Energy Audit makes me feel overwhelmed...

[OffGridInTheCity]

@OffGridInTheCity

... to continue...

As i stated the shop has no shore power. I have to use mu 5000w Generator or 3, 100 foot, extension cords.. I don't currently own a lot the stuff on list it's a more of over time I am wanitng to get those item. I had to borrow/rent/ or use at someone else's shop.

I am aware that the Welder/air compressor are up there as high needs and both are capable of being 240v machines. I even know where an air compressor is that is sitting unused that is possibly within that range. I was told to make an offer to the grand parents of a friend of mine.

OK, then you could start with a 5000w (or 6000w) all-in-one - and it would be as good as your current generator. This will give you experience.
Here's a 6000w MPP Solar example - https://www.mppsolar.com/v3/lvx6048/
Here's a 5000w Growatt - https://www.amazon.com/Growatt-Inverter-Charger-Controller-Lead-Acid/dp/B09HQPCLLV (but you need the 240->120v transformer as shown by @DavidPoz youtubes)
Not pushing either of these - just giving you mainstream examples that work off a 48v battery bank. There are many threads on this site on inverters to buy.


Next is that an off-grid all-in-one will need a battery and a way to charge it. You can use you're existing generator to charge / run things till you get grid and/or Solar Panels - but you need a battery!

How long do you typically run your 5000w generator on a given day to work in your shop - this can give an idea of the size of battery you need.

 

[raksasas]

OK, then you could start with a 5000w (or 6000w) all-in-one - and it would be as good as your current generator. This will give you experience.
Here's a 6000w MPP Solar example - https://www.mppsolar.com/v3/lvx6048/
Here's a 5000w Growatt - https://www.amazon.com/Growatt-Inverter-Charger-Controller-Lead-Acid/dp/B09HQPCLLV (but you need the 240->120v transformer as shown by @DavidPoz youtubes)
Not pushing either of these - just giving you mainstream examples that work off a 48v battery bank. There are many threads on this site on inverters to buy.


Next is that an off-grid all-in-one will need a battery and a way to charge it. You can use you're existing generator to charge / run things till you get grid and/or Solar Panels - but you need a battery!

How long do you typically run your 5000w generator on a given day to work in your shop - this can give an idea of the size of battery you need.

I have only probably ran the generator for maybe about 3 hours total thus far..

It's only been to run:

• corded circular saw
• corded jigsaw
• corded sawzall
• shop light for maybe one hour on one evening.
• Battery charger for about an 1 hour to get a bike started

I have only been on the property since December and just leave the garage doors open for light. I keep the drill battery charger at the house for charging those up. I am currently rebuilding a trimmer carburetor at the momen but that is mainly hand tools.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

I have only probably ran the generator for maybe about 3 hours total thus far..

It's only been to run:

• corded circular saw
• corded jigsaw
• corded sawzall
• shop light for maybe one hour on one evening.
• Battery charger for about an 1 hour to get a bike started

I have only been on the property since December and just leave the garage doors open for light. I keep the drill battery charger at the house for charging those up. I am currently rebuilding a trimmer carburetor at the momen but that is mainly hand tools.

OK then. The energy audit (list) shows where you need to go once you have everything on the list running - e.g. 12,000w or 15,000w range.
But for today - 5000w is doing it for so if you start with a 5000w Inverter you can do everything you're doing now

Let's say you're using 60% of your generator's 5000w for 3hrs. That's 3000w for 3 hrs = 9,000w of consumption. This means a 10-11kwh battery bank at 80% DOD will do the same as the generator is now. If you do a 5kwh battery, you could run for 1-1.5hrs kind of thing.
It's perfectly OK to start small - e.g.5kwh battery - and then expand to 10kwh, 15kwh, etc... just leave room to expand

My personal advice would be to get a 5000w or 6000w (range) all-in-one with 48v 4-6kwh battery and get it running! Here's an example of a reasonably priced 5kwh battery ready to go - https://type.rechargeablebattery.biz/gyll-48v-100ah-lifepo4-5-12kwh-solar-lithium.html
Not pushing this brand, just giving you something to think about - and there are youtubes on it by @Will and others. You can expand by adding another and another and another - perhaps in a rack over time.
**I'm assuming you don't want to build a battery bank from scratch is why I'm pointing to one that is 'ready to go'.

This will give you a working shop at the current level for an hour and 1/2 and will help you understand. If you do an all-in-one, you can use the generator to charge the battery until you do some Solar Panels.

