Tesla Wants to Build a Battery for Your House

[Sunking]

Ok, then answer my question. What's a more cost-effective way to live off-grid than PV-battery to reduce generator run time?

I did not claim it was "green" or less polluting.

Oversize both battery and panel wattage.

[SunEagle]

I bet most readers and posters here support your right to live as you choose about 110+ %. That's probably about 110% more than care what those choices entail.

Opinions vary. Respectfully suggest you consider taking a deep breath and smelling the flowers.

When you live off the grid taking deep breaths and smelling the flowers is about all you can afford.

[DanKegel]

I'm now curious if using PV-battery to reduce genset use is actually cheaper than just running a genset. I'll do a quick calc once I've gathered some cost numbers.

Please do.

http://www.rockymtnsolar.com/Remote.html

implies it does pan out, but in my quick, ignorant google search, I didn't find
a real world example.

[RedDenver]

From my reply, you can see that when I said "prohibitively expensive," I was referring to living off-grid - not running solar vs running off a genny (which is what the current cabin owner does, and he pollutes the devil out of the area with noise and emissions and the other camp owners wish I'd buy his place and put a real system in). I think that is where the disconnect happened.

After I replied, I realized you probably meant on-grid vs off-grid. While off-grid costs are going down, on-grid still costs less unless it's unavailable or only available for a significant cost.

Based on other replies, I'm now curious if using PV-battery to reduce genset use is actually cheaper than just running a genset. I'll doa quick calc once I've gathered some cost numbers.

[Living Large]

What? I thought the main purpose of off-grid solar is to minimize generator run time due to cost. Do you know of a more cost-effective solution for off-grid?

From my reply, you can see that when I said "prohibitively expensive," I was referring to living off-grid - not running solar vs running off a genny (which is what the current cabin owner does, and he pollutes the devil out of the area with noise and emissions and the other camp owners wish I'd buy his place and put a real system in). I think that is where the disconnect happened.

[Living Large]

What? I thought the main purpose of off-grid solar is to minimize generator run time due to cost. Do you know of a more cost-effective solution for off-grid?

Simply put - on-grid.

To clarify - when I came here I badly wanted to purchase a nice piece of property that is off grid, and it has an existing cabin. To run power is $94,000.

After going through a design with the assistance of several helpful people here, I came up with an LFP bank, with generator backup system that was about $28,000 on a good day

What to do? Along with all the great advice on battery chemistry and generators and inverters and charge controllers and wiring, came the realization that I was crazy: Yeah, that's right, crazy It's just not for me. You'd have to see the camp and understand more of the economics, but it just wasn't viable to install a system and upgrade the camp and build a garage to have a roof for the SS for my needs. So I started looking for land with power. Point is, I had an option, and chose to exercise it. I got the h&@( out of there. Sunking will say "you need to get out of the 12V box." Well, I got out of the solar box. That would have been some nice living back there, and quiet. I just decided it was too much work and economically sucked either way I looked at it. Everyone is different.

[DanKegel]

Assuming you're trying to power a house-sized load (e.g. washer, fridge, A/C, TVs, computers, lights) at night, and you're comparing these two options:
1. running a fossil-fuel-powered generator
2. running off a battery charged by solar panels
option 1 is probably cheaper because batteries are expensive and don't last nearly as long as solar panels.

That may change as battery technology improves. And batteries may already be a win if for some reason fuel is really hard to get, or if there's a huge battery subsidy.

Solar might be economical during the day, though.

[RedDenver]

No such thing exist. It is impossible to save any money or offset emissions with an off grid residential system. You are just wasting your money and a heavy polluter doing so. There is nothing Green about the way you live. If you think otherwise you need educated.

Ok, then answer my question. What's a more cost-effective way to live off-grid than PV-battery to reduce generator run time?

I did not claim it was "green" or less polluting.

[Sunking]

What? I thought the main purpose of off-grid solar is to minimize generator run time due to cost. Do you know of a more cost-effective solution for off-grid?

No such thing exist. It is impossible to save any money or offset emissions with an off grid residential system. You are just wasting your money and a heavy polluter doing so. There is nothing Green about the way you live. If you think otherwise you need educated.

[RedDenver]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I've been listening here for 4 months, and I learned to avoid solar, if possible, for off-grid. I'm not throwing stones at anyone's solar panel here - you don't want to trash opera while in the opera house - just pointing out that I found it to be prohibitively expensive and a bit too much anticipated work, maintenance and stress. YMMV. Nobody BS'd me here.

What? I thought the main purpose of off-grid solar is to minimize generator run time due to cost. Do you know of a more cost-effective solution for off-grid?

[Living Large]

No stress but independence of living life the way I choose.

Yep, and I am independent to buy remote, but not totally remote property that has utility service available at a fraction of the cost of solar, and not worry constantly about ruining a $10,000 battery bank - which is what I hope to do this coming week after a year long search.

[J.P.M.]

No stress but independence of living life the way I choose.

I bet most readers and posters here support your right to live as you choose about 110+ %. That's probably about 110% more than care what those choices entail.

Opinions vary. Respectfully suggest you consider taking a deep breath and smelling the flowers.

[discovery5]

I feel sad that you have not experienced the joy of off grid

I was thinking the exact same thing. I've been listening here for 4 months, and I learned to avoid solar, if possible, for off-grid. I'm not throwing stones at anyone's solar panel here - you don't want to trash opera while in the opera house - just pointing out that I found it to be prohibitively expensive and a bit too much anticipated work, maintenance and stress. YMMV. Nobody BS'd me here.

No stress but independence of living life the way I choose.

[russ]

My reading comprehension is fine. Look at your old posts. I do not know what drum you are beating.

Then do not misquote me - ever again

[Living Large]

{snip}
Off grid - I am glad you did - now you can bitch about having to pee your money away for nothing.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I've been listening here for 4 months, and I learned to avoid solar, if possible, for off-grid. I'm not throwing stones at anyone's solar panel here - you don't want to trash opera while in the opera house - just pointing out that I found it to be prohibitively expensive and a bit too much anticipated work, maintenance and stress. YMMV. Nobody BS'd me here.