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paulz
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# Posted: 13 Jun 2021 10:31pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 It is a part time, recreational cabin for us
I wouldn't go grid. We live at our cabin 50-75% of the time and off grid does most everything we need. The only thing we do at the city house is laundry, and I'm considering adding a washer and dryer at the cabin, which I'd power with a genny and propane.
For part time, rec use, why go grid?
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ICC
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# Posted: 13 Jun 2021 11:06pm
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Quoting: jhp a real electrician hooked it up to the panel inside.
Depending on where you live.
Many counties, cities, etc allow homeowner electrical and plumbing if they pass a test the department supplies. Here, the pass is 75% or better. The final inspection also needs to pass of course. Those are not that difficult, but do require some study. I am not a certified electrician or plumber but did all my own electrical and plumbing and passed the inspections first time. I would have to brush up on details if I was to try again.
The poco should be able to give a rough estimate, not a contractual quote, as jhp indicated. Pretty much everything here is underground now too. That does help us here a lot with reducing wildfire danger from trees falling on lines so I do think that generally, it is a good idea. It does increase costs though, but wildfires are hellish things to have to deal with too. We have forest areas around here that are never going to recover to what they were.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 14 Jun 2021 06:15am
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I did my own service upgrade in NY and passed. I put the new one right next ti the old one so all the power company had to do was move the wires. 45min and they where gone.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 14 Jun 2021 09:14am
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Guys, my place has nothing, no service box, no wiring inside or out. A real-deal, off-grid, dry cabin.
My ground mount array is at the former ice shanty repurposed as the tool shed/pwr house 90' away as is the scc, bat-bank and inverter. I run a 12ga. contractor ext cord to the cabin with an RV type wall plug-in which goes to a HD power strip. Our meager needs are plugged into that. The 4 led 9w Edison base bulbs/fixtures are so light a draw that there is NO problem running them off light duty ext cords. Our big draw is the box fan right off the pwr strip.
Any big loads are off the gen. I swap the outside cord to the gen and the microwave, toaster, etc (one at a time) are plugged into the pwr strip.
All I envisioned was an RV type 'pole/panel' nearby the cabin that I could plug into when there just like we would do if we took an RV up there. After that I could, over time, be putting in a 2 circuit/disconnect box inside and wire up 2 simple circuits......
Who is going to 'approve' that?
If I have to wire the place up like a house it aint happening.
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jhp
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# Posted: 14 Jun 2021 09:30am
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Quoting: gcrank1 Who is going to 'approve' that?
If that was here, it would still be the county.
The county will check the form the power company filled out that says we took it from the pole over here - underground/overhead to this temporary pole here at meter number 12345.
Then my county wants to see how it was connected from the meter to whatever...they don't care what it is as long as it was done up to code.
Hell if anyone asks tell them just that - you're thinking about bringing in an RV and want the hookups for it.
I don't think what you're looking to do is unreasonable and the county's never heard of it. Unless the rest of your structures are unpermitted and you don't want them coming anywhere near your property I think you'll be fine.
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jhp
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# Posted: 14 Jun 2021 09:32am
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Quoting: ICC Depending on where you live.
That's a good point.
Personally I went with the electrician as it was a semi-retired guy who liked small jobs on the side and I couldn't say no to doing less work at the time LOL.
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jsahara24
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# Posted: 14 Jun 2021 11:08am
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Quoting: jhp Personally I went with the electrician as it was a semi-retired guy who liked small jobs on the side and I couldn't say no to doing less work at the time LOL.
I also hired a local semi-retired electrician to get my power pole setup without a building permit. He knew the inspector and it cost me ~700$ to have it installed with his cost along with the permit fees.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 15 Jun 2021 09:22pm
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My wife, bless her heart, listened patiently to the pros and cons, pondered for my benefit, then said,"Why do we need any more power than what we've got?"
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FishHog
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# Posted: 16 Jun 2021 07:37am - Edited by: FishHog
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Quoting: gcrank1 My wife, bless her heart, listened patiently to the pros and cons, pondered for my benefit, then said,"Why do we need any more power than what we've got?"
Many times I realize that my better half is the smarter of the two of us.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 16 Jun 2021 08:10am
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A good partner is the Sanity Checker and a good Partnership, is where both do sanity checks for each other.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 16 Jun 2021 09:12am
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Quoting: gcrank1 Guys, my place has nothing, no service box, no wiring inside or out. A real-deal, off-grid, dry cabin. My ground mount array is at the former ice shanty repurposed as the tool shed/pwr house 90' away as is the scc, bat-bank and inverter. I run a 12ga. contractor ext cord to the cabin with an RV type wall plug-in which goes to a HD power strip. Our meager needs are plugged into that. The 4 led 9w Edison base bulbs/fixtures are so light a draw that there is NO problem running them off light duty ext cords. Our big draw is the box fan right off the pwr strip. Any big loads are off the gen. I swap the outside cord to the gen and the microwave, toaster, etc (one at a time) are plugged into the pwr strip. All I envisioned was an RV type 'pole/panel' nearby the cabin that I could plug into when there just like we would do if we took an RV up there. After that I could, over time, be putting in a 2 circuit/disconnect box inside and wire up 2 simple circuits...... Who is going to 'approve' that? If I have to wire the place up like a house it aint happening.
