How to do it right

hotdawg23
hotdawg23 Solar Expert Posts: 32
Hello all, am new to this forum and new to solar energy as well. Am learning a lot jus by readin all the history here but many questions still remain. Will post as they come up/
Thanks, hotdawg23:

Comments

  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: How to build solar panel enclosures

    without doing more than mentioning that your starting in the middle, and can you really get them built and mounted to glass with backing for less than 75 cents a watt, or completed panels for less than $1.50 a watt, and if your in the US you'll get a 30% tax credit for your house or recreational home, so call it $1.10 a watt...

    I would build them much as comercial panels are made, basically mounting them to glass with a tedar backing, though a few use a glass backing. I personally would build a big vacum frame, to suck out the air, but I think you would want to see one in action at a picture framing shop, pretty much nothing is heat mounted any more.

    There are places that sell the backing, tedar or something like it. I'm not sure that NAWS does.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • hotdawg23
    hotdawg23 Solar Expert Posts: 32
    Re: How to do it right

    Thanks so much. The original question is not there anymore cause i lost it all during an edit process and decided not to redo it as your answer was very informative and gets me started.
    As i said i am new to solar stuff and i thought getting the panels was the first step.. Where should i actually begin?
    thanks
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: How to do it right

    You start by figuring out what you want the solar power for: experimentation and learning, power a remote installation or RV, back-up for power outages, et cetera. Once you determine that we can let you know how practical it is. Remember that this stuff is expensive, so the first rule is to reduce the amount of power you need to supply as much as possible. And that goes for all solar installs, including grid-tie.
  • hotdawg23
    hotdawg23 Solar Expert Posts: 32
    Re: How to do it right

    Thanks Cariboocoot.
    I actually want to do a grid tie in with my system to minimize power costs. Live in Houston Texas and heat plus humidity are a/c absorbers. Even with a brand new heavily insulated house with state of the art 2010 a/c units the bill is still too high. A/C units run 40 minutes of each hour. Appliances and lighting are all energy efficient as well and do not use much power.
    So far i have puschased 2KV worth of solar cells but by the looks of all the posts. making your own panels is futile so will probably have to buy ready mades.
    Anyway, have configured a system that is 48V and consists of 10 panels to be installed in wide open area around my barn. Have opted to use old power poles, which i have a lot of, to mount the panels on. 5 will face East and 5 will face West.
    Am retired so this is one of my many projects i am working on.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: How to do it right
    hotdawg23 wrote: »
    ...Have opted to use old power poles, which i have a lot of, to mount the panels on. 5 will face East and 5 will face West....

    SE & SW facing will give you a bit more power I think.
    try the planner at PV Watts to see what production could be
    http://mapserve3.nrel.gov/PVWatts_Viewer/index.html
    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 ,

  • Seven
    Seven Solar Expert Posts: 292 ✭✭
    Re: How to do it right

    I am in your same boat hotdawg. 115* and everything in the house is new, 2300kwh last month. Only a quarter of that in the Texas winter. Add a couple of feet of insulation in your attic and hope for rain. The mini-split systems are the only way I have seen to keep the costs down, but then you have to localize where you are in the house to stay cool. I wish we had basements here.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: How to do it right

    DO you guys have some form of net metering? We do here in AZ and my system over produces my total usage 7-8 months out of the year and the utility banks the excess to be drawn down during the peak cooling months. If so then you really need to look at your annual usage and plan accordingly.
  • Seven
    Seven Solar Expert Posts: 292 ✭✭
    Re: How to do it right

    It is available where I am, but the system has to be a certain size to do it. They do charge for the service also. I want to say it is 3K as a minimum, but I can't state that as fact.
  • hotdawg23
    hotdawg23 Solar Expert Posts: 32
    Re: How to do it right

    I am not familiar with that system, can you explain a little nore on it> Would appreciate it.
    On the matter of solar energy seems to me that i may be going at this thing in the wrong fashion but i still will go forth as it has become very interesting. Makes me wonder if solar power will replace the power companies.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: How to do it right

    Grid Tied solar can actually be a bit less expensive that grid power--especially in some states (my power costs run from $0.09 to $0.40+ per kWH off peak/summer peak).

    Off Grid power, if you buy mostly new components, assume batteries last 8-15 years and inverter/charge controllers last ~10 years--You are looking at $1-$2+ per kWH...

    And as power / fuel costs go up, so do costs for electronics and batteries (material, transportation, etc.).

    So--if you have utility power, the best you can do is break even or even save some money during summer AC season...

    In any case, try for conservation--it is almost always cheaper to conserve a Watt*Hour than to generate a Watt*Hour.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • hotdawg23
    hotdawg23 Solar Expert Posts: 32
    Re: How to do it right
    Seven wrote: »
    I am in your same boat hotdawg. 115* and everything in the house is new, 2300kwh last month. Only a quarter of that in the Texas winter. Add a couple of feet of insulation in your attic and hope for rain. The mini-split systems are the only way I have seen to keep the costs down, but then you have to localize where you are in the house to stay cool. I wish we had basements here.

    Thanks fpr input and i see we are in same boat and u do know what i am up against in this heat.
    I guess i should not complain cause my peak so far for 12 months running has been a little over 1100 KW, just under $150 for the month. I am just doing the solar thing out of pure interest to see where it will take me. I built my house my self and it has 2600 sq feet in it. It has 2 three ton Luxaire high effeciency units with R410 running thru its veins. R19 in walls and R30 in attic. Have tech shield decking and peak roof vents that run the full length. Roof is pitched at 9 in 12 so the heat will actually chennel out thru the peaks.
    Anyway, i spent a lot of time and $$ getting it right so i could beat the power companies/ he he.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: How to do it right
    hotdawg23 wrote: »
    I am not familiar with that system, can you explain a little nore on it> Would appreciate it.
    On the matter of solar energy seems to me that i may be going at this thing in the wrong fashion but i still will go forth as it has become very interesting. Makes me wonder if solar power will replace the power companies.

    Net metering is where the meter spins backward if you generate more power than you are consuming. My system in AZ generates lots of extra power in the winter and spring, the utility gets to sell it to my neighbor. I then get to use this power "bank" in the summer months to offset my excess consumption. My excess generation in the fall is tallied up on Dec 31, and a $$ credit is put on my account with the utility. The rub usually is the amount they pay maybe much less than the retail rate you would buy at, but this varies by utility. This year the $$ credit was enough to cover all the miscellaneous expenses with the utility until this months bill.

    Check with your utility provider and see if they have a net metering plan, it is a very cost effective way to size a system against your annual consumption instead of your peak consumption.