# Solar Panels



## TechAdmin

Anyone running solar panels?

If so please tell us what brand, how much, where you bought them from and how much energy they produce.

Would love to hear feedback from solar users.


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## netandtim

I've done some research into solar panels for the farm. Pretty good link is

www.builditsolar.com

I've also read through some alt power forums to read first hand experiences. 
Always something to learn.


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## NaeKid

I have several solar panels - some are small and good for keeping the charge up in a vehicle battery if it isn't running daily. The small ones are 1.5watt and use a small two-pole connector.

My 3 larger solar panels are 13watt each and I connect them via power-ports (cigarette lighter style) to my trailer. They are good enough for keeping my batteries topped up and my electric cooler and furnace going for days and days - as long as the propane in my tanks hold out.

I am planning on adding a 1000 watts worth of panel to my trailer and doing a triple-battery system with isolators between them so that I can put a small electric heating blanket around my water tanks so that they don't freeze up in the cold of winter.


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## TechAdmin

Have you looked into costs Naekid for the 1000w panel or know which brand your going to buy?


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## NaeKid

Dean said:


> Have you looked into costs Naekid for the 1000w panel or know which brand your going to buy?


The 1000w solar panel retails for around $1000 (cad) which includes the control systems so that you don't boil the batteries dry. With the 1000w panel, it should provide sufficient power to run small inverters directly without using a 12v deep-cycle battery in the middle.

For my next house, I plan on running several solar panels to 12-volt deep-cycle batteries which will power my whole house in the same way that RV living can be powered for years via batteries and solar re-generation. I also plan on harnessing wind-power as the prairie winds could keep the house charged most of the time.


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## TechAdmin

Have you found a retailer yet for the 1000w panel?


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## NaeKid

Dean said:


> Have you found a retailer yet for the 1000w panel?


Virtually every RV shop in and around Calgary carries solar panels and the control systems. Solar energy is very big here in Canada - combined with super bright LED lighting systems, you can light your house for days on a single charge. The RV shop that I got my Evolution E1 trailer from is called RV Lifestyles .. again, a local retailer. Go to their on-line store and start looking around page 911 to 913 to see some of the stuff that they have on their site.

There is a company that makes LED based lighting combined with solar panels for bus-shelters. Another company that makes road-way signs that, again, use solar panels to give motorists messages as they drive past (Solar-Tech is the manufacturer). Another company makes solar-powered intersection turn-signals ...

Finally - there is a system that I found out about (have their brochure around here somewhere) that is an automatic power-system-controller. What it does is reads the voltages on the battery system and will take power from the solar panels first to charge up the battery system. If it is too dark for too long, it will fire up a self-contained generator for just as long as it is needed to charge up the battery system, then shut it back down again.


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## Lowdown3

1000 WATT panels? Sure you don't mean 100 watt?


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## Lowdown3

Youtube video series talking about AE systems specially geared towards survivalists 

Parts 4 and 5 show a basic system you can put together for around $2,000. which is VERY CHEAP as far as real AE systems go.

Lowdown3


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## NaeKid

Lowdown3 said:


> 1000 WATT panels? Sure you don't mean 100 watt?


I have to visit my RV dealership tomorrow anyway - I'll take a picture of their display showing the solar panel and the systems that go with it. If I remember correctly, it stated 1,000watt (but, I could be wrong).


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## Last Mohican

FYI

Just outside of Philly ( Fair Hills ) they are getting ready to hook up 14 acres worth of highly efficient solar panels to help power the city and surrounding areas. I think it was around 2,000 or so panels. I made the stancions at work to hold those panels up this past summer. Pretty big project. We are supposed to be working on a much larger solar project if we get the contract. I've also made solar panel mounts that attach to existing roof structures.


