Off grid World champion BUYS complete solar kit

usernamesolar

I live south slope cabin Wister lake Oklahoma with 100 fruit trees and waaaay too many fish. Oklahoma has more shoreline then any other state. Where i am is typically where people will be so i pave roads didnt exist yet but USUALLY based on massive research. My e bike went 62.6 miles at 5k trouble free mIles yesterday and 2.5 year old lifepo4 china battery. Figured solar power would be my gas tank. (Cost e bike is 6 pennies per charge.) (3 amp charger) While researching a 2nd e bike build, I realized I could get two China kits for price of one, for huge insurance leverage. Thats when it struck me. Wow. ...and I just BOUGHT a complete solar kit on only one phone call and zero research? Made in usa...   Obviously wisdom I have, but I am electronics illiterate. I need help. I googled 3 hours trying find one ML solar review or complete low cost kit. Yes or no will do. Could I have done better? I paid $2,467 shipped. Before, I lived 3 bed house southern cal on 5-$8 electric bill a month eating on $1.40 a day. I told Danny at ML solar I use e bike, 10 watt guitar amp, lightbulb, and Staber solar ready Washer twice a month, maybe a 1500 watt chain saw. I FORGOT TO MENTION CHEST FREEZER. He assured me all cables included, just plug and play. I'm sure a year from now I'll figure out I could have saved $1,500 with a home made lifepo4. Here is what I got: 2 Deka batteries, gell cell, probably 100 ah each? 4 (four) 255 Infinium flex panels (1,000 watt total panels), , charge control Ts-45 Morning Star 45 amps, Inverter Cotek 2,000watt sine wave, ....I guess that's it. I saw ebay china kits, I love most china stuff. My e bike is all china. Maybe if 2 or 3 people can agree I got the right stuff? At a good price? I know there are china non believers out there. One other thing. Is my freezer gonna work? Thanks in advance

Photowhit

I don't see anything at MLsolar that matches your description.

I worry, you've been sold mismatched items. the 255 watt panels are NOT Flex panels and appear to be 60 cell panels. For those to work properly you will want a MPPT type charge controller. I mostly see kits based on the flex panels which are 12 volt nominal panels.

"gel cell" batteries really are past their useful life. Perhaps he sold you AGM batteries which are sometimes referred to as 'gel'.

Morning Star makes things a bit confusing as they have a "TS 45" and a TS MPPT 45". You will want to be sure you have the MPPT version if you have 60 cell panels.

How many Kwh's do you use per month? A $5-8 bill is like telling someone 'town' is 45 minutes away. Is that 45 minutes walking? riding a bike? driving a car? Indeed $5-8 is an odd number since most power companies charge more just to be able to buy electric from them.

usernamesolar

There is nothing ML solar in kits specifically that match my description nor was I expecting there to be.. Of course. Being a world champion, right off the bat I told Danny I am obviously unique and need a unique system.

Beware of my description. If I did use the term flex, it's because years ago a friend said ML is the best and I recall his mentioning the new panels now being flex. Which in my mind mean flexible, and that ML solar would stock them therefore.  I re checked my notes I wrote while ordering, the word flex was indeed not mentioned by Danny at ML solar.

I do see Infinium panels on the site 255 watt but no mention of flex. This is only the second time i been on the site. Whatever that term flex even is.  I don't understand the statement my batteries i bought are past there useful life?

He specifically said Deko batteries, I checked their ebay 3.5k kit and it has Deka 100 ah, so I assumed mine are also. He specifically said MK DEKA GEL CELL NEVER DRAIN NO MAINTENANCE. He said a customer used these still holding charge at ten years. He said expect 7 years easy at my low watt use. I don't think he sent me the wrong components to make a buck and have the system not even work. I just think I could have done better from china that's all. He mentioned believing the bible as I do, seemed reasonably honest, it's just no one runs toe to toe with me. ...in thee end. That's all.

