Skythings
New Member
The trenches are 24 inches.
Starting Construction My New System- Rural Calgary, Alberta Canada
- Thread starter Skythings
- Start date
Skythings
New Member
Very productive weekend & today Monday. The Electrician installed the conduit between the house & the power shed for the power between the grid the inverter & back to the main house panel along with the two CAT6 com cables (one is a spare) for the inverter. The main power shut-off switch from the grid is mounted on the outside of the house & the combiner box is mounted on the outside of the power shed. The power & ground cables for the solar panels have been run through the underground conduit from the combiner box up to the carport and onto its roof. The inside of the shed we have hung the inverter, assembled the battery rack, installed the breaker panel & some of the interior & exterior conduit lines around the shed. Measured & marked the roof of the carport for the rails today in the blazing hot sun. Tomorrow the panel rails & mounts and more wiring inside the power shed. Also going to lay in an spare underground conduit line as I may want another string of panels on the west side of the house down the road and all we will have to do is pull some wires in the already buried spare conduit. We are waiting for a 3-way transfer switch and the Tigo equipment for the rapid shutdown all on back order. These will likely delay things for a couple weeks it sounds like. It just feels great to be moving and seeing progress. I will post some pictures of the inside of the power shed ounce all the tools are out of the way.
BTW -I'm really impressed with my Electrician and would have no issues to connect anyone needing a common sense solar qualified Master Electrician in the Calgary area.
BTW -I'm really impressed with my Electrician and would have no issues to connect anyone needing a common sense solar qualified Master Electrician in the Calgary area.
Attachments
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Looking good, keep the pictures coming!
Skythings
New Member
Been two weeks since my last post. Had some issues with the municipality permitting folks over my carport structure. Did you know that a carport is not a farm building even though it's on a farm???? (farm buildings don't require permits for solar panels) All good now and properly permitted and back to work.
Installed the panels on the roof today. More work on the power shed wiring tomorrow. Will be delayed a couple more weeks waiting for the rapid shutdown system to arrive. Decided to go with the TIGO TS4-A-O optimizer system and they are on back order till mid August. I expect to have some shading in the winter and having the option to monitor individual panels seems smart to me. My electrician convinced me to upgrade from the original plan. Who knows maybe I won't have to cut down these tree's in the pictures. Yes I know I expect I will have to, but I'm going to wait until I see how the system performs.
Installed the panels on the roof today. More work on the power shed wiring tomorrow. Will be delayed a couple more weeks waiting for the rapid shutdown system to arrive. Decided to go with the TIGO TS4-A-O optimizer system and they are on back order till mid August. I expect to have some shading in the winter and having the option to monitor individual panels seems smart to me. My electrician convinced me to upgrade from the original plan. Who knows maybe I won't have to cut down these tree's in the pictures. Yes I know I expect I will have to, but I'm going to wait until I see how the system performs.
Attachments
Skythings
New Member
Decided to expedite phase 2 of my installation early. I have a large dog run fence which needed replacement this year so I decided to incorporate a new ground mount into the design. It will be a ground mount for 12-14 panels, a pergola, and the new fence for the dog run. The lumber arrived yesterday and construction started today.
It made a lot of sense to do it now as the trench from the house to the power shed is still open waiting completion of phase one and coming electrical inspection. I will add the wiring from this new mount over to the house and then down into the open trench over to the power shed.
It made a lot of sense to do it now as the trench from the house to the power shed is still open waiting completion of phase one and coming electrical inspection. I will add the wiring from this new mount over to the house and then down into the open trench over to the power shed.
Attachments
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
Note to self: "blame the new gound mount work on the Dog"...see if she buys it.
Skythings
New Member
The new dog run fence is starting to resemble a solar mount now.
Attachments
teal95
Solar Wizard
Strange how that works out. Somehow my shed with a gambrel roof and good southern exposure has sprouted panels also.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Kinda the same way moss grows on the south sides of tree trunks?
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
Yeah my new Barn got a 90-degree change of orientation, once I realized the solar potential it would create, as did the Car Port last year!
DPC
Solar Wizard
looking at the photo with the snow.
reminds me of that old Ian and Silvia song....
Makes me want to go Alberta lol...
reminds me of that old Ian and Silvia song....
Makes me want to go Alberta lol...
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
Wow, that takes me back...Thanks!
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
Both my older brothers left Ontario in the late 1970's for the oil fields, only one came back.
"I am a working man
But I ain't worked for a while
Like some old tin can
From the bottom of the pile
From the bottom of the pile
I have lost my way
But I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement" - Big Sugar, 2001.
"I am a working man
But I ain't worked for a while
Like some old tin can
From the bottom of the pile
From the bottom of the pile
I have lost my way
But I hear tell
About a heaven in Alberta
Where they've got all hell for a basement" - Big Sugar, 2001.
DPC
Solar Wizard
Well how about this old Stan Rogers tune then...
I sing this to myself at the mine.
A good friend of mine served on the HMCS Terra Nova out east and you cant be out east and not learn a stan rogers tune of two...
