Here's what I have now, what should be my next move?

[badley]

One of the things I have seen on these forums is a lot of knowledge, and most of you jump to humiliate or belittle people here asking questions. Chasing people away by being insulting certainly isn't helping.

I've been off grid for six years now, started with one panel, one CC and one marine deep cycle and a 200w inverter. I've saved roughly $12,000.00. My electric bill was $250.00/mo, that was lights, two computers and heating two rooms. I am not sure if you are aware or not but electric meters do not need to be calibrated, and you pay whatever they show. It's also possible I had a theif, as a neighboring house lost power when I cut the cord. I'm also an independent person who simply wants to not be on grid, my motivations are not here for your review or question. I simply asked the best way to make it work.

this may be getting way off what you would ever consider doing, but done properly if you built panels out of cells like these here you'd have alot better luck .. you need some panels with kickas output in lower/ indirect light and you need about 24 of them .. i build them for about what your paying for the 100 watters, for myself i mean, i dont build them to sell - double pane window glass sandwich/aluminum frame design .. standard C60 chargers on about 4 arrays should do the trick .. you do need to come up with a way to limit the system in the morning though so you dont cook your bank lol .. i trust thats a minor detail you can work out ...
ebay bare cell link deleted by moderator.

[littleharbor]

this may be getting way off what you would ever consider doing, but done properly if you built panels out of cells like these here you'd have alot better luck .. you need some panels with kickas output in lower/ indirect light and you need about 24 of them .. i build them for about what your paying for the 100 watters, for myself i mean, i dont build them to sell - double pane window glass sandwich/aluminum frame design .. standard C60 chargers on about 4 arrays should do the trick .. you do need to come up with a way to limit the system in the morning though so you dont cook your bank lol .. i trust thats a minor detail you can work out ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-pcs-6x6-...AAAOSwHHFZAN-R

From the BAD ADVICE BY A KNOW IT ALL DEPT.

[ButchDeal]

this may be getting way off what you would ever consider doing, but done properly if you built panels out of cells like these here you'd have alot better luck .. you need some panels with kickas output in lower/ indirect light and you need about 24 of them .. i build them for about what your paying for the 100 watters, for myself i mean, i dont build them to sell - double pane window glass sandwich/aluminum frame design .. standard C60 chargers on about 4 arrays should do the trick .. you do need to come up with a way to limit the system in the morning though so you dont cook your bank lol .. i trust thats a minor detail you can work out ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-pcs-6x6-...AAAOSwHHFZAN-R

hay so $0.33/w for just the poly cells to make 1 and a half 60 cell 260w modules. You then have to get the glass front, frame, backing, diodes, and back plate.

More terrible advice.

[inetdog]

What would be the motivation for someone to decide to change their battery every 2 years?

I understand from forums and networking with my neighbors that a person's first battery-bank will often die early at around 10 years old. But why would you change after 2 years?

In the experience of most members here who deal with off grid installations (their own or friends') the early death for the first battery bank is more like one year.
Ten years is exceptional with good care of Flooded Lead Acid (FLA) batteries and is pretty much unheard of for AGM (sealed.)

[Mike90250]

What would be the motivation for someone to decide to change their battery every 2 years?

Because it's broken and cheap to do. 8 Golf Cart batteries way cheaper than 8 AGM batteries, and I figure they would last as long, being boiled by large array when they are low.

[badley]

hay so $0.33/w for just the poly cells to make 1 and a half 60 cell 260w modules. You then have to get the glass front, frame, backing, diodes, and back plate.

More terrible advice.

guess it depends who you are on what the advice means to you .. im far from knowing everything .. i make ~160w panels for about $120 complete, with cells that put the garbage they put in standard panels to shame .. the rating of your pretty panels looks good on paper but means nothing in a world where theres maybe 4 perect days in a month and only 3 hours out of those 4 days your panels produce 100% .. most of the other time theyre struggling between completely shut off and making alittle bit lol .. good cells put out 50-75% of their rating every day of the year cloudy, late, early ect .. but those cells arnt in the nice high dollar panels you get ripped off on most the time, why, because the rating stands and they saved money on your rear .. even if its a few hours out of the month ... so call it what you will .. i gave a good response from my own experience that would actually work for someone in a low light predicament .. if you dont want to take the advice keep doing what your doing .. it suits you ..

