Off Grid Living / Camping > Off Grid Living / Alternative Housing

New to solar and this board

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Wolvenar:
Welcome to the forum.

I am not the best here to help you with inverter advice, however I did notice something that may be of concern that no one has commented on yet.


--- Quote ---wall-mounted AC/heater
--- End quote ---

These normally take more energy than the rest of them combined. If you plan to use this as the dump load, it would be great.

Even if you do have this well in hand I'll post the following for anyone reading this.
If you plan to use it as the main heat source thats is another story.
Unless you are going to invest a large amount into your system it's just not likely going to happen.
First of all, most of the time the heat is needed is when the sun is not out, second, this will drain batteries VERY fast.
Remember to take into account how deep you can actually cycle whetever battery chemistry you are using before they are being damaged.
Also the small fridge also takes the next significant amount, but is very doable. I know this because I have done so myself in the past.

Have you looked at any of the online solar system calculators yet?
They can help to give a basic understanding of what your solar/battery needs would be to match your loads.
These have come and gone like many things online, but here is one I just found with a bit of google searching.
http://www.advancepower.net/advcalc.htm

556Phenom:
Thanks for the heads-up. I had completely forgotten something. My system is able to go hybrid by installing a small wind turbine. I'm not looking for something that's the price of a car, but rather something like these:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sunforce-400-Watt-12-Volt-Wind-Turbine-44444/100658295

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/nature-power-wind-turbine-12-volt-400-watt?a=1015427

http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-44444-12-Volt-400-Watt-Generator/dp/B000C1Z2VE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453187226&sr=8-1&keywords=sunforce+wind+turbine

It completely slipped my mind, but out on our farm we get quite a bit of wind most of the year(other than the unbearably hot and still summers) so I had planned on making a hybrid system because it's not always sunny. Ultimately I intend on having a dozen or more 200Ah batteries, a few more panels, and a couple wind turbines to round out my system.

Still trying to find a good brand of inverter online, but I've seen so many reviews saying X and Y about the same brand of inverter. Goin to need one in about 2 weeks. Ughn,

bj:
  Since nobody has jumped in on the inverter subject-----
  Oztules, and several others have been experimenting, and modifying Powerjacks.  Lots of
excellent info posted by Oztules.
  If that isn't something you want to do,  Outback seems to me to be a good one.
  If and when I buy, that is probably what it will be.
  Not cheap though.
 

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