DIY solar array 12.5 kw - Page 46

pinballlooking · 08-31-15, 11:15 PM

August is done and my 12.5Kw array made 1.87 Mwh that is $187 here. We banked 355Kwh And covered all our usage.
Now we have 3,032 Kwh banked for the winter to heat with. 3,000 Kwh was what we used last winter to heat with so we should be close to what we need.
We are back to driving 80 EV miles a day and charging our car two or more times a day.

We are averaging making 55.456kWh a day so far this year but that will go down some over the winter.
Other solar guys show use your numbers when you have them.

where2 · 09-01-15, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinballlooking

Other solar guys show use your numbers when you have them.

My 4.4kW array produced: 489kWh in August. Averaging 17.5kWh a day, year to date.
My August electric bill was $50.20 for 508kWh, including the $9 credit for an A/C load interrupt. I don't think I've ever noticed the utility using the A/C disconnect, but the credit typically covers my base meter charge all summer.

Unfortunately, the credit is only offered April-October.

gasstingy · 09-01-15, 11:37 AM

My 2 arrays totalling 6810w made 993 kWh in Aug. The local utility offsets my electric bill at retail. Since I am grid tied though, I am forced to have 2 meters, so two base charges of $20.24. My $22.xx bill credit fell by $2.74 this month {it takes about 400 kWh production to cover both base charges}. The premium check I will get in October for August will be $119.16.

I feel like a McDonalds commercial, "I'm loving it!"

Mark

creeky · 09-06-15, 09:06 AM

you guys crack me up.

I'm off grid so I can't sell my extras to anyone. therefore I try to use as many appliances as inefficiently as possible. i have a dishwasher. i heat the water with the dishwasher element. all electric. a/c. yup. if it's sunny. why not keep the studio at 24C.

as a result my 2 1kw arrays created and I used 120kw last month.

as my electrical generation varies wildly throughout the year (4 years and 3 months). I am just over 3 megawatts of production. Or less than two months of pinballlooking.

pinballlooking · 09-08-15, 11:30 AM

You used 120kw last month.

During the school months we charge our car 2 times a day sometimes more.

It is about 12Kw each charge. That is 80 EV miles a day or more 5 days a week. Just that alone is 580 Kwh + weekend is about 96Kwh total Kwh is 676 Kwh a month. This covers driving 2,253 miles in a month.
This is without using any power at our house at all. But the gas saving really adds up even at the gas prices now. It even adds more than power savings.

We are @ 2 years 5 months with 45.5 MWh produced this year we should have the system ½ paid off with just power savings. If you add in the gas savings it is paid off.

pinballlooking · 10-01-15, 09:39 AM

September my 12.5kw array made 1,475 Kwh right on the Est. we used all of that except 124 Kwh.
Keep in mind we now charge out car twice a day on week days. That is 24 Kwh a day for our car. 80 Ev miles a day. We now have 3,154 Kwh banked to use in the winter to heat with.
(Just like chopping wood but better)

we were ahead until the last few days we have had rain.

My solar gateway stopped sending data two days in a row. The first day GFCI tripped and the second day the GFCI tripped again. Ants were all through it. I sprayed them but they killed the outlet crazy ants.

Other solar producers post your Sept numbers when you have them.

gasstingy · 10-01-15, 10:40 AM

For the calender month of September, our 6.810 kW arrays made 823 kWh. Several low-light days toward the end of the month.

Will edit to post our usage based on our power bill which is always from the 19th to the 19th when it gets here in the next couple of days. We were on vacation with most of the circuit breakers in the house turned off from 6am 9/6 to 5pm 9/12, so this month should be an unusually low usage month. I even unplugged my alarm clock (and removed the backup battery) to keep from having that miniscule load. My wife, of course, thinks I get carried away....

Our consumption for last month was 317 kWh. Just because I could, I divided the total production of 27317 {coincidence} since we went live by the 1019 days {almost 2.8 years} and got an average of 26.808 kWh daily average. Also checked the percentage paid back {including the 30% tax credit}, and we are 48.949% paid back. I expect full payback in just barely over 10 years. And yes, I include any repairs or replacement items I have to buy as part of the cost equation.

pinballlooking · 10-01-15, 10:50 AM

You are here with like-minded people. I don’t think that is crazy at all.
I even have my bedroom entertainment equipment connected to one of these.

I replaced my door bell with a battery powered one so the transformer was not running 24 x 7.
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/conser...receivers.html

natethebrown · 10-01-15, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinballlooking

I replaced my door bell with a battery powered one so the transformer was not running 24 x 7.

I never even considered my door bell...Interesting.

where2 · 10-01-15, 07:35 PM

My 4.4kW array generated 423kWh. It was cloudier than normal. Last year, same array collected 489kWh in September. The grass is growing well this year though...

