diy solar

diy solar

Hi From Northern Ontario

GettinOutaDoge

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2022
Messages
12
Hey Everyone is excited to be here, I Just got out of Dodge "The City" Purchased myself 5 acres on a river Just North of West Nipissing Ontario Where I am Building. I kind of don't want to be on Hydro at all. I was looking at my Hydro Bill from the city and in most billing Cycles our home was using under 30kwh per day on average with some months being slightly higher and a couple of months 35 - 36 Kwh per day. I have lost one teenager since moving and I'm down to one wife 2 cats and a pre-teen. I guess I'm wondering if it is feasible that I can build a system to support such usage. My wife is concerned that we won't be able to support our daily electrical needs. I realize a lot of our appliances were not exactly solar friendly either so making some changes will probably help in the KWH department. We are building a 1250 sqft log home with a basement and I will probably want to have a 25x 30 steel shed with some power to store boats and work on my vehicles. Are we dreaming about getting rid of the power lines and not being dependent on the utility company? We are going to need power before winter so I'm hoping someone can kick-start me into what we might need to buy parts-wise if it's doable and then I will have to get to work on studying the ins and outs of putting a system together.
 
35-36kWh is pretty high especially if you are going to be living that far north. Have you done an energy audit of what you believe is going to be using that much energy? It's much cheaper to think of efficiency then trying to build a big enough system to support that much power. @Steve_S is also in Northern Ontario, completely off-grid but uses about 1/10th the daily power what you are wanting to use.
 
35-36kWh is pretty high especially if you are going to be living that far north. Have you done an energy audit of what you believe is going to be using that much energy? It's much cheaper to think of efficiency then trying to build a big enough system to support that much power. @Steve_S is also in Northern Ontario, completely off-grid but uses about 1/10th the daily power what you are wanting to use.
Thanks for the reply

At this time I have not planned out what appliances, lighting, etc. We are building fresh so at the moment the only plans existing are for the 1250sqft home, I still have to design the electrical and Hvac so all I have to go by is 2 years of power bills from our city home with the appliances and goodies that we had there. In this case, everything we buy will be new and I will be able to select items that are energy efficient.

When looking at our past 2 years of electricity bills we used a total of 14,562.06 KWH and if I divide by daily usage it works out to about 19.95KWH on average per day

I kind of needed to know everything yesterday lmao
What types of appliances, heating, cooling, Do we wash our laundry in the River LOL
 
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One thing you should think about now if you are going to to have your own power system is if you are going to want a separate power shed. Assuming you would use LiFePO4 batteries it will need to be kept above freezing. It's possible to do even at your location since that is what Steve_S is doing, you just need to make sure it is super-insulated.

But you really need to figure out roughly what your energy usage will be. Was that city energy usage for an all electric residence? Will you have propane?
 
One thing you should think about now if you are going to to have your own power system is if you are going to want a separate power shed. Assuming you would use LiFePO4 batteries it will need to be kept above freezing. It's possible to do even at your location since that is what Steve_S is doing, you just need to make sure it is super-insulated.

But you really need to figure out roughly what your energy usage will be. Was that city energy usage for an all electric residence? Will you have propane?
Thanks For the Reply... That was city usage with hot water and heat on gas! Simply put I guess I just need to go with whatever forms of heat, water heating and appliances will get me where I need to be. My reading and research have begun. lol
 
I'm not far from Algonquin Park. 100% Offgrid as Hydro One wanted 55K just to cut a line up here and then they got an increase that pushed it to 70... (with transformer) Bahhh ! I use 5kWh per day max in winter BUT the home is built for purpose, and not a standard build by any means.

30kwh + per day ? = Headshot please, put me out of my agony. That is for a business with equipment, not a residence. You planning "a grow" or what.

Look at your hydro bills for every quarter, JUST the kWh used per month to get real numbers to get an "idea" of what you actually used.

It's August now and you want to be Solar Powered by the time the Snow Flies ? Dude, better smoke another big fat doobie and think on that, or spend a Lottery Winning Pile to get there.

RULE #1: Conservation is far cheaper than Generation & Storage and one must put that mindset up front.
RULE #2: Research the hell out of what you want to do... The ONLY Stupid Question is the one not asked, if you do not know something ASK !
RULE #3: NO IMPULSE BUYING !!! Never Ever do it no matter the temptation to do so. This includes Hyped / Promo'd goods, products or Methods for doing things.
RULE #4: BEWARE of the WEB Spiders who are Bench warming Wizbang Experts. If they can't show you their own systems etc... COW LICK Applied, then the Slick Youtuber University Speciallisists who promo product... like TV non-Reality Shows.

This site is full of Real World WE ARE LIVING IT & DOING folks but as expected other lurkers etc come in here too... We have folks in Log Cabins & Homes, Earth Sheltered, Net-Neutral Passive houses and conventional homes along with a few hybrids (like me).

My best advice at the start is to slow down on the "huge plan" and think things out. Little things like where you are putting the house makes a Big Difference, are you imposing it on the land or working with the land, making use of natural airflows around it, shading from trees, orientation etc. MOST IMPORTANTLY KEEP AN OPEN MIND !

Example, my place. I have No AC don't need it the house does it, It can be 40C out and it's 25C inside with doors & windows open, In winter -35C it's 24C inside and the Radiant Heating System only has to run a total of 3 hours in 24hrs to keep it there. Talk about saving a crap load of power !!!

WHAT STATE ARE YOU AT ?
Planning & Drafting ?
Already building ? if so to what level ?
Dried in ?

Intended Main Power to supply the home is 240V/200A or Higher ?
Intended supply for "shop" is 240V/100A or ?

Do you want Roof Mounted Solar (12:12 Pitch for your locale) or Adjustable Ground Mount (most flexible)
Solar Shingles are available and not just from Tesla !
Depending on property and building locations would you consider a separate powerhouse to distribute to Home & Shop ?
* That is seen as favourable by several insurance companies being unattached to a "used structure like house".
Have you considered the possibility the "shop" could just have its own Solar System with batts ?

An Example of Brilliantly Stoopid !
Fellow down the road wanted to build Hi Efficiciency home, even went with SIPS and the whole nine yards, looks great & in threory BUT due to the spot he "plunked it (a hollow)" he used a High Ranch style basement, leaving 3-5' exposed concrete ! No foam or anything covering it.... Instant Heat Sink sucking the warmth out of the house .... he get's laughed at a lot and just doesn't get it... even his contractor said it was a bad idea but the customer is the boss. The propane company does love him though.

Just a few things to chomp on for you....

Hope it helps, Good Luck.
 
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