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  • #16
    Don't spend the extra 200, just run the hard line. Off grid only makes sense when you have no other choice.
    CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Donniebosko View Post
      Okay, thank you Sunking and everyone else. I am trying to sort this out. Sunking, you say I need more battery and more panel. That is way more than I want to spend on chickens.
      Sorry but not my problem.

      Originally posted by Donniebosko View Post
      I did this as an alternative to running power to the coop. I'm into it for about 800 bucks now.... I can't justify much more than another battery. It's 200 more and I'm hoping that'll do it. If not, I'm cutting my losses there and running a hard line out there next spring. .
      Again I am sorry about that, but you really should have done your homework before buying anything. What you would have discovered you never take anything off-grid unless there is no alternative. Off-Grid power is at least 5 times more expensive in battery cost alone than just buying it from the power company, and extremely limited in quantity as you have discovered too late. If you had done that research first you would have known to run the AC line to the chicken coop.

      I feel bad for you, but you are not alone. Over 90% of the folks who come here with off-grid issues made the exact same mistake. We see it every day here and some days many times. Like being an Emergency Room Doctor in Chicago or other large cities, You become immune to death/carnage so it does not bother you and drive you crazy. I can tell you what happened, why, and how to fix it. However it is up to you to do it and take the medicine.

      Run the AC line, and sell off the solar to minimize your losses. The other alternative is cut your power use by 50% on solar. As of now 200 watt panel is about the right size to support the 95 AH battery with a PWM controller in your area. As a system to meet your needs, is only about half the size required. Sorry I cannot fix that.

      Good Luck
      MSEE, PE

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      • #18
        So, I went out there and now for the first time in 2 weeks, I am up to 4 blinks. That's a good thing..... Maybe I didn't connect it in the right order. Btw, Letitroll, everything is parallel. I'm hoping this keeps going this way. Voltage is up to 13.9 and steady. Hopefully with another battery, things will be better. Tonight will tell the tale on that. The light will be off but the heater for the water will run. It's supposed to be near 20 degrees overnight. Fingers crossed.

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        • #19
          Another battery isn't going to help if you are deficit charging. The energy you take out needs to be put back in, plus another 25% for efficiency. 200 W of panels in NH at the orientation described earlier might generate 800 Wh of energy on a very good day in November according to PVWatts, which would replace 800*0.75 = 600 Wh of consumed energy. That is with a high efficiency MPPT charger, figure PWM will cost you another 20%. That would knock the generated energy down to 480 Wh. If you have any clouds, or an obstructed view of the horizon (trees, etc), it will knock that number down fast. Really, even 480 is high because the absorb stage of charging, done proplerly, means the battery is limiting the current, not the array, so some of the energy the array could have made goes unused.

          Your prior guess at loads was above that (125 W * 3 h) + (13 W * 14h) = 557 Wh, so adding another battery temporarily buys you some time before they die, but because they wouldn't be getting charged enough, they won't last too long.

          If you can't run a hard line out right now... if you do buy another battery, buy an AC charger for it as well. Then, you can run the coop from one battery each day while you bring the other inside to charge from the grid, and swap them each evening.


          CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx

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          • #20
            Deficit charging works like this. You have $20 in the bank, you make $20 per day, and it cost you $30 per day to live. What is going to happen?

            You will be living in a cardboard box and eating out of garbage cans in 3 days.
            MSEE, PE

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Sunking View Post
              Deficit charging works like this. You have $20 in the bank, you make $20 per day, and it cost you $30 per day to live. What is going to happen?
              Visit to a government assistance agency toot sweet.

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              • #22
                Originally posted by sensij View Post
                Don't spend the extra 200, just run the hard line. Off grid only makes sense when you have no other choice.
                Or you live in Hawaii, can afford to spend $90,000 on a solar system with a beta test battery technology, and are actually on grid in case something goes wrong.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Donniebosko View Post
                  So, I went out there and now for the first time in 2 weeks, I am up to 4 blinks. That's a good thing..... Maybe I didn't connect it in the right order. Btw, Letitroll, everything is parallel. I'm hoping this keeps going this way. Voltage is up to 13.9 and steady. Hopefully with another battery, things will be better. Tonight will tell the tale on that. The light will be off but the heater for the water will run. It's supposed to be near 20 degrees overnight. Fingers crossed.
                  Well, how did it work out?

                  Inquiring minds want to know. (Lame advertising line from an old National Inquirer magazine commercial.)
                  Paul

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