So sad to see the days getting shorter...

[mvonw]

Time to test my generators. It was in the low 40s (F) where I am last night. Unfortunately, fossil fuels are always going to be in my future.

 

[myles]

Yeah I read a saying on here once, when the sun is shining you have too much power with solar, when the sun isn't shining you can't out panel the clouds. They win!

This is true, i've came to the conclusion that the best money I can "spend" is just running the genny periodically from october - January. so be it, first time I had to run the genny since last christmas was yesterday ! :D

 

[mvonw]

Yeah I read a saying on here once, when the sun is shining you have too much power with solar, when the sun isn't shining you can't out panel the clouds. They win!

This is true, i've came to the conclusion that the best money I can "spend" is just running the genny periodically from october - January. so be it, first time I had to run the genny since last christmas was yesterday ! :D

Yep. Generator= peace of mind

 

[cs1234]

That's why I like the idea of making compressed hydrogen using excess solar, but the stuff sure isn't easy to store long term. Maybe some sort of algea based bio fuel instead. Something other than batteries for long term, non reusable storage of collected solar energy.

 

[myles]

That's why I like the idea of making compressed hydrogen using excess solar, but the stuff sure isn't easy to store long term. Maybe some sort of algea based bio fuel instead. Something other than batteries for long term, non reusable storage of collected solar energy.

Still the cheapest way to store power is on the grid, if its available. The next cheapest way to store solar is with a DIY lifepo4 battery bank!

 

[mvonw]

Still the cheapest way to store power is on the grid, if its available. The next cheapest way to store solar is with a DIY lifepo4 battery bank!

Are more batteries really cheaper? I’ve wondered about that. For winter where I am, there are some days were I have excess solar and I could charge beyond my current battery bank, but those days aren’t many in deep winter. A thousand dollars for more batteries, for example, would buy a lot of gasoline/diesel for my generator for the few days that I would need it. Plus I can use the extra diesel in my tractor in spring if I don’t use it. (I’m 100% off grid)

 

[ksmithaz1]

I'm too cheap for those. lol
More panels = less mowing. It's a win win.

What's "Mowing" ? I lived in VA and NC for the first part of my life. Two things I can honestly say I don't miss: Mowing and raking leaves / pine needles. My only question is why do people move to the desert and think they need to have all this east coast vegetation that likes to blow into my yard?

I think you said you built your ground mounts with wood. Did you cement the posts or just bury them? You have termite issues there? NC was horrible about termites, and they are bad here, so I grabbed some cheap steel frames for my ground stuff, but I think I'm just going to reverse course and put up some block pillars and build a cover with solar panels and manufactured wood. I really wish you didn't have to get 4x8 solar panels (ok exaggerating, but not much) to get the density up and cost down. Further it would be nice if panels came in standardized sizes (you know like a sheet of plywood . . .) Not sure what that size is, but 3x5 is small enough to handle and large enough to get some production.

60KW is serious with the battery capacity you have. I'm still trying to get the ratio, but Phoenix is unusual for sunshine. I could definitely use about 30KW of panels to meet weekend demand, but during the week I only use about 60% of my current output. Batteries would help, but it's a bit of a balancing act. Saving an extra ~30KWH a day of realistic overproduction for 5 days is 150KWH of extra battery. Serious coin to set that up, but it would pretty much cover all my demand. Another 15KW of panels, requires a bit more engineering, but would be less expensive. No matter what you want enough battery to cover when the sun ain't shinin'. Much more difficult if you live where you have to rake leaves. I actually had my lowest ever production at about 48KWH a week or so ago on a gloomy day. I'm working on getting better statistical data to balance battery vs panels, and I'm certain I will have a day this winter where I go even lower, the question is how much lower.

 

[ksmithaz1]

I've spent the day watching robot tree cutter videos. I'm about to declare war on a few monster size pine trees.

Winter is coming and those suckers are getting to close to my panels with the shadows they are casting.....

I hate pine trees. One missed my house by about a foot during a hurricaine in NC. Pine needles suck, and are annoying to rake. Pine cone pieces hurt when you step on them in bare feet. YMMV. I cleared about 10 off a 1/2 acre lot after that. Felled it myself, climb, rope notch, pull and go. Not too bad, I was sawing about 15 feet up. How tall?

 

[Crowz]

I hate pine trees. One missed my house by about a foot during a hurricaine in NC. Pine needles suck, and are annoying to rake. Pine cone pieces hurt when you step on them in bare feet. YMMV. I cleared about 10 off a 1/2 acre lot after that. Felled it myself, climb, rope notch, pull and go. Not too bad, I was sawing about 15 feet up. How tall?

60 to 80 feet I think. Way to large to just cut down on my own and not hit something and at $5000 a tree to have them removed I can build a heck of a robot


I loath pine trees to but these monsters were here when I bought the place.

