offgriddave
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2020
- Messages
- 225
Hi I haven't bought my property yet, waiting for my offer to be accepted. But I sold my farm and moving.... somewhere. I am setting up my solar the month of May! Let's have fun building a solution!
I have been building an arsenal of off grid parts. Eventually the goal is 10kwSolar+500w microhydro with 20kwH Lithium Phosphate. I do not have Lithium Phosphate. But for now, I just need something that works. I invested into Lithium Ion 18650.
I have not yet purchased my solar panels, but I have 4x 250w 37v for testing.
This is what I have
Batteries
13x 748wh 48v ebike batteries with BMS and 30 amp fuses, 100% tested. 1x bad one with BMS. 18650 based. Total 10kwh.
50x 14v medical 95kwh 18650 packs, each 18650 2200mah. I split one open so make it 49 still in pack. Total 5kwh
6x 36v bad BMS e-bike batteries with 18650 that rate at an amazing 3500mah each (tested). Total 4kwh
1x 48v nissian leaf battery unit with BMS. 500 watts. Not sure why I bought this.
Inverters
Hybrid 240v split phase LV5048, originally bought to run my 3/4 hp well pump last year. Unopened new in box. 150 VOC, 8000 watt total solar split 4k on each side. Pure sine wave.
Hybrid 120v 1200 watt 24v Giandel with non-mpp charge controller. Bought after power outage and used for a few days a year. Not pure sine wave.
Hybrid 120v 600 watt 12v Giandel with non-mpp charge controller. Bought as a backup to above
Some harbor frieght 1200 watt inverter that refuses to die.
Half a dozen 100-150 watt 12v inverters. None pure sine wave.
Half a dozen UPS/APC battery backup 500-750 watt computer, I cut the cables and put alligator clips and use them for lights and computer devices so they don't go down
Solar
- I only have 4x 250 watt 37v panels right now, but I want to order a pallet (27-29) for 350+ or 400w panels. (Any suggestion)? I want 10kwh. The property gets a lot of fog so I need to build it out four times the capacity I need. The panels aren't compatible with the Giandel because of the voltage, but somehow they work. Huge loss in effiency.
Microhydro
There's stream on the property. The property gets a lot of fog which will probably cause the solar panels to not work all the time or at 20%. In the winter, there is no sun at all. But there's massive potential for hydro
This is what I want to buy:
500 watt 120v AC. Send the AC 500ft on 12awg (voltage drop isn't bad at 500 watt), then run it into a 350w 48v-60v adjustable power supply, some how feed it into my inverter (?). 350w 24 hours a day is 8400 watts. This seems to be incredible. If the stream ran all year, I wouldn't need solar at all. But it doesn't apparently it dries up.
Tools:
-Clamp on meter with DC/AC in-rush, on order
-I bought two spot welders for 18650 and haven't built them yet
- charger: RD6012W step down power supply, will get today. No power supply or case
- charger: RD6018W full kit step down power supply with case and power supply, ordered from aliexpress will be here in 6 weeks...
10x dewalt 20v battery kits (no battery included) for my tools.. not to be split. For building. Will be breaking down the medical packs and building enough power packs to run all my tools all day.
- A bunch of no-name solar charge controllers that I bet are fake.
Generator
240 split phase 4750 propane electric start. Has a manual choke so I can't set it up on the alarm circuit on the LV5048 to auto-start, but maybe one day I can setup an Arduino with a servo to move the choke. Also unsure how dirty the power is, the LV5048 will reject bad power apparently. I have never hooked it up to a scope yet to see if the sine wave is clean, praying it will just work. Don't have a scope.
The challenges:
Summers are sunny, but a bit of foggy. There's a creek, and there's 40ft elevation. But it dries up. The owner says it doesn't the neighbor says it does. Who knows.
Winters are always foggy. Very poor solar. However, the creek gets 4ft wide massive amount of water.
If all else fails, I want to charge my battery packs through the LV5048 with the propane generator.
Anyway the plan is, ...
Step 1: first get something working, to charge my tools and run basic stuff. Radio, internet, dewalt battery chargers, lights.
4x 250w solar panels, total of 1000 watts. Four hours a day, 4000 watts
40x 14v 95wh medical battery packs, total of 40x95wh, 3800 watts
... first I will try the 24v Giandel inverter... at two 14v packs in series. so i'd be running it at 28v.... maybe might work
... if that fails, I'll try running 14v on the 12v Giandel inverter
.. yes if these work, they won't fully charge the batteries. Oh well
Step 2: Get my cabin/house built with above in 2 months, and have a better long term solution
27x 300-400 watt panels, to be bought. 9000 watts. Due to the fog, 20% in the winter efficency at 4 hours. Or only 3000-4000 watts of solar a day. Summer full 9000 watts 6-7 hours a day.
14x 748wh ebike batteries. I have not purchased any breakers, fuses, switches, indicators, etc. Will need to do this.
the LV5048. With the generator as backup
Step 3. Microhydro. This I don't know much about, and is really a hack
1x 500w microhydro , 120v
500ft of AWG 12
350watt no-name brand 48 or 60v .. or adjustable switching power supply. Hooked up to a MPP or into a hybrid inverter
I have a bunch of questions but what do you think, thanks
I have been building an arsenal of off grid parts. Eventually the goal is 10kwSolar+500w microhydro with 20kwH Lithium Phosphate. I do not have Lithium Phosphate. But for now, I just need something that works. I invested into Lithium Ion 18650.
