diy solar

diy solar

Old hand @ solar, new to this forum ( off-grid NorthernCalif )

mike95490

New Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
78
( whoops - may have botched my first post, or maybe it didn't go through)

Anyway, been off grid +10 years in No Calif, with 5kw of PV, a large NiFe battery bank @ 48v, and a modern house, but no air conditioning. I may have to rethink the air cond, summers getting hotter and I have extra capacity in summer, might go with a mini-split and get some heat options in winter too.

I'm a retired engineer, we have off-grid pumped pond water with slow sand sanitizing filter and ozone follow up.
Heating is via a Masonry Heater ( contra-flow convoluted brick to extract all the heat from the fire ) with a water heating loop and summer rooftop solar water heat.

foul weather ( rain, clouds, wildfire smoke ) power backup is a 6hp Lister style diesel genset

solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister
 
Mike95490, I’m not sure if anyone else stated it in response to any of your posts, but I wanted to say Welcome! I have learned so much over my short time on these forums and generally find most members very helpful. Of course there are always a few who seem to not follow the “we are a community” approach and stand out as less then helpful members, but those are generally rare in my short experience here. I look forward to your input and lessons learned so I can continue to learn.
 
Mike95490, I’m not sure if anyone else stated it in response to any of your posts, but I wanted to say Welcome! I have learned so much over my short time on these forums and generally find most members very helpful. Of course there are always a few who seem to not follow the “we are a community” approach and stand out as less then helpful members, but those are generally rare in my short experience here. I look forward to your input and lessons learned so I can continue to learn.
Thanks, I did have some others chime in with kind words. I've been offgrid for +10 years, and have an engineering background, but I don't want to come across as a "know it all" - I'm waiting for the Li batteries to settle on some sort of standard before I do a deep dive into them.

I am looking for a decent electric power wood splitter, I've got 240V 30A capability, most are only 120V 15A, 2 ton, which chokes on much of the wood I can get free.
 
Welcome.
You will find this forum more active than solarpaneltalk or the NAWS forums. You may recognize some of us from those forums as well. What you will not see is posters in the style of Sunxxx. There are however members who have made significant contributions to the Resources Section.
The enthusiasm here for Lithium chemistries may seem more like the wild west but there is a clear preference for the safer LFP (LiFePO4) chemistry. I am not sure there will ever be a standard nor have I seen one with Pb. There are definitely best practices.
There is not much activity in the Off Grid Section compared to the Vehicle, DIY Battery and Storage Sections.
 
Last edited:
Hello Mike! Nice to meet you and read a bit about you and your experience. Have a nice day!
 
Back
Top