How to / DIY > Everything else

Blasphemy..... Solar power.

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LowGear:
Wow, really long writings.  I'm occasionally wrong but I'm under the impression that code calls for dedicated circuits for generators which includes solar panel / inverter systems.  Don't let your home catch on fire.  I'm also under the belief that if you're found to be tying generators to the grid without the utilities approval you can and may be disconnected from the grid. 

I will inquire the next email pitches for the "Greatest Invention Since Peanut Butter" (stand alone panels with built-in inverters) about their code and utility company compatibility and implications.
 
I also have to google the cost effectivity of wall batteries vs. lead acid arrays.

Casey

carlb23:
We installed our first solar array in 2004 it was a 7kw system.  We installed another 3kw in 2007 and another 11.5kw system in 2010 for a total of 21.5kw.  The system is grid tied and we generate around 32mwh a year.  In new jersey you can sell your energy credits back to the utilities to help them offset there required  amount of energy produced by renewables.  right now each mwh is selling for just under 300 dollars so we will recover around 9,000 dollars this year on our install and we pay nothing for heating or cooling for the year because we produce more than we could possibly use.   When we installed these system there were both state and federal incentives to install them making the payback for the systems less than 3 years.  In years past each mwh was selling for as high as 675 dollars earning a return of over $21,000 dollars some years.

I would never spend money on batteries i rely instead on my Lister or Subaru generator if the grid goes down.  Batteries are messy require too much maintenance for me since our grid does not go down often.   Also disposing of old batteries can be another problem especially if they are really big.

veggie:
Glort, why bother with grid connection or spinning meters backwards?
Consider running your panels to a battery bank, then to an inverter which powers some dedicated loads that are always on and powered only by the solar.
Maybe a freezer and/or a refrigerator, lower element in the hot water heater, night lights, etc....
It's the same as slowing down your meter because you are removing those circuits from your grid system.

just a thought mate,
cheers,
Veggie

BruceM:
Sweet deal on your excess power payback, Carl.  I wondered why you had such huge capacity, now I understand.  Smart move on your part. 

Batteries and their ongoing replacement can be serious $.

Hugh Conway:
Off-grid too, on the Canadian West coast. When they started forcing "smart meters" on us, I could see the writing on the wall regarding price increases.
Then too, the associated privacy and control issues. We just phoned up Hydro and told them to come take down their lines. That was 4 years ago.
I am under no illusion that this is "green power generation" Bunch of B.S. IMHO.
We set up this system ourselves with the help of a consultant who pointed us in the right direction. We're using a solar panel  array that is rated at just over 2KW. I made the ground mount racking to be adjustable to produce max output according to season, but in practice, have found adjustment to be un-necessary. Setting it at the proper angle for spring and Autumn seems to work best. In winter, it is usually too overcast to get much power output. In summer, we have a full charge on our batteries by noon. When building our house, we did not think we would be off-grid, so this place was not designed with that in mind.....works well anyhow.
This is a 24V system with 850AH battery bank. Out 6/1 listeroid will fully charge the battery bank in less than 2 hours run time on a winter day when we run nearly daily. Annual run time is about 300 hr annually. this system provides power for the house and shop. We do not necessarily use the generator when using shop tools or washing machine, the battery bank and 4KW inverter handles it easily, so long as only one large machine is running at a time. Our biggest single power draw is for a 3/4 HP deep well pump. Our average power usage is just over 2KWH per day.
There is a gravity water system for garden watering. This is an independent system that uses roof collected rainwater to a 2000gal tank, that water is pumped up to a gravity tank on the hilltop via a small 12V solar panel and $30 MPPT charger/power supply.
Hot water is via solar collector. In winter the coil in the wood stove provides ample hot water.
The whole system is pretty simple and relatively trouble free. Good thing too, because I am not a whiz with electronic stuff.Total cost for us was about 20K, it hurt initially, but now we do not notice the frequent winter (sometimes summer too) power outages. Have no monthly Hydro bills, and really like the additional independence this provides. My only regret is that I did not do this years ago. Should be even easier now that component costs are much less than they used to be.
If one has even a small amount hands-on abilities, it's the way to go. If you are clueless, maybe just stay plugged in and hope for the best.
BTW, one of my friends has 21 years on a similar battery bank.......if you don't abuse them, they can last quite a while.

Cheers,
Hugh

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