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diy solar

It's Alive.....

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SunnyNM

New Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2022
Messages
32
It's taken over a year to get up and running. Panels, inverter, batteries, a small fortune in odds and ends to connect it all together. Much youtubing, reading, some more youtubing, some more reading, saw a squirrel so let things gather dust for awhile.
And then back on it with renewed interest. Then was told I needed to get a permit for self install... that was a two month PITA but got it. Another delay and than back on it.

Used panels (435 watt) mounted atop framed with C channel oilfield pipe - two sets of 8 panels. Got them wired up and running into honey room in metal barn where growatt 12K inverter is hung - adventure in itself. Batteries are two sets of 304ah Lifepo4 48V total. One set is currently BMSd and connected to inverter. Other set is waiting for the Mason battery kit before install. Both will be installed in battery kits eventually.

Inverter is wired into grid for backup power after panels and batteries but is not tied into grid for output into the grid.

System went live today. So running power to three outbuildings. Will monitor to see impact from 280 foot well and 240 volt cooling unit for a walkin cooler, two freezers and sundry lighting and a Harvest Right freeze dryer. Curious to see how much load my system can handle.
 
SunnyNM said:
It's taken over a year to get up and running. Panels, inverter, batteries, a small fortune in odds and ends to connect it all together. Much youtubing, reading, some more youtubing, some more reading, saw a squirrel so let things gather dust for awhile.
And then back on it with renewed interest. Then was told I needed to get a permit for self install... that was a two month PITA but got it. Another delay and than back on it.

Used panels (435 watt) mounted atop framed with C channel oilfield pipe - two sets of 8 panels. Got them wired up and running into honey room in metal barn where growatt 12K inverter is hung - adventure in itself. Batteries are two sets of 304ah Lifepo4 48V total. One set is currently BMSd and connected to inverter. Other set is waiting for the Mason battery kit before install. Both will be installed in battery kits eventually.

Inverter is wired into grid for backup power after panels and batteries but is not tied into grid for output into the grid.

System went live today. So running power to three outbuildings. Will monitor to see impact from 280 foot well and 240 volt cooling unit for a walkin cooler, two freezers and sundry lighting and a Harvest Right freeze dryer. Curious to see how much load my system can handle.
Click to expand...
pictures or it didnt happen ;)

all jokes aside, well done and congrats !
 
SunnyNM said:
Inverter is wired into grid for backup power after panels and batteries but is not tied into grid for output into the grid.

System went live today. So running power to three outbuildings. Will monitor to see impact from 280 foot well and 240 volt cooling unit for a walkin cooler, two freezers and sundry lighting and a Harvest Right freeze dryer. Curious to see how much load my system can handle.
Click to expand...
Well done! I'm going to predict that the HR is going to be the biggest energy hog. I'll be very interested in how it all works for you. Definitely keep us updated.
 
EastTexCowboy said:
Well done! I'm going to predict that the HR is going to be the biggest energy hog. I'll be very interested in how it all works for you. Definitely keep us updated.
Click to expand...
The Growatt inverter will use grid power as a last resort should it be needed. Since the freeze dryer runs around the clock on a 44 hour run then I expect some grid power to be used during the night.
 

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SunnyNM said:
The Growatt inverter will use grid power as a last resort should it be needed. Since the freeze dryer runs around the clock on a 44 hour run then I expect some grid power to be used during the night.
Click to expand...
I’m assuming you have a harvest right freeze dryer? How do you like it?
 
SunnyNM said:
The Growatt inverter will use grid power as a last resort should it be needed. Since the freeze dryer runs around the clock on a 44 hour run then I expect some grid power to be used during the night.
Click to expand...
I agree. I haven't put ours on solar yet but I know if I do it's likely going to go to bypass. Ours pulls about 1500 amps for pretty much the whole cycle. Doing anything wet like fruit just takes a long time. In fact we have started doing a 24 hour cycle on fruit then put it back in the freezer and defrost the FD. Then do a second cycle and it seems to work really well.
 
EastTexCowboy said:
I agree. I haven't put ours on solar yet but I know if I do it's likely going to go to bypass. Ours pulls about 1500 amps for pretty much the whole cycle. Doing anything wet like fruit just takes a long time. In fact we have started doing a 24 hour cycle on fruit then put it back in the freezer and defrost the FD. Then do a second cycle and it seems to work really well.
Click to expand...
Whoa.....
o_O
:LOL:
 
My freeze dryer runs about 37KW a run so averages .83KW per hour. There are basically two phases - first phase is freezing and the next phase is drying which continues freezing but adds vacuum and switches heaters on the trays to drive the moisture out of the food. During the second phase I think about 16 amps versus 6 amps for the freeze cycle. I have an older machine - 2018 purchase. The newer machines take advantage of vacuum while freezing to speed up the lyphosization process.
 
Well I have had my eye on one for years. It’s on my list. Reconstituted is the food good? Shelf life? Do you go ahead and vacuum pack your final product?
 
jfpetesn said:
Well I have had my eye on one for years. It’s on my list. Reconstituted is the food good? Shelf life? Do you go ahead and vacuum pack your final product?
Click to expand...
Some things are great. Most are pretty good. A few are mediocre but certainly edible. Hamburger tastes like I just grilled it. Eggs are excellent as long as scrambled is okay. Shelf life varies. Some things are good for 25 plus. Some only 10 or so. We put almost everything in mylar bags. We have an Avid Armor my wife wanted and I didn't get it but it's great. Vacuum seals in mylar so we do that on anything that isn't sharp/brittle that might puncture the mylar. But be prepared. it's a lot of work and there's a learning curve.
 
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