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1. Posted: 9 Mar 2016 15:24 - Off-Grid Living / Black Friday Solar Panels at solarblvd.com
OssieListon Try using the "Search" option at the top to find helpful tips and advice on solar panels. there are MANY threads about Solar panels It's a word that pops up 1333 times on this site so I'm sure you...
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2. Posted: 9 Mar 2016 10:51 - Off-Grid Living / Black Friday Solar Panels at solarblvd.com
Hi, i am new to the Solar field and want to install it as soon as possible. I want to know how many PV cell chassis i need for my load i.e 5KW? Also what type of batteries i should use and what about the dire...
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3. Posted: 8 Mar 2016 21:24 - Off-Grid Living / Don't forget to adjust panel angle for season change
...ave designed my panels as ground based so they can be cleaned and maintained daily (thanks to close proximity of Douglas Fir trees) and a two hour max charge window each day, (as you know, I have a lousy location for solar) but the fact that changing the angle from 46 to 42 degrees did improve panel output consistently by 0.65 to 1.20 amps over previo...
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4. Posted: 4 Mar 2016 08:26 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
Just keep in mind, for the cost of that solar tracker you could add 2 more panels to your system, and have more output for less $ invested. This is the trend in the industry. Things that move tend to brea...
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5. Posted: 3 Mar 2016 20:05 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
...l wire (e.g. panels are not on your roof) or are on a mtn top, you can take your chances (we are on a Mtn top, and have 3500 feet of wire== big lightening antenna) I would encourage you to get more solar panels, though with the midnight you could easily add another 3 panels in the future w/ out changing out any components. I think ...
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6. Posted: 3 Mar 2016 18:52 - General Forum / Break ins/cabin security
Buckybuck, I've not read here of anyone ever having a solar panel stolen. Not heard of solar stuff stolen elsewhere, either. I think you are safe to leave one out. I think the small battery drain is great!...
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7. Posted: 3 Mar 2016 18:18 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
MtnDon I like supporting the solar industry in the US. We need to do that, when possible. I'm pretty stoked, actually, that my panels and pellet stove are Oregon-made. Other components are from ...
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8. Posted: 3 Mar 2016 17:23 - General Forum / Break ins/cabin security
...k would automatically turn itself off because the control unit doesn't draw enough of a load to keep the power bank turned on. I'm probably going to hook the battery up to a little trickle solar charger I've got. I don't like leaving things like solar panels out in plain view, but even the best battery is going to self-discharge ov...
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9. Posted: 3 Mar 2016 14:31 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
I know very little about solar!! So just asking a question, will 3- 325 watt panels keep that lithium battery charged?
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10. Posted: 2 Mar 2016 20:01 - Member's Projects and Photos / Julie's Cabin
...roject thread. The summary and back story. Pics are at the bottom of the post! I'm building a 14 X 24 (unless the engineer tweaks that) gambrel cabin on 2.5 acres in southern Oregon. Off-grid, solar power, non-electric and gravity-fed Wiseway pellet stove, cistern, compost toilet. I live in Texas and am currently getting ready for my move. It's a bit of a challenge to not ...
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11. Posted: 2 Mar 2016 17:37 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
OK, this is kind of funny. I started Googling to see if I could find more competitive pricing on the SolarWorld panels and learned a bit more about the company and panels. I already knew that the panels are American and well-regarded bu...
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12. Posted: 2 Mar 2016 14:33 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
Mountain Madness That's a decent package. Some folks here have had good or mixed experiences with Renogy so I've kind of been leery. I looked at packages -- Solar Warehouse has them, too -- and found that I wanted to swap out some things in them. The combiner boxes and such that are included aren't terribly expensive items. I think that t...
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13. Posted: 2 Mar 2016 12:55 - Off-Grid Living / Solar components
"Full Disclaimer" I know nothing about solar equipment. Maybe another option. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Renogy-1000-Watts-12-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar-Cabin-Kit-/2 81785684129?var=&hash=item419bbc50a1:m:m...
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14. Posted: 1 Mar 2016 14:25 - Off-Grid Living / Small Cabin - No Electricity or Running Water
...ow big is your cabin going to be,you might think about building it on a floating concrete slab, then you wont have to worry about blocks settling and no jacking it up later. You say you want to use solar panels which is fine ,but you have electric right there ,somebody is paying a monthly meter charge for the power at the grain bins. The cost for the wire and ...
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15. Posted: 1 Mar 2016 11:08 - Off-Grid Living / Small Cabin - No Electricity or Running Water
... an outlet to the electrical box on the light pole. It will come in handy for construction and power tools. I would only use that for back-up power once the cabin is functional. My friend has some solar panels that I plan on using. Water - There is a well, but it was capped when the house was torn down (it was torn down about 15 years ago.) The well had gone sou...
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16. Posted: 29 Feb 2016 13:28 - Off-Grid Living / Living on a rock
... really do some neat things with a 120 volt system that you may find useful for other applications - and you can use standard household lamps to run them. I am in no way an electrician or a seasoned solar expert but a solar newby that is sold on this type of system. For my water system, I am using a 12v Sure-flow water pump that cycles automatically and has a small e...
