Solar power for my new home

Daferris

Well-known member

Equipment
LX2610
Nov 23, 2021
483
403
63
Mid-Michigan
For some good info look at these sites...
youtube.com/c/WillProwse/videos

Will has lots of good info as well as reviews and teardowns of equipment & batteries to see the build quality.
 
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Sep 3, 2022
51
29
18
America
Looks like the "Green Energy" costs (batteries, solar panels, wiring) may be increasing radically soon, and our government(s) are lining up like lemmings to abandon fossil fuels! There are those requesting proposed legislation to protect fossil fuels so we can keep using our vehicles.

 

RDinNHandAZ

Active member

Equipment
Kubota BX1870, FEL, BX5450 Snowblower, back blade, customized snow cab
Jun 26, 2022
89
105
33
Lakes Region NH and Sonoran Desert AZ
Something to consider is the management. We lived off grid for 10 years beginning in the late 70’s. The system was a 3KW Dunlite wind generator and a bank of 19 FLA batteries. Inverters were terribly inefficent and VERY expensive so we went 114Volts DC. Payoff was 6 years and eveyrthing worked well. August was always calm so we had a generator to recharge the batteries. Technology is much better today but a factor to consider is the management of any system that relies on the weather. Computers make it all easier but it still needs to be done. Clearing snow, adjusting the load, checking the SOC of the batteries and other tasks are part of the territory. If your electric bill is several hundred dollars a month then this may be insignificant. Ours is $55-$75. At our use there needs to be other motivation besides money. Having a grid tie system transfers the care of most things to the power company. We know how reliable solar power can be having relied on it in our traveling van for 5 years. Having a self contained system means you have power when the power company is off and in cold country we have to keep a generator anyway. Now in our 70’s, we use a mix of propane and electricity that is very modest but it is still easy to design a system that if self installed has a payoff of 6 years. With time afforded by retirement the management for us would be fine.
 
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Dwight Bremer

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L4060 HSTC, LA805, L2195A, BH92, .5TBB, PF, 12K TAT,
May 16, 2021
75
59
18
Hardwick, MN
There is no out of pocket cost for our project. The financing is at 1.46% interest. The energy produced will pay for the install over 10 years with a little coming back in reduced monthly electrical bill. After pay off all the energy proceeds goes to our electric bill, hopefully building a reserve at the electric company.
 
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