diy solar

diy solar

Solar house generator I started DIY back in 2000 - My path from Trace to Xantrex (on FLA battery) to XW Pro inverters on Tesla Model S batteries

For safety, I finally found a large enough pull box to put the opto-relays into.
Found it at Amazon


and just finished installing it

The black wire at the bottom with a nut on it, will forward onto the UPSTREAM tank
The left white wire will also go to the UPSTREAM tank, along with a ground

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Whoooo Hoooooo.. parts are starting to trickle in... thank you again for all your help and guidance...... and I just ordered the rest... GULP... LOL

I copied your exact build sheet, I already have 4 modules so now it's just a matter of putting the money towards more modules...

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Have you been getting your Tesla modules from whoever has the best deal / product or have you found one reliable distributor?
 
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Have you been getting your modules from whoever has the best deal / product or have you found one reliable distributor?

UPDATE: they no longer sell parts, just full kits

so don't bother them, I have found solar panels for sale on the KSL.COM classified ads section


I have a source here in the Salt Lake valley, in Utah, https://www.solarwholesale.com/

They have a DIY section. Buy their design/plan and they will get applications/building permits ready to go along with their parts list and install a whole system yourself. I don't know if they market outside of Utah, but I use them solely as a place to buy Will call panels

here is the contact I have used

Jamin Hansen
Finance Coordinator
(801) 994-2350 ex.1301

jamin@nextenergyalliance.com

I found them here because I can pick the panels up myself and avoid shipping costs - which are high for panels.
I attached a spec sheet on the Panels.
They are USA made, single unit priced at $245 for 310watts. (79 cents/watt) They have a huge warehouse full of these
They also sell a Chinese made panel for less

I would suggest doing research on what panel would be best for you with these in mind
  • nearest to you - to save in shipping
  • wattage size of the panel you want - 320 is normal and up
  • warranty
  • reviews
  • as well as price - definitely under $1 per watt, or better is far less than a dollar - but must consider shipping again
Northern Arizona Wind and Sun are in Flagstag - no idea how close you are to them
https://www.solar-electric.com/residential/solar-panels.html - again shipping is always a killer - that is why I love this local to me guy

I have bought parts, but not panels from https://www.altestore.com/store/solar-panels-c541/?sort=-watts
and they only do online orders, no walkins

and search on this website for referrals for panels, I haven't done that since I found this local source
 

Attachments

  • NEA 300-320W data sheet.pdf
    10.8 MB · Views: 2
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Approaching $1/watt? There are options between $0.35 and $0.50 new.
Used even less (but best to have UL sticker if inspected or mounted on building)
A couple of these have factory warranty.

 
Sorry, I should have clarified, I meant Tesla modules

That's what I thought when I followed your link.
But I didn't want "Dogbert" to steer you to higher priced PV panels, at least not with your eyes closed.

EV packs did look interesting. LiFePO4 cells seem more attractive now, but used packs are still cheaper per watt.

I'm using AGM, due to infrequent grid failures not needing high cycle life.
But I imagine some form of lithium wired into the DC side of a spare GT inverter, to recharge AGM and keep it at float voltage. If I was running off-grid.
 
Sorry, I should have clarified, I meant Tesla modules
yeah I should have read it better - LOL
shipping cost can add $100 to $500 to the PV order


ebay is where I order teslas from
I search on "tesla model s battery module" and sort by lowest price first

stay way from damaged, corroded modules - nor FLOODed, which is common

look for the 444 cell based pack, from a 85 kwh car

(here is an example of a reduced cell pack - https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Tesla...612480?hash=item4b8e47b9c0:g:yyoAAOSwoTlgQ-WM - stay away from)

here is an example of mild corrosion - https://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-2016-...156766?hash=item446f10ee9e:g:i7kAAOSwOJhgMVfn

here is an example of a bad cell pack - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-mo...168874?hash=item46b9474eaa:g:odUAAOSwW41fpYOr

I try to get 2016 or later packs

Here is a good looking deal : https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Mo...852975?hash=item46b87c1f6f:g:XKsAAOSw33FfmEY6

better one with free shipping https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Mo...520426?hash=item42243871aa:g:iRgAAOSwvdJfqq9k


Shipping or Freight usually runs $150 to $200.
I have bought one module at a time, as the word is some sellers pack two modules per package - not a good idea
 
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This is who I bought my last batch of Tesla modules from, VERY well packed, good price, all in great shape, he's in Northern Cali and heres's his off ebay contact info for a better deal: http://www.calimotive.com/ his website seems down so here is his phone number: (916) 708-2657

 
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yeah I should have read it better - LOL
Yea sorry, I just assumed my earlier (like about an hour earlier) post (shown below) discussing the BMS would still be fresh in your memory and you'd have assumed a BMS chat was about battery modules, not PV. :p

Thanks for the info... going to go read it now..

