diy solar

diy solar

Hi guys! Just wanted to share my first and second solar setup.

joeExotic

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Apr 12, 2020
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My first setup 200w system

My current setup 400w system

I plan on adding two more HQST 100w panels. Will put up some pics after the install.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for my setup. Thank you.
I know this is a small setup but I just wanted to show and tell. Maybe one day I will be able to build something bigger and better.

Update 02/15/2022
Just wanted to share. The cold and windy weather gave bump in amps today. I got very excited seeing 33 almost 34 amps on the charge controller. So very stoked. A total of 600 w panels on the roof. I can't wait for summer to come around and for the extra long days of sunshine.
 

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DISCLAIMER: Please Admin let me know if it is okay to post this video up. It is not DIY but it is a solar generator. I will take the video of the GOLABS R500 down if Admin says so.

Anyways, when my 360 AH LiFePO4 batteries get to 90% I plug in this solar generator which takes 86 watts from the AC adapter. It helps to keep the LFP batteries from getting to 100%. Then at night I can use the solar generator. I like it because it is portable so I can do things like power a small vacuum when I'm cleaning the car. Lately, I've been using it to charge my car battery since I'm working from home now and not driving the car as much.

I'm using the Mroinge Smart Vehicle Battery Charger Maintainer to plug into the solar generator AC outlet. It can charge LiFePO4 batteries which is why I got it.

Last summer I brought an inflatable boat, the Intex Mariner 4, to Lake Tahoe and I was able to stay on the water all day with just a foldable solar panel, the portable generator, one 12V LFP battery, and the Mroinge Smart Vehicle Battery Charger. Of course I was using an electric motor.

 

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My review of the Vmax AGM 125AH battery. It works great for the first 3 years but after that it will hold 60AH and is pretty much useless. I was depleting them down to 50% everyday. Overall great AGM battery. Maybe if I had 3 or 4 of them in parallel and only drained them down 20% then they will last longer. I believe that's what will said he was doing in one of his videos.

 
I just added two more panels to complete 3S2P setup here's a picture with crates as promised. It's backyard plinking country style with the crates but it works ?
 

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I am using this Big Blue 100w portable solar panel. It's made of ETFE material so it will last 10-15 years when left outside 24/7
 
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I do not like this Renogy 40 Li CC because it can't read LFP battery voltage correctly but it does function and seeing 38amps makes me feel all fuzzy inside. I really need a shunt
 

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Just wanted to give an update:
I’ve been on vacation in Almaty Kazakhstan for the last two weeks and I am happy to say that my setup was able to power my refrigerator without any problems. In addition, I was also powering 24/7 my internet modem, router, and two small electronics (that use about 20w total for the two small electronics )

Luckily for me the weather was sunny for the two weeks when I was gone.

I knew my system never died because I was able to check my wireless cameras every day.

I believe that if my system ran out of juice then I would have to manually turn on the inverter to power everything.

Please give me any tips or insight that I can improve on for my setup.

Thanks in advance.
 
Picked up this tiny heater. It sucks just under 400watts. Floats around 375watts. It won’t heat up a 10x10 room but keeps the feet warm when next to it.

Able to power it with my setup. But it prob eats more than what my system can harvest. I have a total of 600 watts array so I can’t be getting more than 300watts right? Anyways these winter days my CC only goes up to 20-23amps. The panels might need a good cleaning because a few storms passed over my city.

Now I think I need to expand my system. LOL
 

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Picked up this tiny heater. It sucks just under 400watts. Floats around 375watts. It won’t heat up a 10x10 room but keeps the feet warm when next to it.

Able to power it with my setup. But it prob eats more than what my system can harvest. I have a total of 600 watts array so I can’t be getting more than 300watts right? Anyways these winter days my CC only goes up to 20-23amps. The panels might need a good cleaning because a few storms passed over my city.

Now I think I need to expand my system. LOL
Good update thanks. I learned a similar lesson to you in that my solar system has grown and grown as I keep getting more ambitious with what I want to power with it. Like you said in your first video, “go big!”
 
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