Definitely a beginner - help welcome

[LA111]

Hi. I'm a woman trying to put an off grid emergency system together on a budget. I live in a condo and have a small balcony but get lots of sun on the balcony and through the living room windows. I'm from Victoria, Canada (and it can be quite cloudy for long periods in the winter).

I just bought a chinese made flexible 100W 12 v polychristalline panel which comes with a PMW charge controller. I'm wanting to add to that and saw a panel on Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/BougeRV-Monoc...qid=1589701601&sprefix=bougerv,aps,212&sr=8-3
Can I efficiently connect the two panels together?

I am hoping to run a small frigidaire 5 cu chest freezer which is 1.4 amp and 218KW per year. Along with a few 4 watt lights a tablet and some kind of heating device (yet to be found) - possible some kind of small TV and wifi unit. Would be happy to start with just the Freezer and tablet (and grow from there).

I had planned to get 1 or two 120ah deep cyle marine 12 volt batteries. Can I put those two batteries together? Depending on the answers what size of inverter.
I had thought of getting a Jackery 500 and then powering it with the 100W panel. https://www.amazon.ca/Jackery-Porta...y+500&qid=1590464926&s=kitchen&sr=1-1-catcorr
and then using a and then using a 120ah marine deep cycle battery and running 12V DC appliances on it directly. Is that possible? https://www.amazon.ca/Universal-wat...ix=12v+cigarette+lighter,aps,233&sr=8-25&th=1
Definitely don't know what I'm doing. Any help appreciated.

 

[kernel]

225-250Ah is a good place to start fo4 12V and refrigeration. Deep freeze is a bit more intense. A heat source other than for cooking or heating small amounts of water and keeping a freezer reliably powered can be tricky on a micro system. If you get enough battery to bridge likely power outage durations and rely on augmentation of solar electric rather than main source it could be.more feasable.

Not that it wont work. I dont know. Id look to about 400-600Ah or 5ish kwh. 3 days or more.

Your tablet, phone and conservative lighting or lighting entertainment and communications is likely much smaller a daily load than the freezer and i can do coffee and breakfast, a real one with about 250Wh and an electric cook top which means in good sun youncould even get hot water for light chores.

It depends on the purpose.

 

[LA111]

So can I connect the 100W (polychristinlline) and 170W (monochristilline) solar panels together? Can I connect the two above mentioned 12v deep cycle batteries together?
I haven't bought the batteries yet nor the 170W panel - I only own the 100W panel and the small freezer (now 1'2 full with food).
If there is a better way to go - I'm happy to hear about it.

 

[Supervstech]

Be careful with the panel... flexible doesn’t mean bending it is fine. It needs to be mounted on a frame to keep it from harm.

 

[kernel]

So can I connect the 100W (polychristinlline) and 170W (monochristilline) solar panels together? Can I connect the two above mentioned 12v deep cycle batteries together?
I haven't bought the batteries yet nor the 170W panel - I only own the 100W panel and the small freezer (now 1'2 full with food).
If there is a better way to go - I'm happy to hear about it.

You can parallel them just fine.

 

[Forbisher]

I just bought a chinese made flexible 100W 12 v polychristalline panel which comes with a PMW charge controller. I'm wanting to add to that and saw a panel on Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/BougeRV-Monoc...qid=1589701601&sprefix=bougerv,aps,212&sr=8-3
Can I efficiently connect the two panels together?

Do you have the sales link to the 100 watt flex panel or a pic of it? Price paid?
Chinese flex panel watts are often highly exaggerated.
I have seen 20 watt flex panels sold as 100 watts.
What are the specs on that PWM controller?

 

[LA111]

Do you have the sales link to the 100 watt flex panel or a pic of it? Price paid?
Chinese flex panel watts are often highly exaggerated.
I have seen 20 watt flex panels sold as 100 watts.
What are the specs on that PWM controller?
[/QcomptrollerUOTE]
I bought the 100W with the 10A -

100W Flexible Solar Panel 12V/18V Battery Charger Controller for Car Boat Charge | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 100W Flexible Solar Panel 12V/18V Battery Charger Controller for Car Boat Charge at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.ca

I also just saw this - 200Watt ($92 Canadian Dollars) Says its NewPowa - I would even get two of them if you thought it was a good deal. Please let me know as soon as possible.

 

[Forbisher]

I also just saw this - 200Watt ($75 Canadian Dollars) Says its NewPowa - I would even get two of them if you thought it was a good deal. Please let me know as soon as possible.

Newpowa are good panels.
But a 200 watt panel for $75 is way cheaper than the US price.
100 watt Newpowa are about $80 US shipped.
What is the link to the 200 watt panels and are you sure it is not a scam.
200 watt panels are pretty big too but is a deal for $75. New or used?

