Snow in remote cabin solar setup

Re: Snow in remote cabin solar setup

I'm not sure what the average snowfall is in the area, but I'm guessing somewhere over 100 inches. I've heard someone mention over 200 inches a few years ago. We are at 9600 feet of elevation.

Here are some summer pictures, one close up of the solar panel in the summer shortly after we put it up. Another is a view looking down from an overlook where you can see the panels as well as the old harbor freight panels that have been taken down since then.

Really happy with the setup, even though its been cobbled together with used panels, a Rogue charger (love that thing), 4 golf cart batteries a few inverters, and a Trimetric battery monitor. We consume around 50-60 a-h per day when we are there and the panels/batteries work great to keep us with our minimal use.

Re: Snow in remote cabin solar setup

Photowhit wrote: »

Wow, Looks like you had 30"+ still on the ground, did you ski or snow mobile in?

We had a meer 18-20" of snow here in Mid Missouri a couple weeks ago and I was snowed in for 3 1/2 days! a fellow down the road had a heart attack and the National guard came in to take him out and they lost a transmision in the Humvee on the last hill going out... I ran out when they came back by the cabin just to wave at another human.

We ended up getting a dozer to clear the snow, problem was we had 1/2 inch of ice on the roads first so our backhoe and regular 4wds were useless. We're within an inch or so of the heaviest snow year ever here and that's just around 45".

We snowmobile'd in. We've also snowshoe'd in which is entirely doable. I've attached a couple more pictures from the front of the cabin and the outhouse and wood shed so you can see more images of the snow accumulation. We don't get much wind down in this valley.

Your experience in Missouri is amazing - all that snow in such a short time, then on top of a base of ice to boot. For many parts of the country its been a really tough winter. Colorado mostly just got some real cold weather. Can't wait for spring.

Re: Snow in remote cabin solar setup

icarus wrote: »

(Highlights the value of wall mounting a number of panels in remote sites where snow is an issue. No matter how much snow is on the roof, I have 150 watts charging from the wall mounts.)

Tony

Tony, I got the idea from reading one of your post on this forum. I've got that one single 50 watt panel setup in the winter with a 90 degree tilt and way off the ground to catch some sun rays thru the trees, then come summer I tilt it back to a more conventional summer tilt.

It is a life saver to keep some charge on the batteries thru the winter when the other panels get buried. The batteries seem to be fine even though it gets well below zero F.

Re: Snow in remote cabin solar setup

We were up this past weekend and got a chance to check on the snow, hoping more had melted, but there was still quite a bit although the panels were clear.



Batteries where in great shape from spending 4 months in deep freeze where temps dipped to 25 below zero F outside and minus 15 inside. I used the Rogue to equalize for 30 minutes to get rid of any stratified acid.

Re: Snow in remote cabin solar setup

niel wrote: »

on observing the latest pic that snow is built up behind the pvs and could endanger the wires that are dangling beneath. maybe tie the wires off to prevent an unexpected disconnect or short.

Good observation on the risk of snow slide off the roof would possibly take out the wires behind the panels. I have extra slack in the wiring from the winter tilt which gets taken up during the summer when I change to summer tilt angle. I should have tied off the cables to remove that slack during winter months.

In hindsight, I'd have raised the panels even higher - something I might do if I get time this summer.