diy solar

diy solar

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  • Post in thread: DISCUSSION: PV Series vs. Parallel. Is parallel REALLY better for partial shading situations?

    All this math is giving me a headache. I'm just going to cut that damn tree down when my wife is gone to Walmart.
  • Post in thread: Socially negative impacts of solar

    I've read through his thread a few times and tried to stay out of it but I just can't seem to resist adding my two cents worth. There seems to be an assumption by some people that there is something wrong with people with more resources having solar (or anything else perhaps) while those with...
  • Post in thread: More interesting cycle life data

    Depth of cycle matters. my first wife would wear me down to 0% almost daily. In 20 years I aged 40 years. Just the opposite with my forever wife. We've been together a little over 20 years and she recharges me way more than discharge every day. I now have a longer lifespan than I started with...
  • Post in thread: Last panels going up today.

    Man, my old ass is tired! But we got the 16 panels installed and wiring done down to the disconnect. Do the last wire pull tomorrow and hook these puppies up. And clean the old panels. This pollen has them pretty filthy. I thought y'all said this stuff was easy!!!???
  • Post in thread: Last panels going up today.

    Forgot to include the photo of the mounts as we were installing them. Here it is.
  • Post in thread: Full Disclosure

    I haven't ran a forum in something like 20 years. I got away from that because it was too time consuming, too expensive, and wasn't appreciated. The technology has improved a lot since then but the reasons I stopped doing it haven't. It's a pain. In fact, probably more time consuming now...
  • Post in thread: Mobile cart build

    It's been a hectic few months since I started this thread, but I finally got back around to finishing the cart build. I stayed with the EG4 3KW for the inverter but went with an EG4 Lifepower4 for the battery. It doesn't have the built in heater but I don't see that being a problem where it's...
  • Post in thread: Mobile cart build

    Just a quick "rendering" but you get the idea. Okay, so two of the 18kpv might be overkill, but I had to try to hide the golf bags in the photo or it just wouldn't have looked right. Actually, I've got a golf cart I have on my todo list to switch over to LFP ... hmmm ...
  • Post in thread: Off grid people ill-prepared

    Wow. Yeah, I'm gonna take a pass on the concentration camp thing. 40 or 50 years ago you never heard of mass shootings here and certainly not school shootings. Guns haven't changed. Society changed. Strict gun laws don't help, especially when you don't follow through with enforcement and...
  • Post in thread: Last panels going up today.

  • Post in thread: I Can't Afford So-Called "Tier 1" Equipment. What's Good at Tier 2?

    Don't sell SS short just yet. They have certainly had some problems but James and many of his team are very active on this forum and have proven, at least to me, that they are determined to resolve those problems and provide quality products and service. Obviously some here will disagree and...
  • Post in thread: Off grid people ill-prepared

    You know, we laugh and shake our heads, but there was a time I was nearly as ignorant. The difference is I at least understood load vs production so when I did the math I quickly realized solar wasn't in the cards. When it did become viable I still had a lot of stupid questions. That's why I...
  • Post in thread: Full Disclosure

    A picture? Sure. Let me go find my good hat and maybe put on a nicer shirt ... oh wait. You meant a picture of the batteries, didn't you?
  • Post in thread: How did your solar fare during the January '24 freeze?

    Just curious how everyone's solar and/or batteries did/is doing during this last freeze. I'll start. Mine didn't. Let me preface this by pointing out I am heating and cooling about 4,000 sf and of that about 3000 sf has 10 ft ceilings. So, if you compare to typical 8 ft ceilings and go by...
  • Post in thread: TO BE…..OR NOT TO BE….without.

    A good number of us. There are several threads attesting to that. I'll likely never get my money back (although I WILL get back a good portion) but that was never the driving force. There are some who are primarily focused on saving money but usually they are doing grid-tied and some of those...
  • Post in thread: Texas grid close to edge tonight ?

    A big part of the reason for the increase in consumption is the record increases in population. According to the census folks, Texas increased in population in 2022 by 470k people. That's like adding almost the whole state of Wyoming. I'm thinking that is gonna stress just about any grid...
  • Post in thread: EG4 new AIO rated 12K output and 18kPV aka "EG4-18Kpv-12LV"

    You definitely do. I'm amazed at the difference in consumption, plus it keeps the house consistently cool even when we were having crazy heat. With the garage added we're cooling something around 4000 sq ft and the total usage, grid plus solar, is at least 20% lower. I have one two-ton unit...
  • Post in thread: Assuming you pay $0.12/KWh, can you ever come out ahead going full offgrid?

    No OCD here. I would have responded sooner but I spent all day making changes on stuff like wiring and conduit. But I'm not OCD. My wife told me at one point - don't glue any of that stuff up because you're just going to change it again like the last five times. But I'm not OCD. I'm just...
  • Post in thread: Dark Side of Solar

    Around here we sit out on the porch with a shotgun across our lap in the morning, waiting for salesmen to show up. BTW, that's a takeoff from Second Hand Lion, in case you've never seen it.
  • Post in thread: Feast or Famine, The off grid solar dilemma.

    That's not a problem. That's our life now. Embrace it! :ROFLMAO:
  • Post in thread: Fortress 12K Buy one get one FREE!

    How about if you change the logo? Cuz @timselectric really wants it to say EG4 12K ... ?
  • Post in thread: YEEE HAAA….FINALLY ….

    I have to dial it down whenever anyone visits us or if I'm just having a conversation with someone. As soon as I get past anything basic like, "We run most of the house on solar" their eyes start glazing over. This forum has been a lifesaver and sometimes sanity saver (sane being a relative...
  • Post in thread: States/Cities Attempting To Limit You Self Produced Power...

    We get off on this topic and I start getting all antsy, wanting to buy a couple of those EG4 18K or maybe some of those Deye inverters like @timselectric snagged, and a bunch more batteries. I need to stop hanging out here until I recover from the last massive cash hemorrhage. Y'all are a bad...
  • Post in thread: States/Cities Attempting To Limit You Self Produced Power...

    I'm a middle of the road guy on most things and willing to compromise but almost everyone has topics where they feel they have to make a stand. The problem with compromise is that it can gradually erode what we feel are our rights, but without compromise nothing ever happens. So yeah, it's a...
  • Post in thread: States/Cities Attempting To Limit You Self Produced Power...

    My dad, not my grandfather but my dad, was born in 1898. He was 57 when I was born, ergo the wide spread on age. My grandparents and he and multiple siblings moved from Indiana to Missouri in 1904 in a covered wagon. My grandfather died there just four years later when my dad was 10. Lots...
  • Post in thread: EG4 18kPV - Information

    Here - I fixed it for you
  • Post in thread: Last panels going up today.

    I love em. But they aren't cheap. I think it was over $900 for enough to do 32 panels. I suppose mounting on rails may not be much cheaper though. I will say these go on FAST. The other thing I did after the first round of panels was add a roof hatch. Now I can go up stairs then a short...
  • Post in thread: What’s your daily SOC range?

    I have mine at 57v. Seems to be the only way I can get the batteries to balance. @timselectric told me to drive it like I stole it. :ROFLMAO:
  • Post in thread: Texas grid close to edge tonight ?

    Thank you. I firmly believe that calm and honest discussion can usually produce good results. When it degrades to shouting and name calling then nobody wins and more likely we get pushed farther apart. I blame MSM and social media for fanning the flames with click bait and inflammatory...
  • Post in thread: Off grid people ill-prepared

    Grew up ridiculously poor myself and I agree with never going back to that. It's been my observation over many decades that some people are raised with a few advantages and complain because someone else has it better, while others take that leg up and build it into something more. Then some...
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