Feeding Myself on 600 Watts... Salad Heaven...!!!

Wowabunga · April 2018

Just joined the boards and this is one of the best pics I've taken in 2018. Last November was pushed out of my job so I planted a lot of lettuce seeds on a mission to feed myself this year. Have been eating a salad a day roughly. Just inside the door is a grow room with a six bulb T-5 fixture that keeps the plants going strong on the cold days.

With Spring and Summer coming I hope to run my AC unit this summer if I can figure out how to add some recently purchased panels to the 3 Evergreens pictured. Heading over to the tech forum to figure this out....

Laugh Hard, Hang Tough, Lend a Hand
Ramblin Randy

Image: http://wowabunga.com/fun/solar/2018_solar_saladSM.jpg

westbranch · April 2018

Have you another couple o' pics of the barn or shed that's on the right of the PV's? might have to sacrifice where you were standing taking that pic...

Photowhit · April 2018

Looks like you are standing on a 2nd story roof, made of very heavy gauge roofing! Where in the world are you? Like the hoop green house.

Guess you were running the Evergreens through the C35 CC? You can might squeeze 2 on to the 15 amp MPPT charge controller, do you know if it can be over paneled?

You adventurous! You'll get mighty skinny on a diet of one salad a day! Might take up fishing, the water is about to 'turn over' and the fish should be plentiful. Should pay for a fishing license pretty quick if you have public fishing near by. It would add some protein to that diet!

Wowabunga · April 2018

I'm standing on the old tin roof of the old farm house I rent. To the right is a 6x12' sun room that I grow the young plants during mid winter. This time of year most of the plants are now heading to the hoop house. The hoop house is one of the best things I've ever built... the increase in plant growth is substantial and brought me red cherry tomatos last year mid May.

No one noticed my dumpster dove aluminum solar panel mounting frame ???? When Food Lion Grocery sold out to another chain, the dumper had 40 foot of aluminum awning that was part of an interior decoration scheme. I scrapped some of it but kept about 30 feet.

Eventually I wish to learn how to farm raise fish year round. I have acquired some large food grade tubs...!

The Morningstar 15amp MPPT will only push 400 wats no matter how much you over panel. The Morningstar rep said they build them like a tank and you can overpanel them but I forget how much. I'm risking burning it up as I have 615 watts ( 3 Evergreens ) hooked up right now. That stunt was only for the winter months with low horizon sun exposure. I'll be making a lot of changes this weekend. You're gonna love my budget "sun tracker" home brew panel rack I fabricated today... pics to come after the snow storm we're to get Saturday...!

westbranch · April 2018

well if you factor in a derating to 75% you are , on average, only getting about 461W , not far over the 400 solid watts it will push out, as MS said...
I noticed the home brew but what you make next depends on the space you will have... no?
yes, cold frames and a hot house are essentials in a northern climate.... and getting the produce to arrive on the table as needed is a problem for gardens on N facing slope. we have friends who plant later than we and start harvesting before as they get longer hours of Sunshine than we do... you must have a good sun exposure.

Feeding Myself on 600 Watts... Salad Heaven...!!!

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