diy solar

diy solar

Why do I want to add more solar panels when I don't need them?

nuke said:
I've gone well past "sensible" at this point and have plenty of power and want for nothing. I don't even know what I'd do with more power, but sort of like finding ways to add more HP to a car, I still feel the need to hot rod my house further. Is this normal, or are these signs of a problematic addiction?
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I see nothing wrong with that.

Some people add horsepower to a car; others go on exotic vacations; others go to Las Vegas and always come home with more money.

I have 2.5 kw of panels for my Rv and could use 600 watts more. But after that I’m done. I promise..,,
 
My answer is "because you can."
I'm from the "you can't ever have too much battery and too much solar" school.
As a person who loves muscle cars, I'm also from the "you can't have too much horsepower" school as long as it LOOKS stock. If the car came with a 396, no one will know if you slide a 540 into it. Ok, even if your '68 Camaro came with an inline six, a 540 will look right at home.
Add panels until you run out of room. Just my opinion though.
 
If I had the funds, I'd happily put another set of panels on the other side of my roof. I currently have 3kW on a SSW facing roof. Putting another 3kW on the NNE face wouldn't generate much on a sunny day, but it should pick up almost as much as the other panels on an overcast day, thus nearly doubling my output on poor days.

But if I did have those funds I'd spend the money on more batteries first. Much better return on those.
 
rpdom said:
Putting another 3kW on the NNE face wouldn't generate much on a sunny day, but it should pick up almost as much as the other panels on an overcast day, thus nearly doubling my output on poor days
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For me, I’m running out of roof space before I go to a North facing roof. That makes almost no power in the winter, but in the summer when I use 5 times the electricity would help a lot.
 
I would not mind adding more panels but with my present 3 arrays of 3100w it would require a total tear down and an entire new arrangement setup. Not to mention that my present amount is more than enough if the sun shines.

However I can see me in the future doing it. Though it would be a major investment in time and money. My system started several years back as a experiment into solar with just a couple of 100w panels and has mutated, morphed through the years into the present monster it is. Along the way it has almost completely supplanted the grid for my needs. But it is hodgepodge and looks like it was thought of and designed by a mad scientist.
 
House roof is covered. Was going to cover the garage next. But it would only help in summer. So now I am going to clear some trees and put in a few ground mount arrays. They will be oriented for winter production. Then maybe the garage last. As I don't need more summer production. Until I have somewhere to put it.
 
nuke said:
I've gone well past "sensible" at this point and have plenty of power and want for nothing. I don't even know what I'd do with more power, but sort of like finding ways to add more HP to a car, I still feel the need to hot rod my house further. Is this normal, or are these signs of a problematic addiction?
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Is the the home totally electric? No gas, propane etc? Electric vehicles?
 
time2roll said:
Is the the home totally electric? No gas, propane etc? Electric vehicles?
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Not that this has anything to do with the thread but the question about a totally electric home revived my memory.
In 1960 my parents bought a new home that was 100% electric with General Electric Company devices.
The living room, hallway and bathroom had GE electric baseboard heating. Each bedroom had it's own GE thermostat controlled wall mounted heater with a textured glass heating element. The electric range, electric clothes dryer and 50 gallon electric water heater in the basement were GE. The steel kitchen cabinets had General Electric labels and there was even a small General Electric AM radio in one of the cabinets.
The good old days.
 
FLD said:
Not that this has anything to do with the thread but the question about a totally electric home revived my memory.
In 1960 my parents bought a new home that was 100% electric with General Electric Company devices.
The living room, hallway and bathroom had GE electric baseboard heating. Each bedroom had it's own GE thermostat controlled wall mounted heater with a textured glass heating element. The electric range, electric clothes dryer and 50 gallon electric water heater in the basement were GE. The steel kitchen cabinets had General Electric labels and there was even a small General Electric AM radio in one of the cabinets.
The good old days.
Click to expand...
That sounds awesome actually. Steel kitchen cabinets would be my jam
 
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