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## NaeKid

Last Mohican said:


> FYI
> 
> Just outside of Philly ( Fair Hills ) they are getting ready to hook up 14 acres worth of highly efficient solar panels to help power the city and surrounding areas. I think it was around 2,000 or so panels. I made the stancions at work to hold those panels up this past summer. Pretty big project. We are supposed to be working on a much larger solar project if we get the contract. I've also made solar panel mounts that attach to existing roof structures.


What kind of power do you think will come out of that solar farm? kW/h?


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## Lowdown3

A single panel that's 1,000 watts would have to be huge-normous. It might have been an array with multiple panels, totaling 1,000 watts. 

The Kyocera 130's we run are probably 4' long by almost 3' wide


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## NaeKid

Found a FAQ on solar power from a company here in Alberta. If you surf their site, they have lots of information that is very usable!

Boyd Solar's HomePage: Alberta's Experts in Renewable Energy

Boyd Solar: Alberta's Experts in Renewable Energy - FAQ


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## peallen

*Solar*

There was a ? asked who uses solar 
I have 8 -208 watt sharp panels total of 1664 watts and a 400 watt wind turbine installed by Gardner Engineering and Alternative Energy Services out of Odgen Utah

Peter


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## TechAdmin

Peter can you share more information with us please.

Cost of all of it, are you off grid with the wind and solar setup, do you store the energy or is it direct use?


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## Tex

peallen - How many kwhours do you get out of your system in Summer and Winter? What type of tower did you use for your wind generator? Did you get any tax breaks or state or federal incentives? How do you tie it into your house? Are you on or off grid? Sorry for all the questions. TIA

Donald


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## smithbell81

I have found that solar panels have become essential part of our economy in saving electricity. I know it has some remedies but think about only benefits it giving to us by providing pollution free zone. Solar power could be next source of energy for consumption and we all going to depend on it.

Solar Panels Texas


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## Nadja

I don't find that solar panels save elec so much as they make elec for us that live so far out that their is no grid tie available. I survive on about 18 panels, 18 trojen T-105 batteries, Trace 2512 pure sine wave inverter, 4 trace c-60 charge controlers and a swea 500 watt wind gen. I also have 3 gas gennies for back up , when days like today will not produce much solar due to mostly cloudy. 

Naekid, I don't think I have ever heard of a 1,000 watt solar panel. It would be huge and much easier to break due to the strain on the large sheet of glass. Even if they made such a monster, you would be far better off splitting that into about 4 panels to relieve strain , and also to not be putting all your eggs into one basket. The best bang for the buck right now would be shuco 245 watt panels , selling here retail for about $585.00 each. 24v only of course . By splitting your wattage into 4 seperate panels, should something happen to one , you will still have 3/4 of your system still up and working. If something happens to your single monster panel, your finished


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## bevanwillson

Solar panels texas has the greatest solar resource potential in the nation. They can protect our environment and move to a cleaner energy future by using our technological know how to tap into solar energy. From the NASA researchers innovating new solar technologies at Johnson Space Center to the small businesses installing solar panels on Texas rooftops, solar power is already a reality here in Texas.

solar panels texas


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## Wallrat

Here's my take on solar: I used to have an RV, my mobile homestead. I had six of the 65 watt panels, a top-of-the-line regulator, and three of the 8D batteries (the big big ones). The total cost was about $3500 for it all. I ran an inverter for my desktop computer, the fridge, and lights. It provided about 70-75% of my energy needs in Summer, and about 50-60% in Winter. So, I still had to have a generator. That means another few hundred dollars for the gen-set. While the solar is perfectly silent, and starts paying for itsself on day one, I don't think it's worth it. Spend $1000 on a Honda 2000i which is portable, will provide 100% of your needs, last 20 years, provide 12v DC and is super quiet, and you'll still have $2500 to buy gas for it. Obviously the 200i won't run a home, but you get the idea. Watt for watt, a generator is far superior.
Solar has a nice 'green' feel to it, but is not efficient enough unless you have a huge number of panels, and lots of storgage. It would be easy to spend 10-15k on doing a home, only to not have all your energy needs met. I see no satisfaction in that.

