Solar Shack - Page 5

verdigo · 03-15-14, 10:49 AM

Not all trimmed out yet but I am making 240 volt AC split phase power now. Just need 8 more panels and to connect the shack to the house.

gasstingy · 03-17-14, 08:11 AM

I'm still liking this setup. It's the first time I noticed the air sealing going on, as in the foam at the intersection of the walls and roof decking seen in the picture.

Do you plan to continuously power a circuit or two in your house to keep the batteries excercised? I've considered something similar to what you're doing and then move the refrigerator circuit from the normal CB panel to a subpanel that would be powered by solar to batteries to an inverter. It's just not in the top three of my to-do list, and that list is painfully slow.........

Great job.

verdigo · 03-24-14, 09:41 PM

Thanks. And yes I get a bit carried away with caulking and "Great Stuff" foam.

As for powering circuits when the grid is present, probably not so much. The inverter is one of Outback's grid interactive models GVFX3648. The batteries will most likely float most of the time.

Eventually when or if I can get my work closer to home I plan to get off the grid as much as possible. The house is currently all electric. I am looking at converting A/C to one of the mini split systems, and supplementing that with some form of wood heating for cold weather. I also like the idea of a thermal panel for hot water.

Like you I am limited on time that I can devote to all of this currently. After skipping a year I am raising a vegetable garden this summer too.

Dennis

verdigo · 04-05-14, 04:02 PM

Update.. I have a functioning system now. At least as far as making A/C power now. Using an auto transformer I have 240 volt split phase power from an Outback GVFX 3648 inverter. I still have quite a bit of wiring to do in order to backfeed the grid to save on the electric bill, and I still need to purchase and mount another 2200 watts of PV but at least I can play with it and in a pinch could have some back-up power in a grid outage situation with some quick questionable wiring.

verdigo · 06-13-14, 05:57 AM

I just bought 4 Renogy 300 watt panels to add to the four Grape 280 watt panels. Hope to have them mounted this weekend. Anyone have any experience with Renogy? They are about half the cost of the Grape panels. I'll post some numbers as far as output goes for a comparison once everything is wired up.

Daox · 06-13-14, 08:15 AM

Sounds like good progress to me! I'm waiting for pics.

gasstingy · 06-13-14, 08:19 AM

What kind of decision making was required when you chose to use a different size {rated output} panel? I know the Outback is MPPT, but is a simple matter of just tying them to it as a different string?

verdigo · 06-15-14, 08:49 AM

Got some more panels hung

Will be making the connections today. The guy in the pic is my buddy Cass who has helped me all through the project.

verdigo · 06-15-14, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasstingy

What kind of decision making was required when you chose to use a different size {rated output} panel? I know the Outback is MPPT, but is a simple matter of just tying them to it as a different string?

The Renogy panels fall within the 5% VMP and IMP ratings so are okay electrically, but are $275.00 each verses the Grape 280 watt price of $400.00 each. And yes I am just going to wire them in as two additional strings.

I still have room in my combiner for two more strings, and that should give me a total of around 3500 watts (rated). I am sort of doing things backwards but after I max out the combiner I plan to shift my money more toward the purchase of more efficient appliances, and other conservation techniques.

where2 · 06-15-14, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by verdigo

I am sort of doing things backwards but after I max out the combiner I plan to shift my money more toward the purchase of more efficient appliances, and other conservation techniques.

Your approach is not really backwards in my mind. There's presently a federal tax credit for installing PV systems. If it applies to your tax situation, you can roll the money you receive in your refund into purchasing more efficient appliances and other conservation measures next year, together with what you save in energy expenses in the coming months... The sunshine you collect is free, the utility power it replaced was not... I continue to try to increase my energy efficiency, despite having a PV array on my roof for the last 10 months.

Thank you for the photos and the progress updates.

03-15-14, 10:49 AM	#41
verdigo Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cave City Kentucky Posts: 45 Thanks: 7 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Not all trimmed out yet but I am making 240 volt AC split phase power now. Just need 8 more panels and to connect the shack to the house. Last edited by verdigo; 03-15-14 at 10:54 AM..

06-13-14, 08:15 AM	#46
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Sounds like good progress to me! I'm waiting for pics. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

06-15-14, 08:49 AM	#48
verdigo Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cave City Kentucky Posts: 45 Thanks: 7 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Got some more panels hung Will be making the connections today. The guy in the pic is my buddy Cass who has helped me all through the project. Last edited by verdigo; 06-15-14 at 08:52 AM..

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03-17-14, 08:11 AM	#42
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	I'm still liking this setup. It's the first time I noticed the air sealing going on, as in the foam at the intersection of the walls and roof decking seen in the picture. Do you plan to continuously power a circuit or two in your house to keep the batteries excercised? I've considered something similar to what you're doing and then move the refrigerator circuit from the normal CB panel to a subpanel that would be powered by solar to batteries to an inverter. It's just not in the top three of my to-do list, and that list is painfully slow......... Great job.

03-24-14, 09:41 PM	#43
verdigo Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cave City Kentucky Posts: 45 Thanks: 7 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Thanks. And yes I get a bit carried away with caulking and "Great Stuff" foam. As for powering circuits when the grid is present, probably not so much. The inverter is one of Outback's grid interactive models GVFX3648. The batteries will most likely float most of the time. Eventually when or if I can get my work closer to home I plan to get off the grid as much as possible. The house is currently all electric. I am looking at converting A/C to one of the mini split systems, and supplementing that with some form of wood heating for cold weather. I also like the idea of a thermal panel for hot water. Like you I am limited on time that I can devote to all of this currently. After skipping a year I am raising a vegetable garden this summer too. Dennis

04-05-14, 04:02 PM	#44
verdigo Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cave City Kentucky Posts: 45 Thanks: 7 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Update.. I have a functioning system now. At least as far as making A/C power now. Using an auto transformer I have 240 volt split phase power from an Outback GVFX 3648 inverter. I still have quite a bit of wiring to do in order to backfeed the grid to save on the electric bill, and I still need to purchase and mount another 2200 watts of PV but at least I can play with it and in a pinch could have some back-up power in a grid outage situation with some quick questionable wiring.

06-13-14, 05:57 AM	#45
verdigo Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cave City Kentucky Posts: 45 Thanks: 7 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	I just bought 4 Renogy 300 watt panels to add to the four Grape 280 watt panels. Hope to have them mounted this weekend. Anyone have any experience with Renogy? They are about half the cost of the Grape panels. I'll post some numbers as far as output goes for a comparison once everything is wired up.

06-13-14, 08:19 AM	#47
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	What kind of decision making was required when you chose to use a different size {rated output} panel? I know the Outback is MPPT, but is a simple matter of just tying them to it as a different string?