Basic System For A Brewing Shed...

[horric29]

So this topic may be a bit off the wall but, I'm looking to design a system around a brewing shed. In reality the shed will have a dedicated electrical run for the brewing operation. The juice required for the brewing rig is quite high and the requirements would be out of reach for what I want to spend to power the thing. So, I'm really looking at powering what I might use in the shed once or twice a week. That would be 2 lights in a 12' x 20' and a radio/boombox.

The lights are just your standard two bulb 42" shop lights, fluresent with 2 - 32 Watt Bulbs Each... So 64 Watts per unit... 128 Watts total for the two ballasts... I"m going to assume 200W an hour for the boombox. Really can't find a good measure there. Regardless... Assuming this is where I'm at for 5 hours once a week I would have 1640 Watts over the course of 5 hours.

So battery wise... I'm looking at 1640 Watts / 12 Volts = 136 Amp Hours at 12 Volts... So I could place two 100 Ah batteries in parellel to get the desired Ah for the brew shed. So... I guess my next question if those calculations are correct, will one single 85W panel charge those guys over the course of a week?

I'm near State College which seems to have appx. 2.79 Hours per day of sun hours at low period. I need to deduct appx. 13% due too the fact that I really can't go south facing more south-east. So I'm assuming the calculation is as follows:
2.42 (adjusted for 13% loss) * 85 * 7 = 1439 Watt's during low season.

At that rate, if my calculations are right, I'll need either larger panels to the tune of 100 - 125 Watts.

I havn't purchased anything yet, just trying to figure out how feasable it is.... I guess I could always go with lower wattage bulbs and such. The radio is AC so I would have to get a power inverter off the battery but, I'm not sure how that impacts calculations. I'm really looking for a way to save energy for a minimum usage environment? I see UC Solar panels at around $139 for 85 Watts.

My other question, is what batteries would I run with for indoor usage. Based on my research definitly deep cycle, and I'm thinking AGM batteries for safety sake. I found a few options that look interesting in Lifeline GPL-31T and UPG-45981 which are both 100 - 110 Ah batteries.

I appreciate any feedback. Something tells me I'm missing something but, I'm open to suggestions... I really want to try and run with this as I try to reuse and recycle while I'm brewing so this only makes sense where possible. Open to suggestions! It seems the batteries are more expensive than the panels, controllers, inverters, etc... So I'll take ideas there also!

I appreciate the assistance!

[Naptown]

it would take you several lifetimes for solar to pay for itself for what you require using solar. A roll of 10/3 UF and a circuit breaker would cost much less. State college is not in the middle of nowhere.

[horric29]

it would take you several lifetimes for solar to pay for itself for what you require using solar. A roll of 10/3 UF and a circuit breaker would cost much less. State college is not in the middle of nowhere.

I hear to some degree what your saying but, wouldn't a 135W panel meet my needs? 135 * 2.42 * 7 = 2286.9 at low season. I see people running more than two lights and a radio off 45 W systems from Harbour Freight. While yes, I could drop a line, it's not that simple. Bury line, a sun panel, breakers, a couple hundred feet of copper from the bar to the shed.. There's some cost there. The brewery component that needs line juice is getting it now from a really long extension chord. I don't see why people do a comparable item on a $180 set plus battery's when I'm just looking at a higher wattage/Amperage panel.

[russ]

Sounds like you already need a proper electric feed to your 'brewing operation' - a long extension cord does not fit that definition.

[horric29]

Sounds like you already need a proper electric feed to your 'brewing operation' - a long extension cord does not fit that definition.

Again, I hear you. I'm just asking is it feasable or possible to offset some of my energy with this sort of a setup? For that matter, I could design the system to run the brew rig by increasing the number of panels and going completely "off grid". Are my calculations in the ballpark? If so, I'll figure in the brew rig also and design the system accordingly.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

Your calculation for the battery don't account for offgrid system inefficiency. You need to add 50% to your power reqirements and you should never discharge the batteries below 50%. Works out to a minimum battery bank of 416AH @ 12V.