I'm not trying to piss off the solar fans, I've used it for years, and found it lacking. You might have better luck. People need to be presented both sides of the argument.


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## NaeKid

Since I posted many moons ago, I have installed a solar-system on my trailer. I am now running dual 6-volt RV batteries with an 80-watt panel. I find that when I am on the prairies, I have sufficient power being collected by the panels and charging the batteries. When I am deep in the mountains, surrounded by trees, I may have too much shade to properly charge-up my batteries fully each day.

My fan-forced-heat in the camper can suck my batteries dry in a single cold night and set-off the low-power-alarm (ya, it beeps at me!). I am considering adding two more batteries to the system and change out the panel to a 120-watt unit and then moving my 80-watt panel to another project that I plan on starting shortly (see thread on my BOT).

I will agree with Wallrat that sometimes solar is lacking and other times it works well - I am trying to find that balance point with my systems.


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## Nadja

nakid, why don't you instead add a 125 watt panel to your existing 80 w panel and also two more batteries to your system. It is always better to have more in solar then not quite enough


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## NaeKid

Nadja,

It is because of the size of my camper-trailer. I have an Evolution E1 trailer that doesn't have a very large roof-line and I need to keep the top fairly free of "stuff" so adding a second / third panel may not be the best route to take.

If I had a different style of trailer, I could consider tossing more panels up there to boost my power production.


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## mosquitomountainman

Wallrat said:


> Here's my take on solar: I used to have an RV, my mobile homestead. I had six of the 65 watt panels, a top-of-the-line regulator, and three of the 8D batteries (the big big ones). The total cost was about $3500 for it all. I ran an inverter for my desktop computer, the fridge, and lights. It provided about 70-75% of my energy needs in Summer, and about 50-60% in Winter. So, I still had to have a generator. That means another few hundred dollars for the gen-set. While the solar is perfectly silent, and starts paying for itsself on day one, I don't think it's worth it. Spend $1000 on a Honda 2000i which is portable, will provide 100% of your needs, last 20 years, provide 12v DC and is super quiet, and you'll still have $2500 to buy gas for it. Obviously the 200i won't run a home, but you get the idea. Watt for watt, a generator is far superior.
> Solar has a nice 'green' feel to it, but is not efficient enough unless you have a huge number of panels, and lots of storgage. It would be easy to spend 10-15k on doing a home, only to not have all your energy needs met. I see no satisfaction in that.
> 
> I'm not trying to piss off the solar fans, I've used it for years, and found it lacking. You might have better luck. People need to be presented both sides of the argument.


We understand your frustrations with solar power's high cost to output ratio. A generator puts out far more electricity at a lower intitial cost. A generator designed for continual usage is expensive and absolutely, totaly, 100 percent dependent upon fossil fuels. We live completely off-grid and have approx. 1,000 watts in solar power. We also have 4000 watt and 6000 watt generators. We use thenm occassionally to charge batteries after a week or so of cloudy days or to run my larger power equipment and welder.

We just made some adjustments in lifestyle and get along just fine on what the solar produces about 99% of the time. We seldom use the generators anymore.

When we went to Nevada last winter we took a single 100 watt panel and only ran out of electricity once for one night. We ran lights, small DVD player and two notebook computers. We use LED lights and the computers use less juice than your standard incandescent lightbulb. At home we run our refrigerator off the solar panels all seasons except winter.

Solar may not be for everyone but the big thing about solar is that it will function without fossil fuels for the next twenty-years or more. A generator is only as good as your fuel supply and if you use it much it will need frequent replacement.


