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New Hobby 12 Volt System Trojan Batteries...Total Beginner

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  • New Hobby 12 Volt System Trojan Batteries...Total Beginner

    Hey Everybody,

    So we just had Hurricane Matthew here in NC. I'm sitting here with no power and just started thinking about solar power. I have looked over some you tube videos of people doing a tiny house system and things like that. I'm pretty confused at this point as to what kind of Amp Hours I could actually use out of my system i'm thinking of making.

    So i guess my big question is: What could a system like this run realistically if I want to keep the batteries at least 80% charged at all times ?

    Lets pretend the system only gets used for power outages to run minimal things or out in the garage to run things just for fun.

    So far on the youtube videos I've seen that id definitely like Trojan Batteries so I will use Trojan T105RE batteries x 2 in a 12 Volt system.

    I was a little bit confused as to how to keep these 2 batteries charged to 80% at all times, so I saw this IOTA charger from AC power. I think you can plug this IOTA into any 120 outlet (Grid Power) or during an outage a small generator (I do have a brand new Honda EU2000i generator. But i hate using it because gas is annoying to fill and it makes noise, but I would gladly use it to charge my battery system. but yes plug the IOTA into the generators 120AC

    Im choosing to keep the batteries charged to 80% at all times because trojan shows that the batteries will last much much longer.

    I know next to nothing about Solar panels, Charge Controllers, Safety and how to be extra safe around battery and solar systems. Am I missing anything?

    Thanks for any advice.

  • #2
    The answer almost means reading the entire forum.

    The most basic step is to measure your power needs. We can't do that for you. Ammeter or something like the P3-International Kill-A-Watt meter is your FIRST purchase.

    1) How long are your power outages? How many day(s) support do you need?
    2) How much power do you need to supply during the outage?
    3) How much fuel are you willing to store (and maintain!) on site?

    These determine how much battery you need up front, nevermind solar.

    Keep in mind that during natural emergencies, they are usually accompanied by poor weather where solar may do no good, so that is the reason for question #3.

    In the end, a non-technical question would be that when people get desperate if the outages go long enough, how willing are you to defend your property and family when your house is lit up like a block party during hard times?

    Comment


    • #3
      > Keep in mind that during natural emergencies, they are usually accompanied by poor weather where solar may do no good, so that is the reason for question #3.

      Or the Panels may be smashed by flying objects. They are tough enough to take most hail storms, but when you start getting car hoods ripped off cars and flying through air, PV panels don't last long.
      Really, a great way is a small inverter generator (or larger if you need even more) will keep critical gear going for several days. You can get propane conversion kits for many of them too, to avoid storing gasoline, and run from BBQ propane tanks
      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

      Comment


      • #4
        Solar and batteries are useless in hurricane areas Can you say gone with the wind? How about batteries under water?

        Lastly a battery kept at 80% SOC is a destroyed battery in short time. They must be kept at 100% all of the time except when in use. After use must be immediately fully recharged. So a pair of T-105RE have a capacity of 2.7 Kwh. How long will that last? Beats me because you have not stated what the load is. A 500 watt load, about 3.5 hours. A 50 watt TV or laptop about 35 hours. Not a lot. Put in more useful way a refrigerator for a day. But a sack of ice, a few days in the right ice chest. Better idea is a chest freezer full of 1-gallon milk bottles full of water and a good ice chest can last a week.


        If you want solar to charge a pair of golf cart batteries used for Emergency Back Up, you can charge those batteries fast, and you want to pump as much in them in a day that you can. That is what it will take if you discharge 80% DOD or 2.2 Kwh day. If it were me I would use 2 x 250 watt panels wired in series using a Morningstar TS-MPPT-45 charge controller. But all of that is useless junk scrap metal if the panels are blown away and/or batteries are under water.

        I have worked 8 or 9 Hurricane Disaster Recovery for electric utilities in 30 some years. The insult to energy is Solar Owners are the very last to have power restored, and suffer the greatest property damages. No utility is going to connect you with a panel system ripped to pieces or even unharmed until it can be proven to be in normal operating order. Unfortunately most panels are ripped from the house leaving extensive roof damage. so it is a moot point having power restored.
        Last edited by Sunking; 10-19-2016, 04:36 PM.
        MSEE, PE

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by bb28403 View Post
          So we just had Hurricane Matthew here in NC. I'm sitting here with no power and just started thinking about solar power. I have looked over some you tube videos of people doing a tiny house system and things like that. I'm pretty confused at this point as to what kind of Amp Hours I could actually use out of my system i'm thinking of making.
          Don't go with batteries unless you have regular outages. Your best bet is going to be a generator. If you want solar backup, consider getting something like the SMA Secure Power system which will give you some power during the day while the grid is out. Combine that with a computer UPS ($199 from Best Buy) and you'll have basic power for lights, recharging cell phones, running a sump pump or fridge during the day etc.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by jflorey2 View Post
            Don't go with batteries unless you have regular outages. Your best bet is going to be a generator. If you want solar backup, consider getting something like the SMA Secure Power system which will give you some power during the day while the grid is out. Combine that with a computer UPS ($199 from Best Buy) and you'll have basic power for lights, recharging cell phones, running a sump pump or fridge during the day etc.
            The SMA is one option but in most cases after a hurricane the weather is still very cloudy and will produce very little in the way of solar energy to run anything.

            Anyone that wants to have some form of emergency power should really think about multiple sources because relying on only solar and batteries will not be enough during extended bad weather. Even a generator that uses only one type of fuel is taking a chance.

            The same is true for our power grid. Even if energy storage technology improves having RE (wind, solar, hydro, bid fuel) will still not be enough to generate the power needed 24/7 throughout the USA. Only pockets of the population will have enough power but for most large cities the people will be in the dark.

            Comment


            • #7
              our strategy is basic: some light, keep the food from spoiling. I get that done with a Honda 1000. One thing I did after the last outage is run extension cords from the fridge and freezer that are easy to get to.
              Chest freezers will "hold the cold" for longer than an upright. I hit them a couple of times a day with a couple of hours of gen power, and the fridge gets 3. Put things you need often in a cooler to minimize open door times.

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