timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 19,424
Today sucked.
Made 11kwh.
Made 11kwh.
December PV starting off crappy again.
- Thread starter Nobodybusiness
- Start date
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
I find the ice is not as much of an issue as snow, if you can brush off the snow, the next sunny day will melt the ice as the panels start to generate even through pretty thick ice, takes a while, but it warms up enough for the ice to slide off.
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
you can use an extension pole - like the commercial painters have - available at Home Depot IIRC.
or get a length of metal conduit that will just fit your pole handle - to make an extension to the handle.
or get a length of metal conduit that will just fit your pole handle - to make an extension to the handle.
Balrog006
Solar Enthusiast
I got the 18’ version of this, they go to 24’
Snow brush
They’re OOS currently but should be back in stock soon
RV10flyer
Solar Wizard
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2021
- Messages
- 1,198
Yes it did a few miles east too.
RV10flyer
Solar Wizard
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2021
- Messages
- 1,198
I have one of extendable window washer aluminum poles with the 20” wide soft squeegee. Works good for cleaning them and brushing snow off. Didn’t have enough last winter to worry with.
Balrog006
Solar Enthusiast
Made 9.9kw here in a 13.6 system.
OzSolar
Whatever you did, that's what you planned.
I agree and there are even some situations where straight resistance will make sense. EG: I'm nearly done adding a 11kW straight resistance my 1200g storage tank. I've modified a 50g water heater so it can run both 5,500 watt elements at the same time. I've nicknamed it the "kWh eater".
So if you have a place to a put a lot of BTU's (kWh's for our metric friends) and can chose what time of day or even better what day of the week you do it you've bought yourself a ton of flexibility.
The formula for BTU's and water is not that hard to get. 1 BTU will change the temp of 1lb of water 1 degree F. 1 gallon of water weighs ~8.3lbs at room temp but loses weight as it gets warmer but for now we're going to ignore the finer points of water changing density with temperature.
You can store 8.3 BTU's in each gallon of water that you raise or lower by 1 degree F.
100 gallons of water raised 50f would look like this.
8.3 x 100 gallons x 50 = 41,500 BTU's
Here's an idea for a buffer tank. Even has a built in heat exchanger.
Richmond 120 gal. Tall 6-Year Solar Electric Water Heater with Universal Connect S120U-1 - The Home Depot
The Richmond 120 Gal. universal connect solar storage tank with multi-port connections are available as electric backup water heaters and as storage tanks for solar water heating systems. The connection
www.homedepot.com
andrew-d
New Member
If anyone is thinking of getting a resistive hot water buffer tank, can I recommend the Rheem Marathon? It's got about 3" of insulation around it, so it doesn't lose heat to the environment nearly as quickly as a "standard" tank. We have one here on a timer that only heats overnight when power is super cheap (2.4¢/kWh), and can be turned on when overproducing solar... though that's not happening this month.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
Did alright today after the fog burned off.
Got 68kw but running deficit from other 3 days.
Hopefully tomorrow is like today.
Got 68kw but running deficit from other 3 days.
Hopefully tomorrow is like today.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
You use about as much as I do per day..
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
I'm very pleased here, better than I expected. I'm getting better than half what I would in the summer and my panel angles are sub-optimal on the primary strings. 15.4K+ of new roof panels and 3.5k of old ones. Non-EV draw is pretty low. I'm managing to charge my batteries well over 80% by 1600 and bleed off a few kwh to the cars in the morning if I'm over 40%. Should be better tomorrow, and maybe even better Wednesday. Solar is such a no-brainer here. I think 20KW of panels and 90KWH of batteries kind of locks in around these parts for me.
Eber
Student of MacGyver
Had to put the 2 ton heat pump (ground loop) on the grid at the end of november.
I dont think I have had one decent sunny day since.
18k watts of panels are just not enough to make power on dreary days to support the heat pump
more than 2 days with my battery bank. I would rather keep the batteries around 80%+ in case the
grid fails. It surprised the heck out of me this year that I had to put the heat pump on the grid so much or so early as compared to last year.
Based on last winters experience, the rest of the house will be fine for December and January.
We use coal as a backup in case my grid backup fails.
I guess I cannot complain because it should only be about $100 a month to heat the home for 2 months.
I was burning wood, but my left hand does not like the shock of the splitting axe anymore.
I liked wood, I have my own here. For 2 gal of chainsaw gas , bar oil, and 10 bucks of diesel for the tractor, I heated my home for the year for many years.
I am not sure though. That heat pump is slick, works good and is cheap to use so far.