So one day I don't know how it happened I guess I was humming it...
SO he started to sing it and I stopped humming and started singing it too.
Good harmony between us..
Now the young Electchickens and Mechanics did not get it at all...
They thought we were just mad as a sack of frogs lol....
I sing this to myself at the mine.
A good friend of mine served on the HMCS Terra Nova out east and you cant be out east and not learn a stan rogers tune of two...
So one day I don't know how it happened I guess I was humming it...
SO he started to sing it and I stopped humming and started singing it too.
Good harmony between us..
Now the young Electchickens and Mechanics did not get it at all...
They thought we were just mad as a sack of frogs lol....
Last edited:
Skythings
New Member
It's taken over 6 months to complete and today we commissioned my solar generation system and generated the first solar power from the 10 550W panels up on the garage roof. The 25 Kw SOK battery backup system is operational and tested. For a few minutes the solar ran the entire house but that was late afternoon and the sun was getting weaker. Will watch it closely tomorrow all day. Still some programming with the inverter and batteries to figure out and some kinks to iron out with the rapid shutdown system over the next few days. Pretty cool to have more options for electrical power now.
The new dog run fence and solar mount on the other side of the house is moving along well with the lower parts almost completed and now certified to hold dogs including a new puppy. Just tearing out the old rotten white fence to make room for the scaffolding to access the high poles. Should have the new fourteen 500W panels ready to add to the system before winter.
The new dog run fence and solar mount on the other side of the house is moving along well with the lower parts almost completed and now certified to hold dogs including a new puppy. Just tearing out the old rotten white fence to make room for the scaffolding to access the high poles. Should have the new fourteen 500W panels ready to add to the system before winter.
Attachments
Last edited:
Skythings
New Member
I have not enabled time of use yet or done much programming. So far it's just up and running. I am waiting on the electrician to finish some issues with the RSD and the battery communications. I do not know for sure what the exclamation mark on the batteries is all about, but I suspect it is the communications. I have a steep learning curve ahead of me. One thing at a time. Tomorrow I am working on setting up the online connection so I can view and program from my computer.
Skythings
New Member
I hated doing it but today I very sadly cut down a large spruce tree which I planted 23 years ago. I knew I would likely have to from the beginning of my solar project but I naively thought it might not be so bad. I wanted to wait and see but now the numbers have confirmed it. I was loosing at least 30-40% production after about 10:30AM to around 3:30 PM over the month of October and it was getting worse as the sun is getting lower.
I am actually running my entire house load with the 10 panels (5400W) during most of the day when the sun is up with the exception of when my 4500W electric hot water heater kicks in or the when the furnace and well pump happen to run at the same time. So far the graph on the Sol-Ark15 is showing my total month load at 208 KWh with solar providing 79.5 kWh or about 38%. Things should start to improve a bit with the tree removed.
I set up my house to run on the batteries overnight, but after a couple of days I found the 10 panels would not provide enough power to run the house load and charge the batteries back to 100% during sunlight hours. I ended up using the same power having the grid charge the batteries in the evening than would have been used to have the grid power the house loads overnight. This will change once I add the next 14 panels with 7000W added to the mix.
The new ground mount/dog run on the other side of the house for those new 14 panels has come along pretty well but I decided I just didn't have enough time this fall to finish the rafters and rails & panel install before the snow fly's. I am working solo on this project and working up off the ground when it's cold is not fun. I hate working in the snow which is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. That is my spring project for next year as soon as the weather breaks. I hate loosing that solar potential over the next 4 months, but thats the way it goes. The new panels, rails and clips are all sitting in my trailer in my shed ready when I am.
I am actually running my entire house load with the 10 panels (5400W) during most of the day when the sun is up with the exception of when my 4500W electric hot water heater kicks in or the when the furnace and well pump happen to run at the same time. So far the graph on the Sol-Ark15 is showing my total month load at 208 KWh with solar providing 79.5 kWh or about 38%. Things should start to improve a bit with the tree removed.
I set up my house to run on the batteries overnight, but after a couple of days I found the 10 panels would not provide enough power to run the house load and charge the batteries back to 100% during sunlight hours. I ended up using the same power having the grid charge the batteries in the evening than would have been used to have the grid power the house loads overnight. This will change once I add the next 14 panels with 7000W added to the mix.
The new ground mount/dog run on the other side of the house for those new 14 panels has come along pretty well but I decided I just didn't have enough time this fall to finish the rafters and rails & panel install before the snow fly's. I am working solo on this project and working up off the ground when it's cold is not fun. I hate working in the snow which is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. That is my spring project for next year as soon as the weather breaks. I hate loosing that solar potential over the next 4 months, but thats the way it goes. The new panels, rails and clips are all sitting in my trailer in my shed ready when I am.
Attachments
Last edited:
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
One of those "unintended consequences of Solar" - Tree Removal. - They can be power hogs no doubt about it.
sunshine_eggo
Victron's little biatch
The picture you posted of your system shows your battery connection is incorrect:
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
See the discussion from @Solarod
if we call the top pack #1 and number them to the bottom as #5 connecting POS to pack #2 and NEG to pack # 4would be better.
