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Just
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jun 2011 10:11am
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you would need 3000 watts per hour x 24 hours = 72000 watts per day
if you had 8 hours of sun per day that would be 72000 devided by 8 = 9000 watts worth of panels x 5$per watt =45000$ just for the panels
a typical 1 sq. foot panel produces 5 watts per hour in average sun. it would have to produce power for 12 hours to make enough powar to run a 60 watt light bulb for 1 hour!!
living off grid is all about not using much power and refrigeration of any kind uses a lot !! There are lots of threads on this site about solor power and lots of foke's that know a lot more about this than I, but from what I understand from reading I'm sure you will have to figger out how to live without that airconditioner .
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jun 2011 03:18pm
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Tell us how many $$ the power company wants to hook you up.
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grinnil
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# Posted: 29 Jun 2011 05:20pm
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$19000 :-(
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turkeyhunter
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jun 2011 05:32pm
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Quoting: grinnil $19000 :-(
what if you cleared the R/W ???? save you lots of the cost i bet..
i like having a light switch to flip...... :-)
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jun 2011 09:30pm
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DIY panels might be good for experimental fun or very small projects. By very small I mean one or two low wattage lamps. Period.
Window A/C units are the most inefficient type of A/C, BYW. Split mini systems can be run totally off grid in a cabin/home that is built with energy savings in mind. Even then it is my opinion you would need to spend more than that $19K for panels, long life batteries of sufficient size plus all the other hardware. Golf cart batteries will not be a satisfactory storage system. Lead acid flooded batteries like the Surette or Rolls products would likely cost at least $8-9K themselves.
There would be the satisfaction of being your own power company and that is a great goal. We very much like the system we have at our cabin, We are not misers on pwer use; we use CFL lights (23-26 watts because I don't like dark rooms and for reading my old eyes need the lumens. We also use a microwave, food blender, TV, toaster, crock pot and assorted tools and exterior night lights (LED white Xmas strings). Foe the $8K we spent we can be autonomous for three days no problems. That means usually we draw very little on the batteries which extends their life. If I was to replace the propane fridge with an efficient electric fridge (which I want to do) I figure I need to add to the PV and battery capacity. My inverter, etc are large enough to cover that use. How much more? To feel comfortable with leaving a fridge/freezer full of food I'd say double. Then we we're away there's no worry about what's happening back at the cabin.
To install A/C, I figure the present system might just be able to handle a small split mini system. (Because it would only have to run when the sun is bright and strong. We are not bothered by humidity like many other places.) But we'd only need about 9000 BTU and use period would be, at most, 5 to 6 hours before the evening/night coolness would allow the opening of windows. And the split mini would not have to run all that time. Minis are at least twice as efficient as a typical window box A/C if you shop carefully.
My opinion is to start and maintain an aggressive savings plan to be able to get grid connected. Maybe the power company offers good terms?
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jpsp
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jan 2024 04:06pm
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Just wondering if it is OK to use regular household switches on a 12 V system to switch lights. Have 12 Watt LED bulbs so should be one amp passing through the switch. Some places on the interweb say OK others no. Any thoughts.
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jan 2024 04:37pm - Edited by: travellerw
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If the switch says 120VAC only, then no (most switches have this stamped right in).
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jan 2024 08:22pm - Edited by: ICC
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DC current causes more arcing than AC when disconnection occurs. When used for DC the AC-only switches may wear out faster and might cause contacts to weld together or spark enough to melt plastic parts of the switch. Probably not very likely, but the danger is there. It will be difficult to find a DC-approved switch that will pop into a standard rectangular box.
DC arcs moe than AC because DC current os constantly flowing whereas AC current changes direction 60 times a second. (current flow goes to zero 60 times a second). Makes a big difference but most notable with higher amps.
Then there is always the question of whether or not the structure will be insured. An insurance company may refuse to write a policy or even to pay out on a policy if they question whether or not the electrical was done to code.
-izzy
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 24 Jan 2024 08:38pm
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vr1OsrP6jw
I called the local power company for my mountain in West Virginia to see how much it would cost to have power hooked up. Power poles just across the road. He said do you know how the tariff system works here? I said no. He said if you get building permit, septic and water permits, it's free. If no permits, it's $7000+.
Quoting: turkeyhunter what if you cleared the R/W ???? save you lots of the cost i bet
See the video above.
Crazy how these costs vary so much.
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