Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

13

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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭✭
    #62
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Neil,
    Looking at the animated satellite coverage makes it look like Pa is a sink drain...the weather just keeps circling around, but not going down. I'm on the Ontario outskirts of your system and would appreciate it getting off the pot! A little air mass movement would be in order.

    http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/satellite/animateweb_e.html?imagetype=satellite&imagename=goes_enam_visible_m_..................jpg&nbimages=1&clf=1

    Best to display 48 images (bottom of page, then play)

    Ralph
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  • RRRAAAYYY2
    RRRAAAYYY2 Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
    #63
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)
    Ralph Day wrote: »
    Do you have automatic or manual louvres to stop reverse convection cooling at night? I imagine there would be a flow of cold air out the bottom if not.

    Ralph

    I have nothing on the house. On the shop unit we have dryer vent covers on the exit fans. I was supposed to have the home unit filtered, and was thinking the filter might slow that air movement down. (unless being sucked by the fans.

    Your thoughts? Ideas?

    Actually I also had it dawn on me that putting the dryer vent covers on the bottom, but reversed, would work as well.

    Thanks for bringing this all up for me.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #64
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    I have recently completed construction of a backup/supplemental solar power system. I have composed an article about it, which is attached to this message...

    sunpower.jpg
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #65
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    i did not read into your article very far, but i did try to zoom into the picture. i am assuming there is provision for changing the angle for better optimization and increasing the angle would give better winter results as lowering will be better for summer results. speaking of winter, you had better raise the whole thing at least several feet up off of the ground as snowfalls will build near the ground for one thing picture your deepest accumulations) and secondly the snows that slide off of the pvs will accumulate at the bottom of the pvs and this will add to what was already on the ground thus shading the pvs and the output from them will then be reduced until the snows dissipate.
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #66
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Overall, pretty good. Nice balance between the 50% discharge rule on the battery and the ability to recharge it from 410w of PV. For the cold though I think you should be okay adding another battery without upgrading the PV.

    I wouldn't trust that Power Jack half as far as I could throw it. Besides almost certainly being a blatant violation of your electric utility's terms of service, that company makes cheap (and dangerous) crap:

    http://ludens.cl/Electron/chinverter/chinverter.html

    (Yes, I know that page is about a different inverter. But it's from the same company.)

    Plug-in grid-tie inverters are a new phenomena, so they haven't yet been addressed by the powers that be. If I were a betting man I would put my money on that sort of gadget being explicitly outlawed in the not too distant future.
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  • nsaspook
    nsaspook Solar Expert Posts: 396 ✭✭✭
    #67
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)
    dwh wrote: »
    Overall, pretty good. Nice balance between the 50% discharge rule on the battery and the ability to recharge it from 410w of PV. For the cold though I think you should be okay adding another battery without upgrading the PV.

    I wouldn't trust that Power Jack half as far as I could throw it. Besides almost certainly being a blatant violation of your electric utility's terms of service, that company makes cheap (and dangerous) crap:

    http://ludens.cl/Electron/chinverter/chinverter.html

    (Yes, I know that page is about a different inverter. But it's from the same company.)

    Plug-in grid-tie inverters are a new phenomena, so they haven't yet been addressed by the powers that be. If I were a betting man I would put my money on that sort of gadget being explicitly outlawed in the not too distant future.

    That was a horror story.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #68
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Commenting on the comments...

    niel:
    * As illustrated in the article (page 2), the rack is fully adjustable, I plan to change the elevation 4 times a year with the seasons.
    * I'm not too worried about the snow, it's elevated more than the average roof mount, the difference being that it's easily accessible for snow removal. I have to go down there to shovel/sweep snow from the control box area anyway, so it should only take a few more minutes to clear any accumulation on or around the array. If I had been paid for all the time I have spent in my lifetime moving snow around, I could buy a cool Tesla electric roadster!

