We have a koi pond which consumes roughly 500 watts continuously. At first I was considering the "nuclear option" of a grid-connected setup, but between reading more and also having SDGE implementing TOU costs, I've been considering alternatives.
Number one is going to be looking into a more efficient way to move water in the pond. Regardless how that works out, the next step is looking into putting together a small (~500W) off-grid setup dedicated to running the pond. When the sun goes down or it's cloudy, there'll be a relay which switches over to grid power. Once the proposed system is drawn up, it'll be analyzed to see if it's an economic go or no-go.
So the reason for the post is: what's a reasonable way to generate ~500W (lets aim for 600W due to inefficiencies)? I don't need a full-blown inverter, so I was thinking of maybe something intended for a motorhome. That said, I know most (all?) of those are intended to work with batteries, which I do NOT plan to use. So I'm asking the hive, what type of inverter should I be considering? I know automotive inverters are really cheap due to the numbers made, but they won't work well if I want to use several largish panels that generate 30V or so.
What say you!
Number one is going to be looking into a more efficient way to move water in the pond. Regardless how that works out, the next step is looking into putting together a small (~500W) off-grid setup dedicated to running the pond. When the sun goes down or it's cloudy, there'll be a relay which switches over to grid power. Once the proposed system is drawn up, it'll be analyzed to see if it's an economic go or no-go.
So the reason for the post is: what's a reasonable way to generate ~500W (lets aim for 600W due to inefficiencies)? I don't need a full-blown inverter, so I was thinking of maybe something intended for a motorhome. That said, I know most (all?) of those are intended to work with batteries, which I do NOT plan to use. So I'm asking the hive, what type of inverter should I be considering? I know automotive inverters are really cheap due to the numbers made, but they won't work well if I want to use several largish panels that generate 30V or so.
What say you!
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