Solar Power for Newbies: A Walk Through Our Solar System (Vlog)
We run on 100% Solar Energy here at our homestead @mountainjewel!
Thanks to @jackdub & @offgrid-online for the encouragement to finally make this post!! It's been one on our minds for a while!
I took some time today to vlog about our solar setup. Starting with the 8 solar panels, I walk you through our solar system:
- What we use it for.
- Panels (8 275 W Helios Panels)
- Breaker Box (Midnight Brand)
- Charge Controller (Midnight Classic)
- Batteries (Trojan 12v Deep Cycle)
- Inverter (Aims Power 5000w)
And our review of each of the items we chose to fulfill those roles.
We're quite happy with our choices and have MORE than enough energy to serve our small needs on the homestead.
We are 100% solar powered here and lived our first 2 YEARS without any electricity so we are now even more grateful for the abundant energy that we have!
Also, this vlog was made by a solar relative-newbie (who successfully researched and setup this system) so know that if you know close to nothing about solar systems or tech, that doesn't limit you from setting up something on your own.
I joked in the video that I had to read the setup guide 50 times, but in reality it was probably closer to 100! Setting up a solar system can be difficult if you've never done it before, but, again, it's not too hard!
I also didn't mention in the video that we do run all of the power tools we use on the homestead with this system. We have abundant energy! I misspoke and called our freezer a fridge, but know that we run our freezer, all power tools, blender, lights, charge and run all electronics, batteries, a small portable clothes washer (we got one @jackdub! thanks for the tip!!), fans, pumps, and basically all appliances that we want from the system!
I think our 8 panel, 4 12v battery, ~3000 watt system is definitely enough energy for a family/homestead of our size!
This is an entry into @offgrid-online's Show us your alternative energy setup contest! I will do a proper blog at some point with fancy photos detailing each aspect of the setup, but for now, here is @mountainjewel's vlog of our PV system by Wren!
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
Really great video Wren! Informative yet not intimidating. I'm sure I would have to read the manual about 100 times to get it! lol What a game changer is correct! So glad you have it now!
thanks! yes, you know the intimate details of how great of a game changer this has been for us ;) xoxo
Wow that is a hefty system! How much of the available energy do you austere you're using in the winter when all parts are working?
well we went through the entire winter with only one string of panels working. not actually quite sure how much we'd have available. we can only guess based on the fact that right after we fixed it (at the tail end of this winter), we immediately had more than enough! we designed it to grow into it without having to replace major parts. so far so good! (and all that was wrong this winter was a broken mc4 connector on the roof- gah!! haha)
Thanks for the shout outs - and of course for the awesome post and video about your solar power system and your experience with it :) A lot of great information.
you're welcome! glad you liked the video detailing our solar system. hope to inspire/educate some. thanks <3
Yeah, so cool. I love the little solar shed you built too! I had been looking up solar systems today for our property... We had some electricity issues over the weekend, but we worked it out using an inverter plugged into my car to fix that problem. Now we want solar sooner tgan we thought!
Thanks for the inspiration, great video
Ps: I don't think we use anywhere near 5000 watts either.
yeah there are fancy online calculators that you can type your electronic usage appliances and whatnot into to give you a general calc...
great fix! when on the land, there always seems to be a need to think smart on your feet :)
really glad you liked the vid; thanks :D and i'm glad you like the solar shed too!!! <3
Ah thanks, yeah thinking on your feet... seems like so many humans have a hard time with it these days. Too much distraction in the form of "gossip" type entertainment maybe? Rotts the brain I think!
Fortunately I have to be a good "MacGyver" in my field of work, so I've practiced thinking outside the box a bit for the last 20 some years!
good to hear it! i would expect nothing less from the coconut ;) !!
Lol, thanks!
Hi This is owssome , i am so insperation of read your post. please contineue .
Love the Steemit pride on your freezer lol! Great video on your setup for your solar power. I have been curious about how they are setup but have never gone out and researched it. Kudos to you for being able to live without electricity before! I'm not sure I could get used to that if I am being completely honest. Awesome and informative video!
Ivy
hahah thanks! my steemit pride just grows and grows!
glad you found the video informative! it was a huge learning curve, but we've got our feed now :) let me know if you have questions.
yes, it was a bit rough living without electricity, but we had traveled/lived in tents for many years prior to this so it wasn't too bad really. happy to have it now though!!! xo
Wow! It sounds like you have lived quite an adventure for sure. Good for you, adventure is the best sort of life :)
Ivy
Nice setup, 48 volts is a good choice for reduced wiring size. 2200 watts is a significant system. What is the amp hour rating on your batteries? I assume you have two parallel banks of 4. Do you ever trip these 15 amp breakers, because your panels can make almost 23 amps?
Thank you for the video! Nice to see a system that is not under powered!
thanks! the breakers actually don't trip. not sure what amp hours they are. they're trojan deep cycle, but i'd have to look up the specs :) yeah we're happy to have abundant energy too!
If they do begin to trip, you can go to 20 amp berakers, IF YOU have 12 gauge wire coming into the breakers. I am glad it is working well for you!
I plan on going full Solar with wind back up on the land we just bought. I love your 48 volt system voltage! I will be forced to use 24 volts (at least I avoided the 12 volt quagmire, LOL) and I have the gear here already, except the batteries. Those are coming together ( I am collecting the cells to build them) with a goal of 21,000 watts or 875 amps at 24 volts .
My wife can't tolerate the heat or cold (she has MS) so I found two minisplit heatpump systems to use in the house They use 900 watts each, and are 12,000 BTU units that will do about 700 square feet apiece. I am currently grid tied there, so I will either remove the meter, or sell power back to them.
This post Won the 3 SBD - 1st Prize in the @offgrid-online Alternative Power contest. Thank you for sharing your Knowledge and Experience :) This post will also be featured in the Weekly Review to be posted today.
thanks so much dear! appreciate all you are doing to make a platform for us to share offgrid education :) much love.