Small PV system goes live!
 

Connecting that last wire, flipping the switch and seeing it come to life - the feeling can't be beat. For those of you with larger systems I can't imagine the satisfaction of watching it power up the first time.

This little system consists of a 190 watt PV panel, Xantrex C40 pwm charge controller, TriMetric battery monitor, and four borrowed 12 volt batteries wired for 24 vdc. Right now it's powering a 12 volt fence charger through a 24 to 12 volt converter to protect our honeybees. The panel and cabinet will look like overkill but future plans include drip irrigation for the garden via motorized ball valves and an older Rainbird RC irrigation timer. Aeration for the pond is a future goal as well.

I was hoping to have a small building such as a tool shed built by now in which to house all the components but that hasn't happened so the batteries and cabinet/panel are clustered around the panel's tower for now. I'll clean up the wiring when things get relocated to a more permanent home in the future.

But for now... it's working!

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