Off grid cabin set up

[NWC]

I'm new to all this and trying to get a simple setup for an off grid cabin we recently acquired. From my brief research I'm leaning towards these components. I'm powering a 110v iceco fridge freezer, some lights, ceiling fan and a 1/2hp well pump that's 240v. All of this is currently powered by a generator.

New Canadian Bifacial 390W Solar Panel | SanTan Solar

store.santansolar.com

EG4 6K Off-Grid Split Phase Inverter | 6000EX-48HV | 6000W Output | 7500W PV Input | 500V VOC Input | Split Phase 120/240VAC | All In One Solar Inverter

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

48V100E-2UL – Trophy Battery

Will these all work well together and what else am I missing?
Thanks

 

[Bobert]

I'm new to all this and trying to get a simple setup for an off grid cabin we recently acquired. From my brief research I'm leaning towards these components. I'm powering a 110v iceco fridge freezer, some lights, ceiling fan and a 1/2hp well pump that's 240v. All of this is currently powered by a generator.

New Canadian Bifacial 390W Solar Panel | SanTan Solar

store.santansolar.com

EG4 6K Off-Grid Split Phase Inverter | 6000EX-48HV | 6000W Output | 7500W PV Input | 500V VOC Input | Split Phase 120/240VAC | All In One Solar Inverter

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

48V100E-2UL – Trophy Battery

Will these all work well together and what else am I missing?
Thanks

What you are missing is a power audit. Your also really need to know how much startup amps your pump is using. Then you can make a pretty good guess with a little math.

 

[NWC]

Currently I have been powering the cabin by wiring in a Jackery 1000 to the breaker box so I can tell you we use about 40% of that per day. That's used by the 12 light bulbs, fan, charging any devices, and the fridge.
The iceco specs state 0.545kw.h per 24h
The well pump is a Countyline CL520 115/230v 60hz 7.0/3.5A

Is that enough info to go off of? Seems like the 6k inverter is large enough but I'm not sure how many batteries would be ideal. We go up there for a 1-6 nights at a time and its located near Randle WA. panels will be in a clearing so I can maximize daylight hours in the winter

 

[MichaelK]

Here is a pump chart originally provided by another member Mike93450. I've found these numbers to be very accurate when comparing the chart to my own 1hp pump. Scrolling down the chart to the 1/2hp pump, I see 6.0A running, and 34.5A starting. I think you need to double-check those numbers. I trust this chart more than that specification listed. Seems too low to me.

Most likely a 6kW high-frequency inverter will NOT power it, because the starting surge is ~8300W. HF inverters can only supply a 200% starting surge for about 8-16 milliseconds, so that's not enough. Look at getting a low-frequency transformer based inverter like EVO, Magnum, Outback, Schneider, or Victron. They all make LF inverters that have starting surges of 5-60 seconds. So, focus your attention on what that EG4 inverter can surge to before spending any money.

A good rule of thumb for panels is to have 2X the size of your single biggest load. Assuming your pump is consuming 6A X 240V, that's 1440W, so look at powering it with at least 2800W of solar.

For my own system, I'm powering my 1hp Grunfos with 4500W of solar powering a XW+6848 inverter.

 

[NWC]

Thanks for the input. I was there this weekend and measured the amps with my Klein meter and it showed just over 2amps at startup and a bit under 2amps while running

 

[mvonw]

2 amps seems very low for pump startup. Is this a deep (drilled well), or dug well?

Also consider (to name a very few):

• Are you in a cold climate?
• What are the temperature extremes (for the batteries)?
• Is your place heated?
• Do you use it in winter?
• How much sun exposure?
• Adding additional loads later?

Make sure you understand all the considerations before you select/buy anything.

 

[NWC]

It is a shallow well with the pump mounted above ground. I guess I would say its a dug well as it is a 3ft diameter hole with a concrete lid. The other wells I have had were all drilled and had a 6" pipe with a submerged pump. This is all inside of a shed on the property, see pic.


Cold-ish climate, cascade mountain in WA state. Last winter was my first having this cabin and we had temps in the teens but nothing too extreme.
One reason I liked the trophy batteries was the internal heaters
the cabin is not heated when we are away but does have a propane heater and a woodstove.
Yes we snowshoe into the cabin in the winter
We have a fairly clear lot where we will place panels, most likely mounted to a shipping container and will face directly south
Possibly adding a few more lights, a microwave and a washer dryer if we add on but dryer would be propane.

 

[mvonw]

Yeah, that's a jet-type (pulls water vs. pushing it up), still 2 amp seems low. What size generator do you use now? Did you measure one leg of the 240volt conductor using a clamp meter?

My cabin gets a lot colder (sometimes -30F, but normal lows are -15F). I have the Trophy batteries (110ah version), but this winter will be the first test for the batteries. I have built a removable insulated shroud for my 6 batteries, I'm pretty sure it will be fine if the heaters actually work. You also need to consider the high temps too. I know the NW has had a lot of hot days this year. I built a power shed just for my batteries/inverter that I insulated and installed a DIY minisplit. Seems crazy to cool the shed just for batteries, but one battery cost more than the A/C unit and the power consumption on the hot days this summer has been barely noticeable (it's hot during the day when the PV handle the load without affecting the battery), so it's actually cheap insurance.

