Finally starting.

showme

This is my first post here, and I'm glad I found this place. My wife and I are buying 43 acres in southeast Missouri. I've been collecting information for decades, but the die is cast and we're building a solar (and wind) powered earth home. I'm a retired ironworker, and I'll have my shop and my wife will have her large garden spot, and the fun will begin. I will be leaning heavily on the members of this forum in the coming year. Thank you in advance! Lee

Raj174

Welcome to the forum Lee,
This is a good forum for off grid interests. I'm sure you will find the information and advice necessary to get your system designed and installed when you're ready. 

Rick

showme

Thanks, Rick. We're at the starting line for almost everything, as we have been waiting for a settlement on my working years' injuries, and next Tuesday we pick up the check. (It took 9 1/2 years to get to this). So, we've got the land ready to close on, and are tweaking our plans for the house and choosing appliances, genset, modules and batteries. I've already acquired some equipment over time (Xantrex power panel with an SW5548, c40 controller, dc disconnect/overcurrent module, ac disconnect, T240 unit, (8) Evergreen 120w modules, and a Bergey 1kw XL.1 with it's tilt up tower. Also have the Air X genny that came with the set up, but found the Bergey, so the Airx is for sale. I've found a neat set up for the genset, which is an lpg 11kw that was used for a communications tower back up. It comes with transfer switch, enclosed in a well built 9x7 shed with heat and light and a 500 gallon propane tank. Also looking at tractors (garden, mowing, private road maintenance), etc.

  I've been a Homepower subscriber since the 90's and have a library section on RE. Even went to San Juan College, Farmington, NM for a semester of RE classes before the wife decided we were too far from the kids and grandkids. Anyway, now is the time to begin. I've found (2) new, in box 5548's that will serve as our initial set up, with the used unit as a stand by. (Thanks, Michael!). Have to go pick them up in New Mexico soon.

   Our plan is to have the deep well drilled and the septic system installed, build a pole barn for our shop and temporary living quarters while we're at the property, (30 minutes south of our home), and jump start the tower raising and module installation to power the shop and pump while we wait on spring to get the earth home built. I've got so much to learn here it makes my head hurt.

Raj174

Sounds like quite a project. Hopefully you can use all the equipment you have to make a nicely balanced system. Many buy equipment before the know exactly what they need, but it sounds like you have done some homework on this. Anyway, when you're actually ready to begin, start a post stating what your goal is, what you have and what your expected loads will be, this needs to be as accurate as possible. With this, forum members will have enough information to give advice and ask informed questions.

Good luck,
Rick

mike95490

I'd leave the wind generator gear for last, since the vast majority of home-sites are not suitable for wind.   Sure, you get something, but in actuality, is it really worth it ?

showme

Thanks, Mike, but I've already got it. It will either be on and independent job like the pump or shop system, due to it's a 24v, until I get the upgrade for 48v. Since we'll be off grid, I'll take any power I can get, especially in the winter. Plus, we bought our land for the southern face AND where it sits wind wise. Bergey says $1,500 for the patch in the nacelle and a new charge control to replace the existing 24v. The good news is that the original owner had Bergey go over it before he sold it, so it's sellable to someone who might need a good Bergey controller. I understand what your saying, but why not use it if we've got it? We're on a southern Ozark 'mountain' (as we call them here) with a wide open north/west valley with no obstructions. I plan on having as much as we need for power. I'm starting to wonder if what we have in mind may even be overkill. As of now, we're looking at 7kw solar, plus the 1kw we've already got to power the minisplit (which may also not even be needed). Anyway, now is the time to get what we need, since the "award" money is what we're using to get this off the ground. Now all I need to do is find someone who knows more than I do about my system plan and jump in.

mike95490

Consider the work it will take to develop a tower, a way to get the turbine up and down the tower 2x a year for maintenance, and the inevitability of needing a generator anyway for times without wind.
Solar, without moving parts, is so much simpler than wind, and dump loads, brakes, greasing, brushes, tower issues.

geosierranevada

There is little if any maintenance for an XL1, in 16 years i have had to drop mine once because of a lightning strike burned out a minor electrical part, while it was down regreased bearings replaced part and put it back up ( gin pole ). 

Have a nice day    George

Estragon

I wish I had bearings like that on my car... just replaced them at ~70,000 mostly highway miles - equivalent to a few months of 24x7 wind time-wise

geosierranevada

Estragon,
I have a 85 ford diesel truck with 450,000 miles and have never changed bearings.  Bergey told me and their instructions say - go out side and look at your wind generator every so often to see it running and that is all the maintence it needs. Other then lowering it about every 10 or so years and greasing the bearings and inspecting the brushes or replacing them ( they sent me a set of brushes for free ).

Have a good day     George