I didnt realize your power needs are so low. I wouldnt connect to the grid for such low power needs as even with no solar your fuel usage could be less than buying power.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:56am - Edited by: gcrank1
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I like that partner 'Sanity Checker' thing, Steve!
And it happens on this forum too; the ldeas and thoughts that I have bounced off all you have been considerately replied to and kept me (pun intended) 'grounded'.
Our modest wants and needs are being met with my pair of functioning but well aged batteries (new @ 240ah's; now maybe 75%? of that) still holding up of a typical stay and nicely recharging in the time between trips. I know they are on their way out....so Ive considered the replacement chemistries/type.
I almost popped for a pair of (shudder to most 'knowledgable' solar'ists) 'marine/rv dc' rated at 122ah @, grp 29dc, at Walmart yesterday. Yeah, Ive read all the negative stuff about those....but at $90 @ to give me fresh 'maybe' 244ah's in parallel/122 net usable, and the store right on the way to the cabin, they are looking to be pretty good bang for my bucks.
I know the technology so no surprises or learning curve, can give 'em a load test the month before the warrantee is up and if bad go back for the free replacement. Figure I should get 2-4yrs for $200ish, that is .28c - .14c per Day, pretty good thinks I.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2021 10:35am
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Gc2 at Sam's club where about $99 for 6v and 205ah. If you dont have a Sam's club membership I would contact a few interstate dealers, golfcart repair and sales places. I bought US batteries GC2 for $120 this spring. Trojans where about $160.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2021 12:35pm
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I know 'paralleling' 12's arent recommended, but for me it is only 2 bats, not like the guy with a whole shelf lined with them. And 122ah's x 2 = 244 vs the gc2's 6v in series at 205ah's, pretty much a wash on ah's. Yes, the gc2's are decidedly a more heavy duty battery at a similar cost. Seems a no brainer except for the 'ease of warrantee' locally for me; those other places are a fair bit away.
Still, your's is a good suggestion. My array can support 4 gc2's in 2s/2p for 410ah's; more than we are using NOW, but that urge to see what I can power creeps up whenever I mod the set up.
The decider might be tonight's church supper if the friends 'thinking about it (my solar)' are interested or not......or want to come see it working.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2021 03:47pm
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How long is the warrenty on marine batteries? All I have ever seen is 6m-1yr
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2021 04:00pm
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The Walmart 'Everstart' (that they claim is made by Exide who also makes Interstate bats now) Marine/Rv std fla (sealed?) is 1yr from dop; $90.
The ES Maxx is 2 yrs for $10ish more at $100.
I should take my dig-scale in and weigh both. If they weigh the same they have the same amount of 'lead'/plates so it might just be a jacked price to cover the 'extra' year?
They have some tagged as 6-21 so current production and I would take my multimeter to match up the shelf voltage.
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Jroa1
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2021 03:28pm
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Ok i got 2 75 watt solar@panels and 1 deep cycle battery and 300 watt inverter so my question is will my system up run a mini firdge
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2021 04:00pm
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Quoting: Jroa1 my question is will my system up run a mini firdge
The same query you made in the other thread.. It is generally recognized that "best manners" in a forum is to NOT make multiple posts on the same subject.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2021 04:05pm - Edited by: ICC
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Sometimes, some people don't offer a reply to a posed question because they do not have any good first hand knowledge. I have never run a mini fridge except for some of the higher efficiency models that are designed for DC use directly off batteries.
That experience makes me want to say that battery would not run the average 120 VAC mini fridge very long. But environmental factors can influence the time a lot.
The first big question is; can that inverter actually start the motor/compressor?
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2021 08:24pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Well Jroa1, since this is my thread may I suggest you not just interject your own specific inquiry but start your own thread. That way the info stays more 'orderly'; ie, answers to your question here have nothing to do with my thread and would be hard to find again for future reference.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 14 Jul 2021 02:53pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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well, my friends decided not to buy my working system and relocate it to their place. Imo they missed out on a bargain.
I am improving my set up with the the idea it is here to stay. Hey, it is paid for and functions fine  No reason to get rid of it.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jul 2021 09:28pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Since last post I made up another set of ground mounts for my last 2 panels. The main 4 are set up 2s/2p, E, SE so I get the early day sun. I tied the last 2s in for 3p and set at 'almost S' and 'flatter' to get the high noonish sun.
We went up last Fri mid-morning for a work day and stay over, powered up the inverter and used anything we wanted all day and evening. Until 1-2pm it looked like we were running off the array, after that off the bats and when we hit bedtime the voltmeter still read 12.6 after a little 'recovery time'. I left the inv. running all night and come Sat. dawn the voltmeter still read 12.6; no tariff there. And it promised to be a bright, good solar morning.
Then the surprise. By 7:45am the scc went into absorb from a brief bulk charging. By mid-morning it was in float.
Yeah, our loads are light and Im over-paneled but real charging is over by about 1pm. Im getting recharged asap with no deep discharge on the bat-bank, which Im sure they are glad of.
So, it seems to be pretty well balanced, low maintenance/user friendly.....we get there, I turn on the inverter and go do whatever and it just chugs along.
My friends missed out but right now Im glad they did.
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