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Sanity check and wire sourcing question

LTM269

New Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2022
Messages
4
Hello,
Thank you all for the very informative posts, I think I have read them all! We are installing an upgraded, small 12V solar system at our tiny, off grid Vermont cabin. Our electricity needs are pretty low right now and we are currently use a Renology 100w starter system that came with the cabin to power a few LED 12V lights and a 12V water pump an a usb phone charger. We are adding a small fridge (ASAP), composting toilet and a few more lights to a small addition this summer. Our anticipated draw will be <1000w/day but there may be a few more luxuries added if power allows (maybe a laptop or coffee maker).
I just purchased most of the components from Will's 400W classic solar package recommendations list:
Rich Solar 400W kit
200ah lithium battery
Giandel 2200w inverter
200 amp fuse
50 amp circuit breaker
We plan to install the system prior to construction and hook up the fridge. We will likely hold off on purchasing the fuse box/connectors for smaller items until after construction.
I would welcome feedback on this configuration and I am looking for suggestions on what to purchase for the short, connector cables from inverter to fuse, fuse to battery and charge controller to circuit breaker. We are skipping the bus bar for now and running negative connections to the battery (unless that's a bad idea). I am hoping to avoid purchasing the supplies to do our own crimping. The shortest cables I have been able to find are 1 foot long. Will these work or should we just bite the bullet and invest in crimping supplies?

Thanks for your patience with total newbies.
 
Have you already purchased the inverter? If not, I'd recommend upgrading to 24V. I would not buy the Rich Solar kit, as it is very, very overpriced. For less I could get a 1000W of panels locally, feeding into a MPPT controller like Epever's 4210AN. Grid-tie panels are dirt-cheap right now on Craigslist. Just buy cash and carry. Don't order through the mail. I could get the controller and 1000W of panels for ~ 400$.

With 1000W of solar you could get a standard refrigerator, have a TV, and most of the other household items too big to run on a 12V system. More or less a home system for the very frugal.
 
Have you already purchased the inverter? If not, I'd recommend upgrading to 24V. I would not buy the Rich Solar kit, as it is very, very overpriced. For less I could get a 1000W of panels locally, feeding into a MPPT controller like Epever's 4210AN. Grid-tie panels are dirt-cheap right now on Craigslist. Just buy cash and carry. Don't order through the mail. I could get the controller and 1000W of panels for ~ 400$.

With 1000W of solar you could get a standard refrigerator, have a TV, and most of the other household items too big to run on a 12V system. More or less a home system for the very frugal.
Thank you for the input. I will definitely consider this option. The cabin is currently 160 sq feet (tiny) and we are adding a whopping 200 sq feet this summer. Unfortunately, everything we need on the island has to be transported by our small boat and carried up a 20' cliff so a standard fridge or other larger home appliances are not an option but saving some cash is appealing.
 
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