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## Wallrat

mosquitomountainman said:


> We understand your frustrations with solar power's high cost to output ratio. A generator puts out far more electricity at a lower intitial cost. A generator designed for continual usage is expensive and absolutely, totaly, 100 percent dependent upon fossil fuels. We live completely off-grid and have approx. 1,000 watts in solar power. We also have 4000 watt and 6000 watt generators. We use thenm occassionally to charge batteries after a week or so of cloudy days or to run my larger power equipment and welder.
> 
> We just made some adjustments in lifestyle and get along just fine on what the solar produces about 99% of the time. We seldom use the generators anymore.
> 
> When we went to Nevada last winter we took a single 100 watt panel and only ran out of electricity once for one night. We ran lights, small DVD player and two notebook computers. We use LED lights and the computers use less juice than your standard incandescent lightbulb. At home we run our refrigerator off the solar panels all seasons except winter.
> 
> Solar may not be for everyone but the big thing about solar is that it will function without fossil fuels for the next twenty-years or more. A generator is only as good as your fuel supply and if you use it much it will need frequent replacement.


Good points...I should have said that while solar didn't supply all my needs, it was wonderful while it lasted. Perfectly silent electricity from the Sun is that 'Green" feeling I mentioned. But for people with a tight budget, it might not be the best option. To me, solar is best suited if you're doing it on a home (or a big RV you can carpet the roof of with panels), one you'll have for at least ten years or more. Then it might pay off. My two cents.

Also, Nae-kid, on your trailer...I've seen people put panels on the hinged fiberglass window cover on the front window of a pulltrailer. Don't know if that's what you have, but it might be another spot to use.


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## NaeKid

WallRat - if you peak at my message again, you might noticed that the "Evolution E1" is in another color - that is a link to GoogleImages that you can peak at many pictures of my trailer and at pictures of other's trailers as well.

If I remember correctly (IIRC), my Jeep and trailer are picture #4 in the list ...


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## Wallrat

OK, got it....no front window! It looks like you could put at least four big panels on the roof of it, but you said you need to keep it free of stuff. Love those trailers...If you have quads or bikes, it'ld be sweet. How about making some freestanding frame for your panels, so you can stand them up like an easel, then rotate as the Sun moves, and put away when you leave? You can use quick connectors for the wiring.


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## NaeKid

Wallrat said:


> OK, got it....no front window! It looks like you could put at least four big panels on the roof of it, but you said you need to keep it free of stuff. Love those trailers...If you have quads or bikes, it'ld be sweet. How about making some freestanding frame for your panels, so you can stand them up like an easel, then rotate as the Sun moves, and put away when you leave? You can use quick connectors for the wiring.


I have my panel mounted on cross-bars on the roof with a quick-connect between the panel and the rest of the trailer. That allows me to disconnect the panel when I am travelling. The wire is long enough that I can reach the roof with a couple inches to spare. The problem is that the weight-restriction on the rising-roof is such that I am close to the limit already having the bars and panel up there. I am wanting to put a second set of cross-bars on the roof (it is designed for it) so that when it is down, I can strap my 16' canoe to it. That might put me over-the-top for the static-weight on the roof.

I have only the small deck on the front of the trailer, I can't strap motorbike or quad or anything like that to the trailer. I designed and built a rear 2" hitch for the trailer so that I can carry extra stuff on the back of it via hitch-rack. There is a thread about my trailer hiding somewhere on the forum under the vehicle section if you wanna see more of it.


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## Nadja

Naekid, by the way , since your up there in the cold beyond your wildest dreams, you ought to wear clothes Lol Why don't you make you a hinged "awning" window or no window, and let it down when your traveling and put it up when your parked ? I think I would create something like that if it were me.


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## NaeKid

Nadja said:


> Naekid, by the way , since your up there in the cold beyond your wildest dreams, you ought to wear clothes Lol Why don't you make you a hinged "awning" window or no window, and let it down when your traveling and put it up when your parked ? I think I would create something like that if it were me.


Ahh ..... clothing, it is over-rated. I don't mind wearing clothing when the temperature bounces off of -40° to as warm as -20° - any warmer than that and I just swelter.

