Electricity Independent

stockoneder
stockoneder Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭
in Grid Tie and Grid Interactive Systems #1
I made the decision to safeguard my family due to the unraveling of our economy by installing a 4.3 kw solar photo-voltaic system
on my roof. It is now up and running and producing over 20 kws per day. I put in a solar hot water heater about 16 months previously and have been very pleased with that. Here is a link http://righttoreason.blogspot.com/
to pictures, facts and stats for anyone who has been thinking about doing this. As an investment due to state and federal incentives it is a no-brainer.
Best of all no matter what happens to the grid I will have power always. I am electricity independent.
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Comments

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Electricity Independent

    What part of Florida are you in?
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  • stockoneder
    stockoneder Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭
    #3
    Re: Electricity Independent

    Central southwest. Just below Sarasota.
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  • stockoneder
    stockoneder Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭
    #4
    Re: Electricity Independent with Xantrex XW4548 Hybrid System

    Just checked my log and today I produced 22.04 kilowatts. A big chunk of that went back to the grid as a credit. Kind of funny because I spent $40,000 to make a little over $2 (.10 per kilowatt hour)worth of electricity today. Not to bad if you times that by 365 though. $2.20 X 365 = $800. I am sure that is being way optimistic but between this and my solar hot water heater I should save an easy $1000 per year at current rates. My solar hot water heater has averaged a savings of $40 per month over the 17 months it has been operating.
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Electricity Independent

    Why the step up to 240 volt transformer? the XW does 120/240 already?
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Electricity Independent

    I missed that as well ... zero need for the X240 .. XW-6048 is split phase built in ( 120-N-120 ) so both 120 or 240V can be powered
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  • stockoneder
    stockoneder Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭
    #7
    Re: Electricity Independent

    Yep. You guys are right. I called Xantrex and they confirmed I don't need a step-up transformer. Passed the info on to my installer. Mine was the first XW system he installed. He thought you needed 2 inverters to allow 240 volt loads. I was looking through my logs and found out the highest peak output my system has ever produced was 4200 watts. If it can do that once why can't it do that more often?
    It seems like my average peaks are about 35-3800 watts. I have never seen it do more than about 3200 though. My best day so far was about 22kws.
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Electricity Independent

    Heat lowers PV panel output ... for a 4300 watt array you doing quite well
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