That chinese flex 100 watt looks way too small and cheap to be for real.

 

[LA111]

Sorry - I had thought I had put the link - It says NewPowa but I doubt that it is.

200W Solar Panel 100W Module Monocrystalline Newpowa Camping RV Marine DC 12V for sale | eBay

Find great deals on eBay for 200W Solar Panel 100W Module Monocrystalline Newpowa Camping RV Marine DC 12V. Shop with confidence.

www.ebay.ca

I also now see that these panels are 18V
I think I would likely be much better off with the BougeRV panels (rated for 170W) which have gotten such good reviews on amazon.ca - one guy said he gets 140 out of his panels even on cloudy days and we have lots of those here. https://www.amazon.ca/BougeRV-Monoc...qid=1589701601&sprefix=bougerv,aps,212&sr=8-3

 

[Forbisher]

Sorry - I had thought I had put the link - It says NewPowa but I doubt that it is.

200W Solar Panel 100W Module Monocrystalline Newpowa Camping RV Marine DC 12V for sale | eBay

Find great deals on eBay for 200W Solar Panel 100W Module Monocrystalline Newpowa Camping RV Marine DC 12V. Shop with confidence.

www.ebay.ca

I also now see that these panels are 18V

Definitely not Newpowa and not 200 watts.
Junk flex Chinese panels and a $10 PWM controller.
Just ok flex panels cost more than glass panels and have a much shorter life span.
Name brand flex panels like Jackery costing a lot more.
If these panels are staying on your balcony and not going in your car i would not reccommend flex panels.

Hold off on buying anything until you plan out your system.

170 watt BougeRV are good at a reasonable price but larger and heavier than 100 watt glass panels.

Decide if you are buying a solar generator or going with separate components.
Lead batteries,
Charge controller not that PWM you have.
Inverter.
A solar generator like a Jackery will limit panel watt and voltage choices.
Sadly Canada does not have deals like the US.

 

[LA111]

Definitely not Newpowa and not 200 watts.
Junk flex Chinese panels and a $10 PWM controller.
Just ok flex panels cost more than glass panels and have a much shorter life span.
Name brand flex panels like Jackery costing a lot more.
If these panels are staying on your balcony and not going in your car i would not reccommend flex panels.

Hold off on buying anything until you plan out your system.

170 watt BougeRV are good at a reasonable price but larger than 100 watt glass panels.

Decide if you are buying a solar generator or going with separate components.
Lead batteries,
Charge controller not that PWM you have.
Inverter.
A solar generator like a Jackery will limit panel watt and voltage choices.
Sadly Canada does not have deals like the US.

I think I would be better off going with separate components - then I can add to it. From what I've read, I've come to realize that a Jackery wouldn't run my freezer as a freezer has a start up power surge (likely higher than the 500Watt Jackery can handle?).

I did also see this Renogy for 120 CAD 100Watt - not sure what you think of Renogy.

Amazon.ca

So any help in what to buy to build it would be great. Hopefully I can do it for about $1000 CAD. I understand that a MPPT controller would be much better and I can get more power from my panels, so I'm certainly open to that idea.

 

[Forbisher]

I am hoping to run a small frigidaire 5 cu chest freezer which is 1.4 amp and 218KW per year. Along with a few 4 watt lights a tablet and some kind of heating device (yet to be found)

Whats the cost on the freezer?
Seems very efficient.
What do you mean by heating device?

 

[LA111]

This s the freezer ($245) - I've looked for specs everywhere and can't find the hourly power draw (although I was sure I read somewhere 1.4 amp)
Minimum Circuit Required (Amps): 15A. Voltage Rating: 115V 60Hz. Rated 218KWH per year.

Frigidaire 5 Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer White-FFCS0522AW

www.frigidaire.ca

By heating device I'm hoping for a small fireplace (or ceramic heater) something to keep heat in a room, don't know exactly what might work. I also realize I may not be able to afford a large enough system, as I hear heaters take a lot of power.

For longer term survival without power: Ideally later I'd like to add something to cook with and a water boiler to make coffee ( I did see these types of devices in DC current and perhaps later I could just get an extra battery and DC appliaces and run them off a cigarette lighter, as I realize they may take too much current in AC). I also saw a DC heated blanket. I'm just thinking of the basics to survive a bit more long term if the power goes out for an extended period.

I did just find my Wattage Meter - I am just going to a friends to check how much power his little stand alone fireplace which gives off heat uses.
I checked my freezer but it read 0.0 - the freezer was on (as the light showed on) but I assume that the motor wasn't on as it showed no power draw. My tablet draws 7.2 watts.

