voltage requirements...

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
I'm starting to plan for a future solar install on my own, and while thinking about going 24 volt, i started wondering what to plan for as far as lighting, radio, small tv, etc... Can 24 volt "appliances" and lighting be bought? Or , are some things going to be 12 volt and a voltage regulator put in the line? I know that you can buy 12 volt tv's, dvd players, even some small appliances...but is the 24 volt system wired 24, or stepped down to 12? Thanks for any help...rsbhunter

Comments

  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: voltage requirements...

    Well if you're thinking of going 24 volts and down-converting it to 12 volts, why not take that 24 volts and up-convert it to 120 VAC? Lights, TV and almost everything else designed for 12 volts, is almost always harder to obtain and more expensive to buy than the same items designed to run on 120 VAC. The conversion losses either to 12 volts, or to 120 VAC would most likely be very similar.
    I have a 12 volt system and started out with as many 12 volt items as I could find, but over the years I found it a pain in the butt trying to deal with high EQ voltages etc, damaging 12 volt items, so changed things over time till today the only thing running on 12 volts is a couple of car radios. Everything else is 120 volts AC and now after the fact, am wishing I had started out with 24 volts instead of 12. To make that change now would cost me to replace my pure sine inverters to 24 volt units. Hindsight is 20-20 as they say.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: voltage requirements...

    If you will be staying with a small system... For a 12 volt TSW inverter, the 300 Watt MorningStar is hard to beat. See if you can stay within its ratings--you may be quite happy.

    Otherwise, powering a fridge--you are probably looking at 1,200 to 1,500 watt TSW inverter--not cheap. And neither will be the extra panels, batteries, etc. At this level, heading towards 24 volts is not a bad idea either (like Wayne is saying).

    Many times, the dividing point is your refrigerator and how much time your place will be occupied... Weekends, one or two seasons--hard to ignore a propane fridge and the fact that you only pay for propane when you are there.

    If you are 9+ months of the year--An electric fridge (typically a normal Energy Star 120 VAC version on an inverter) is not a bad way to go.

    If you want to keep costs low, a Chest Freezer Conversion is not bad either (usually does not make the spouse happy though).

    Chest freezer as a chest refrigerator

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: voltage requirements...
    BB. wrote: »
    If you will be staying with a small system... For a 12 volt TSW inverter, the 300 Watt MorningStar is hard to beat.-Bill

    Totally agree! I have two of these beauties in operation for 3 years now. one is on 24/7, the other is dedicated to a specific load and only runs as needed. They are both located in an outbuilding, thus subjected to seasonal temperature extremes, and never once have they ever offered so much as a hiccup in their operation. I wish they made a 24 volt model!