New To Solar Panels, Need Help

[ArcticWolf_11]

Short answer. NO.

First off forget about building a 12volt battery system. At the watt hours your load is using you need a 48volt system.

Second, if you need a 1000Ah battery system you wire 1000Ah batteries in series not 100Ah batteries in parallel. (check out the 2v 1000Ah Trojan type).

Third, it really doesn't matter how much sun you think you get, the solar panels will not produce anything close to their nameplate wattage except for the amount of solar insolation each day. That can range from 3 to 6 hours depending on where you live.

Look. If you are so focused on building an off grid system to run your computers then go ahead it is your money. Just don't say some of us didn't warn you that your path is going to cost you a lot of money and still not get you the power output you so desire.

Sorry, I didn't mention how I would set the batteries up, I was thinking 100AH 12v SLA batteries ($120 each) in a 48v 300 amp hour system. If 4kW isn't enough, then what do you suggest the size array I should build then? I can also get a 1kW panel (4x 250w) for around $400. Thanks

[ArcticWolf_11]

Which part of this statement are you having problems with:

"Whatever you take off-grid is going to cost you 5 to 10 times more than buying the power for the rest of your life"?

The battery required to supply you 1 Kw round the clock weighs 7000 pounds, requires a reinforced floor with spill prevention, EPA permits with cradle to grave paperwork, and yearly inspections. That battery will cost you $23,000 today without shipping, handling, labor, and a ton of material cost. It will cost you even more in 4 to 6 years when the batteries need replaced. If you had just bought that power from the Power Company only cost you $2000 to $5000 in that same time period. That means you lost 19,000 to $22,000 of income wasting it on batteries and ignorance.


What part of money talking do you not understand? Your money is talking, listen to it. Money knows two words. Good Bye or Hello. Your money is saying Good Bye to you, it is not welcomed in your pockets and looking for some place to go where it is treated with respect.

So hire me, I will gladly take your money away from you and give it a good home to grow up in.

First, what kind of battery are you talking about and second, where the heck are you getting these numbers?

[inetdog]

Sorry, I didn't mention how I would set the batteries up, I was thinking 100AH 12v SLA batteries ($120 each) in a 48v 300 amp hour system. If 4kW isn't enough, then what do you suggest the size array I should build then? I can also get a 1kW panel (4x 250w) for around $400. Thanks

If at all possible, construct your system using 6V or 4V batteries so that you can get your 300AH without having to put batteries in parallel.
For 300AH of sealed batteries at 48V you will need at least 1200W of solar panel just to make sure you supply adequate charging current. More would be better, depending of course on how much power you actually use from the bank each day.

[Sunking]

First, what kind of battery are you talking about and second, where the heck are you getting these numbers?

The best value for your dollar and lowest price batteries there are. Flooded Lead Acid. Use any thing else and cost sky rocket.

Where do I get my numbers. 37 years of professional experience working with every major battery manufacture in the world and contributing author to IEEE battery practices and standards. Not my first rodeo.

So please explain to yourself why you want to pay 10 time or more for electricity for the rest off your life. The only fool you will convince is yourself. The rest of us know better.

So you got two options. Listen or loose a lot of money. Your choice.

[gmanInPA]

Money knows two words. Good Bye or Hello. Your money is saying Good Bye to you, it is not welcomed in your pockets and looking for some place to go where it is treated with respect.

That there is classic... and some classic Sunking