energy?
BTW, are you planing to DIY?

As far as if I am planning on going DIY, I was hoping to buy an All-In-One Solar Systems. I found these made by MPP (https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/all-in-one-122448v-packages.html). Could I get the 30kWh a day from any of these systems? I attached a screen shot, bit for me details you can click on the link.

 

[penrow]

Air conditioning seems to be a big factor, if it's possible and you are open to running a window unit, that would be pretty simple and lower your power bill. I have a small window unit that only uses about 350 watts and I can run it off of a small solar generator I built in a milk crate , all you would need is 3 (200 watt) panels. You could run it non stop while sun is out and then the main AC unit could kick on to supplement when needed. Just a thought.

 

[LosFelizGirl]

Air conditioning seems to be a big factor, if it's possible and you are open to running a window unit, that would be pretty simple and lower your power bill. I have a small window unit that only uses about 350 watts and I can run it off of a small solar generator I built in a milk crate , all you would need is 3 (200 watt) panels. You could run it non stop while sun is out and then the main AC unit could kick on to supplement when needed. Just a thought.

Ah good idea, but I can't. I already have a split unit in my work studio.

 

[Don-B]

Ah good idea, but I can't. I already have a split unit in my work studio.

Heres another random idea:
1. Get Vue Energy monitoring or do an audit manually and get a baseline of how much amp you are pulling
2. Get some cheap used grid tie inverter like enphase and so on w/ a couple panel and try to match your "peak" production to your baseline.
of course that won't reduce ur bill significantly if you have alot of spikes from AC running ect but it will get you started and you can doit very cheaply to experiment and see if this is what you want to mess w/.

Warning: my idea above ignore all code consideration ect... its just a way to generate just enough for baseline without feeding electricity into the grid.....or get a one of those grid tie inverter w/ limiter but I don't know much about their quality for long term usage.

 

[LosFelizGirl]

You can make a so-called 0 injection with a hybrid inverter and battery. Thus you send nothing to the grid but have the full benefit of it.
How many KWh do you need per day?

Heres another random idea:
1. Get Vue Energy monitoring or do an audit manually and get a baseline of how much amp you are pulling
2. Get some cheap used grid tie inverter like enphase and so on w/ a couple panel and try to match your "peak" production to your baseline.
of course that won't reduce ur bill significantly if you have alot of spikes from AC running ect but it will get you started and you can doit very cheaply to experiment and see if this is what you want to mess w/.

Warning: my idea above ignore all code consideration ect... its just a way to generate just enough for baseline without feeding electricity into the grid.....or get a one of those grid tie inverter w/ limiter but I don't know much about their quality for long term usage.

Thanks. That sounds like right up my alley. I will have my electrician friend help me with install n stuff. I know this can be dangerous.
I have seen video of people going from the inverter to their electric panel, which in turn send energy to their home grid and also see videos of people going from the the inverter that plugs into an electrical outlet, which then sends enrgy to their home grid. Can you tell me which is better or why one would do one opposed to the other?

 

[Don-B]

Thanks. That sounds like right up my alley. I will have my electrician friend help me with install n stuff. I know this can be dangerous.
I have seen video of people going from the inverter to their electric panel, which in turn send energy to their home grid and also see videos of people going from the the inverter that plugs into an electrical outlet, which then sends enrgy to their home grid. Can you tell me which is better or why one would do one opposed to the other?

It depend on how much room you have in your breaker box. if you have 0 room remain then you only have 1 option which is into outlet.
I personally like dedicated breaker but your baseline usage should be balance between the different phases so it may take a little rearrangement in your electrical box. going w/ dedicate single phase inverter you can scale the number of panel to what the baseline of each phase is a little easier but that mean the initial investment may be a tad more.

 

[Firewalker30091985]

Thanks. That sounds like right up my alley. I will have my electrician friend help me with install n stuff. I know this can be dangerous.
I have seen video of people going from the inverter to their electric panel, which in turn send energy to their home grid and also see videos of people going from the the inverter that plugs into an electrical outlet, which then sends enrgy to their home grid. Can you tell me which is better or why one would do one opposed to the other?

definitely install an additional cabinet with fuses because on the one hand it is clearer and on the other hand it is easier for an electrician to implement.

Proper installation never with plugs! Fixed installation in a dry preferably cool room and never forget the KWP specification is always rated at 1000w/m², if you live closer to the equator are loosely 1400w/m². This is very important in determining the inverter, if you have 10kwp solar cells bring the then quite 14kwp.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[etcm]

Did anyone think to mention that most utilities measure current if it travels either direction? In other words, IF your solar produces more power at any time than you are using, that power can be fed back into the power grid. At that time, the meter measures it, this charging you the same as if you were using itl Unless you have a utility installed meter that measures in AND out of your house, you woyld be getting charged for that extra power that your solar panels produce. Before I got my net meter, during my systwm commissioning, I "paid for about 30-40 kWh.

 

[LosFelizGirl]

Did anyone think to mention that most utilities measure current if it travels either direction? In other words, IF your solar produces more power at any time than you are using, that power can be fed back into the power grid. At that time, the meter measures it, this charging you the same as if you were using itl Unless you have a utility installed meter that measures in AND out of your house, you woyld be getting charged for that extra power that your solar panels produce. Before I got my net meter, during my systwm commissioning, I "paid for about 30-40 kWh.

YEs, I am aware of this.

 

[LosFelizGirl]

definitely install an additional cabinet with fuses because on the one hand it is clearer and on the other hand it is easier for an electrician to implement.

Proper installation never with plugs! Fixed installation in a dry preferably cool room and never forget the KWP specification is always rated at 1000w/m², if you live closer to the equator are loosely 1400w/m². This is very important in determining the inverter, if you have 10kwp solar cells bring the then quite 14kwp.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Hi. Thanks for your reply. The plan is to put a Midnite Solar "DC" breaker between my panels and my inverter and then wire the inverter to it a new 30amp breaker in the panel. What is KWP specification, what does 1000w/m² mean and what does 1400w/m² mean? The house is in Palm Springs CA, not near the equator.

 

[Firewalker30091985]

Hi. Thanks for your reply. The plan is to put a Midnite Solar "DC" breaker between my panels and my inverter and then wire the inverter to it a new 30amp breaker in the panel. What is KWP specification, what does 1000w/m² mean and what does 1400w/m² mean? The house is in Palm Springs CA, not near the equator.

the data on photovoltaic panels is a data that refers to the upper aquator circle 1000w/m², if you live further south or even on the aquator, the solar irradiation per sqm increases.