Attaining Nirvana

solorone
solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
"An ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy"

After 18 months of reworking our entire solar setup, we have replaced everything but the trackers and the 200 feet of 4/0 conduit. We harvested 16.6 KW Saturday, and this was only because we had electric space heaters turned on,:D. That was nice just put it up under my desk on that cold breezy day. :<)

Our system was set for an upgrade in 07, about the time we all suffered under the financial crash, and as a retired commercial builder who had turned his idol hand to building custom homes, I fell harder than many others, then there was 3 years of cancer for my wife and I. Our Arco setup was being pushed beyond its expiration date.
So now we have joined the modern updated world of solar gear that I had only, been selling to my old customers and could not install for myself till now. It is most pleasurable to see 140 + A @ 24 V flowing to the batteries and the rest running the house. Turn the lights off? Heck no, no need, have more power than I will ever use for now. We have planned a setup that will provide enough power on cloudy days to operate the base power requirements of our home. The sweetest part is it has been 47 days, that was when the second array came on line, since we have had to run a generator to boost the batteries. We built new arrays and used the old trackers to install 24, Sharp 250 W panels, we have 22 mounted now, we can easily expect a 20 KW output, if I ever have a need for it.

I wonder what folks thought when they found a huge pile of solar panels in the collection center, I imagine a few found their way to someone's home, bet they were also very disappointed.
Just wanted to share.
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Comments

  • gww1
    gww1 Solar Expert Posts: 963 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: Attaining Nirvana

    No generator, cool.
    gww
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Attaining Nirvana

    Old Arco 4 volt nominal panels? Retired for one of the first large solar arrays? Took 3 or 4 in a series to charge 12 volt systems? I think they use reflectors to boast the wattage and they aged very quickly.

    I would have loved to have one just for the stories/history! Likely they still produce something, but if they don't know what they have, they'll have a hard time figuring it out!
    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.
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  • solorone
    solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Attaining Nirvana

    Actually the ARCOs were 15 or 16 V in the 50s and 16/17 V in the 55s, I still have a couple of these. I ran the federal reserve calculator, and it seems I paid in todays money about 10.50$ a watt for ARCOs, making todays panels, CHEAP AS CHIPS !!

    gww1; The generator not being needed is a great benefit I had not given much thought to, just new it would be greatly relieved. We have had an unusually long run of sunshine here, and only 2 days of clouds and rain during which I could test the cloud output, we did get 4/5 A. during a light drizzle I am sure the generator will make a come back with the clouds. I remember 22 days of clouds some 20 years ago, now that was a real bummer. We went on line with the third array a week ago, still cleaning up the wiring and wind strapping.
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  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Attaining Nirvana

    Do you have any p ictures?
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


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  • solorone
    solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Attachment not found. Re: Attaining Nirvana

    Looking for a round toit, need to clean up and tidy up, have another bit of work on controls to get my wiring to look a bit neater. When last connection was done, wife and I just moved to easy chairs with a hugh sigh of relief, now on house painting to finish before thanksgiving. Will post later here.
    OK did find an earlier image that was a bit cleaner before the upper array came on line.
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