I am not the only one like that ... check out this ice-fishing video ..






Anyway, can you sketch-up your idea on the awning idea for my solar-panel? I can't picture it ...


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## Nadja

Well, nakid, I don't know if you could read my sketch. But picture this. Lets say you put two panels side by side and made you a angle iron frame. Then , you put say 4 door hinges at the top of them, and mount that , hinges at the top to the side of your rv so that it goes up and down , sorta like the flap on a tent. Now you can either mt a couple of support rods, like on the hood of a car to keep it up or simply make a couple of 2 x 4's different lengths etc or a rod with bolts sticking out to raise the entire "awning' at different increaments as to where the sun is. Sure would give you a lot of extra power. When it comes to solar, more is always better. 

As far as Crazy Canooks are concerned, why would anyone down here in the real world think of you guys as anything different anyway ? LOL


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## The_Blob

Nadja said:


> Well, nakid, I don't know if you could read my sketch. But picture this. Lets say you put two panels side by side and made you a angle iron frame. Then , you put say 4 door hinges at the top of them, and mount that , hinges at the top to the side of your rv so that it goes up and down , sorta like the flap on a tent. Now you can either mt a couple of support rods, like on the hood of a car to keep it up or simply make a couple of 2 x 4's different lengths etc or a rod with bolts sticking out to raise the entire "awning' at different increaments as to where the sun is. Sure would give you a lot of extra power. When it comes to solar, more is always better.
> 
> As far as Crazy Canooks are concerned, why would anyone down here in the real world think of you guys as anything different anyway ? LOL


a small geared motor to turn it and suntracker* software are both pretty cheap add-ons now


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## Nadja

Good mornin Naekid. Having just looked at your tent trailer, I instantly realised that you cannot put much more on the roof and pretty much nothing on the sides. A 1,000 watt panel, if they were to make such a monster, would weigh in at 2 or 3 hundred pounds by itself. Therefore, you would need to make a small A-Frame type mounting system, much like the old hawkers would wear walking up and down the streets to advertise products and movies. But even then you would want no more then 2 panels on it, as they are a little heavy, especially when you add all the wood weight with it.


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## Nadja

Austin. You would want to check out the Shuco Solar panels made in Germany. Incredible and the price is really good for such a well designed and made pane. 235 watts at @585.00 per panel


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## NaeKid

Nadja said:


> Good mornin Naekid. Having just looked at your tent trailer, I instantly realised that you cannot put much more on the roof and pretty much nothing on the sides. A 1,000 watt panel, if they were to make such a monster, would weigh in at 2 or 3 hundred pounds by itself. Therefore, you would need to make a small A-Frame type mounting system, much like the old hawkers would wear walking up and down the streets to advertise products and movies. But even then you would want no more then 2 panels on it, as they are a little heavy, especially when you add all the wood weight with it.


I am glad that you had a chance to peak at my trailer so that you would understand my limitations on placing panels on the roof. I have considered a "painter's easel" style of solar panel mount that I could put on the ground and move as required, but, the amount of space that I have to work with on the trailer is quite limited for storing the panels. I can place about 200# on the top of the roof while travelling and about 50# can stay up there when raising and lowering the roof.

You can see more about my trailer (and pictures of it and the solar on it) here in the Vehicle-discussion-zone at: http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f21/travel-trailers-715/


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## Nadja

Why do you limit yourself to carrying them all on the roof ? Could you not utilitize a little space on the jeep ?


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## NaeKid

I tow the trailer with a Jeep - there isn't really any room for large solar panels on my Jeep. If I went to a big truck (like a 3/4ton or 1ton long-box with canopy and rack), I could probably do something with more solar panels being transported by the truck ... but, till then, I am working with what I have ...


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## Nadja

Austin said:


> Anyone running solar panels?
> 
> If so please tell us what brand, how much, where you bought them from and how much energy they produce.
> 
> Would love to hear feedback from solar users.


