dedoubt
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2022
- Messages
- 8
(I did look through other similar threads but couldn't understand enough to get the information I need.)
Hi all. This is my first post in this forum, though I've posted a bit in the DIY solar subreddit. I've been reading/watching videos until my eyes bleed and my brains boil, but every time I think I've understood something, I realize I actually don't. People familiar with solar understand all the acronyms & basics so well that even when someone explains something in what they think is simple terms to me, I feel like a deer in headlights. My starting point is 100% a beginner with very little understanding of electrical work, and I've had some cognitive and memory deficits since having covid in 2020. I do have someone who has some familiarity with electrical work to help me a bit, so I'm not going to burn anything down, but I need to get all the components together first.
We are going to be living totally off grid in Maine. Our needs for power are pretty minimal right now- charging a few cell phones, a few LED lights, maybe a fan now & then and my CPAP machine (another gift from covid). We are going to be living in a 5th wheel RV & tents while we build dwellings.
I've got 1 Renogy Rover 40 Amp 12V/24V DC Input MPPT Solar Charge Controller, 1 Renogy 2000-Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V DC to 120V AC and 4 Grape Solar 100-Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panels and buying 2 more of the same panels (600 w total). I've got old lead acid batteries right now (my friend is giving me two used batteries Absolyte GP batteries to get started- he said "The batteries are high quality deep cycle dry lead acid. They are 11 yrs old and have a 20 yr service life anyway. They are 12v batts."), but working on upgrading to the LiFePO4 asap (any pointers on getting affordable ones and how much to aim for would be much appreciated). ETA- he finally wrote back and said they are 1600ah batteries.
Tl&dr:
I pretty much need everything explained to me like I'm a 5 year old who is capable of handling tools (sort of, I did manage to chop the end of my finger off recently making dinner, ha ha). I really cannot figure out what size and length wires to buy, or what the other small components I need to complete the system will be. Planning to put the panels on the RV roof for now, and I think putting the batteries/other parts under the overhang of the 5th wheel? If it’s enclosed, batteries up on pallets and in an insulated box, is that ok?
I miss having a brain so I could figure things out on my own.
Hi all. This is my first post in this forum, though I've posted a bit in the DIY solar subreddit. I've been reading/watching videos until my eyes bleed and my brains boil, but every time I think I've understood something, I realize I actually don't. People familiar with solar understand all the acronyms & basics so well that even when someone explains something in what they think is simple terms to me, I feel like a deer in headlights. My starting point is 100% a beginner with very little understanding of electrical work, and I've had some cognitive and memory deficits since having covid in 2020. I do have someone who has some familiarity with electrical work to help me a bit, so I'm not going to burn anything down, but I need to get all the components together first.
We are going to be living totally off grid in Maine. Our needs for power are pretty minimal right now- charging a few cell phones, a few LED lights, maybe a fan now & then and my CPAP machine (another gift from covid). We are going to be living in a 5th wheel RV & tents while we build dwellings.
I've got 1 Renogy Rover 40 Amp 12V/24V DC Input MPPT Solar Charge Controller, 1 Renogy 2000-Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V DC to 120V AC and 4 Grape Solar 100-Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panels and buying 2 more of the same panels (600 w total). I've got old lead acid batteries right now (my friend is giving me two used batteries Absolyte GP batteries to get started- he said "The batteries are high quality deep cycle dry lead acid. They are 11 yrs old and have a 20 yr service life anyway. They are 12v batts."), but working on upgrading to the LiFePO4 asap (any pointers on getting affordable ones and how much to aim for would be much appreciated). ETA- he finally wrote back and said they are 1600ah batteries.
Tl&dr:
I pretty much need everything explained to me like I'm a 5 year old who is capable of handling tools (sort of, I did manage to chop the end of my finger off recently making dinner, ha ha). I really cannot figure out what size and length wires to buy, or what the other small components I need to complete the system will be. Planning to put the panels on the RV roof for now, and I think putting the batteries/other parts under the overhang of the 5th wheel? If it’s enclosed, batteries up on pallets and in an insulated box, is that ok?
I miss having a brain so I could figure things out on my own.
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