Newbie with lots of questions

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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #32
    Re: Newbie with lots of questions
    Mr. Prep wrote: »
    Trust me I'm under NO illusion that I can build this system without spending money. As for "replacing" things like cables, batteries, controllers and what not. It's no different then having to do ANY kind of maintenance on any other household.

    While it is no different than other household items it is different from just paying by the Kwh. I understand being independent and hope it works out for you! it has for me, I have the grid running connected to the place I'm taking off grid and I will be about as cost effective as you can do an off grid system. I likely would not have if I hadn't lived off grid the last 10 years before buying my new place. I'll pay slightly more per Kwh than grid connected people (@26 cents vs 20 cents projected cost for the off grid system.)
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Volvo Farmer
    Volvo Farmer Solar Expert Posts: 209 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #33
    Re: Newbie with lots of questions
    Mr. Prep wrote: »
    Trust me I'm under NO illusion that I can build this system without spending money. As for "replacing" things like cables, batteries, controllers and what not. It's no different then having to do ANY kind of maintenance on any other household.

    Actually, it's quite a bit different than a normal household. Cables, controllers and inverters are pretty robust and can go decades without maintenance. The problem is batteries. Batteries are a consumable item. They wear out every seven years or so, and at your level of electrical consumption, you can expect a $5000 bill every seven years to replace the batteries. So as long as you know it costs sixty bucks a month to replace batteries on top of all your other costs, and you're OK with saving that money up along the way, it's all good. An off grid house has all the maintenance costs of a normal household, PLUS the cost of batteries.
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