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Simple off the shelf solar backup battery setup in Costa Rica review

mbesto

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Joined
Sep 11, 2023
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Location
Austin, TX
Total newb to solar here, so I'm trying to start simple. Hopefully down the line, I'll build my own systems.

I have a vacation rental property in Costa Rica and often the power will just go out randomly so I'm looking to build a simple, but mostly off the shelf, backup solar system to provide internet even if the rest of the power goes off. This is so I can sell to digital nomads. Here is my internet setup:
  • Netgear = 110W max (I have 8 PoE access points connected, so this indeed might hit this amount...either way, just looking at worse case)
  • Starlink = 75W max
  • Cable modem = 24W max
  • Total = 209 W
Here's my shopping list:
QuantityDescriptionLinkPrice
1EcoFlow DELTA mini Portable Power Stationhttps://us.ecoflow.com/collections/...portable-power-station?variant=39976376434761$549
3HQST 100 Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panelhttps://a.co/d/5E9qiN3$221.97
1iHaospace XT60 Adapter to Solar Connector Cable 12AWG 25FThttps://a.co/d/hUVGyOY$39.99
1Solar cables extensionshttps://a.co/d/aYoMeG9$75
TOTAL$810.96

Specs on the battery and panels
  • Ecoflow solar:
    • 300W 11–75V DC 10A max
    • Pure Sine Wave, 1400W total (surge 2100W), 120V~ (50Hz/60Hz)
  • HQST 100 Watt 12V Panel
    • Optimum Operating Voltage (Vmp): 18.0 V
    • Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc): 21.6V
    • Optimum Operating Current (Imp): 5.56 A
    • Short-Circuit Current (Isc): 6.5A
So, max draw from the internet devices is 209W, which should be fine even at 75% solar panel efficiency (225W) from 300W panels. So if the power goes out during the day and its sunny (it usually is), it could in theory run in perpetuity. If a laptop needed power, I would just plug it in (that would increase draw another +96W, so roughly 300W in which the backup battery starts depleting). If this happens during the night or not sunny out, I would get 1400W / 209 W = ~6.5hrs from the battery backup. With 3x panels at ~6A and ~18V, this means I would need to do the panels in series: 6A,(18V+18V+18V) or 6A,54V, which keeps me in the range of the ecoflow of 10A,11-75V.

Questions/confirmations:
  • Am I thinking about the power input/output correctly and what the Ecoflow can handle?
  • Is series (not parallel) the way to go to ensure I stay within the range of the Ecoflow rating? (shade not an issue)
  • Does it make sense to do 1x 100W solar panel and 1x 200W solar panel instead? (my roof can support this)
  • I would simply plug the Ecoflow into AC wall power for charging and plug the internet devices into the Ecoflow so that way there is zero interruption to the internet, even if the power goes out. I assume the Ecoflow has config to flip over to solar if its available and no AC wall charging is available, right?
  • Is there a better / more efficient setup than this for the price? note - I've thought about just doing my own batteries/controller, but
 
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