Austin, here is a link to my pic's on my solar/wind system

MySolarSystem


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## YouNeedBatteries

What if you can't find any solar panels? Can you make them? Probably, but how do you create the solar cells without going to your local home improvement store? That was just my little introduction to a video I found which I found interesting about making solar cells using donuts and tea.

How To Make a Solar Cell with Donuts and Tea | Wired Science | Wired.com


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## philk1

First time installations on a property also can be eligible for multiplied STC's under the Solar Credits scheme. This means that for grid-connected small-scale systems, the first 1.5kW's of capacity is awarded with a 2x bonus STC rate.


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## Viking

One thing I've learned over the years in putting together the first solar panel system for our motor home and then designing one for our home is that it pays to do business close to where you live and in state if possible. Shipping can be expensive due to size and weight. By getting our panels from a business just over a 100 miles away we were able to pick them up ourselves and even with the cost of fuel we saved about $250 for the home panels, that put the price at just a hair over $1.51 per watt. The other thing is that Oregon has no sales tax which could be an issue in buying out of state.


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## talob

Has anyone here tried or considerd build your own solar panels? I'm just now looking into it and would like to know all the in's & out's up's down's and if it is just feasible.


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## LincTex

talob said:


> Has anyone here tried or considerd build your own solar panels? I'm just now looking into it and would like to know all the in's & out's up's down's and if it is just feasible.


Getting condensation under the glass (with the cells) can be a big problem with homemade panels.

Also, you don't know the meaning of the word *"FRAGILE"* until you handle solar cells!


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## Viking

LincTex said:


> Getting condensation under the glass (with the cells) can be a big problem with homemade panels.


I looked at some of the DIY sites on building my own panels but in consideration of rounding up everything needed, getting a hold of tempered glass of the proper size, time spent on getting the cells bonded with the glass, soldiering the cell wires and getting them mounted in frames it just isn't worth the time and effort considering all the other projects I have going on. On top of this the panels I got have warranties.


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## LincTex

Viking said:


> It just isn't worth the time and effort


Back when a 60-watt monocrystalline panel was $400, it *was* worth it. Now the things are almost down to a measly $1 per watt!!! I can't build one as cheap as they can be bought.


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## cowboyhermit

Yeah, now that they are treated like a commodity and they are working with economies of scale I can't see it paying. Full size panels are built very well and are reasonably priced when you factor in all the parts and labour.


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## talob

I did some checking on components this morning on EBAY havent done the math yet on price's, all the above points are good, I'll check out the price's and let ya know I suspect it may not be worth messing with.


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## talob

Guys it looks like your all right, after doing some priceing it looks like it just wont be worth messing with building my own collectors, I can get 240W pannels from Solar Systems USA for around two hundred bucks, oh well would have been an interesting and educational project.


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## LincTex

talob said:


> oh well would have been an interesting and educational project.


Well... Parts are pretty cheap as well. I say go for it, just for fun.

I still built some some small ones for "here and there"...

The lights in the outhouse are solar powered. (Small 12V, 4Ah SLA battery with a ~3 watt panel) because it is so far away. My mailbox "art/sculpture" is illuminated at night with an early solar power project. Another project powers the gate opener.


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## talob

LincTex said:


> Well... Parts are pretty cheap as well. I say go for it, just for fun.
> 
> I still built some some small ones for "here and there"...
> 
> The lights in the outhouse are solar powered. (Small 12V, 4Ah SLA battery with a ~3 watt panel) because it is so far away. My mailbox "art/sculpture" is illuminated at night with an early solar power project. Another project powers the gate opener.


Yeah I still like the idea, I think I will try it for a small project, the bigger pannels with some more checking I can get 250W panels under two hundred bucks, where do you get the glazeing for your panels anyway, I see solar panel glass isn't just regular temperd glass.


