diy solar

diy solar

Who is up for a challange?

Solardork

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Jul 25, 2020
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24
Challange scenario -

You need power off grid and you have little money.

You need a system power a 120v power strip for essential electronics, capable of pulling 300w minimum.
You need to have a minimum storage of 500wh.

The system must have the required amps to power a 80w tv, charge phones, phone power bricks, and run standard LED bulbs.

Generators, solar, home bult methods, hillbilly inventions, nothing is off limits.

No rules on what you do to achieve this.

Your budget is $300 for the build.
You are allowed to use new, or purchased parts from craigslist/FB marketplace, etc.
You have $50 a month for upkeep to cover any reoccuring financial costs. (Fuel, oil, etc.)

Post your ideas, winner gets a cookie ?.
 
Hey, just an update, the scenario is my real life situation so if you have ideas, links would be beautiful ?
 

Where’s my cookie?
Just spent half the day figuring out a future fornmy family, be patient ? but tbh i just saw $300 in the video thumbnail and if that works i just might fly you here for a cookie when i can. God bless, and ty.

Let me put it this way. Ive got ligthing covered, phonr charging and my shelter covered, and 1 acre no build code unrestricted land covered foe $110 a mo, im on disability with $1020 in my account and doing all i can to make it work. I sleep little, spend all my time doing research and consulting family who is relying on me, i know ill make it work because God is good, but whew. I could use the ability to just spend a few days in bed withoit a worry, napping, more napping, but ive got a mother eho just got hit with dimensia, dying grandfather, disabled father, sister, neice, and myself to plan for, and this one acre i dont care if i need to go out there with a damn hatchet and build me a stick house, i need to have it ready for a manufactured home placement within 1 year, a cabin for my father, and survive, and make sure mt family doesnt get a wiff of the stress that really causes ? because honestly, im a man and thats my damn job to be frank.

Whew. Im going to bed.....


Long story short, if that "$300 solution" really will work that would br beautiful, ill watch it in the morning, but i went from a single person homestead to alot more responsability within 24 hours so im really hoping it will. (Not that i mind, i dont need much to survive and to be honest im super happy with a quick shelter and cooking ovet a fire, my family needs security.
 
Just spent half the day figuring out a future fornmy family, be patient ? but tbh i just saw $300 in the video thumbnail and if that works i just might fly you here for a cookie when i can. God bless, and ty.

Let me put it this way. Ive got ligthing covered, phonr charging and my shelter covered, and 1 acre no build code unrestricted land covered foe $110 a mo, im on disability with $1020 in my account and doing all i can to make it work. I sleep little, spend all my time doing research and consulting family who is relying on me, i know ill make it work because God is good, but whew. I could use the ability to just spend a few days in bed withoit a worry, napping, more napping, but ive got a mother eho just got hit with dimensia, dying grandfather, disabled father, sister, neice, and myself to plan for, and this one acre i dont care if i need to go out there with a damn hatchet and build me a stick house, i need to have it ready for a manufactured home placement within 1 year, a cabin for my father, and survive, and make sure mt family doesnt get a wiff of the stress that really causes ? because honestly, im a man and thats my damn job to be frank.

Whew. Im going to bed.....


Long story short, if that "$300 solution" really will work that would br beautiful, ill watch it in the morning, but i went from a single person homestead to alot more responsability within 24 hours so im really hoping it will. (Not that i mind, i dont need much to survive and to be honest im super happy with a quick shelter and cooking ovet a fire, my family needs security.
Please dont judge me for the miss spelling, im tired ? if you do judge it i dont mind, just do it while i am asleep ?
 
This...


Now all you need is a low buck solar panel to keep it fed, and a BMS, and you are running.

keep an eye on eBay. Save a search for “ rockpals Parts” and when he has more, POW... you are up and running.
 
Good morning svetz,
I saw the jumpstarter+inverter combo, looks pretty good, so i assume the jumpstarter would charge from running the generator, and the inverter would run directly off the jump start? Or would this idea include a battery?

- hey on a side note, why dont i just rip a small motor off a dirt cheap lawnmower, bolt it to a frame and attatch it to a car altenator, hook that to my battery when i run out of juice, ? never done that before, would it work?

-secondly......

Would someone please toss me a link to a good video that will explain a simply way to hook the inverter to the batteries?

I know there is some wiring involved.

Here is what im picturing

5hp motor > alternator > battery > inverter >
Can toss in a 100w solar panel too
(Harbor freight has 100w solar panels with a solar controller for $120)
(I can manage this going to a pick a part and harbor freight?

