Newbie Solar question, inverter.

dav9317
dav9317 Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hi guys, I'm a newbie and here is my setup I'd like to have grid tied residential with NO battery backup.

I'd like a 10kw system.

Northern Hemisphere south of San Antonio, TX. All same 340watt panels
south side 16 panels no shadows
north side (raised panels facing south) 10 panels (no shadows)
east side 4 panels facing south (no shadows)

I'd prefer to have more panels, but it all comes down to the inverter pricing. I prefer cost effective. I hear its better to have more than one inverter connected together don't know. Thanks!
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    What are the electric rates you are paying ? 
    Rule of thumb $4 per watt installed.  If you install 10Kw, expect a 45kwh daily harvest.
    How long is your payback period for the solar ? 

    Will the money earn more elsewhere?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • dav9317
    dav9317 Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭
    #3
    9.4cents a kwh, Payback period <8.5years preferred, Roofer installing panels $3000-$4000. Metals may be custom made. 
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    $40,000 installed, rough guess
    45kwh daily harvest = $4.23 daily savings  $40K / 4.23  = 26 years break even, with no repair expenses.


    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    I don't know what "north side facing south" etc means.

    Getting 10kw of panels for $3-4000 "roofer installed" with "metals may be custom made" sounds kinda sketchy to me.

    Is 9.4 cents/kwh what you pay, or what you'll actually get from local utility selling into the grid.
    ? They can be very different.

    Not trying to diss the idea, but just don't want you to get ripped off, or maybe worse, have someone bolt some mess of dead panels with pipe strapping to your roof, take the money, and watch the mess blow away along with your roof in the first thunderstorm.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • SupraLance
    SupraLance Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭✭
    #6
    I'm pretty sure "north side facing south" refers to panels mounted with the bottom of the panel at the roof ridge, with the panel over the north facing slope of the roof, but racked up to face south.  It's basically racking created to make more south facing slope over the portion of your house where the roof slopes north. The racking has to be stronger than normal roof racking to resist the additional wind load.
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #7
    @SupraLance - that sort of makes sense. Racking that worries me though.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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