By the way, I can't thank you enough for your help and advice. I have been studying up but still don't know which is the best solution.

 

[LA111]

I checked on a heater and at 750 Watts I think it's too high for s small system - Saw this Mueller which people seem happy with. Saw some 350 watt heaters on amazon but they don't put out enough heat. I did find a 100 Watt heated blanket (and a 45 Watt DC heated blanket) So that might have to do.
So that with my tablet 7.5 Watts and I would like a about 120 - 200 Watts and hour if that's possible? Then a way to add onto it.

 

[LA111]

I finally got the freezer to turn on and it takes 80.1 Watts when it kicks in.

 

[kernel]

If your budget is only going to allow so much. Id skip space heating and go with sweaters amd blanketry unless the sun is blazing and your battery is nearly full. There are time you can manage loads in order to use something "too big" for the sytem.

Id reach for 4 golf car batteries, a cheap efficient inverter, a quasi cheap controller and 2 300+ watt panels. Add this to what you have and running lights, freezer, comms and cooking are doable in all but long strings of cloudy days likely.

4 golf car batteries would give you 4500Wh or 4.5kWh at 80% dod. Just use the 80% dod when needed to keep the food frozen. People mistake that you cannot dip into a reserve of sorts by going below the usual 50% dod (longer service life). But how many years of use will you get in spite of going below that several times a year.................? If your battery can deep cycle 500 or more times thats going to last quite long enough to build a better battery later and get you off grid operation now. If you charge ot properly it will last.

Cycling too deep, too often is an issue in some systems, but my experience shows me that if its not a cronic condition, failure to charge properly and to keep electrolyte topped up kills way more batteries and results in the massive contempt for lead acid and batteries in general.

They are the most reliable part aside from wire, just like brake pads..... they wear but are the most reliable parts.

 

[Forbisher]

If your budget is only going to allow so much.
Id reach for 4 golf car batteries, a cheap efficient inverter, a quasi cheap controller and 2 300+ watt panels. Add this to what you have and running lights, freezer, comms and cooking are doable in all but long strings of cloudy days.

You give great advice as a pro in the business but . . .
How are 2 huge 300 watt panels fitting on a small balcony??
4 Large golf cart batteries in a condo?
I presume you mean 6 volt T 105 so $600? of her $1000 CAD budget in cloudy Victoria.

And she only has a fake 100 watt chinese flex panel that is probably really 40 watts and a toy PWM $10 controller.

 

[kernel]

You give great advice as a pro in the business but . . .
How are 2 huge 300 watt panels fitting on a small balcony??
4 Large golf cart batteries in a condo?
I presume you mean 6 volt T 105 so $600? of her $1000 CAD budget in cloudy Victoria.

And she only has a fake 100 watt chinese flex panel that is probably really 40 watts and a toy PWM $10 controller.

No, 6v golf car batteries are gc2 7.5"x10ishx 10ish" just like most of them. 119$ 235Ah Crown.
Most balconies < spelling? ) would easily be 80" wide or better, so im not sure 66"x39.5" is what you consider huge, but they will be more useful, have less parts cost to mount and have higher power density than any fleet of 1$/Watt 100W questionables. A great awning or footer from the balcony rail to floor hieght...... .49$/Watt for the good stuff.......... all day long.

You are right im in the wrong forums.

Kernel signing off, you dont need me anymore the site is well on its way.

 

[DASH]

Do You have power now? Are the solar panels going to be mounted somewhere on the balcony? Do You have room for them there. Will they have access to the sun, with no shading. Is the balcony properly oriented to provide a southern exposure? Will the neighbors object to the solar system? Keep in mind, that even under ideal conditions, the output You'll get from those panels will probably not even be close to what they are rated at even during a sunny day. I think, given your expectations, and budget, You'll be disappointed if You try to build out your solar system.

 

[LA111]

First off I would like to thank you Kernel (and MBR) for your wise input.
I have looked up the 6v golf cart batteries in Canada and unfortunately they are $200 each - so very expensive here (the 12 v marine run about $150).
Or maybe i could get two golf cart batteries. Why are they so much better than the 12v marine. More cycles (anything else?) Will 6V last longer if they just sit and don't get used. Or should i think about investing more and getting LifePo or Lithium?
I have a south facing balcony and some room on the outside of my balcony - I'm at the top of the buildng and really hope my neighbors wont notice.
hadn't really thought about having to attach them. Here's a pic of my balcony below. I do have regular power in my condo and just want an emergency supply. So who knows when it will actually get used.

I had also wondered about setting up a wind turbine and a hybrid controller in order to generate additional power as we do get some wind here.