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DAMN!!!!! Prices have come down since I bought mine, people are throwing in free shipping now.. double damn
yes, I have seen that in the past couple of weeks - many sources selling

$1099, better than mine as well - I have to acquire MORE units than I already have, so getting cheaper is good
 
With all the alternatives coming out, and the excellent info people like Will are sharing, a lot of people are going to take that """safer""" path, the sellers will have no choice but to lower the prices on these potential house eliminators/ashhole creation devices... The only ones who will have the testicular fortitude to buy them will be people who do the research and invest an equally larger amount of money in a proper BMS (like us, mind you I'm still planning on putting all my cells (and inverter/charger etc) in a separate battery shed, apart from my house, BMS or not), or people named Darwin... I'm looking forward to seeing $500.00 (Tesla) modules, and that's why I went EVTV, simply being able to plug in 62 modules..whew... SHHHHWIIIIIIINGGGGGG. :)
 
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With all the alternatives coming out, and the excellent info people like Will are sharing, a lot of people are going to take that """safer""" path, the sellers will have no choice but to lower the prices on these potential house eliminators/ashhole creation devices... The only ones who will have the testicular fortitude to buy them will be people who do the research and invest an equally larger amount of money in a proper BMS (like us, mind you I'm still planning on putting all my cells (and inverter/charger etc) in a separate battery shed, apart from my house, BMS or not), or people named Darwin... I'm looking forward to seeing $500.00 (Tesla) modules, and that's why I went EVTV, simply being able to plug in 62 modules..whew... SHHHHWIIIIIIINGGGGGG. :)

love your description.

I wish I had the ability to put my system outside like I first did - but I found it very difficult to keep it all warm and that was with LA batteries, at -20F. So, I put them in my basement.

I do like their temperature now at 18C (per the Pi display). When I was wired at 24v, 25C was the temperature they ran at. 55C is over temp trigger. They go thermal at 180C. I do not know why the temp difference ONLY that I switched from 24v to 48v configuration.

Also since that switch I have been totally OFF grid (well save for 2 hours after 4 cloudy days) for 20 days now. The current throttling of the charge controllers prevented 500-600 watts of held back current. Peak production has moved from 5.5kw to 6.0 kw

I hope to get to 20 modules, I can't ponder 62 - that is a huge battery bank
 
On feb 20th I refactored my 24v battery and old inverter to a newer (to me) inverter based on a 48v battery pack.
I have definitely noticed increase production due to that and the picture below shows my grid usage since then.
It includes several days of cloudy/snowy weather

Last thirty days of utility useage.png
Feb 20th is the last day a full grid connection was made due to a low battery voltage under the old inverter. The taller green bars on the left range from 10 kwh to 23 kwh, all grid purchases. The long stretch of off grid on the right (lack of green bars), is another milestone as this system continues to be enlarged. My hope, maybe even expectation, is that this system will continue to do this off grid operation, through out the coming spring, summer and fall. During these seasons, we don't have many multi-day sun-less days.

There was one grid connection on Feb 28th when a 1 hour and 15 minute connection was made as the battery voltage dipped to 38.4 volts. This happened after 4 days of cloudy/snowy weather. On the day this occurred the sun was just coming up. The sun charged the battery to 41 volts whereupon the inverter disconnected and went back to invertering from the battery.

Other than that, the sun and battery have provided 20 days of operation and I expect several more days of OFF GRID operation.

The other 5 1kwh grid consumption events shown in the picture, reflect our 240v electric range which is connected to the grid all the time.
I would like to replace it with a gas range for complete electrical off grid operation, but my wife is afraid of gas ranges, due to her having some gas range blow up on her when she was a child and now has an innate fear of gas.

The other option is to wait for a 240v inverter and then put our current range on the battery
 
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On feb 20th I refactored my 24v battery and old inverter to a newer (to me) inverter based on a 48v battery pack.
I have definitely noticed increase production due to that and the picture below shows my grid usage since then.
It include several days of cloudy/snowy weather
I can always tell when you make a change over there on your powerplant, the lights go dim here in the town I live in. :)
 
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