Take your time researching and planning, don't get fixated. Get a lot of advice from a variety of resources. I overdesigned my system for my needs by a large margin, and I'm glad I did, since I'm finding all kinds of ways to use all that power (starlink, refrigerator, compressor, electric range, etc..)

 

[Branch Ranch]

Here is a pump chart originally provided by another member Mike93450. I've found these numbers to be very accurate when comparing the chart to my own 1hp pump. Scrolling down the chart to the 1/2hp pump, I see 6.0A running, and 34.5A starting. I think you need to double-check those numbers. I trust this chart more than that specification listed. Seems too low to me.

Most likely a 6kW high-frequency inverter will NOT power it, because the starting surge is ~8300W. HF inverters can only supply a 200% starting surge for about 8-16 milliseconds, so that's not enough. Look at getting a low-frequency transformer based inverter like EVO, Magnum, Outback, Schneider, or Victron. They all make LF inverters that have starting surges of 5-60 seconds. So, focus your attention on what that EG4 inverter can surge to before spending any money.

A good rule of thumb for panels is to have 2X the size of your single biggest load. Assuming your pump is consuming 6A X 240V, that's 1440W, so look at powering it with at least 2800W of solar.

For my own system, I'm powering my 1hp Grunfos with 4500W of solar powering a XW+6848 inverter.
View attachment 109702

FYI, here is the specs for the 6000EX-48HV
from Signature Solar website:

• High Surge Capacity (12KW for 1 second) , so maybe it would work for his well pump?

 

[NWC]

I tried to just grab the one wire when measuring with the clamp meter but it was tight in there so maybe it was a bad reading. I can try again next time and maybe try and get the wire at the panel vs at the pump, might be more wire available there to clamp around.

The generator came with the cabin and its a Duromax xp10000, way larger than I need but its what's there.

MVONW, what are the details of your setup? I hadn't given too much thought to the summer heat but had planned on insulating the room for cold temps. Did you go with a MRcool mini split? Great point about the ac costing less or equal to a battery. I appreciate the help

 

[Steve_S]

Here is my setup on the side of a 20' Seacan
All wood is Pressure Teated, Galvanized Nails & Coated Screws for PT
Feet for Racking (Aluminium) have a piece of Rubber between wood & bracket.
All bolts to anchor feet etc are Stainless Steel.

The real problems I have with this are:
- Attaching to the top of the seacan ! It would be better to build a roof and attach the panels. You could weld on brackets etc but Corten Steel is "hostile" and a welder has to know how to deal with it. In my case a 12:12, 45 degree roof would have served nicely
- Inside the seacan the contant issues of Hot/Cold & Damp. Ventilation is required and prefferably some exterior cladding to act as a thermal break from the outside elements.

I have a Powerhouse which is an addition to the Pumphouse, combined it is 14'x8'. Because I am way up north, they are insulated with 4" of XPS foam between studs & 1" Foam between studs & sheathing. A Thermally Broken wall system. The roof is equally insulated with PolyISO Foam. Because I have my 50 Gallon Water Pressure Tank in there I do have to heat it. I have further plans for Radiant Heat (solar) but for the past couple of years, I installed a recovered Propane Furnace from a 20' RV that was written off (5 yrs old) Keeping everything at 50F is no problem and both my water & battery bank is happy with that. It does go down to -35C/-31F here. The powerhouse uses up about 75 Lbs of Propane in a season.

 

[mvonw]

I have a Powerhouse which is an addition to the Pumphouse, combined it is 14'x8'. Because I am way up north, they are insulated with 4" of XPS foam between studs & 1" Foam between studs & sheathing. A Thermally Broken wall system. The roof is equally insulated with PolyISO Foam. Because I have my 50 Gallon Water Pressure Tank in there I do have to heat it. I have further plans for Radiant Heat (solar) but for the past couple of years, I installed a recovered Propane Furnace from a 20' RV that was written off (5 yrs old) Keeping everything at 50F is no problem and both my water & battery bank is happy with that. It does go down to -35C/-31F here. The powerhouse uses up about 75 Lbs of Propane in a season.

Do you know if there are any small propane heaters that are thermostatically controlled (set temperature point)?
I am setting up my dump load on an electric heater to keep my powerhouse (14 x 18') warm during the day, but on cloudy and at night, I'd like to keep it around 50F.

 

[Steve_S]

The RV Furnace has a thermostat, it only cost me 175 from a RV/Camper lot that had it for the insurance issues. It's a Suburban NT-20S. The advantage is that it is "Direct Vent" so it pulls air from outside, all that's needed is a thimble through the wall to handle the 2x 2-1/4" pipes (Air & Exhaust). In Fact, I had a friend make the pipes up at his Autoshop using muffler pipe and flaring the ends to slip onto the factory pipe to extend them. A simple 12V AGM provides power which is attached to a Coleman 100W Solar Panel & PWM Controller. I did setup a circuit from my Solar System to run it as well if/when the need arises.

I dunno what kind of heaters are available on Amazon BUT you certainly want Direct Vent to keep moisture out and not to fill it wit CO2. Buddy Heaters do NOT cut it.

 

[NWC]

The pump pulls 9.5A at start up and runs at 3.3A so the EG4 6000 inverter should be able to handle that.

 

[MichaelK]

The pump pulls 9.5A at start up and runs at 3.3A so the EG4 6000 inverter should be able to handle that.

Can you please identify which Klein meter you are using to determine this? Does it have an "inrush current" setting?

Your numbers don't match well well with published numbers that I trust very much.