[ButchDeal]

guess it depends who you are on what the advice means to you .. im far from knowing everything .. i make ~160w panels for about $120 complete, with cells that put the garbage they put in standard panels to shame .. the rating of your pretty panels looks good on paper but means nothing in a world where theres maybe 4 perect days in a month and only 3 hours out of those 4 days your panels produce 100% .. most of the other time theyre struggling between completely shut off and making alittle bit lol .. good cells put out 50-75% of their rating every day of the year cloudy, late, early ect .. but those cells arnt in the nice high dollar panels you get ripped off on most the time, why, because the rating stands and they saved money on your rear .. even if its a few hours out of the month ... so call it what you will .. i gave a good response from my own experience that would actually work for someone in a low light predicament .. if you dont want to take the advice keep doing what your doing .. it suits you ..

Your a blathering idiot. You spit out nonsense. You are making claims with no validation or testing. Why do you think your modules made of inferior cells are superior to production modules made from higher rated cells? just because you made them.

About the only thing you state that is factual is:

im far from knowing everything

Your link is for low end poly cells at a high price. I feel sorry for anyone following "badley" advice.

i make ~160w panels for about $120 complete

so you make home made pv modules with no warranty for $0.75/w and rated for 160w. you can get commercial modules with 12 year warranty and 25 year production warranty, rated for 300w for $0.42/w But I am sure yours are great...

In fact you can get Panasonic 330w HIT for $0.20/w less than you can make your polly junk modules.

[littleharbor]

Apparently Badley knows a secret all the solar panel manufacturers since day one haven't been able to figure out. Are you from another planet with low light and did you bring this mysterious superior technology with you?

[ButchDeal]

Apparently Badley knows a secret all the solar panel manufacturers since day one haven't been able to figure out. Are you from another planet with low light and did you bring this mysterious superior technology with you?

apparently his modules actually suck the light out of the sun instead of waiting for it to fall on them.

[Sunking]

guess it depends who you are on what the advice means to you .. im far from knowing everything .. i make ~160w panels for about $120 complete, with cells that put the garbage they put in standard panels to shame .. the rating of your pretty panels looks good on paper but means nothing in a world where theres maybe 4 perect days in a month and only 3 hours out of those 4 days your panels produce 100% .. most of the other time theyre struggling between completely shut off and making alittle bit lol .. good cells put out 50-75% of their rating every day of the year cloudy, late, early ect .. but those cells arnt in the nice high dollar panels you get ripped off on most the time, why, because the rating stands and they saved money on your rear .. even if its a few hours out of the month ... so call it what you will .. i gave a good response from my own experience that would actually work for someone in a low light predicament .. if you dont want to take the advice keep doing what your doing .. it suits you ..

You win "IDIOT OF THE WEEK" award.

Sorry Skunk, you lost your title.

[badley]

You win "IDIOT OF THE WEEK" award.

Sorry Skunk, you lost your title.

dont hate me because my panels put out more than yours lol .. you just keep telling people what doesnt work and your stale line of horse manure .. if you actually contributed a single thing to the discussion that helped the original poster with his problem your insults might have some weight .. but as things stand, its about neck deep in here lol ..

[Logan5]

wha?

[SunEagle]

dont hate me because my panels put out more than yours lol .. you just keep telling people what doesnt work and your stale line of horse manure .. if you actually contributed a single thing to the discussion that helped the original poster with his problem your insults might have some weight .. but as things stand, its about neck deep in here lol ..

Be careful that you don't get caught in a Lie or post unrealistic events around non documented installations. It is the short path to getting a long vacation.

[littleharbor]

Badley is delusional and really shouldn't be giving out advice here as he has already begun doing.

[SunEagle]

Badley is delusional and really shouldn't be giving out advice here as he has already begun doing.

I agree that he may not be providing truthful information and is being watched to make sure the line of safety is not crossed.