washing machine off solar?

[Dave_Rasch]

Hand Washer

I think that manual stuff is a good supplement to off-grid living. There's a plunger-like device called the Rapid Washer that works really well. It's an old technology that keeps on working.

[yzahmad]

The way my solar is setup, I have a manual switch that allows me to turn on the inverter and take all connected lights/fans/appliances off the grid; my dad usually turns this switch on at 5-6am (sunrise), and I turn it off at sunset (so batteries do not charge from the grid and stay charged for the blackouts).

I noticed that by 11am, all my batteries were fully charged and the charge controllers stop feeding the batteries (current drops to 0.01a). So I've got a switchover installed that is connected to a deep freezer and fridge; I turn this over, and these two shift from the grid to the inverter. Before sunset, I turn this switchover back so the freezer and fridge go back on the grid, and if I see the batteries they are still charged 95% or more. Of course, if I was to forget to switch back one night my batteries may not survive, but I think its one way I can use 'excess' capacity from my panels without burdening the batteries.

[billvon]

Yet I wanted something small enough and self contained so I would not have to re-wire the main panel which any interior lighting project would probably require in my older home.

How about a laptop? And is there a reason you don't want to go grid tied?

I showed that by my calculations I might be able to sneak by with only one deep cycle battery.

Well, sure you could. But it would be a big battery. You need about 40 amp-hours out of a 12V battery, which means you really need a 100 amp hour battery (don't ever want to go below 50%.) And that means one washing load a day; we rarely do less than 2 at a time.

The smallest I'd go would be two T-105's (golf cart batteries, 6V 220ah each) which you could probably get for $300.

I am NOT saying my calculations are correct and you are wrong. I came here to be educated. I am asking that you please explain why I need 4 deep cycle batteries with 140 minutes of reserve power @ 25 amp discharge rate, each, only to run a washer for 30 minutes. Seems overkill.

I'd suggest you get away from all this "reserve power" talk. "Reserve power" generally refers to car or marine starting batteries, and such batteries fail very, very quickly in RE applications. Just use amp-hours - and if the battery doesn't have an amp-hour rating, you don't want it anyway.

Cycled a few times a year, they only last 3-4 years?

With good UPS batteries you could get them to last 10 years with only 3-4 uses per year. Do you really use your washing machine only 3-4 times a year?

[moguitar]

When I completed my attached garage addition in 1999, I had it running on 4 golf cart batteries and a UPG 1300/6000 inverter. I had 168 watts of panels and a BZ30 controller. I went out and bought an efficient Whirlpool front load washer and it would not run. Took it back and got my money, then bought a Staber2000 with a small dent for about $1K shipped (now $1.3K plus shpg.). I ran it off a 700 watt temporary inverter once (it is rated for as low as an 800 watt modified square wave inverter).
Two drops of oil yearly and some shoe goo to repair a few cracks in the plastic, and it has performed well ever since. It only used 1 oz of liquid wash for a standard large load(1/2 oz of Ultra), and now we are successfully using the Green Ball. It only uses 15 gallons of water per load and 135 watt/hours of power. The water comes from my front system, half of which is for our deep well (pure good tasting mountain water).
It sure beat the 2 gallon hand crank washer we used for the first couple years or going to the laundromat 19 miles away with lots of quarters. We use outdoor lines for drying and a 5 line extender wall to wall line in the garage in winter, with a supplemental Boxwood stove to dry them and provide supplemental heat to our Cozy Propane heater.

[cortijo]

I live 100% off grid.
I have a normal washing machine.

My advice would be to forget the idea of trying to buy enough batteries to run the washing machine or to store up enough energy to do a wash at night.
To even attempt that would be nonsense.

Wait for a sunny day when the sun input is around the same power draw as the washing machine.

Just buy about 800 watts worth of panels.
Get a fairly small battery just a 200ah monoblock lorry battery just to stabilize the system.
Get a 1000 watt inverter.
The most important thing is that the inverter can cope with the spin cycle.
I actually use a 750 watt inverter for my washing machine. It makes some odd noises but it is OK

The wash cycle uses 20 second bursts of about 400 watts.
The spin cycle can use around 800 watts for about 3 minutes.

A very important thing which nobody has mentioned is the temperature of the water.
Modern detergents are designed to be used at lower temperatures such as 40C so you can just use cold.
It would not be a good idea to use solar electric power to heat up the water because the heating element would be at least 1200 watts.
Instead you can buy a washing machine that has both a hot and cold input.
The hot input can come from solar heated water on the roof.
You would need a temperature combiner to make sure the water is not too hot otherwise you will shrink your clothes or discolor them.

In my own system I run the washing machine between 11am and 3pm on a sunny day.
The batteries hardly seem to show the strain because I have about 900 watts coming in from the panels.

A lot of times on this forum something is deemed unfeasable because of the need to do things under battery power.

Just make hay while the sun shines!

I also have sunny weather gadgets such as a 1000 watt electric kettle.
If the sun is shining I will boil water in the kettle if not then I will use gas.

[Vern Faulkner]

The wife and I, who are testing a system now while still on the grid, did four loads of laundry over the weekend, all run off inverter. We just waited for a pair of sunny days, and did laundry just at noon, or a bit before. Panels put out 200-300 watts/hour, machine pulled back a low of 50 watts to a high of 370 watts. All the load did, really, was delay the onset of a full charge.

We ran the machine with a Kill-O-Watt, while still on-grid, and determined it used, IIRC, 0.179 kw/hr of energy per load. Certainly not a mass amount of power for a reasonable system.

[moguitar]

We usually do our laundry on sunny days, too. The main thing is that most regular washing machines require sine wave power, and use more water and power. With off grid systems that are modified sine wave, and run off a well pump, then a Staber washer or something like it is needed. Low power use, 135 watt hours per load, and low water use, 15 gallons per load (big loads, too), and it will run off a modified sine wave inverter.
Of course, they are US made and may not be available in some countries.

[bahamasolarnoob]

https://www.lehmans.com/p-2398-lehmans-own-hand-washer.aspx

2398_3_.jpg

Other hand washers get clothes clean; this one gets them really clean. We took an old favorite and improved on its design to offer you a new alternative.

Nice work out at the same time, you can wash on a cloudy day..

[russ]

https://www.lehmans.com/p-2398-lehma...nd-washer.aspx

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2897[/ATTACH]



Nice work out at the same time

Plus the killawatt meter showed zero!

[SunEagle]

My mom use to own a solar cloths dryer back in the 60's that did not use one watt of electricity.

It was a strong wire stung between the house and a pole and we used these little wooden clamps to keep the clothing on the line. Worked great even in partially sunny days.

[russ]

A little tough sliding in your shorts on a January day in central Oregon though!

[Sunking]

Here is one that is powered by elbow grease.

[inetdog]

Here is one that is powered by elbow grease.

Is that a fossil fuel? I guess it depends on who is doing the laundry.

[russ]

Here is one that is powered by elbow grease.

Give one to your wife and see how that changes life - your life.

[Sunking]

Give one to your wife and see how that changes life - your life.

Nah I give them to Preppers and enviro-whackos.