Should We Go with Solar Power? Renegade's Thoughts

in #dlive6 years ago

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One of the things we will have to decide soon with our home build is if we are going to pay to connect to the electrical grid or spend the extra money to go off-grid with a solar system. In this video, I discuss some of the considerations that are influencing our decision.

My video is at DLive

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This is one thing we need to plan for as well. Saving up to go total off-grid would be nice but for now maybe connecting to the grid? But we don't get paid for the energy we will create with the electric coop we're connected with so, that's a quandary.

Ugh, carbon tax and "other" charges. No likey either.

Pretty much the same dilemma we have regarding the battery to store power then the smart meters. We're already on the IoT age and we're having a hard time getting a new vehicle for our growing family. They're too much computerized now...

Finally was able to load the video so I can comment relative to the post! Nice to see you Matt, Aimee and I are in Discord with SteemitMamas but we hardly catch each other on there :) The little ones are getting active. scratching my head

Thanks for stopping by I am glad you were able to watch the video. It is a complicated issue that is for sure. I still have to do more research but I am sure I will figure out the best course of action.

If you have a choice, go with solar. Your concern with the smart meters is very valid, and the data mining is planned for already, as it is showing up in the trade magazines.

The LiIon batteries can be recharged 15,000 times before they begin to drop any power storage efficiency. Deep cycled once a day would give you 41 years of service, at full power. The lead acids will only last about 5 years; in deep cycle service use.
:)

Thanks for tuning in! Sounds like you listened to the whole thing. Which specific LiIon batteries are you referring to? I have not done a ton of research on them and would be grateful for any leads.

Certain lead acid batteries that are specifically made for off grid application should have a service life of 12-15 years if properly used and maintained. A big part of this being having a large enough solar array that the batteries are not discharged more then 30% on a regular basis.

Lead acid batteries are a minimal installation.I am collecting and testing 18650 LiIon from failed laptop batteries. I have about 7000 watts so far, and will stack them in 24 volt 60 watt sticks. Here is a prototype 12 and 24 volt battery:

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Here are some tested, salvaged, batteries:

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The actual battery sticks will be in plastic, with about 30 sticks in a 5 gallon bucket, in antifreeze. I plan on about a dozen buckets, which will give me an easy 21,000 watts of storage. If I drain / use it hard I can just about double the power.

I have about $75 in the batteries thus far. In a 300 amp hour 24 volt battery.

I will control each bucket with a microprocessor, and each battery stick will be controlled separately by a TMOS power FET, so if I have a battery problem; it is turned off, and I only loose 60 watts.

I can pull this bad stick, and replace the bad cell; then return it to service.

That sounds pretty badass but also a bit over my head. How do you set up the microprocessors?

Trying to decide which one to use right now. I am a EE, so the design is easy.

BUT the TMOS power FET is like an electronic relay. It has a Gate (like a coil) a Source (the "hot" connection), and the drain (which is the ground connection). Ground the Drian, and apply power to the Gate, and it will conduct from source to drain, at a lot of power! :)

Wow very impressive stuff @smithlabs!!! Also a bit over my head but it does sound like you're on to something great. So that's 1800 watts per buckets... and 300 amp hours per bucket?

Yes 1800 watts per bucket. But at 24 volts it will be 75 Amp Hours per bucket. I have enough salvaged and tested batteries for 4 buckets which will be 300 Amp Hours total so far.

I will begin with 12 buckets and 900 Amp Hours at 24 volts. This is the same storage as a 12 volt 1800 Amp Hour battery.

Ol cool. I am still in the fog about batteries and what you get out of amp hours... overcharging, discharging too low, controllers and power inverters... But I am learning and like I said befor, what you're doing is very impressive!

How slow will you 900 amp hours start to have tp be recharged? (Approximately)

Thanks

I look forward to getting home from work and properly checking this out! I heard on 63o ched that we are much more viable for solar energy here than in other places where it is much more utilized.

630 ched? You must live within a few hours of me.

Alberta is decent for solar power. We don't have an excessive amount of clouds like in some areas.

Yeah, we are an hour and fifteen south of edmonton.
Grant macewan had a lecture on solar power not long back- but i had previous commitments that kept me from going.

That's cool. About a year ago I went to a free seminar at NAIT in Edmonton. I also attended a solar design course there.

I finally listened to the whole thing (wait till the little ones are 4!!!). I don't know about the carbon tax in the area we arebin and we haven't checked out the prices of electricity per kw... but we are in a situation where the house will run off solar and the workshops (makerspace type thing) will be on the grid bit also close to the road.

We didn't really kmow either if we should go off grid solar or pay to tie in and later get solar. Double the price doesn't seem very smart. And now that you talked of data over the wires... we may stick to the plan!

Batteries for sure are something to look deep into and making sure they are managed properly will make the best of it.

Thanks for the talk!

You're welcome! There are a lot of considerations that is for sure. I will be sure to update when we have more info on the cost of hooking to the grid and make our final decision.

Nice. Thanks again

To prepare the house requires a lot of effort. For this, the list is used with the system.

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