135W panel will come close to supplying that for you in a week but you run into the problem that it is too small to properly charge a battery bank of that size. You really need to get the charge rate up to at least C/20 and preferably between C/15 to C/10. It would take a 350W panel to get you in the C/20 range. 525W for C/15 and 750W for C/10.

IMHO - you would be better off running a proper feed to the brew shed. If you really wish to offset some of the usage with solar then add a grid tied system without batterys.

WWW

[russ]

With a good location meaning full sun with no obstructions a 1 kW DC system at your location should provide -

The Harbor Freight units are in the junk classification - cheap and nearly useless while over priced.

"PVWATTS v.2: AC Energy and Cost Savings"

"Station Identification"
"Cell ID:","0269372"
"State:","New"
"Lat (deg N):", 40.78
"Long (deg W):", -73.97
"PV System Specifications"
"DC Rating:"," 1.0 kW"
"DC to AC Derate Factor:"," 0.770"
"AC Rating:"," 0.8 kW"
"Array Type: Fixed Tilt"
"Array Tilt:"," 40.1"
"Array Azimuth:","180.0"

"Energy Specifications"
"Cost of Electricity:","10.8 cents/kWh"

"Results"
"Month", "Solar Radiation (kWh/m^2/day)", "AC Energy (kWh)", "Energy Value ($)"
1, 3.19, 78, 8.41 2,56 kWh/day
2, 3.82, 84, 9.06
3, 4.85, 114, 12.29
4, 4.86, 107, 11.54
5, 5.12, 114, 12.29 3,67 kWh/day
6, 5.31, 111, 11.97
7, 4.98, 105, 11.32
8, 5.00, 107, 11.54
9, 4.89, 103, 11.11
10, 4.43, 100, 10.78
11, 3.22, 72, 7.76
12, 3.00, 72, 7.76

[russ]

WWW is correct - the calculation from PV Watts is for grid tied also. PV Watts uses 77% for grid tied - for off grid plan on 50%

[Sunking]

WWW is correct - the calculation from PV Watts is for grid tied also. PV Watts uses 77% for grid tied - for off grid plan on 50%

Russ change that to 50% (PWM) 65% (MPPT) and it works. Use the worse case month.

[Bala]

I'm just asking is it feasable or possible to offset some of my energy with this sort of a setup?

I think this is the key questions for this post,

The answer to this is NO, if you can run off extension cords then put a real power cord in and be happy.

Stand alone solar will not offset your power bill. The real cost over time will make it MUCH more expensive.

[Gambia river lodge]

Horric,
You have now learnt, "I HOPE" that you have to be 'real' in what you are asking for!! I can read between the lines, as doe's Bala, you need lights and entertainment (if Poss) and to run power there is a payne in the butt, (bucket loads of stats, NO NEED) the answer is YES you can do it, but asking a stupid question , you gets a !! Set up your lights and a small inverter (all 12v), buy a deep cycle battery, and take it with you, connect it, use it, and then take it home and charge it!!! If it runs out of power in the time you are there, GET A BIGGER ONE. This is not one for SOLAR it is quite simply NEEDS not WANTS.
Mike.
P.S. I know you guys love your STATS and like to post them, you have brains no doubt, but you must read ALL of the post to be helpful.

[Sunking]

P.S. I know you guys love your STATS and like to post them, you have brains no doubt, but you must read ALL of the post to be helpful.

Where here is the deal, let's put it another way.

You have a car like a Chevy, it gets 20 mpg and has a 20 gallon tank. You are in New York and need to drive to California and have $50 dollars for gas on the trip. How would you advise that person to make the trip successful and stress free?

When it comes to energy failing to plan is a plan to fail every time.

[Gambia river lodge]

Easy SK,
Take the BUS!!

[pmaru77]

Comparing this to a still out in the back woods of Kentucky, I believe they had no solar or electric power and just used wood to fuel the flame to cook the grain. What kind of brewing are you doing that takes electrical energy? Please don't tell me you are cold brewing like Budweiser. and need refridgerating.

[Mike90250]

Brewing needs temperature controls, and pumps, both of which are heavy energy users.