Clueless in Montana. Off Grid suggestions please.

[hammick]

We own rural land in Montana at 5,100'. No power and most likely never will be in our lifetime. Just drilled the well. 136' deep with 6" steel casing. Well guy is planning on a 240v Grundfos SQ series that has soft start. Not sure of pump specs at this time. We are breaking ground on a garage next week. It will have a small living quarters.

I'm pretty good with home electrical on the grid. Have installed breakers, outlets, sub panels, etc. I'm clueless on Solar design though.

Until we retire this garage will be sitting unoccupied most of the time. I assume I will ramp down the charge controller when I am not there so the batteries don't run dry.

Looking for advice on a DIY system on a budget. Hopefully CG2 batteries from Costco, small electrical panel, transfer switch and inverter that will run a 240v well pump.

We will not have a holding tank for water. Just a normal pressure tank. I would like to avoid buying a 240v generator as I currently have a 3000w Yamaha generator (120v) that is super quiet and our travel trailer has a 4000w Onan built in. Rather than dump 4k on a 240v Honda Generator I would rather spend about 2k on a good solar system.

I plan to install everything myself. Panels will be facing south with good strong sun.

Obviously this would all be pretty straightforward but for the 240v well pump.

Thanks for any advice.

[hammick]

Maybe an Outback Power step up transformer for the 240v well power?

http://www.altestore.com/mmsolar/others/PSX240%28900-0043-1%29.pdf

My Yamaha generator is the ef2400is

Looked at my notes and the well guy told me pump would draw about 5 or 6 amps and around 800 watts.

I also will need to run normal household appliances. Small refrigerator/freezer; water heater; tv, small microwave, etc.

[donald]

Is this your primary home?

[hammick]

Is this your primary home?

No it's a vacation place for now. We will be up there three or four times per year. If we ever full time or split time there we will build a separate house with a more robust system.

Should also mention one guy in the area has a couple windmills.

[Naptown]

6 amps at 240 is more like 1440 watts.
Go with AGM batteries they won't run dry and leave controller connected.
Bring batteries home in winter if you don't go there.
And please start with 48v system you will be better off.
This will probably cost more than the big Honda generator.
Can the Yamaha generators be run in a twin configuration like the Honda's can for 240 v

[hammick]

6 amps at 240 is more like 1440 watts.
Go with AGM batteries they won't run dry and leave controller connected.
Bring batteries home in winter if you don't go there.
And please start with 48v system you will be better off.
This will probably cost more than the big Honda generator.
Can the Yamaha generators be run in a twin configuration like the Honda's can for 240 v

The Yamaha can be linked but you don't get 240v. Just 30a at 120v. I though the Honda was the same.

I'm quickly beginning to realize that a 48v system with 240v type inverter is going to be awful expensive. And I won't be there to check the batteries if I use flooded.

Part of me is thinking to get the outback transformer and use my Yamaha generator for the water pump and put in a cheap 12v system for lights in the living area.

[ButchDeal]

The Yamaha can be linked but you don't get 240v. Just 30a at 120v. I though the Honda was the same.

I'm quickly beginning to realize that a 48v system with 240v type inverter is going to be awful expensive. And I won't be there to check the batteries if I use flooded.

Part of me is thinking to get the outback transformer and use my Yamaha generator for the water pump and put in a cheap 12v system for lights in the living area.

I have the grid tied outback system and use the outback transformer for my well pump. If you need a smaller system and the pump is the only 240v load it should work well for you.

[hammick]

Butch thanks for the reply. So you are using a 120v generator through an Outback transformer to power a 230v well pump ? Which generator?

I guess whether my ef2400is will run it depends on the startup up surge of the pump.

It will suck for me if it doesn't run it as I'll have no way to get water into our RV during our vacation. Maybe I'll just spring for the big 240v Honda and sell the Yamaha.

[ButchDeal]

Butch thanks for the reply. So you are using a 120v generator through an Outback transformer to power a 230v well pump ? Which generator?

Nope, no generator. I have a 120v inverter for backup for some lights, fridge, freezer and well pump. Everything is 120v except for the well pump which is 240v. It is connected through the outback transformer. It would work the same with a 120v generator.

[hammick]

I got the specs from my well installer and my ef2400is would probably run the well pump assuming the Outback transformer is 100% efficient which I doubt. I completely spaced off that I will also want to power a 200w 20 gallon water heater and the Yamaha isn't going to do both.

So it looks like the Honda EU7000is is on the shopping list. It should have no problem running the well pump and water heater at the same time in addition to everything else if needed.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Mike90250]

The Yamaha can be linked but you don't get 240v. Just 30a at 120v. I though the Honda was the same.

I'm quickly beginning to realize that a 48v system with 240v type inverter is going to be awful expensive. And I won't be there to check the batteries if I use flooded.

Part of me is thinking to get the outback transformer and use my Yamaha generator for the water pump and put in a cheap 12v system for lights in the living area.

Good, except for that your water is 100' down and you are using a pressure system and will have to start generator 5 or 9 times a day to run up the pressure. Get a 500 gal above ground tank and a 12V RV pressure pump and you are good to go. Give the tank a shot of bleach when you leave, and it will keep water nice till you get back.
A 300W PV with 2, 6v golf cart batteries should be enough to run a few lights. Fill the batteries before each departure, and with short absorb cycles, they won't consume much water. Or get a 10w VW maintainer PV panel and use that instead of the 300W pv array while you are gone.