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## Viking

talob said:


> Yeah I still like the idea, I think I will try it for a small project, the bigger pannels with some more checking I can get 250W panels under two hundred bucks, where do you get the glazeing for your panels anyway, I see solar panel glass isn't just regular temperd glass.


I haven't really looked into the type of glass used other than to read the info on panels I had been checking on and they state that the glass that is used is "low iron". Glass for solar panels is the direct opposite of window and door glass which are called "low E" type glass, this type of glass greatly reduces the amount of ultra-violet rays passing through them whereas the solar glass allows as much solar energy as possible to pass through.


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## LincTex

Viking said:


> Glass for solar panels is the direct opposite of window and door glass which are called "low E" type glass, this type of glass greatly reduces the amount....


Just the new "energy efficient" glass. 
Get old glass from a few decades ago, it shouldn't be "Low E".
I have an old sliding patio door that is going to become a solar panel!


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## ReconMarine

Wallrat said:


> Here's my take on solar: I used to have an RV, my mobile homestead. I had six of the 65 watt panels, a top-of-the-line regulator, and three of the 8D batteries (the big big ones). The total cost was about $3500 for it all. I ran an inverter for my desktop computer, the fridge, and lights. It provided about 70-75% of my energy needs in Summer, and about 50-60% in Winter. So, I still had to have a generator. That means another few hundred dollars for the gen-set. While the solar is perfectly silent, and starts paying for itsself on day one, I don't think it's worth it. Spend $1000 on a Honda 2000i which is portable, will provide 100% of your needs, last 20 years, provide 12v DC and is super quiet, and you'll still have $2500 to buy gas for it. Obviously the 200i won't run a home, but you get the idea. Watt for watt, a generator is far superior.
> Solar has a nice 'green' feel to it, but is not efficient enough unless you have a huge number of panels, and lots of storgage. It would be easy to spend 10-15k on doing a home, only to not have all your energy needs met. I see no satisfaction in that.
> 
> I'm not trying to piss off the solar fans, I've used it for years, and found it lacking. You might have better luck. People need to be presented both sides of the argument.


 Wallrat, you need to get in front of your solar, not behind it. I run a 2kv solar array along with a 600 watt wind turbine for four battery banks. One of my battery banks has pulse/desulfurization chargers connected to it that goes to the other battery banks to maintain a float charge. You can make use of blocking diodes to divide up the power going to your battery banks. 
That Honda generator is still very useful in that you can run it 20-30 minutes a day to charge up your battery banks whenever they need it via the pulse/desulfurization chargers. Bottom line is that generator cost you money for whatever type of fuel you are using, I prefer propane over gasoline but that still cost money also. One more thing, start looking at not bigger batteries but more efficient ones. Two of my battery banks are 14 volt systems because I run a lot of ham radios on them for my radio relay station that require 13.8 VDC. 
A 14 VDC system has many advantages, it will run your inverter for more than 12-22 hours vs a 12 VDC system that alarms out your inverter and shuts it off 4-6 hours after the sun sets. For 14 VDC, I use 6 and 8 volt golf cart batteries in a series/parallel circuit. Golf cart batteries are usually 230 Ah each, they are cheap and very forgiving and can be used indoors because they require larger amperage for charging overnight but over the period of several days will come to a full charge and can't be overcharged with a right amount of solar panels. The goal is to run the least amount of solar panels and 14Vdc system doesn't require a charge controller either because the voltages are very close to each other with the solar panels. 
When it comes to battery banks, don't put all your eggs in one basket, run multiple battery banks, incorporate pulse/desulfurization chargers like those made by BatteryMINDer 2012 and they will equalize your battery banks every 30 days for you or you can do it manually with UPS yourself. Yes, I use UPS's throughout the whole house because of where I live, we get brown outs and power surges because I live on an island that uses big generators to power the whole island. 
I've been running these same four battery banks for 10 years and have never had to replace a single battery. I take each battery bank apart once a year to add acid if needed, not water, which you can buy over the counter at any auto parts store really cheap, I use electrical grease after any cleaning of connectors and during that time while the batteries are sitting outside the bank, I test each one with a volt meter and mark the voltages on the labels I have on the sides along with the date/time. 
Anyway, I wish you luck on your current solar array set up but if it were me, I would make some major changes until you get the desired performance from your off grid system until it's not costing you a penny to run it. The great thing about off grid systems or Microgrids, is that you don't need to spend a whole lot of money upfront, you can buy a few solar panels here and a few batteries there. I also don't like to run a system higher than 14 VDC so that in times of need, I can jump my battery banks with jumper cables to my Jeep if ever needed but never had to do that yet, not even after one of our many hurricanes. If you run say a 48 or 96 VDC system and one battery goes bad on you, then you're up a creek without a paddle and that is never good. It's higher amperages with 12 and 14 VDC systems but easy to use and understand. 
Again, good luck and do a little more research but I will tell you right now, there is no research that I can find on 14 VDC systems but yet you can now buy 14 volt deep cycle batteries on the Internet although I've never bought one yet.


