View Single Post
Old 02-19-14, 01:33 AM   #11
philb
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 155
Thanks: 58
Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryland View Post
You realize that doubling your battery bank size will more then double your battery life, right?
If everything in the system remains constant, that can be theoretically true. In reality, I'd be putting more strings into parallel battery circuits which can use more power. With 8 strings it takes 4 KW of power to float the batteries daily. So the PV panel count goes up as well. I prefer to cycle mine no deeper that 70% and occasionally go even deeper, say 50%. The batteries on this project have been cycled twice, that I can remember to 24.0. That can work occasionally too, just as long as they get brought back to float the next day. The guys with the big 2 volt batteries in one series probably win the day. That is until they go bad and have to be hauled away. The GE's were chosen from comparing how many expected years versus battery weight. I'm not getting any younger. If nickel iron came out in a huge production with lower costs, I might buy them. That's another learning curve though.

All together, I have about 9400 watts of solar to install. Half that is going to batteries. some is going for space heat/cooling and possibly a hybrid electric car if any watts are left.
For a temp.setup, just 2280 watts will work very well.


Last edited by philb; 02-20-14 at 08:12 AM..
philb is offline   Reply With Quote