Hey a big newb here on solar

[Rsilva87]

Hello everyone,

Basically I need to know if this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-watt...kit-68751.html

is enough to run this:

https://www.amazon.com/Nesco-SB-01-S...FVS?th=1&psc=1

off of this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-wa...ter-69662.html

for about 8 hours. If it isnt then any help as to how to make this system work would be fantastic.

[Mike90250]

The best part about Harbor Freight, is they have pretty good boxes for the solar panels. Their solar kits are not even good as a toy.
For heating with electricity, induction hotplates are much better, no heat loss to other than food.

First, how long will the cooker be run for? Using a big cooker for just a minute or two, is doable, but even a crock pot for 5 hours @ 200W is 1Kwh consumed.
Anything you consume, has to be replaced from solar at about 150% to account for losses. So a 1Kw cook plate, for 15 minutes is 250wh (375wh needed to recharge)
So to replace that, you need 100W of well aimed, real panels, in direct sun, for at least 4 hours, 10am - 2pm. In many parts of the USA, that may not be achieved because of bad sun angles, or clouds.

A small butane burner for occasional heating a pot, is good. There are some simple solar cook ovens too, but they mostly will just steam food and can't often get above 250F

[Rsilva87]

A single hot plate for about 8 hours heating a 15 gallon ss tank to about 185 degrees continuously. can you suggest a solar setup that would accommodate that?

[littleharbor]

Get yourself a couple big deep cycle 8D batteries and a decent battery charger you can plug in the wall in your garage to charge the batteries. I'm assuming this plan of yours is a portable set up? If so you don't need solar. It would take a lot of large panels and a quite expensive controller to keep up with that kind of load. Granted 8D batteries are heavy but you should be able to haul enough power with you, plop it on the ground, hook up your inverter and an induction cooker and start cooking.

Or use gas.

[PNPmacnab]

Are you cooking or heating water? I heat that amount of water easily. It ain't no single 100W panel though and it doesn't need an inverter.

[Mike90250]

Solar Thermal water heating is much more efficient, and in 8 hours, it might achieve 185F. How much fresh cold water will be getting introduced during the day?
And if it's a cloudy day, it's not going to be SOLAR powered. I'm full of questions!
Will people be drinking this water (does it have to taste good after sitting for 2 hours)?
I'm thinking evacuated tube collectors would be the only way to get water heated up that hot.
Here's a link to a packaged product from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sunchaser-20-.../dp/B005CVHJ24
or this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IWPW85E?psc=1

[Sunking]

Harbor Fright panels are just like expensive perfume. With perfume you have 2-cents worth of scented alcohol in a 50-cent bottle you paid $50 for. Harbor Fright panels is the box the panels come in is worth more then the panels inside the box they came in.

[Sunking]

A single hot plate for about 8 hours heating a 15 gallon ss tank to about 185 degrees continuously. can you suggest a solar setup that would accommodate that?

You cannot afford it plain and simple. 2 Kwh will cost you $6000 today, and $2000 every couple of years replacing a 600 pound battery.

Is that what you want?

[PNPmacnab]

The devil is in the details. That is a lot of money for evacuated tube collectors and a lot of hookup support costs. Plumbing can be a nightmare for many. Reports from Australians say their PV water heating systems out perform their neighbors evacuated tube systems in low light levels. We still have no idea what this person is trying to accomplish. Evacuated tube collectors are far from being the hands down winner. I heat water reliably with only 900W of pv. There are no off the shelf systems that will do this economically. It's back to if you really have to ask, it is unlikely you can do it.

[J.P.M.]

Solar Thermal water heating is much more efficient, and in 8 hours, it might achieve 185F. How much fresh cold water will be getting introduced during the day?
And if it's a cloudy day, it's not going to be SOLAR powered. I'm full of questions!
Will people be drinking this water (does it have to taste good after sitting for 2 hours)?
I'm thinking evacuated tube collectors would be the only way to get water heated up that hot.
Here's a link to a packaged product from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sunchaser-20-.../dp/B005CVHJ24
or this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IWPW85E?psc=1

Evacuated tubes will probably get all the way to 185 F., but at what cost in terms of money and maintenance ?

Depending on expected year long irradiance conditions, a simple flat plate might get to ~ 120 - 150 F. +/- some with a simple hot plate getting the set of the way and/or to maintain the 185 F. However, depending on particulars, solar thermal would probably also require some storage capabilities for continuous operation.




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