Maybe I should have been using it all along instead of so much time to get, cut, and stack that wood
when one day of overtime would have paid the heat bill for the month.
I dont think I have had one decent sunny day since.
18k watts of panels are just not enough to make power on dreary days to support the heat pump
more than 2 days with my battery bank. I would rather keep the batteries around 80%+ in case the
grid fails. It surprised the heck out of me this year that I had to put the heat pump on the grid so much or so early as compared to last year.
Based on last winters experience, the rest of the house will be fine for December and January.
We use coal as a backup in case my grid backup fails.
I guess I cannot complain because it should only be about $100 a month to heat the home for 2 months.
I was burning wood, but my left hand does not like the shock of the splitting axe anymore.
I liked wood, I have my own here. For 2 gal of chainsaw gas , bar oil, and 10 bucks of diesel for the tractor, I heated my home for the year for many years.
I am not sure though. That heat pump is slick, works good and is cheap to use so far.
Maybe I should have been using it all along instead of so much time to get, cut, and stack that wood
when one day of overtime would have paid the heat bill for the month.
Last edited:
RV10flyer
Solar Wizard
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2021
- Messages
- 1,198
I wrapped a standard 80 gallon water heater with two more inches of insulation. I have it turned on from 3-8 PM, off the rest of the time. Works pretty well on our off grid solar system. I would like to get around to building my heat pump water heater but haven’t had time.
RV10flyer
Solar Wizard
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2021
- Messages
- 1,198
It’s good exercise and helps get the fallen trees cleaned up. I went from 20.6 last year, to 32kWpv this year. I can recharge in less than two hours of full sun usually. Until now, it takes all day and sometimes three days to get back to 100%. Atmospheric moisture and bomb/dust particle?Had to put the 2 ton heat pump (ground loop) on the grid at the end of november.
I dont think I have had one decent sunny day since.
18k watts of panels are just not enough to make power on dreary days to support the heat pump
more than 2 days with my battery bank. I would rather keep the batteries around 80%+ in case the
grid fails. It surprised the heck out of me this year that I had to put the heat pump on the grid so much or so early as compared to last year.
Based on last winters experience, the rest of the house will be fine for December and January.
We use coal as a backup in case my grid backup fails.
I guess I cannot complain because it should only be about $100 a month to heat the home for 2 months.
I was burning wood, but my left hand does not like the shock of the splitting axe anymore.
I liked wood, I have my own here. For 2 gal of chainsaw gas , bar oil, and 10 bucks of diesel for the tractor, I heated my home for the year for many years.
I am not sure though. That heat pump is slick, works good and is cheap to use so far.
Maybe I should have been using it all along instead of so much time to get, cut, and stack that wood
when one day of overtime would have paid the heat bill for the month.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
Heat exchanger model is $1866.I agree and there are even some situations where straight resistance will make sense. EG: I'm nearly done adding a 11kW straight resistance my 1200g storage tank. I've modified a 50g water heater so it can run both 5,500 watt elements at the same time. I've nicknamed it the "kWh eater".
So if you have a place to a put a lot of BTU's (kWh's for our metric friends) and can chose what time of day or even better what day of the week you do it you've bought yourself a ton of flexibility.
The formula for BTU's and water is not that hard to get. 1 BTU will change the temp of 1lb of water 1 degree F. 1 gallon of water weighs ~8.3lbs at room temp but loses weight as it gets warmer but for now we're going to ignore the finer points of water changing density with temperature.
You can store 8.3 BTU's in each gallon of water that you raise or lower by 1 degree F.
100 gallons of water raised 50f would look like this.
8.3 x 100 gallons x 50 = 41,500 BTU's
Here's an idea for a buffer tank. Even has a built in heat exchanger.
Richmond 120 gal. Tall 6-Year Solar Electric Water Heater with Universal Connect S120U-1 - The Home Depot
The Richmond 120 Gal. universal connect solar storage tank with multi-port connections are available as electric backup water heaters and as storage tanks for solar water heating systems. The connectionwww.homedepot.com
I've seen copper lined, stainless steel, plastic and some even use 500 gallon propane tanks with spray foam for insulation. Converting a water heater is ok for smaller buffer tanks but once you get up to some larger capacity, the buffer tanks made for that purpose might be a better option. If the move is to air to water heat pumps down the road (most likely) then installing a copper or stainless lined tank with the needed heat exchanger might be the best option. Buy it once and it is heat pump ready.
I have to wonder about the 6 year tanks. While a closed loop pressurized system doesn't have the constant influx of oxygen passing thru, it still might not last long.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
So glad I charged full from the grid and let them float overnight... Sigh
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