So, just getting going on a new build. I think I'm a *little* undersized on panels, and oversized on inverter - but i'm trying to plan what I can for growth.. (and I know about battery banks and 'not adding new batteries).
I'm looking at over 8K CDN to get electricity into my lot - and after the 8K, I'll get ... wait for it..
A meter.
Anything else is extra expense - and the minimum bill (because I"m in Ontario, and its not my principal residence) is about $120/mo ... just to run the meter to monitor itself. My best friend has a place 12km up the road, his bill in the winter, if he doesn't do a disconnection, is about that - so I'm not really guessing... so.. there's a lot of incentive for me to not go on-grid unless I have no choice. 10-11K in the first year buys a fair amount of system.
So... here we go:
6 x Canadian Solar CS6K-300MS 300W panels.
1 x Magnum PT-100 Charge Controller
2 x GB Industrial 804Ah 12V 6-cell batteries.
1 x Magnum 4024-MS 4000W/120V inverter (stackable, but this unit only puts out 110V)
1 x Magnum MMP250-60S
1 x Midnite 3-string combiner box.
2 strings, 3 panels each, room to add a 3rd string (and I can go up to 4 panels per string for expansion if I need.. the PT-100 has the overhead.
I think that works out - for now - to 97 volts/19 amps for the Array, so.. up to 70-ish amps available for charge? Not sure I did the math right. I've seen on some of the posts a charge rate of C/8 , which is 100 amps; that's the max for the charge controller for a bank this size; i've also seen it posted that some batteries should be limited to C/20, and seen people say C10;
I have about 8 sun hours in the summer; it does drop to 3 sun-hours in the winter but (for now) we are only using this 3-season.
Do I need to add panels for charge purposes? Or should this hold me up - I should never get down as low as 75% charge on this setup; i have not yet purchased the batteries -- if I need to get a smaller bank, or if 2 extra panels is going to 'smooth this out' down the road, i'm fine with that.
The intent is to build a residence over the next few years - up to 24 of these panels, a second charge controller, and another 4024 stacked (feeding my panel at 120/240, shared neutral. Yes, the inverters are designed for it, not letting out any smoke).
I don't have yet, but am planning on adding an AGS / propane generator , and yes, in about 5 years when the additional panels come online, I will need a new battery bank, I think. I don't think , once we are onsite fulltime, my 800AH is going to cut it.
In my house in the city - with an electric dryer, and central AC, we run about 14-16Kwh/day. I'm estimating 8-9 without those appliances, based on the rest of the stuff in my house - but that's longterm. Short term, we need a few lights, a small laptop computer, a stereo, and a well pump.
(well pump is a whole different scenario where i will have questions, once I sort out what the code rules are for a water system)....
I'm looking at over 8K CDN to get electricity into my lot - and after the 8K, I'll get ... wait for it..
A meter.
Anything else is extra expense - and the minimum bill (because I"m in Ontario, and its not my principal residence) is about $120/mo ... just to run the meter to monitor itself. My best friend has a place 12km up the road, his bill in the winter, if he doesn't do a disconnection, is about that - so I'm not really guessing... so.. there's a lot of incentive for me to not go on-grid unless I have no choice. 10-11K in the first year buys a fair amount of system.
So... here we go:
6 x Canadian Solar CS6K-300MS 300W panels.
1 x Magnum PT-100 Charge Controller
2 x GB Industrial 804Ah 12V 6-cell batteries.
1 x Magnum 4024-MS 4000W/120V inverter (stackable, but this unit only puts out 110V)
1 x Magnum MMP250-60S
1 x Midnite 3-string combiner box.
2 strings, 3 panels each, room to add a 3rd string (and I can go up to 4 panels per string for expansion if I need.. the PT-100 has the overhead.
I think that works out - for now - to 97 volts/19 amps for the Array, so.. up to 70-ish amps available for charge? Not sure I did the math right. I've seen on some of the posts a charge rate of C/8 , which is 100 amps; that's the max for the charge controller for a bank this size; i've also seen it posted that some batteries should be limited to C/20, and seen people say C10;
I have about 8 sun hours in the summer; it does drop to 3 sun-hours in the winter but (for now) we are only using this 3-season.
Do I need to add panels for charge purposes? Or should this hold me up - I should never get down as low as 75% charge on this setup; i have not yet purchased the batteries -- if I need to get a smaller bank, or if 2 extra panels is going to 'smooth this out' down the road, i'm fine with that.
The intent is to build a residence over the next few years - up to 24 of these panels, a second charge controller, and another 4024 stacked (feeding my panel at 120/240, shared neutral. Yes, the inverters are designed for it, not letting out any smoke).
I don't have yet, but am planning on adding an AGS / propane generator , and yes, in about 5 years when the additional panels come online, I will need a new battery bank, I think. I don't think , once we are onsite fulltime, my 800AH is going to cut it.
In my house in the city - with an electric dryer, and central AC, we run about 14-16Kwh/day. I'm estimating 8-9 without those appliances, based on the rest of the stuff in my house - but that's longterm. Short term, we need a few lights, a small laptop computer, a stereo, and a well pump.
(well pump is a whole different scenario where i will have questions, once I sort out what the code rules are for a water system)....
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