"Solar package special"

Arkansasoffgrid · February 2014

http://www.wholesalesolar.com/solarpowersystems/large-home-2-off-grid-solar-power-system.html
This package is all inclusive, even roof racking. It's made in USA, and I'd really like your opinions on this "package price" of $10700.00 including shipping. The only thing not included is wire from combiner box to charge controller, and batteries.

Cariboocoot · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Not this bunch again. *groan*
NO batteries = no system.
This is why off-grid systems are called "battery-based". You MUST design a system around the batteries. What you have there is a bunch of stuff they make a good profit on with no regard to whether or not it will meet the customer's needs. $2.58 per Watt, not including the essential batteries and installation.

Fifteen 265 Watt panels = 3975 Watt array. On a 48 Volt system that would provide 64 Amps charging power, enough for a theoretical 640 Amp hours of battery or 7.6kW hours DC @ 25% DOD (about 6.5kW hours AC or 8.2kW hours by the Icarus formula). Is that what you need?

This isn't the first time I've tried to steer people away from this marketing and these people specifically. It probably won't be the last. And NO, I DO NOT WORK FOR NAWS or anyone else.

offgrid me · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Read the small print racking is not included in the package. It is an optional item that will cost at least $1000. There are many other base of system components that you will need to source. Figure at least $15000 for the whole thing if you go with cheap batteries.
Ned

waynefromnscanada · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Unfortunately these "special packages" are aimed to suck in those who aren't familiar with off grid solar systems. Such a shame they are doing this to innocent people.

Arkansasoffgrid · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

offgrid me wrote: »

Read the small print racking is not included in the package. It is an optional item that will cost at least $1000. There are many other base of system components that you will need to source. Figure at least $15000 for the whole thing if you go with cheap batteries.
Ned

The roof mounted racking is a free promo. The advertisement is at top center of that page.

Arkansasoffgrid · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

waynefromnscanada wrote: »

Unfortunately these "special packages" are aimed to suck in those who aren't familiar with off grid solar systems. Such a shame they are doing this to innocent people.

This will be installed on my personal residence, so I'm asking the following questions in earnest. After speaking with a representative for about 30 minutes this morning I was told the following. Included in the package is the following, solar panels, roof racking, pv cabling, solar combiner box, Power center/charge controller, 2 96 inch battery cables. Other than the batteries what is it that I'm overlooking, as this will be my first experience with solar?

Cariboocoot · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

You're overlooking post #2 of this thread.

How much power do you need to supply?
That is the primary consideration for an off-grid system. Without that you're buying a bunch of "whatever" which inevitably leads to disappointment.
Then you size the batteries to fit those power demand needs.

This system may be too large or too small for what you require, and either way buying it is throwing away money. In other words you've got a 2/3 chance of it being wrong for you. Not good odds.

Arkansasoffgrid · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Cariboocoot wrote: »

You're overlooking post #2 of this thread.

How much power do you need to supply?
That is the primary consideration for an off-grid system. Without that you're buying a bunch of "whatever" which inevitably leads to disappointment.
Then you size the batteries to fit those power demand needs.

This system may be too large or too small for what you require, and either way buying it is throwing away money. In other words you've got a 2/3 chance of it being wrong for you. Not good odds.

I responded to that post but it apparently got lost, sorry about that. The specs on this package are actually 20-30% greater than what my load calculations are. But with a panel degradation of 20% over 25 yrs I should still be ok yrs down the road. Would rather buy a little "extra" now, than come up short at the end of the life cycle.

Cariboocoot · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Arkansasoffgrid wrote: »

I responded to that post but it apparently got lost, sorry about that.

No, we're sorry about that.

There have been forum issues with the upgrade.

The specs on this package are actually 20-30% greater than what my load calculations are. But with a panel degradation of 20% over 25 yrs I should still be ok yrs down the road. Would rather buy a little "extra" now, than come up short at the end of the life cycle.

Panels do not degrade 20% over 25 years. That's an old idea that seems totally inapplicable to modern panels. In 25 Years the panels will be out of warranty and probably be replaceable by much better panels at relatively lower cost (if things keep going the way they have been) if they need replacing at all.

You still haven't said how many Watt hours per day you expect to use or what the total maximum Watts at any given time may be. This information is critical to getting the right equipment. Get yourself a Kill-A-Watt meter and start measuring each and every thing you'd use in "real life" situation.

solar_dave · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Do you need to be off grid? Are you just trying to fix your electric costs? How about Grid tie? Or Hybrid Grid tie? Or even the new SMA grid tie inverters that have a hot plug when the sunshines? Batteries are a huge expense and maintenance item for a viable system.

Give us a hint as to your motivation.

Arkansasoffgrid · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

solar_dave wrote: »

Do you need to be off grid? Are you just trying to fix your electric costs? How about Grid tie? Or Hybrid Grid tie? Or even the new SMA grid tie inverters that have a hot plug when the sunshines? Batteries are a huge expense and maintenance item for a viable system.

Give us a hint as to your motivation.

Grid tie not really an option, too far from service and was given a quote of about 30,000 reasons to try solar off grid. $1 per reason.

solar_dave · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

Arkansasoffgrid wrote: »

Grid tie not really an option, too far from service and was given a quote of about $30,000 reasons to try solar off grid.

It is a good motivation.
Usually a good system is designed like this:
1. Determine loads
2. get battery to carry those loads for 2 to 3 days
3. get solar system to charge the needed battery
4. get generator to back up the solar system.

This gets the best system for your needs and gives the lowest possible cost structure.

zoneblue · February 2014

Re: "Solar package special"

$2.60 a watt without batterys doesnt sound like much of a deal. Our system was around $5 a watt, everything included. Thats NZ dollars, with exchange rate and all the crap import dutys and sales taxes here youd be looking about half that in USD. So what exactly was the attraction again?

It might be a bit of a learning curve figuring out all the parts if you DIY, but youll pretty much have to do that anyway with this "kit", to make sure you get it right.

"Solar package special"

Comments

Categories

&quot;Solar package special&quot;

Comments

Categories

"Solar package special"