 

[raksasas]

OK then. The energy audit (list) shows where you need to go once you have everything on the list running - e.g. 12,000w or 15,000w range.
But for today - 5000w is doing it for so if you start with a 5000w Inverter you can do everything you're doing now

Let's say you're using 60% of your generator's 5000w for 3hrs. That's 3000w for 3 hrs = 9,000w of consumption. This means a 10-11kwh battery bank at 80% DOD will do the same as the generator is now. If you do a 5kwh battery, you could run for 1-1.5hrs kind of thing.
It's perfectly OK to start small - e.g.5kwh battery - and then expand to 10kwh, 15kwh, etc... just leave room to expand

My personal advice would be to get a 5000w or 6000w (range) all-in-one with 48v 4-6kwh battery and get it running! Here's an example of a reasonably priced 5kwh battery ready to go - https://type.rechargeablebattery.biz/gyll-48v-100ah-lifepo4-5-12kwh-solar-lithium.html
Not pushing this brand, just giving you something to think about - and there are youtubes on it by @Will and others. You can expand by adding another and another and another - perhaps in a rack over time.
**I'm assuming you don't want to build a battery bank from scratch is why I'm pointing to one that is 'ready to go'.

This will give you a working shop at the current level for an hour and 1/2 and will help you understand. If you do an all-in-one, you can use the generator to charge the battery until you do some Solar Panels.

I feel like this is going to be a huge PV array just to tinker around in it possible 2 days a week and maybe after work. It's more of a weekend warrior/tinkering workshop. I am not going to be using this stuff every day. Some of the stuff probably most won't get used but 2 days, every 3 or even 6 months of the year. So most of the time it's just going to be sitting around unplugged. There are items that will get used more often, the air compressor for example. It's probably not going to be a 240v compressor (or welder). I am not going to be installing any HVAC in it.

But then again there may be times when I use the shop heavily... I do know that I would be extremely happy if it gets enough power to do it all for said time.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

I feel like this is going to be a huge PV array just to tinker around in it possible 2 days a week and maybe after work.

You have to translate 'feel like' into numbers based on what is good for you. So my final advice is

Phase I -------------------
1) Buy a MPP Solar 6000w all-in-one
2) Buy a 5kwh GYLL Battery
3) Use your generator as backup - 5000w generator is properly sized for #1 and #2 - just hook the output to the MPP Solar input.

This will give you a few hours/day of work on battery with generator backup. The advantage over generator alone is you don't have to run the generator all the time and will help you translate 'feel' into 'understanding'.

Phase II -------------------------
4a) Buy 10 panels @ 300w each and build an array and feed it into #1.
4b) Buy a 2nd 5kwh GLL Battery

This will give you a solid solar system w/generator backup. If you limit your work pattern to only 2 big things at the same time (and all the small things) you'll be in range to use your shop on solar and you can go from there.

 

[Ampster]

I think of things as categories

That is great advice. Break it into small groups that you can focus on one at a time.

 

[raksasas]

You have to translate 'feel like' into numbers based on what is good for you. So my final advice is

Phase I -------------------
1) Buy a MPP Solar 6000w all-in-one
2) Buy a 5kwh GYLL Battery
3) Use your generator as backup - 5000w generator is properly sized for #1 and #2 - just hook the output to the MPP Solar input.

This will give you a few hours/day of work on battery with generator backup. The advantage over generator alone is you don't have to run the generator all the time and will help you translate 'feel' into 'understanding'.

Phase II -------------------------
4a) Buy 10 panels @ 300w each and build an array and feed it into #1.
4b) Buy a 2nd 5kwh GLL Battery

This will give you a solid solar system w/generator backup. If you limit your work pattern to only 2 big things at the same time (and all the small things) you'll be in range to use your shop on solar and you can go from there.

I like it...

It sounds like you and I will be chatting more. I need to get the funding gathered up. So this will take me some time. I am not trying to dump every extra dollar I have into this so it may be a few months (possibly more) as I also have to fit in getting and installing a quality fence around the property.

 

[cods4]

I feel like this is going to be a huge PV array just to tinker around in it possible 2 days a week and maybe after work. It's more of a weekend warrior/tinkering workshop. I am not going to be using this stuff every day. Some of the stuff probably most won't get used but 2 days, every 3 or even 6 months of the year. So most of the time it's just going to be sitting around unplugged. There are items that will get used more often, the air compressor for example. It's probably not going to be a 240v compressor (or welder). I am not going to be installing any HVAC in it.

But then again there may be times when I use the shop heavily... I do know that I would be extremely happy if it gets enough power to do it all for said time.

In the case that it is only going to be used rarely, as OffGridInTheCity said, start with a small 5kW inverter (I'd also consider a transformer based one like Victron or SMA as these give you a lot more surge power which will be handy to run your tools and compressor etc). You should size your solar array and batteries to run the 24 hour loads you know you are going to have such as router, server, POE switch, cameras etc and some lights. As you dont want these to turn off.

And then when you are using high power tools/heating etc, you just need to run the generator. And since this is only occasionally, you might find you can live with it.

I think 5kWh of batteries would not get you very far if you are running an NVR, 12 security cameras and networking gear. This will only just be enough to run about 150W for 24 hours if the weather is bad and you have no generation. To make that work you would need to be fairly careful about finding energy efficient equipment.

My 5 security cameras (Dahua IPC-HDW5442T-ZE) use about 3-5W each, so for 12 you are looking at 40-60W, plus 40W for the network switch. Then you need an NVR with say 2 hard drives, thats going to use 50-100W minimum I think.
So with just that stuff, you are up around 150-200W already.