 

[ksmithaz1]

That's why I like the idea of making compressed hydrogen using excess solar, but the stuff sure isn't easy to store long term. Maybe some sort of algea based bio fuel instead. Something other than batteries for long term, non reusable storage of collected solar energy.

Well you could use the leccy to crack water into raw hydrogen, but bulk storage does require tremendous pressure. Is there a way to turn electricity into a different volatile, perhaps liquid? I considered a solar still at one point, but then you have to create a mash, and ... Algea has the same underlying problem of vats and real estate. Pumping water up and gravity, but you are back to the real estate problems.

I want my own walnut size micro-nuke plant like the science fiction authors were talking about in the 50's.

 

[cs1234]

Still the cheapest way to store power is on the grid, if its available. The next cheapest way to store solar is with a DIY lifepo4 battery bank!

I assumed we were discussing off-grid energy solutions. Yes, the grid is the cheapest way to have "unlimited" storage. Batteries are certainly the simplest and cheapest currently available method of storing off-grid solar for later. I was just dreaming of an off grid renewable resource.

 

[timselectric]

I think you said you built your ground mounts with wood. Did you cement the posts or just bury them?

Haven't built the ground mount yet. But, it will be wood on concrete piers.

 

[myles]

Are more batteries really cheaper? I’ve wondered about that. For winter where I am, there are some days were I have excess solar and I could charge beyond my current battery bank, but those days aren’t many in deep winter. A thousand dollars for more batteries, for example, would buy a lot of gasoline/diesel for my generator for the few days that I would need it. Plus I can use the extra diesel in my tractor in spring if I don’t use it. (I’m 100% off grid)

Last I checked my generator cannot store power. If we are talking just power in general for winter use only, yeah i've crunched the numbers, natural gas for me is by far the cheapest way to recharge my batteries when solar cannot. Each situation is unique, I am off grid but with just natural gas hookup now. Elec was 50k for utility to bring in power, I built my offgrid setup for about 45k. to me i'm farther ahead. the natural gas line alone was 18k to run half a mile underground, but here propane is 4X the cost of natural gas per BTU (thats the only way to compare apples to apples).

Math is fun, so lets throw this in. My generator, champion 8.5kw home standby (for charging only). Consumes 97 ft3/hr at half load (which is where I run it), this converts to 28.43 kwh equivalent power. meanwhile I am only getting about 4kwh worth of charging! Yikes, sometimes math is not fun haha

 

[SamDeleted]

That's why I like the idea of making compressed hydrogen using excess solar, but the stuff sure isn't easy to store long term. Maybe some sort of algea based bio fuel instead. Something other than batteries for long term, non reusable storage of collected solar energy.

Have you looked at a biodigester ? you could heat with excess energy , biogas can be used like propane , it can be pressurised into cylinder if your brave

 

[cs1234]

Have you looked at a biodigester ? you could heat with excess energy , biogas can be used like propane , it can be pressurised into cylinder if your brave

I've looked at the biodigesters. They are pretty neat.

I've even seen people manage to get generators running on biogas, but it's a PITA.

I also only have so much compatible waste to give it.

 

[SamDeleted]

I've looked at the biodigesters. They are pretty neat.

I've even seen people manage to get generators running on biogas, but it's a PITA.

I also only have so much compatible waste to give it.

Yep takes leg work , that's why I've not done it yet ?

 

[mvonw]

Yikes, sometimes math is not fun haha

Perhaps in terms of Gas vs. Solar per kw, yes..But my generator can power me if my inverter fails or a tree hits my array. I already have more panels and battery than I need 90% of the year.

 

[ksmithaz1]

60 to 80 feet I think. Way to large to just cut down on my own and not hit something and at $5000 a tree to have them removed I can build a heck of a robot


I loath pine trees to but these monsters were here when I bought the place.

If you are willing to climb & rope it's not that bad, a little scary. Attach the rope up high and anchor it. Depends on what you can manage for a fall area, as you top it. If you have a 40' fall area, it's just patience. $5K seems like a lot.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

Yes sir! This year 100% solar began on May 8th and today Sep 28th, with 3rd day of clouds/rain - dropping back to <100%. 5 months of care-free power consumption, but winter is approaching and the party's over

 

[curiouscarbon]

That's why I like the idea of making compressed hydrogen using excess solar, but the stuff sure isn't easy to store long term. Maybe some sort of algea based bio fuel instead. Something other than batteries for long term, non reusable storage of collected solar energy.

have you seen cody's algae panel experiment?

on the topic of less common dump loads, generating water from air is fascinating to me, but is a one-way conversion and doesn't allow easy electrical energy storage, and also subject to potentially suboptimal operating conditions during times of excess solar