setup help?

Hello huntingdog0 and welcome to Solar Panel Talk, from the sound of it you need to start doing some reading in the off-grid section stickies, I think in order to be able to help you we need to know where is it being installed, and why, is it a place you live in full time or a holiday cabin. Have you done a loads analysis? how many kilowatt hours a day does the system need to provide and how many days autonomy do you want to build in, you will need a genny for a totally off-grid system. Read up then come back to us with more info and questions, cheers

No backup generator on that list. Going to need one, a $600 genset and $200 fuel is a lot cheaper then a ruined set of batteries.

And you have to figure what your average daily load in Watt Hours is, what the Peak loads are, and what your budget is.

Good notes in the Off Grid stickies on how to add this all up.

Going to the stickies

Well, the total kwh used per day I would like to cover is between 10.7kwh 14.36kwh. I live in the house but am starting with this to see how far it gets me. Maybe more then I though, maybe I need more. I am new to his haha. Below I listed the main components I want to buy for the set up. I don't know if they are smart buys or how many of each component I need such as batteries. Also I would like my solar array to provide the power with a backup source however I was wondering if it is possible to set it up to switch to the grid in times of need for dependability? Or would a back up generator kick on right when the solar cant support the need? Would like to see my options if both work. I have read some of the stickies. I will read more and be back. Also when reviewing below please let me know if any of these products wont work, are not reputable, or just a stupid decision for the set up. Is it better to get less 300w panels or more 100w panels? Do some companies make special wirring so you have to buy from them or can you always cut the wire and crimp same gauge electrical wire to it? I know there are less expensive batteries out there but are these worth it?

batteries


Controller


Inverter


Panels

Stop right now and do not buy any of that junk.
For your loads that will be a waste of your money and fail rather rapidly.

You should me looking at a 48v system at minimum.
Use grid tie panels and a quality mppt controller. For a 10 kw panel system it would take 3 80 amp controllers at 48 volts or 12 of them at 12 volts.
Read the battery design stickie below and do the spread sheet.
You did mention that grid tie is abailable. You would be wasting a lot of your money by taking this off grid.

The reason for staying off the grid was that I had heard it would cost a lot more to tie to the grid and I am renting this place and am unsure how long I will be living here so i just wanted to supplement my house a little to save and have some solar panels for when I buy a place. Would it be smarter to tie to the grid then just undo all the changes when I move?

Everything on your list is wrong. For one if you are silly enough to install 10 KW battery system is going to require you to use 2 volt 1800 AH batteries, 24 of them in series for 48 volts, weighing 5000 pounds, and cost you $19,000 now, and more every 5 to 7 years replacing them. Using 12 volt battery is just plain ignorant.

Using 150 watt battery panels is real ignorant. Battery panels are smaller in size and power, and cost 2 to 5 times more per watt than larger Grid Tied Panels. You are pissing away 10's of thousand$$$ using 150 watt battery panels. Not to mention several more thousand in extra hardware and material required using battery panels.

Hope you have not done anything yet because you got a lot to learn first. Go at it like you are going and you are going to learn a very nasty expensive lesson from which may break you. I already saved you $15,000 to $20,000 in panel cost. Another $10,000 in hardware and materials. 10% finder fee OK with you? Say $1000 and call it good. I just cut your cost from $90,000 to $55,000. That is worth paying me $1000.

Second thing you need to learn real quick is answer yourself one simple question. Why do you want to pay 5 to 10 times more for electricity than you pay now and for the rest of your life?

If you cannot satisfy yourself with your answer, I suggest you reconsider and use that money to remodel your home. At least you get something out of it up front, and instant equity and be an asset down the road instead of a liability.

and as for all those "why's?" the answer is the same. I thought they were cost effective

Just a reminder I am new to this. So rather then saying not to do something please say what to do instead.

You need to keep reading huntingdog0, you dont have a handle on it yet. Off -grid is very expensive, so you need to get it right if your going to do it.

1. NO ONE can design a off grid system without knowing how many kilowatt hours the system needs to provide, so first step is to get that right, until you do everything else is guess work. You also need to work out how may days autonomy you want built into the system (say it rains for 3 days in a row, basically no sun, then what?)

2. Try to take heating and cooling out of the equation, running hot water or air cond is going to get very expensive, look for alternatives e.g run hot water on gas

3. Keep reading the off grid stickies, they are your friend

Incorrect Off-grid power is extremely expensive. The expense is compounded by your location due to you only have two weather seasons of 4th of July and Winter. At your location it takes a 300 watt panel to equal a 100 watt panel on the Left Coast. Come late October you are down to less than 2 Sun Hours. By Xmas down to 1.2 Sun Hours. You don't climb above 2 Sun Hours again until early March.

Now things are not quite as big as I first thought. You stated a 10 Kw battery system. I don't think you know what you are talking about and meant 10 Kwh of power each day, not a 10 Kw system. But here is the FUN and EDUCATIONAL part you will get a great big laugh from. Your location is so piss poor for solar it will take a 12,500 watt solar panel system to give you 10 Kwh of usable electricity peer day. So to do that you need:

Panel Wattage = 12,500 using 250 watt GT panels. = $13,000
2 - 80 Amp MPPT Charge Controllers = $1200
2 volt 1000 AH x 24 cells 48 volt AGM battery = $20,000

If that is too rich for your blood you could do grid tied, but with your location being so poor, I do not think even a grid tied system would ever save you money. Your location yearly Sun Hour average is well below national averages meaning watt for watt you can only generate about 1/2 of what most can generate elsewhere. Your utility rates would have to be extremely high, and your neighbors will need to pick up most of your equipment and installation cost.

As has been stated you need to first determine how much energy you need in a day. You cannot do anything before you do that. What i can tell you if you intend to be there year round for each 1 Kwh/Day will cost you roughly

1250 watt panel @ $1.10/watt = $1,100
MPPT Charge Controller $0.085/watt = $110
AGM Battery $2.00/wh = $2000

So for each Kwh you estimate will cost roughly $3200/Kwh just for that equipment. Does not include all the other stuff. Realistically a 10 Kwh/day system and you are looking at $50K when said and done and never ending battery replacement cost every 5 to 7 years. Here is the Funny part. Move to Phoenix and it cost $1,500. However even at $1500 is a looser. Just the battery cost alone in Phoenix is roughly 50-cents per Kwh and sold for 11-cents. Your battery cost will be twice that because you are forced to use AGM batteries. So you will end up paying about $1/Kwh and I bet you can buy it for less than 15-cents and no daily limit if you and the wifey want to play a little late at night.

So if you cannot answer why you want to spend 10 times more and how much you need in a day, no one can help you. Alternatives you have to figure out. If it were me, I want all the comfort and luxury my kids can afford. That means a tight budget and no better option than commercial power if I lived in your area. You only have one day of solar production, 4th of July. The other 364 days are winter, so grid tied is not likely attractive either. .

Lastly not sure if anyone mentioned it is you have not included any generator cost. Told you it was Fun and Educational.