Ok on the 5-8 bill, that was bill on top of my mandatory service fee. For example, in Wister I must pay 37 before I even pay my bill. My last three months were ZERO as I did not even register even tho I have freezer, used washer, lightbulb rarely, and guitar amp alot. Ed van halen was my best friend in LA and I played better lol. I pay zero attention to my kilowatt hours. I simply shoot for a low bill. Constantly water and utilities would come over and snoop around.

WE WILL GET THIS FIGURED ONCE I GET TH KIT. see u then thank u photowit. 

usernamesolar

How many KILOWATT HOURS do I use per month?  My Kiamichi Electric  bill for last month  says NO. DAYS 31. KWH USAGE 132.  It says READING 44967 PREVIOUS. 45099 PRESENT.

I use a large chest freezer, 15 watt bulb rarely, Round shaped 8 watt bulb (these are cheap, round, DURABLE and highly recommended vs expensive LED. It's just a round bulb lamp connected to electric chord.)  and a Blackstar 10 watt electric guitar amp ($85 shipped with 3 effects and so loud a quarter turn too much for distant neighbors. Used in studios on album recordings.) ....and a Staber solar ready washer. Worlds best washer dual bearing front load octagon tub front hood for repairs. Washes incredibly well. Takes 16lbs, i load 14lbs, Your wife could change the bearings. All repair instructions included. Hated and blaspheme by evil washer manufactures/repairmen extortionists.

I use PROPANE for Heat and to heat water. Yes I have a propane water heater. FYI PROPANE emits water as by product. Natural gas emits sticky stuff sticks to your cabinets and lungs. Propane boil water much faster. My one  propane cabin wall mount heater (cabin 76p Sq ft.l is a wall mount which is essentially a fireplace WITH NO VENTING. Get it? No ducts to bleed your heat in the attic. Every shred of what u burn stays in your house. NEVER blow your heat around. For example buy radiant electric and not a fan heater. I paid $125 for propane heat, oven, and water heater 6 months usage. NO MOVING PARTS on this heater. Furnaces costing S4,500 now. My heater $100 shipped ebay.

LIGHTS - I have used 30 flashlights. Far far and away I wouldn't buy an LED bulb. My method is a fraction that cost and works far far better. I use headlamp. NEVER buy a bulky headlamp. My tiny ones don't slide off jogging, I can sleep with, I can go out in the sticks at night and see great, (pitch black here, no streetlights boonies) and I can get 50 cr2032 batteries for a few dollars amazon ebay. One battery lasts around a month. Type LITHIUM USB RECHARGEABLE CAP LIGHT  in e bay. Rectangular, they come in blue, red, black white. Price $4 shipped and u get a free xtra wall plug USB  charger for your phone.

I occasionally use electric chain saw but not required. OREGON 1500 chain saw highly recommend. SHARPENING  a saw it's weakest link. THIS saw has sharpener button built in. I've never sharpened mine, cut a couple dozen  year old pole oaks. I use any old oil for it. Same reason I use coconut oil to lubricate everything and not WD40. just lick it off the excess or rub it on your face.

I plan to just lay the panels against a hill and tilt them at the sun as the day goes. 132 kilowatts a month with 2 100 ah batteries and 1,000 watt panels. My solar box thing is 2,000 watt with 4,500 max. Is that enough let me know. Found 2 good kits ebay for e bike. Paid $263 shipped lifepo4 36v 15ah battery e bay. 36v 800 watt dd drive from seller out of La Puente ebay good kit $205 shipped. 36v 500watt geared hub from Illinois seller ebike Ling also good kit $189 shipped. These panels will charge e bike = fuel tank. Basically I feel I made bad shopping choice with ML solar.

That's all. And that sellers like Windstream (I think it is) on ebay would have been much better. ?  Anyone doing this much better lower cost then me as listed above post? Using lithium batteries for example? Any ideas how to pivot the panels around ? let me know. I just assume lay them on the ground and then tilt them around with a log as the sun moves. .