Ideally connecting to a bus half way between #1 and #2 for Pos, and half way between #4 and #5 for Neg may be even better, with a bit more work.
Solarod did a detailed set of calculations for several battery pack options, there was no perfect balance for five packs.
if we call the top pack #1 and number them to the bottom as #5 connecting POS to pack #2 and NEG to pack # 4would be better.
Ideally connecting to a bus half way between #1 and #2 for Pos, and half way between #4 and #5 for Neg may be even better, with a bit more work.
Solarod did a detailed set of calculations for several battery pack options, there was no perfect balance for five packs.
Bluedog225
Solar Wizard
Thanks. Interesting thread.
Skythings
New Member
Hello folks.
I very much appreciate the feedback on the battery installation. I am in the process of researching this issue so I understand it better before I make any changes which I believe is prudent. Not to offend those of you who have offered me such kind advice, but I do want to understand the issue better before I make any changes. I have no doubt you guys are correct, I just want to understand it. I have to admit I am in the middle of a very steep learning curve as I am a newbie and the batteries are an area I have not yet got up to speed with.
Right now the batteries are not being cycled on a daily basis and are only a whole house backup in the event of a power failure. I tried powering the house overnight for two nights with the batteries and found I do not have enough solar power (5400W) input to run my house first and charge the batteries to 100% during the shorter solar days of Oct/Nov. I ended up using the same amount of grid power to charge the batteries in the late afternoon as my house would have used overnight so I stopped using the batteries for overnight for now. Next spring I will be adding another 7000W of panels which should give me enough solar to do this.
Over the past couple weeks I now have the Sol-Ark software up and running so I can view the system from my desktop and I have been learning & reviewing more about my systems performance from that data. At the same time the Tigo software is now up and running and I can see which panels are being affected by shading etc. It has been great as I was able to see how the one tree was costing me performance with cold hard numbers and prompted me to cut it down last week. Still some more leaning on both these fronts ahead of me.
I've been very busy with some high priority items like getting a heater & thermostat set up in the power shed to keep the batteries above 40 degree's F as the cold weather is now present here in the Calgary area. As of today I now have a system which keeps the inside temperature of the insulated electrical shed between 43-50F.
This week the County Electrical Inspector was here and the system passed the inspection and is now certified which was huge.
My next step was to work on getting the software up and running for the communications of the batteries so I can view the parameters of each battery so I can see those cold hard numbers. I'm just not there yet as I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything else and feel like I'm receiving new information at the rate of a high pressure fire hose blasting me at full pressure. My tiny brain is swelling and about to go super nova.
Thank you again and I will keep everyone updated once I decide what I'm doing with the batteries.
I very much appreciate the feedback on the battery installation. I am in the process of researching this issue so I understand it better before I make any changes which I believe is prudent. Not to offend those of you who have offered me such kind advice, but I do want to understand the issue better before I make any changes. I have no doubt you guys are correct, I just want to understand it. I have to admit I am in the middle of a very steep learning curve as I am a newbie and the batteries are an area I have not yet got up to speed with.
Right now the batteries are not being cycled on a daily basis and are only a whole house backup in the event of a power failure. I tried powering the house overnight for two nights with the batteries and found I do not have enough solar power (5400W) input to run my house first and charge the batteries to 100% during the shorter solar days of Oct/Nov. I ended up using the same amount of grid power to charge the batteries in the late afternoon as my house would have used overnight so I stopped using the batteries for overnight for now. Next spring I will be adding another 7000W of panels which should give me enough solar to do this.
Over the past couple weeks I now have the Sol-Ark software up and running so I can view the system from my desktop and I have been learning & reviewing more about my systems performance from that data. At the same time the Tigo software is now up and running and I can see which panels are being affected by shading etc. It has been great as I was able to see how the one tree was costing me performance with cold hard numbers and prompted me to cut it down last week. Still some more leaning on both these fronts ahead of me.
I've been very busy with some high priority items like getting a heater & thermostat set up in the power shed to keep the batteries above 40 degree's F as the cold weather is now present here in the Calgary area. As of today I now have a system which keeps the inside temperature of the insulated electrical shed between 43-50F.
This week the County Electrical Inspector was here and the system passed the inspection and is now certified which was huge.
My next step was to work on getting the software up and running for the communications of the batteries so I can view the parameters of each battery so I can see those cold hard numbers. I'm just not there yet as I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything else and feel like I'm receiving new information at the rate of a high pressure fire hose blasting me at full pressure. My tiny brain is swelling and about to go super nova.
Thank you again and I will keep everyone updated once I decide what I'm doing with the batteries.
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
If you have Time-of-Use (ToU) utility rates, you may benefit from charging during off peak rate, and running your home from batteries during on-peak rate time of day.
There is a steep learning curve to it all - no doubt about that. Keep working away at it. Ask questions.
Bluedog225
Solar Wizard
Cool. Probably no harm either way if not cycling. But I’d go ahead and disconnect, make the change, or switch them off while you decide.
Similar threads