Generator > jumpstart >inverter

(One visit to harbor freight should accomplish this)
 
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jumpstarter would charge from running the generator, and the inverter would run directly off the jump start? Or would this idea include a battery?
Not following that... jump starters are typically batteries; they just have a nice case, switches, cables, and other stuff (some have inverters built in).
Perhaps this thread will help... Budget Models with Amazing Future Power; some DIY required

... why dont i just rip a small motor off a dirt cheap lawnmower, bolt it to a frame and attatch it to a car altenator, hook that to my battery when i run out of juice, ? never done that before, would it work?
Sure, there's a few videos on how to build a generator from a mower/alternator.

...Would someone please toss me a link to a good video that will explain a simply way to hook the inverter to the batteries?
Red wire to the battery's plus terminal, black wire to the negative terminal. Turn inverter on. Plug AC plug into inverter. Yell "Smoke Test!".... some people may yell earlier in the sequence. I know Mehdi does. Oh, @ghostwriter66 doesn't yell... she says, "here... hold my beer".
 
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Not following that... jump starters are typically batteries; they just have a nice case, switches, cables, and other stuff (some have inverters built in).
Perhaps this thread will help... Budget Models with Amazing Future Power; some DIY required


Sure, there's a few videos on how to build a generator from a mower/alternator.


Red wire to the battery's plus terminal, black wire to the negative terminal. Turn inverter on. Plug AC plug into inverter. Yell "Smoke Test!"

Jump starter -
I guess what i meant wasnt necessarily if it needs a battery, but rather if more batteries can be used in line with it

Altenator- thanks for the video!

Inverter connection - wow cool. The curiosity i had about that was if there were any devices also needed to be added, but seems not.

Thanks!
 
...I guess what i meant wasnt necessarily if it needs a battery, but rather if more batteries can be used in line with it..
Sure, parallel them to stay at the same voltage, or series to increase voltage. See the FAQ if series/parallel don't make sense to you. It's explained for solar panels, but batteries work the same way. The Battery FAQ talks about how to do the wiring too.
 
Sure, parallel them to stay at the same voltage, or series to increase voltage. See the FAQ if series/parallel don't make sense to you. It's explained for solar panels, but batteries work the same way. The Battery FAQ talks about how to do the wiring too.


$199


$73


$30

Total price = $303 - plus 9% tax here so roughly $330

That seems amazing.....

Does this system seem viable?

Looks like i can buy 3 things and be all set up

.....

Im just curious as to how long i could run that inverter without hurting the battery, or if there is something i can use to cut off the inverter before it could damage the battery.
 
...Does this system seem viable?
Sure
... is something i can use to cut off the inverter before it could damage the battery.
You can use a low voltage cutoff, some inverters have them built in.
... without hurting the battery...
If it's for an emergency who cares about hurting a battery? Even if you drain it, it'll still have hundreds of cycles. See the Battery FAQ or the battery's datasheet.

...how long i could run that inverter ...
You'd need a power audit to know how quickly you were draining it. But, as long as you're not draining it faster than 20 hours, it should have roughly 35 x 12 = 420 watt hours (or 210 Wh at a DoD of 50%...)
 

$199


$73


$30

Total price = $303 - plus 9% tax here so roughly $330

That seems amazing.....

Does this system seem viable?

Looks like i can buy 3 things and be all set up

.....

Im just curious as to how long i could run that inverter without hurting the battery, or if there is something i can use to cut off the inverter before it could damage the battery.
Or maybe ill just say screw that battery and go to a junkyard and rip a lithium one out of a car ?
 
Sure

You can use a low voltage cutoff, some inverters have them built in.

If it's for an emergency who cares about hurting a battery? Even if you drain it, it'll still have hundreds of cycles. See the Battery FAQ or the battery's datasheet.


You'd need a power audit to know how quickly you were draining it. But, as long as you're not draining it faster than 20 hours, it should have roughly 35 x 12 = 420 watt hours (or 210 Wh at a DoD of 50%...)
I understood all that besides the "DoD of 50%"
What is DoD?

Tbh this will basically just make me some coffee, run a tv, and recharge my battery packs.
The battery packs i can do during high sun times, to decrease waste, the coffee id be doing right before the sun came up, and honestly..... the tv.... i might just say nevermind and just watch stuff on my phone ?

I figure this would be better than having to deal with fuel for a generator to keep my phone charged, battery packs charged, and lighting working.

I already got a ton of usb powered stuff and picked up 5 battery packs for that stuff that run 38.5wh ea.

Got the 5 battery packs for $3 ea because they were "opened" lol.

Have to take these back, saw "255w" and $45 ea so i bought 2 quicky until i looked at the top of the box when i got home lol. I guess i assumed that the 255w meant watts of power storage ?
 

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