BB.

I have to do some work today--So I cannot address your points/questions for a while.

But, can you please put in paragraphs "usernamesolar" (I have edited your last two comments)? It makes it much easier to answer/respond to your posts.

-Bill

Photowhit

I personally don't care for unvented propane heating. I feel it robs too much oxygen from the air, even with a window cracked the correct amount. I love a wood stove's radiant heat. Unlike a propane heater, it will draw air from outside (with or with out a direct line to the outside air.

I've used chainsaws for years and, yes, sharpening is the most over looked aspect. I don't see how an 'on board' sharpener would properly sharpen the chain though. I'll look into it.

It will be very hard to get 4 Kwhs a day "to use" from a 1000 watt array. Rule of thumb will is panels produce 75% of rated value and battery charging and inverter will eat another 25% for energy used that must be stored.

A reminder, off grid systems must produce more energy than they use to maintain proper battery health.

usernamesolar

     Ventilation my speciality. As i didnt used to use ac or heat. On ventilation propane, If u open doors quickly and change all air quickly and then re shut doors, heat remains in your "rocketmass heater" by this I mean your walls and furnishings. As soon as u shut doors again, heat will quickly saturate back in to the air. I used heat last year just to see how much it would cost as experiment. The key is good windows and whole house fan. I don't want good windows/ventilation I  want beyond the best for far lower cost and I got it using a fan (exhaust) system unique to the world. 

I use a genius whole house fan. These whole house fans i initially googled sold for $1,200 moving pathetic amounts of air. For $90 I bought a HYDRO CRUNCH (I think that's the brand) which is moving 1,150 cfm at 10 inch holle in the wall. Iit'sThee most efficient per watt fan I found. By a margin.   I use a dial gauge from harbor freight to raise or lower fan speed. I installed it Bathroom.

I shudder to imagine installation cost for THERE 1,100 dollar fan.  I have light COMMERCIAL rated windows $1,600 installed 9 (nine) windows. No other window comes close insulation and installation wise at this cost.  Home Depot Jen Weld 4,500 windows. .... wait for 15% sale. I got the FOAM PERIMETER which just means it's an interference fit with the opening. (U know, tite fit) Square peg square hole folks after that all u do is fI'll in cracks wit SILICONE Alex Plus 40 year $2 a tube silicon its the BEST.  Installing window flush interior un heard of. Why? I heat far less air and exterior looks incredible now vs flush exterior before. Neighbors gauking.  . Interior window wells utterly pointless idea and invite cold air.

I haven't used ac or heat for years and peeps are astonished at how cold my house summer or versa vice. I manage ventilation on intimate scale contantly. It pays. Takes practice till u dial it and most people do it wrong, permanently no matter how hard they try. It's not always what u think will work, but what actually does. Haven't installed a wall mount tube skylight yet but it will be world's better then going thru the attic when i do . 


HOW U EXHAUST IS THE KEY The way I do it different is back in the day I had a fan in garage suckling air out the home attic. Using a 10 inch coil tube to attached garage. I found by installing the exhaust tube so a 6 inch gap existed between tube and hole in garage roof, it pulled huge amount air out garage while attic cfm drainage remained untarnished. The attic became just as cool just as fast, while garage got a free change of air. I re tested this system in my attic here wister It cools the attic FAST. (760 Sq ft. Cabin) Today's homes are grossly demonized contraptions compared to what they could be in perfection. Demons live down here and they need money folks. Pick up your sword and THINK. 

In the bathroom I put in a picture window instead. As I no longer needed to open it what with the bathroom fan.  I get much much more light and it looks much better from the road. I used 2x4 window well exterior with shade brims so windows can stay open rainy nights. Thick 2x4 frames ext. Look INCREDIBLE asthetics.