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17. Posted: 29 Feb 2016 07:59 - Cabin Construction / Generator backup question
Good day everyone! I have what I believe will be an extremely simple question. I have a small cabin that is lit by solar panels. I'll use an inverter for making coffee and small tasks as needed. I am going to install two 110 outlets powered by a generator for very occasional use...
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18. Posted: 29 Feb 2016 07:08 - Off-Grid Living / Living on a rock
Thanks everyone for the replies!! Quoting: beachmanGo with a simple solar set up with a panel (225 to 300 watt) set in a southerly direction, This is enough to do the job??Quoting: MtnDon Systems that rely on generators to recharge the b...
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19. Posted: 28 Feb 2016 15:23 - Off-Grid Living / Living on a rock
...lace of a normal bulb. Run them off USB power banks, like those sold to recharge cell phones and tablets. You can buy a lot of these USB power banks for the price of a couple of golf cart batteries, solar panels, or a generator, and you avoid the time and aggravation of having to run wiring. Charge the USB power banks at home and bring them with you. I know a 5000 m...
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20. Posted: 28 Feb 2016 12:20 - Off-Grid Living / Living on a rock
My 2 cents. Since you are planning to run 14/2 Romex, I would highly recommend solar. We have about the same propane set up and the lights do give off a lot of heat in the summer. Fall, winter and spring you will want that warmth. Go with a simple solar...
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21. Posted: 28 Feb 2016 09:42 - Off-Grid Living / Living on a rock
...o mask the noise...but I'm feeling it would need to run for 8-10 hours when we got to the point of needing a recharge....not the best solution. We get a terrific westerly breeze and ample southern exposure..so solar and wind may work...but I can't seem to get the math right as to what I would need for those. I think either would work but I'd rather not put pan...
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22. Posted: 27 Feb 2016 18:38 - Off-Grid Living / Small Cabin - No Electricity or Running Water
...a used camper-trailer may be an option? Possibly such a trailer with a framed addition & the woodstove in the corner. For a day or two bi-monthly (2-4 days per month) do you need tons of room, solar panels, on demand water heaters, et all? When we were building our first cabin, the kids were 12 & 15 & while building we used a wall tent for the wife ...
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23. Posted: 27 Feb 2016 16:42 - Member's Projects and Photos / Southern Ohio Cabin Dream Coming True
...wondered why I haven't see you much but a beach in Florida sounds really nice. You should have stopped up a few Sundays ago as we could have probably used your help. Yes I am still planning on solar and was going to order the solar panels and charge controller very soon but with the injury I am going to hold off for a bit. I am currently using ...
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24. Posted: 25 Feb 2016 16:23 - General Forum / Break ins/cabin security
...at off an old motorcycle battery. (I'm trying to keep everything as small and unobtrusive as possible, meaning I'd rather not power the unit at my cabin from a larger deep cycle battery and solar panel). I'll keep you updated on how long that motorcycle battery powers the Smart Alert control unit.
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25. Posted: 22 Feb 2016 18:11 - Off-Grid Living / Seems solarific (WindyNation kit)
...hen figure out what inverter will handle the load. Then figure out what size battery bank you need to support that load and how many cloudy days you want the batteries to hold out. After that, you determine the total solar panel wattage you need, taking your location into account. If that is your approach to system design you are more of an expert than many.... I ca...
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26. Posted: 22 Feb 2016 16:23 - Off-Grid Living / Seems solarific (WindyNation kit)
Quoting: SE OhioNorthRick,Would appreciate your suggestions for a better solar setup. Have a neighbor considering making the plunge. Maybe others here too?SE Ohio I'm no expert, however, most people start in the wrong order. Such as, "I got these ...
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27. Posted: 21 Feb 2016 19:13 - Off-Grid Living / Solar Advice
I certainly don't know much about designing solar panel systems (gasp), but the one thing I would like to read more about in the forums is how to properly house the system. I have read that the batteries have to be ...
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28. Posted: 21 Feb 2016 16:53 - Off-Grid Living / Solar Advice
... night (i.e. fireplace fan, TV)? *** You need a battery charger. Power the battery charger with the generator. If it is necessary to run the generator because the batteries are too low for just the solar, or it's cloudy or whatever, run the generator first thing and let the solar fonish the charge later. 2.) Is there any switch required between the inputs to th...
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29. Posted: 21 Feb 2016 10:37 - Off-Grid Living / Solar Advice
I am planning on putting a simple solar system in my remote cabin to be supplemented by a generator. Just looking for some feedback on my proposed system. I will be using a 100W Coleman (or possibly 2) solar...
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30. Posted: 20 Feb 2016 23:20 - Off-Grid Living / Wood stove, pellet stove, wood-burning furnace?
Quoting: TopperQuoting: Coyote Flats days are short when your as far north as I am. So my solar doesn't charge batteries a lot of the time What latitude are you? I'm at 65 degrees North Latitude. Less than 3 hours of daylight on December 21st. Solar...
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