solar power

[vjls]

Been living off grid, here in the desert southwest since Feb of last year 2018. I have 3x 270 watt panels, 25 amp pwm charge controller, a 1000w inverter in a 24volt system with 4x 100ah marine batteries- flooded lead acid, a 3500 watt generator for tool power and back up to recharge my batteries on cloudy days. I drive my power chair out to the panels and have wired it so I can add/plug the batteries into the bank for recharging daily/ every few days, as the need arises. I use solar rechargeable led lights inside and out to see when I do not have my 2 110v bulbs on inside. Run my computers/hughes net dish/fota dish and tvs/monitors from the inverter. I have ham radios that I run from 3 lawn mower batts that are recharged by 4x 12v el cheapo panels my neighbor brought over when I first moved here, he is also a ham operator. The real key is learning not to WASTE power. Your refrigerator/freezer doesn't need to 'run' full time. You turn them on and off as needed, by hand. Efficiency/insulation/design is key. Vertical cold storage is wasteful. Horizontal is best as cold air sinks, ie, when you open the door, all the cold air doesn't 'fall out'. I use no refrig/freezer nor ac. If you can't hack the heat, get out of the kitchen I use a little buddy propane heater for heat. I went until Dec 7 w/o heat until I installed my insulation panels myself, in my 40ft container.

I want to pick ur brain more I don/t use ac unless its dripping moisture I live on coast of fl my power bill ave 100.00 a month but when we have hurricane that's when I use my propane for elevator as I am 19 feet in air and run freezer 6 hrs a day propane cook stove but I really would like computer to read and work fyi quad

[Cris]

My house has a whole house generator running off of natural gas which cost between three to $4000, the majority of the cost rewiring the panel.

Did not get one to run the whole house and have a small house (1200 ft.?) however, it will run everything at the same time, except the washer and dryer, including central AC and my computer network. :-)

You just need to get by for 3 to 7 days, not forever, so make sure you run a cost-benefit ratio when talking about what really needs to be powered for emergenciesif you're spending $10,000 plus.

[funklab]

Been living off grid, here in the desert southwest since Feb of last year 2018. I have 3x 270 watt panels, 25 amp pwm charge controller, a 1000w inverter in a 24volt system with 4x 100ah marine batteries- flooded lead acid, a 3500 watt generator for tool power and back up to recharge my batteries on cloudy days. I drive my power chair out to the panels and have wired it so I can add/plug the batteries into the bank for recharging daily/ every few days, as the need arises. I use solar rechargeable led lights inside and out to see when I do not have my 2 110v bulbs on inside. Run my computers/hughes net dish/fota dish and tvs/monitors from the inverter. I have ham radios that I run from 3 lawn mower batts that are recharged by 4x 12v el cheapo panels my neighbor brought over when I first moved here, he is also a ham operator. The real key is learning not to WASTE power. Your refrigerator/freezer doesn't need to 'run' full time. You turn them on and off as needed, by hand. Efficiency/insulation/design is key. Vertical cold storage is wasteful. Horizontal is best as cold air sinks, ie, when you open the door, all the cold air doesn't 'fall out'. I use no refrig/freezer nor ac. If you can't hack the heat, get out of the kitchen I use a little buddy propane heater for heat. I went until Dec 7 w/o heat until I installed my insulation panels myself, in my 40ft container.

This sounds pretty awesome. Are you saying you converted a shipping container into your house? I've thought a lot about that, and while it's not feasible for me in the foreseeable future, I do appreciate the way it leans toward minimalism and living in small spaces.

If you do live in a 40' container, is that enough room? I've lived in a 400 sf apartment relatively comfortably, but by my calculations a 40 foot container is even smaller and because it's so linear it seems like having a "hallway" or path through the container would eat up so much of the space in the container. I guess if you're on a bit of land and you've got some outside space to work with it's a lot different than being in a skinny tiny apartment where there is no real usable outside.

[Tetracyclone]

My parents installed one that could power 3 separate zones of their house separately; you had to switch it between zones, but that worked for them, as they could switch off the kitchen zone to use the bedroom zone (ceiling track lift, adjustable bed, bathroom lights) and then switch the kitchen zone back on to keep the refrigerator running. Theirs cost less than $1000 (without installation). My dad was an EE, and installed it himself.

(KLD)

Life is cushy with an in-house EE! My dad was, too.

[vjls]

My house has a whole house generator running off of natural gas which cost between three to $4000, the majority of the cost rewiring the panel.

Did not get one to run the whole house and have a small house (1200 ft.?) however, it will run everything at the same time, except the washer and dryer, including central AC and my computer network. :-)

You just need to get by for 3 to 7 days, not forever, so make sure you run a cost-benefit ratio when talking about what really needs to be powered for emergenciesif you're spending $10,000 plus.

I am no way spending that kind of money my generator was 746.00 portable 5000 it runs everything I need but I just want to have something to run computer so I can work and read my main concern and my generator does good is my elevator as I have no way out with out it 19 feet in air and my freezer.

but I really want picture of his house would love to know more if not to nosey

[Cris]

The first hurricane (lost my carport and picked up a traffic signal) used a Honda 5000 W portable generator to run a window AC unit, my refrigerator and computer. It was horrible having that noise outside my window running it 24/7 for a week and constantly having to add gas is unacceptable for me. It is a very important piece of equipment that never regret installing it.

Your 17 and live in the middle of Georgia, at 58 have lived on the east coast of Florida since I was 14. We have frequent power outages that extend for weeks and they are fun when you're young. Beachside bars refrigerators fail and they give the beer away for free.

Worked hard for my money and bought this house 15 years ago (on a 15 year note) wanting it to provide air-conditioning year round, no matter what. To ensure this, pay $200 a year for 15 years (200 X 15 = 3,000). To me it's a no-brainer.

It kicks on automatically and runs until power is restored and never have to add gas. My bedroom is on the south end of the house and they generator and air-conditioner unit are on the north side against the garage wall.

Just out of curiosity, what would you spend $3000 to do what and how long do you expect it to last, 17 years post injury?

The reason the van is parked perpendicular across the driveway is so the list can be let's down closest to the porch on cement.

[Cris]

Another Duh, you wanted to see a picture of his "off the grid" house, not my cookie-cutter subdivision from the 1950s house :-)

The biggest engineering feat to be accomplished for solar power is an efficient storage device, currently batteries, which are not very efficient.

When that Engineering feat is accomplished, it will change the world. Exact same thing for turbines. It's all great until the sun is not not shining or the wind is not blowing.

[CapnGimp]

All you guys have to do is go to my FB page and look through my pics, been out here almost a year now. Yepper, it's a hallway-two rows of benches/shelves on either side that I drive my chairs down, bed at far end. I have another 40ft container containing all my tools/machinery. I keep all my wheeled vehicles and 'projects' outside, doesn't rain often. Got 20 acres and I don't do fancy. photos page, just scroll down til ya see what ya want... https://www.facebook.com/john.baxter.1213986/photos_all
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater 'yard'
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater approaching the 'yard'
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater entrance to my CASTLE lol
I work on folk's vehicles and 'broke' items in the compound, you see a volvo in the top pic, also fixed his truck a few times and still to fix an old honda motorcycle he dropped off here