    dwh:
    * I could add another battery, but then the recovery time would suffer. I tried to keep the charge rate in the 10% range.
    * Yes, the weak link in the system is definitely the Chinese inverter. It was a budgetary compromise, the good one's are pretty pricey. That article was an eye-opener, I couldn't find any reviews before purchase. But, at a whopping $199, it was a reasonable gamble. It's been working ok for a couple of months, perhaps they've improved a little in the last 2 years. Sometimes you can get lucky, it could fry tomorrow, or last a few years, who knows. I guess it depends on the status of my electronics karma. If it blows up, I'll need to find a replacement. Any recommendations?
    * Grid-Tie?? This is not a grid-tie system.
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #69
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)
    InVenture wrote: »
    dwh:
    * Grid-Tie?? This is not a grid-tie system.

    No? My bad. I think it was these statements that confused me:

    "The house breaker box
    is located out on the
    power pole, which made
    it convenient to tie in the
    solar interface panel
    (grey box)."

    and

    "* Assuming the grid is up, I usually engage the system on sunny days powering a chosen circuit or two, in accordance with the particular
    activity of the day. Right now it's grid with solar backup, hopefully progressing to solar with grid backup in the future."


    Maybe you could put some explanation in the article about how exactly you tied the two breaker panels together? (And how it doesn't violate code.)
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #70
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    hello, i am new to this site, and have a lot of reading to do.

    I am from Belgium, and would like to share my website about our PV-installation:

    http://photovoltaic-eddie.host-ed.net/
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #71
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)
    edraket wrote: »
    hello, i am new to this site, and have a lot of reading to do.

    I am from Belgium, and would like to share my website about our PV-installation:

    http://photovoltaic-eddie.host-ed.net/

    Welcome, and hopefully you find value here. Nice 8600 watt system you have there!
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  • samuel
    samuel Solar Expert Posts: 80 ✭✭✭✭
    #72
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    6x 135W Kyocera solar panels
    Xantrex MS3000 inverter (12V)
    Xantrex C60 charge controller
    14x Johnson Control 6V 220Ah batteries
    12V LED lighting (an experiment)

    http://offgridcabin.wordpress.com/

    Brief site description:

    In 2009 I began to research solar energy as a viable and cost-effective source of power for my family's off-grid cabin. Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, five miles from the nearest blacktop road and over 3 miles from the power grid, our only option was to generate electricity on site. In Spring of 2010 the last wires were connected and the dream of a cabin using electricity not generated from an internal combustion engine was finally realized. The scope of this blog is to highlight the mistakes and successes that I encountered while designing and assembling the off-grid system.

    f12869761.jpg
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  • vcallaway
    vcallaway Solar Expert Posts: 157 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #73
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Very nice setup.

    Your blog is certainly worth the read.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #74
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Hy all,here is my blog Diy Solar Panels,its about...well solar panels with a section for wind energy(but im currently looking for reference on that so hooping i can find some tips here)

    Stop by,check it out,give me some pointers on it,i will appreciate it.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #75
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)
    Timothy wrote: »
    Hy all,here is my blog Diy Solar Panels,its about...well solar panels with a section for wind energy(but im currently looking for reference on that so hooping i can find some tips here)

    Stop by,check it out,give me some pointers on it,i will appreciate it.

    IMHO, I realize you are trying to make money, but sites that promote building your own PV panels are borderline misleading at most. There is no way that any DIY promotion like this can, in the long term, do more than make profit for it's promoters. There's no way that any DIY panel can give long term reliability and thus usefulness during real world use, and will thus result in consumer disillusionment with the solar industry. The average struggling homeowner that these things are aimed at, can never come anywhere close to manufacturing an acceptable, reliable and useful solar panel on his or her kitchen table.
    That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
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  • wrdaigle
    wrdaigle Solar Expert Posts: 65 ✭✭✭✭
    #76
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Here a link to my blog:

    http://bluecloudpowerco.blogspot.com/
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #77
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    here i slink to my site, where is detailed explanation on how to make solar air heater...

    http://solar.freeonplate.com/solar_panel_DIY.htm

    file.php?id=100&t=1
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  • Brianellul
    Brianellul Solar Expert Posts: 95 ✭✭
    #78
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    A link to my blog can be found here
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #79
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    28 evergreen panels
    east side is 14 panels and makes up one circut, west side is identical
    Aurora pvi 6000 KW grid tie inverter
    Near Charlotte, NC.

