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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:00pm
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PV = photovoltaic. Solar electric. Sorry for confusing things.
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jrbarnard
Member
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2011 05:57am
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Well, I pretty much have it down, what I need to do. I know I can run solar for some lights, and a 12-volt system to pressurize water to the house. That is easy.
I know I will have gas (looking at getting a Chambers gas stove) for coffee ;) and then use propane bottles.
So, all I have to do is figure a solution for cooling. Heating.. not as big an issue, but cooling, yea.. gotta figure out how to do that without a generator. There's the big ticket. Once that part is out of the way, I should have the things I need to finalize my plans.. well, as final as they can be ;)
Thank you for all the great input btw.
Russ
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Rob_O
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 11:24am
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jr, my rough estimates indicate you will need a minimum of 5KW of solar panels and 5K AH of battery to run a 2 ton mini-split, or a pair of one ton systems.
My estimates are based on 8 hours of a 10 amp load and 16 hours at 5 amps, from the power requirements they give for this minisplit
Don, does that look about right to you?
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jrbarnard
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 11:34am
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Well, the bad news is, that would be cost prohibitive, I think.
The good news is, I think I figured a way to get the cabin built up by the electrical pole...I just got off the phone with Home Depot and they will manually load as many of their rental flat beds as I need to drive all the stuff up the hill myself.
So, I should have electricity available as I can drive a normal 2-wheel drive truck right up to the pole, I just could not get a semi up there with all the materials. Now, I can get 3-6 smaller trucks up there at once, I will just have to manually unload them, no big deal..
R
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jrbarnard
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 12:28pm - Edited by: jrbarnard
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Quoting: Rob_O jr, my rough estimates indicate you will need a minimum of 5KW of solar panels and 5K AH of battery to run a 2 ton mini-split, or a pair of one ton systems. My estimates are based on 8 hours of a 10 amp load and 16 hours at 5 amps, from the power requirements they give for this minisplit Don, does that look about right to you?
Curious though.. after looking at what you are talking about, 5KW is not a whole heck of a lot, is it? I mean, this link here:
SOLAR KIT
APPEARS to provide more than that, if I am reading it right, and is like $2k...so I could get by with an even smaller one, right?
About how many deep cycle batteries are we talking about as well?
Just curious, always looking at every option.. heh
R
And tyvm for all the great insight.
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Rob_O
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 01:21pm
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Quoting: jrbarnard Curious though.. after looking at what you are talking about, 5KW is not a whole heck of a lot, is it? I mean, this link here: SOLAR KIT APPEARS to provide more than that, if I am reading it right, and is like $2k...so I could get by with an even smaller one, right?
That system is 540 watts. You would need 10 of those systems, and 4 of the $2300 battery systems.
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jrbarnard
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 02:20pm
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yea.. lol.. I think I will work on another method :p
I am excited though.. bu.. wait.. sorry to the original OP.. I totally took over the thread, my apologies.
I think I will be able to get up where the electrical line is at. I'll update later in the general area since it is not off-grid.
Thank you all for the help and input.
Russ
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 02:33pm
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I took Rob_O's estimate of 8 hours of a 10 amp load and 16 hours at 5 amps as they seem reasonable without getting into a lot od research myself.
10 amps = 1200 watts and 5 amps = 600 watts at 120 volts
I entered those numbers into my PV estimator. That produces a power load of 888.89 amp hours a day. There's some "iffyness" to those numbers as PV power can be generated at the same time it is needed, during the hottest part of the day. But the A/C still has to run earlier and later in the day when the sun doesn't produce best PV power.
I used a battery depth of discharge limit of 50%, which is a big discharge to my mind if done daily. No temperature correction as it's hot there, not cold. I used single day autonomy, no reserve for cloudy days. I also figured on using a 24 VDC based system as being the more sensible way to go. That means the L-16 have to be in sets of 4.
I used data for Trojan L16RE batteries, 6 volt 370 amp-hours come up with needing 16 to 20 of them.
At $330 each, 16 = $5280 (plus tax and shipping if applicable) and that's only batteries.
My numbers could also be flawed, I did not take a lot of time.
One thing to consider is whether or not the local power company buys PV generated owner power. That can be a good deal. You make power all week when you are not there. they buy it and then you buy power back as needed. That does away with batteries and you can start small and grow the grid tie system as you can.
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jrbarnard
Member
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2011 02:46pm
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Yea, either way, it is far more than the cost of fixing the road to the power so I could get a semi up there if I wanted.. lol..
Or, I can just have Home Depot load the materials onto multiple smaller trucks and I can haul it up all at once myself, which is what I am going to do.
The issue was that a longer truck (semi or long trailer) could not make the turns on the road that goes up there, although it can easily make the road itself.
So, if I use more than 1 truck...i.e. I think we can do it with like 4, I can haul it all up and unload it myself. It adds a few extra hours of unloading onto the job, and the cost of the truck rentals (about $70 each) but it gets me within 200 feet of the power line, which works for me!
Russ
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sparky1
Member
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# Posted: 18 Feb 2012 08:18am
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Hello All; Sparky1 here
from south central Va.
I live pretty rural 24 miles to town(grocery store) I've been reading the forum for a while ,I love being rural,& self contained, I have several campers, Solar Hot water & 45 watt Harbor Freight Kit for lights at Night on the Trailer/old mobile home,I live in.
I do Have Commercial power for the well ,freezer & fan on the wood stove/furnace. Yukon,Klondyke,
I came up a web site about Solar Water heater (http://www.heliatos.com/Solar_Water_Heaters.html ) I have NO interest in it but i did order (1) last night This is why I joined this sight, Hoping to gain some more Knowledge from what great ideas are here & I have some ideas might help the Forum.
thanks
sparky1 in s.Va.
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