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Going off-grid in Idaho
Pete:
Hi Doc, well putting the panels up yourself is not very difficult. That is as long as you are reasonably strong, fit enough to climb ladders with a panel on your shoulders and careful.
I don't know what sort of roof you have, but here we have a metal roof, it is pretty easy to fit the racks on a tin roof.
Just take a roof screw out, use a larger stronger screw to replace it and mount the panel foot plate.
Then fit the racks after all the feet are mounted.
The panel racks are not very expensive and make mounting panels really easy.
Like you said about the installer, they make plenty of money on the panels and inverters etc, just mounting panels is not much of a money spinner for them.
Maybe you could just hire a handyman to help you, My panels are 250 watt jobs, they are easy enough to handle if all is calm. Add a breeze and things get a bit more interesting.
Cheers
Pete
dochubert:
I feel like I've been somewhere...
Haven't been able to access this forum for weeks. 'Site not available'. Suddenly two days ago I tried, got right in, and it appears everything is fine here.
Was this board down? Or was I being blocked somehow?
Anyway, the solar panels are now on the roof. I built racks out of pressure treated 2x4. Hired 2 young men to do the lifting and carrying. More work than I planned on doing, but a 10th the cost.
Hope to start running wire tomorrow. If it doesn't snow. Snow is predicted but even if it does it probably won't stick. Charge controllers are already mounted and wired except for the solar input.
Getting anxious to get these panels producing. Should aproximately triple my solar production, giving me enough for winter. Summer I will have power to burn.
The other problem is I currently don't have a running inverter to power my house. My main 15kw blew up about the same time I lost contact with Anotherpower. I think my hybrid unit, while still runnable, is what fried led lights, made my oven shut off, and the fridge sound funny one day. So took it off line. Wasn't regulating voltage well at loads over 2kw so don't trust it running the house. That's when I hooked up the Upower/Powerjack and ran half the house with it for a couple of weeks. Then I stupidly caused it to blow up too. Yes that one is definitely my fault. Rookie mistake
While all this is going on, I discovered a guy named Sean who has a website called Genetry Solar.com. He's a real nice guy and he is the North American rep for powerjack warranty work. He also sells powerjack parts. He does a youtube channel also and has a direct line to powerjack.
I bought 2 sets of mosfet boards and 2 version 8 control boards to update my (2) 15kw powerjacks to have output voltage control. Unfortunately it took weeks to get my parts and then the first test resulted in blown fets. That's where I am today. The second main board seems to have the same issue as the first one right before it blew up, so the problem is consistent but haven't nailed it down yet. Hopefully without blowing up another set of fets.
The nice thing is these control boards are modular, once we get them to work they should be easier to maintain.
dochubert:
I haven't made any progress towards repairing 15kw inverters, but there is news. I managed to get a good deal on an ebay auction from Dr.powerjack, who is actually powerjack the company's ebay seller name. It's one of their 'panel display' style cases with 2 lcd screens.
Only problem is I won't get it for several weeks.
Then last night I was on craigslist and came across a local selling a powerjack. And it is a 15kw! And it is 48v! And it's cheap!
Just got home with it but won't get it to test until in the morning. Its the aluminum clamshell like my others. I did open it up for a quick look, though. Its about the age of my original 15kw and has 3 xfmrs like my original 15kw.
Here's hoping its ok and I can get back off grid soon.
I hate paying the power company.
Since I've had no inverters running my battery bank is full all the time. So I've been running 2 'radiator' type heaters in the basement directly off the 48v bank during the day. Also a flat panel in the bathroom 24/7.
Also getting close to having the new solar panels on the roof hooked up and charging that bank. Supposed to be nice weather tomorrow so will maybe get it done.
Pete:
Good to hear that you are still at it Doc.
When we moved to our new place nearly 2 years ago, there was mains power, but we had it disconnected and cut the poles down.
Been off grid now for so long that I just can't come at the idea of paying bills and relying on an unreliable supplier.
We are 10 klm up a dirt road on a mountain. Lots of wind and lots of power failures from trees falling over the powerlines. So solar is perfect.
Fortunately we have a very small house, and only two of us living here so a 2kw system with a 5kw ( ha ha) powerjack have done us well.
We only run 12 volt as we have minimal stuff. Sometimes I have thoughts of going up in voltage so that I can run my compressor off an inverter but then as it is only run for a couple of hours a year it is not worth the trouble.
Glad to hear that you found a new inverter and a supplier for parts. Freight sounds slow though.
Have fun
Pete
dochubert:
Hi Pete!
I was beginning to think I was the only person using anotherpower. Not much activity these days. BTW, was this site down for a few weeks recently? Either it was down or I was being blocked from accessing it. Strange...
Do you have windmills? Would think on a mountain harnessing some wind would be worthwhile. We get some serious wind here sometimes. The key being sometimes. Solar is more regular.
I still intend to put some work into windmills eventually, but not until the solar and a few other projects are done. A little nighttime charging would be nice.
The old style 15kw I bought cheap last night works ok. I'm about done 'fixing' it for use. Meaning disconnecting the battery charging inputs, rewiring the large 'input' connector for output use, rewiring the second breaker into the L2 output lead(both hot leads now fused), hooking up my external fan controls and temp meters, and hooking up external power meters for both L1 and L2. Oh, and can't forget correcting the polarity of the 'universal' receptacle. Powerjack always wires them reversed polarity. Maybe its correct for countries other than the US, I don't know.
No voltage control so I'll have to be content with 115/230v output, at least until my new powerjack gets here.
Got some wire run to the roof today. Nice weather for it. Tomorrow hope to make my splices and connect it all up. Triple my current solar charging! I should be able to power the neighbor's house as well as mine on good sun days!
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