I have not yet purchased my solar panels, but I have 4x 250w 37v for testing.
This is what I have
Batteries
13x 748wh 48v ebike batteries with BMS and 30 amp fuses, 100% tested. 1x bad one with BMS. 18650 based. Total 10kwh.
50x 14v medical 95kwh 18650 packs, each 18650 2200mah. I split one open so make it 49 still in pack. Total 5kwh
6x 36v bad BMS e-bike batteries with 18650 that rate at an amazing 3500mah each (tested). Total 4kwh
1x 48v nissian leaf battery unit with BMS. 500 watts. Not sure why I bought this.
Inverters
Hybrid 240v split phase LV5048, originally bought to run my 3/4 hp well pump last year. Unopened new in box. 150 VOC, 8000 watt total solar split 4k on each side. Pure sine wave.
Hybrid 120v 1200 watt 24v Giandel with non-mpp charge controller. Bought after power outage and used for a few days a year. Not pure sine wave.
Hybrid 120v 600 watt 12v Giandel with non-mpp charge controller. Bought as a backup to above
Some harbor frieght 1200 watt inverter that refuses to die.
Half a dozen 100-150 watt 12v inverters. None pure sine wave.
Half a dozen UPS/APC battery backup 500-750 watt computer, I cut the cables and put alligator clips and use them for lights and computer devices so they don't go down
Solar
- I only have 4x 250 watt 37v panels right now, but I want to order a pallet (27-29) for 350+ or 400w panels. (Any suggestion)? I want 10kwh. The property gets a lot of fog so I need to build it out four times the capacity I need. The panels aren't compatible with the Giandel because of the voltage, but somehow they work. Huge loss in effiency.
Microhydro
There's stream on the property. The property gets a lot of fog which will probably cause the solar panels to not work all the time or at 20%. In the winter, there is no sun at all. But there's massive potential for hydro
This is what I want to buy:
Amazon.com : QIZHI Micro Hydro Water Turbine Generator US Plug for Household Lighting TV Electric Furnace ect US Stock(110V 500W) : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Amazon.com : QIZHI Micro Hydro Water Turbine Generator US Plug for Household Lighting TV Electric Furnace ect US Stock(110V 500W) : Patio, Lawn & Garden
www.amazon.com
500 watt 120v AC. Send the AC 500ft on 12awg (voltage drop isn't bad at 500 watt), then run it into a 350w 48v-60v adjustable power supply, some how feed it into my inverter (?). 350w 24 hours a day is 8400 watts. This seems to be incredible. If the stream ran all year, I wouldn't need solar at all. But it doesn't apparently it dries up.
Tools:
-Clamp on meter with DC/AC in-rush, on order
-I bought two spot welders for 18650 and haven't built them yet
- charger: RD6012W step down power supply, will get today. No power supply or case
- charger: RD6018W full kit step down power supply with case and power supply, ordered from aliexpress will be here in 6 weeks...
10x dewalt 20v battery kits (no battery included) for my tools.. not to be split. For building. Will be breaking down the medical packs and building enough power packs to run all my tools all day.
- A bunch of no-name solar charge controllers that I bet are fake.
Generator
240 split phase 4750 propane electric start. Has a manual choke so I can't set it up on the alarm circuit on the LV5048 to auto-start, but maybe one day I can setup an Arduino with a servo to move the choke. Also unsure how dirty the power is, the LV5048 will reject bad power apparently. I have never hooked it up to a scope yet to see if the sine wave is clean, praying it will just work. Don't have a scope.
The challenges:
Summers are sunny, but a bit of foggy. There's a creek, and there's 40ft elevation. But it dries up. The owner says it doesn't the neighbor says it does. Who knows.
Winters are always foggy. Very poor solar. However, the creek gets 4ft wide massive amount of water.
If all else fails, I want to charge my battery packs through the LV5048 with the propane generator.
Anyway the plan is, ...
Step 1: first get something working, to charge my tools and run basic stuff. Radio, internet, dewalt battery chargers, lights.
4x 250w solar panels, total of 1000 watts. Four hours a day, 4000 watts
40x 14v 95wh medical battery packs, total of 40x95wh, 3800 watts
... first I will try the 24v Giandel inverter... at two 14v packs in series. so i'd be running it at 28v.... maybe might work
... if that fails, I'll try running 14v on the 12v Giandel inverter
.. yes if these work, they won't fully charge the batteries. Oh well
Step 2: Get my cabin/house built with above in 2 months, and have a better long term solution
27x 300-400 watt panels, to be bought. 9000 watts. Due to the fog, 20% in the winter efficency at 4 hours. Or only 3000-4000 watts of solar a day. Summer full 9000 watts 6-7 hours a day.
14x 748wh ebike batteries. I have not purchased any breakers, fuses, switches, indicators, etc. Will need to do this.
the LV5048. With the generator as backup
Step 3. Microhydro. This I don't know much about, and is really a hack
1x 500w microhydro , 120v
500ft of AWG 12
350watt no-name brand 48 or 60v .. or adjustable switching power supply. Hooked up to a MPP or into a hybrid inverter
I have a bunch of questions but what do you think, thanks