08-31-15, 11:15 PM	#451
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	August is done and my 12.5Kw array made 1.87 Mwh that is $187 here. We banked 355Kwh And covered all our usage. Now we have 3,032 Kwh banked for the winter to heat with. 3,000 Kwh was what we used last winter to heat with so we should be close to what we need. We are back to driving 80 EV miles a day and charging our car two or more times a day. We are averaging making 55.456kWh a day so far this year but that will go down some over the winter. Other solar guys show use your numbers when you have them. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 09-01-15 at 12:20 PM..

09-08-15, 11:30 AM	#455
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	You used 120kw last month. During the school months we charge our car 2 times a day sometimes more. It is about 12Kw each charge. That is 80 EV miles a day or more 5 days a week. Just that alone is 580 Kwh + weekend is about 96Kwh total Kwh is 676 Kwh a month. This covers driving 2,253 miles in a month. This is without using any power at our house at all. But the gas saving really adds up even at the gas prices now. It even adds more than power savings. We are @ 2 years 5 months with 45.5 MWh produced this year we should have the system ½ paid off with just power savings. If you add in the gas savings it is paid off. Last edited by pinballlooking; 09-11-15 at 07:36 AM..

10-01-15, 09:39 AM	#456
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	September my 12.5kw array made 1,475 Kwh right on the Est. we used all of that except 124 Kwh. Keep in mind we now charge out car twice a day on week days. That is 24 Kwh a day for our car. 80 Ev miles a day. We now have 3,154 Kwh banked to use in the winter to heat with. (Just like chopping wood but better) we were ahead until the last few days we have had rain. My solar gateway stopped sending data two days in a row. The first day GFCI tripped and the second day the GFCI tripped again. Ants were all through it. I sprayed them but they killed the outlet crazy ants. Other solar producers post your Sept numbers when you have them. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 10-07-15 at 02:21 PM..

10-01-15, 10:40 AM	#457
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	For the calender month of September, our 6.810 kW arrays made 823 kWh. Several low-light days toward the end of the month. Will edit to post our usage based on our power bill which is always from the 19th to the 19th when it gets here in the next couple of days. We were on vacation with most of the circuit breakers in the house turned off from 6am 9/6 to 5pm 9/12, so this month should be an unusually low usage month. I even unplugged my alarm clock (and removed the backup battery) to keep from having that miniscule load. My wife, of course, thinks I get carried away.... Our consumption for last month was 317 kWh. Just because I could, I divided the total production of 27317 {coincidence} since we went live by the 1019 days {almost 2.8 years} and got an average of 26.808 kWh daily average. Also checked the percentage paid back {including the 30% tax credit}, and we are 48.949% paid back. I expect full payback in just barely over 10 years. And yes, I include any repairs or replacement items I have to buy as part of the cost equation. Last edited by gasstingy; 10-02-15 at 07:15 AM.. Reason: Added last paragraph with usage & payback data

10-01-15, 10:50 AM	#458
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	You are here with like-minded people. I don’t think that is crazy at all. I even have my bedroom entertainment equipment connected to one of these. I replaced my door bell with a battery powered one so the transformer was not running 24 x 7. http://ecorenovator.org/forum/conser...receivers.html Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 10-01-15 at 11:22 AM..

09-01-15, 11:37 AM	#453
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	My 2 arrays totalling 6810w made 993 kWh in Aug. The local utility offsets my electric bill at retail. Since I am grid tied though, I am forced to have 2 meters, so two base charges of $20.24. My $22.xx bill credit fell by $2.74 this month {it takes about 400 kWh production to cover both base charges}. The premium check I will get in October for August will be $119.16. I feel like a McDonalds commercial, "I'm loving it!" Mark

09-06-15, 09:06 AM	#454
creeky Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: a field somewhere Posts: 304 Thanks: 64 Thanked 44 Times in 31 Posts	you guys crack me up. I'm off grid so I can't sell my extras to anyone. therefore I try to use as many appliances as inefficiently as possible. i have a dishwasher. i heat the water with the dishwasher element. all electric. a/c. yup. if it's sunny. why not keep the studio at 24C. as a result my 2 1kw arrays created and I used 120kw last month. as my electrical generation varies wildly throughout the year (4 years and 3 months). I am just over 3 megawatts of production. Or less than two months of pinballlooking.

10-01-15, 07:35 PM	#460
where2 DIY Geek Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 401 Thanks: 74 Thanked 83 Times in 73 Posts	My 4.4kW array generated 423kWh. It was cloudier than normal. Last year, same array collected 489kWh in September. The grass is growing well this year though...