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gcrank1
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2022 05:32pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Spring is, umm, springing in here in s-c WI, we had a 67*f day Wed! Did a prep day at the cabin and thinking ahead.
Last fall I discon'ed the array from the scc and took all bats home. I knew that would force me to do a good overall rebuild/tune-up.
Im using simple 2x4x8' CCA ground 'racks' and not inclined at this point to make angle adjustable for the seasons.
My sun clears the ridge and tree line to the east about 9am, decent sun about 10 and with DST goes to about 2pm when the tall trees to the west shadow in. Im going to slightly change the ground location eastward so I may get sun to 2:30, possibly 3pm.
The orientation will be S/SE rather than due S since the trees kill the mid-afternoon and on sun.
We are at 44*N lat, thinking of using the Spring/Fall Equinox angle to the sun so without adjustment I will get 3 strong seasons of solar. Summer will likely have more than enough anyway and winter we are not there; pretty much snowed out. The LFP's will go home and the array discon again from the scc.
So, whaddaya think about that Equinox angle idea?
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ICC
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2022 09:41pm
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Makes fair sense to me as a good compromise given the seasons of use.
Way back when solar was trying to find its legs, and PV panels cost two arms and a leg I had two pole mounted arrays with trackers. (Two of the pioneers in tracking mounts were here in NM) Thru friends, I worked with them. I still have one of the trackers in operation; a dual-axis type. Back in the day, trackers were worth the money but nowadays with the low cost of panels, it makes more sense to buy a few extra panels.
Why bother taking the LFP batteries home? They can sit if totally disconnected from charging and discharging.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2022 09:46pm
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Thankfully we have not had any break-ins but Id sure hate to lose em if we did. Same with my inv/gen, etc.
Fact is that we never know just what we will find each time we go but other than taking sensible precautions there is only so much one can safeguard against at a semi-remote place.
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ICC
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2022 10:12pm
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Ah yeah. Theft can be a problem. Even being in the middle of nowhere is no real guarantee.
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FishHog
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 07:54am
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Theft is the main reason I plan to stick with lead batteries at my cottage. Theives are too lazy to carry them.
Sucks but easy and valuable stuff disappears
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 11:10am
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My LFP at casual glance look like grp-27 marine bats, doubt many thieves know much about the diff....yet.
For My power needs the jury seems to be already in, LFP is sooo much better. A light tweak on my scc bulk charge setting from 14.6 to 14.0 and Im good (Eq is already Off for AGMs).
If the prev owner/builder had located the cabin 20-30yd to the direct E and oriented the 24' wall due solar-S it would have solved All my location problems for solar. The array could have been grd mount near the wall, no objectionable 'visual obstruction' to the site and short wire runs inside. Sadly, that is Not what it is.... My array and 'toolshed/powerhouse' (repurposed ice shanty on wheels) is 90' away to the S along the tree line to not be an eyesore.
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ICC
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 11:58am
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Quoting: gcrank1 My array and 'toolshed/powerhouse' (repurposed ice shanty on wheels) is 90' away to the S
That's nothing  Mine is 325 for one array and 400 feet for the rest
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 12:42pm
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Wow!
What ga.wire are you using for those runs?
Underground?
Are you inverting at arrays or?
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ICC
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 02:11pm - Edited by: ICC
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#2 AWG copper. (most bought in Jan 2009 when prices were low. I had been planning the new place for a couple of years already and bought wire and a few other things when the housing market crashed. It did not get used for a few years.)
All underground.
We run DC from the PV arrays to the shop where the batteries and inverters are. We have Outback FlexMax 100 charge controllers which can accept up to 300 volts incoming. We have cold weather spiking covered.
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Just
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 03:29pm - Edited by: Just
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I am at 43.8 ..I use the equinox angles and have good luck I need the most power in spring and fall to drain a farm we’re my cabin is .not much need summer or winter.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 03:29pm
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Conduit underground or?
Im unsure how to make my array to Power House wire run....
Currently (I love that pun when taking about elec  ) I have about 33' of AWG 6ga THHN/THWN I can use, thinking Id maximize it for the distance.
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ICC
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 05:32pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 Conduit underground or?
The bargain wire was THHN/THWN in 500 foot rolls. So we had to use conduit. 20 foot lengths of PVC. Most of it is 24 inches deep, dug with a big rental ditch witch.
At the time I bought the wire it was the biggest they had available and it seemed like a good fit for the planned system. It worked out very well as between wire purchase and building Outback added the 300 volt CC to the 150 volt ones they had. Increased the efficiency of the planned system and allowed an easy increase in the array size. Plus the PV panels dropped in price too.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 06:05pm
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So my thought of the AWG 6ga THHN/THWN in PVC conduit undergrd is ok. Whew
How did you handle the upgrd transitions?
Pics would be good too if possible.
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ICC
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2022 08:35pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 So my thought of the AWG 6ga THHN/THWN in PVC conduit undergrd is ok.
As long as the wire is wet-rated like real THWN is, it should be good. Just watch the number of wires allowed. And try not to go minimum size on the conduit just to make it easier to pull.
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Quoting: gcrank1 upgrd transitions
...meaning the out of the ground at each end?
Just an elbow running up into a PVC box mounted on post at the shop end a similar box at the building wall at the shop end. We did use two x 45-degree elbows though, to make the pull easier.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2022 04:07pm
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Great, thanx
Ive already got a 10' 3/4" Sch 40 Above or Below Ground length, thats good for my 2 wires of 6ga.
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