The key to a cold home is again your rocketmass heater. In other words cooling OBJECTS all nite long thru leaving all windows open nites or closed winter. Just taking a shower, feel how warm everything gets after. Why I always use cast iron tub and don't drain the hot water.

I use INSULADD all interior walls. Manufacture recommended ext. Walls only. Grossly incorrect. I painted all partition walls. Why. Because cold air settles in them from to radiate cold all day, as the's wall hAve zero insulation. . Or seen differently cold  partitions sap your heat. To test this theory, I rest my cheek against painted and and fresh painted WITHOUT insuladd. It was huge difference. On side was cold. I used to walk barefoot winter tile floor after that. Manufacture told me only order his site. He said amazon insuladd fake. Dunno. Use the cheek test to verify. Insuladd allows u to paint one coat only. Increases durability, while it reduces mold. It's outer space in a sphere basically. Heat can't travel outer space. Nor can sound etc. 

usernamesolar

No i dont have refridgeration in conventional sense. I do have a huge refridgerator but it uses no electricity. It just taxes my freezer slightly.  It consists of 2 Coleman 6 day coolers s37 dollars eachieve amazon winter sale. . I use one liter bottle of my frozen virgin palm oil in each cooler, every couple days or so. 5 years worth of food (2 -3,000 lbs or so)  is stored in a cold room, (careful not to break your floor) back bedroom. Here the refrigerators stay also to bleed out cold air into the grain. . I go market once a month. $56 last month, $36 before that. I use hybrid technique to keep vegetables twice as long as google. (Dry cold air 2 weeks carrot, re hydrate carrots water, dry cold air again. Greens are just kept in a vase of water and keep 3 times as long. I collect most greens in the wild. Grains are fillers (SEE CHINESE FOOD) and grains are the key to my supplementing my monthly food bill. Walmart online is king. Free shipping thousands of lbs and best prices grains. God bless them....

China are intelligent people. The humans body is a furnace. Everytime u spend money on food, u now have NOTHING. CHines are brilliant at exploitinggdistributing a given amount of meat while incorporating every flavor and with focus on fillers. Same mexicans. 

    Solar meanwhile is sounding like a mistake no?  . Until u factor in Lucifer enforcing the chip shortly. well that And banks closing

Dave Angelini

BB. said:

I have to do some work today--So I cannot address your points/questions for a while.

But, can you please put in paragraphs "usernamesolar" (I have edited your last two comments)? It makes it much easier to answer/respond to your posts.

-Bill

Working on Sunday?  Must be those stucco windows.  I think a nice bottle of Bogel old vine ZIN will be the work for happy hour!

BB.

Yes, fixing Windows with water leaks.

Rain last weekend, no work.

Broken city water main today, almost no water.

-Bill

Photowhit

usernamesolar said:

 Walmart online is king. Free shipping thousands of lbs and best prices grains. God bless them....

Do your self a favor and find out where your nearest LDS Cannery is. The LDS church recommends that each member have a years supply of food on hand.

Dave Angelini

BB. said:

Yes, fixing Windows with water leaks.

Rain last weekend, no work.

Broken city water main today, almost no water.

-Bill

That sucks, I can drive up after the Giants beat the Dodgers tonight..... I know you are not a sports fan but how about the W's?
Thanks for all the great posts!  We love them!!!!

BB.

Actually, I am done! Just need to call the painters next.

Just dropping by once in awhile to wet the stucco in this hot/dry weather for rest of today and a couple times tomorrow.

-Bill

solar_dave

BB. said:

Actually, I am done! Just need to call the painters next.

Just dropping by once in awhile to wet the stucco in this hot/dry weather for rest of today and a couple times tomorrow.

-Bill

I can empathize bill, I chased a roof leak here for about the last 5 years, it would only leak under certain conditions (like wind blown from the south)  and that was so rare it didn't even leave any trace in the attic that anyone that was looking for it could see.  It was actually the solar vent fan installation that was at fault.