know of any solar complete kits?

Leehamrick
Leehamrick Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
I'm looking to set up a 200 - 300 watt system for off the grid use
Does anybody sell a decent kit that's not over priced?
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    Two pieces of advice:

    1). "200 - 300 Watt system" can mean many different things, all of them wrong for sizing an off-grid system. What you want is a number for Watt hours on a good day, and even that will be relative to the specific site. It's not like a grid-tie system where panel Watts & inverter Watts come together for a maximu output capacity.

    2). Avoid "kits" of any sort as they tend to be made up of whatever makes the most profit for the seller, not what fits your power needs.
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  • Leehamrick
    Leehamrick Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭
    #3
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    I'm looking for off grid,, I have two 12 volt deep cycle batteries that will be used for emergency back lighting.
    And I'm using 12 volt lights.
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    what is your estimate of time those lights will be on and their wattage?
     
    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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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    And the Volts is only half the issue: do you have an Amp hour rating for those batteries?
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  • Leehamrick
    Leehamrick Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭
    #6
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    yes on the battery-- 114hrs @1a is that what you meant?
    I charged the batteries up and tried them out and they did what I needed them to do--have two

    What is a good brand of panels?
    And what is a good brand of controllers?
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  • Leehamrick
    Leehamrick Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭
    #7
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    I'm using SMD for lighting I'm not sure but I think they pull like .3 amp ea
    and I may run them 8 hrs at a time and no more than 3 at once usually only two
    westbranch wrote: »
    what is your estimate of time those lights will be on and their wattage?
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    The batteries should have a rating in Amp hours at the "20 hour rate". This is the default standard for off-grid capacity ratings and is used for sizing the array and charge controller.

    "114 hours @ 1 Amp" doesn't make sense to me. Do you have a make, model/size? Are they RV/Marine type?
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    i think he's saying he will use 1a for up to 114hrs. this still does not tell us the pertinent battery info.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    It's not a "kit" but I have some some simple, DIY plans (sketches actually) that can easily be scaled up to a 100w glass PV panel. I call it my Solar Monolith:
    attachment.php?attachmentid=384&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1234752636

    attachment.php?attachmentid=385&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1234752653
    Stick a dolly under it, roll it to where you want, aim at sun, enjoy.

    Update pictures/information here.
    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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  • ajhs
    ajhs Registered Users Posts: 3
    #11
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    I've seen ads for SolMan. Any opinions on that one? Looks pretty plug & play.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?
    ajhs wrote: »
    I've seen ads for SolMan. Any opinions on that one? Looks pretty plug & play.

    Define "plug and play".
    If it's one of those illegal GT systems that you literally plug into an outlet, forget it.
    If it's a stand-alone off-grid system, it probably will not suit your needs.

    On the whole, "solar kits" are not a good idea. That is mainly because in the world of solar electric power one size does not fit all. It usually doesn't fit anybody, in fact.
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  • ajhs
    ajhs Registered Users Posts: 3
    #13
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    Define "plug and play".
    If it's one of those illegal GT systems that you literally plug into an outlet, forget it.
    If it's a stand-alone off-grid system, it probably will not suit your needs.

    On the whole, "solar kits" are not a good idea. That is mainly because in the world of solar electric power one size does not fit all. It usually doesn't fit anybody, in fact.

    OK. Thanks for the info. It looks like you just point it at the sun, plug in whatever you want to power and go, but that would be too simple to really do the job, wouldn't it. I guess it's aimed at people who don't know all the ins & outs and don't really want to learn. Personally, I have a lot to learn, so thanks for the help. I can get so much great help from this forum!
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #14
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?
    ajhs wrote: »
    OK. Thanks for the info. It looks like you just point it at the sun, plug in whatever you want to power and go, but that would be too simple to really do the job, wouldn't it. I guess it's aimed at people who don't know all the ins & outs and don't really want to learn.
    My guess is that it's aimed at people who are ripe to be taken advantage of.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #15
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    In the end--Determine your power needs, define the system (battery first, then solar panels, sizing backup power such as AC charger grid connected and/or backup genset, then lastly start picking the hardware).

    At this point, you can evaluate the "plug and play" system and see if it meets your needs and is cost effective, or if you want to piece the system together.

    -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 ✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: know of any solar complete kits?

    From the OP's description it sounds like one of those portable power units with the tiny battery, tiny solar panel, and tiny MSW inverter meant to lull people into thinking they can run their refrigerator when the grid goes down. As we have discussed these before on the forum I'll just cut to the chase: they do not work as advertised.
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