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## ILFE

TechAdmin said:


> Anyone running solar panels?
> 
> If so please tell us what brand, how much, where you bought them from and how much energy they produce.


3 - 100 watts Just Solar panels running 12vdc lighting and a water pump.
2 - 135 watts Just Solar panels running exterior lighting.
4 - 100 watts Just Solar panels to be connected to a grid-tie inverter to off set power from the mains coming onto the property. 
2 - 100 watts Just Solar panels running a 24 vdc submersible pump for aeration of a small pond, 10 meters x 12 meters.

All panels purchased from one company, here in Cambodia. Current pricing, $1.00 / watt. All but a single controller purchased in the USA. One Morningstar 30 amp controller, purchased locally. Local pricing on controllers is outrageously high.


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## FrankW

Maybe someone like Recon marine or ILFE could write a comprehensive article on Solar for preppers.. from different types Solar generators (with links to competitive vendors, pics etc) to bigger systems


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## ILFE

BlueZ said:


> Maybe someone like Recon marine or ILFE could write a comprehensive article on Solar for preppers.. from different types Solar generators (with links to competitive vendors, pics etc) to bigger systems


My apologies. I just noticed this reply, *BlueZ*.

I, by no means, claim to be an authority on solar installations. Everything I have learned, I did so through joining alternative energy forums, such as Solar Panel Talk & Northern Arizona Wind & Sun Solar Forum. Other information I picked up from other websites and videos that offered specific information that I was seeking.

The long and short of it is, if people follow a few basic guidelines, pretty much *anyone* can calculate what is necessary to power their respective loads.

Generally speaking:-

 Determine how many total watts each necessary appliance uses.
 Multiply that by the number of hours the appliance must run during any 24 hours period.
 Calculate the number of total Amp Hours necessary to power said appliances. Multiply this by 2 (if using flooded lead acid, gel, or AGM batteries). You do not want to drain given types of batteries below 50%. Although, newer technology batteries can be drawn down considerably farther, when powering appliances. This will give you the battery bank size you need, to power your appliances for off-grid, or during mains power disruptions.
 Calculate the panel wattage necessary, to charge your battery bank each day. Personally, I never calculate a charge rate below 10%, so my batteries will recharge every day, as needed.


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## Viking

Okay, so it's been awhile since I've been to this site, went through congestive heart failure in 2018, I have a great cardiologist and have ended up with the best blood pressure readings I've had for years. Anyway, in 2019 I completed our solar backup system, as it was, for a number of years I had 5 banks of 4 GC2 6 volt batteries hooked up to a 4000 watt 120/240 VAC Magnum Energy pure sinewave inverter/charger, the system worked great but the batteries were grid charged and that's what I took care of in 2019 by making a solar array frame and mounting our eight 195 watt monocrystalline solar panels, these are connected to the battery bank through a MorningStar 60 amp solar controller.


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