    Neighbor's first comment was I will never sell my house now. :blush:Attachment not found.
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  • lesbec
    lesbec Registered Users Posts: 1
    #80
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.151977158258729.28458.100003393372569&type=3&l=ff2354c66e
    Progressive photos.

    Attachment not found.
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  • climb
    climb Registered Users Posts: 1
    #81
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    My tiny PV system is growing up ...
    LINK
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  • kellylipp
    kellylipp Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭✭
    #82
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    I finally got my blog started:

    http://cuernoverdesolar.wordpress.com/

    I've also posted my paper on the two RV solar installs that I have done. This paper has diagrams and photos of a PWM and MPPT install. The PWM was 390W dual battery system without an inverter. The MPPT is 735W quad battery with inverter.

    http://cuernoverdesolar.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/318sab-solar-install.pdf

    Thanks for the forum!

    Kelly
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #83
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    for what it's worth i'll give you an A as that was all nicely planned and laid out. only drawback was you could've elaborated a bit more on the batteries, what type and where + how located. noted that you copy righted your paper. rarely done unless for business purposes.
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  • Brianellul
    Brianellul Solar Expert Posts: 95 ✭✭
    #84
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Link to my blog. Enjoy :D
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  • bobby, lin
    bobby, lin Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #85
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Is there have enough solar energy to use on 23 degrees north latitude ?
    Is it useful and efficiently?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #86
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Bobby Lin,

    In the summer, usually yes... In the winter, not very much.

    My suggestion--Pick a location and what you want to power (and how many Watt*Hours per day you need to be successful).

    We then go through a paper design cycle to show how to work the problem.

    Speaking generically is almost always more confusing... System design is based around real needs. Generic design questions give unfocused/complex "what if" answers .

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #87
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Bill, 23 degrees North Latitude is barely off the Equator! You should see what it's like at 52 degrees North Latitude!

    BTW Germany is at the same high Latitude as we are in British Columbia, and they have a huge amount of solar installed. I see no reason why 23 degree wouldn't work year-round.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #88
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Sorry Marc, you are correct... I was thinking 23 degrees from north.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • nsaspook
    nsaspook Solar Expert Posts: 396 ✭✭✭
    #89
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    I think we need a safety section for proper DC wiring.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRwIrbK8KDI

    Always double check your connections
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #90
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Just to be clear--He is doing these examples of what can go wrong with, what appear to be, nearly dead batteries.

    If these were fully charged large/AGM battery banks--Think good size arc welder spot welding wrenches to terminals, etc.

    A couple of videos I have posted before:

    This Youtube video is an example of an breaker for US house wiring switching switching off relatively high DC voltage (~290 Vmp array @ 12 amps)... and you can see that it breaks out in fire
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLX9cdB4TFQ

    This video (2nd half) shows what 300 amps at 12 volts can do to a nail/screw/bolt in a short circuit:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avg5mJw0qHc

    So--What is the take away from all of this? More or less, arcing starts to be a problem around 12 VDC... And becomes a larger problem at higher voltages. Does this tell you that a 12 VDC battery is safe on an AC rated fuse/breaker--No. Does it mean that it is safer than a 290 VDC circuit on an AC fuse/breaker--probably.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #91
    Re: Pics, Movies, or links for personnal sites and blogs (no commercial)

    Always loved his videos, he manages to include all the 'stupid' bits that can happen accidentally...

    as BB Bill says, do not so as He does!...
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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