Solar Panels & Inverters For 240Vac Whole House Power

[JeepHammer]

I purchased two semi loads of solar panels & grid tie inverters from a commercial company that went bankrupt.
I have completely changed my off grid setup from DC Coupled to AC Coupled, and I have a bunch of extra.
It's commercial, tier 1 equipment, all 2017 quick shutdown compliant (gen 5).
This might not be the correct place to talk about the excess, so if someone knows where it should be posted let me know.

 

[JeepHammer]

Anyone? Is this the place for this post?

 

[churchmouse]

Lots going on in the world right now so give this a chance to be seen.
If you want to sell the excess then the Non-Firearms related sub forum in the classifieds would be the place.

 

[bobzilla]

This is something the wife and I have talked about again. I’d love to do a solar/wind grid tie in set up that could also be run offline. We have enough wind here to damn near be self sufficient with a combo of both. But no one wants to do it.

 

[churchmouse]

This is something the wife and I have talked about again. I’d love to do a solar/wind grid tie in set up that could also be run offline. We have enough wind here to damn near be self sufficient with a combo of both. But no one wants to do it.

You seem to have a steady trade winds across your place.

 

[bobzilla]

You seem to have a steady trade winds across your place.

Yeah you know. There’s nothing to block it.

 

[churchmouse]

Yeah you know. There’s nothing to block it.

2 windmills and a series of panels (you have the room) and you are set.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I purchased two semi loads of solar panels & grid tie inverters from a commercial company that went bankrupt.
I have completely changed my off grid setup from DC Coupled to AC Coupled, and I have a bunch of extra.
It's commercial, tier 1 equipment, all 2017 quick shutdown compliant (gen 5).
This might not be the correct place to talk about the excess, so if someone knows where it should be posted let me know.

Are you talking about selling some of them? I’ve toyed around with the idea but frankly, the cost has always turned me off about pursuing it seriously.

 

[Sagamore - One]

Hi Guy,
I would be interested in enough panels plus an inverter to power my small Ham radio shack if you decide to deal with smaller quantities.
I am in the beginning stages of solar power education.
D

 

[snowdrifter]

Tagged. Details on these panels? Price?

 

[JeepHammer]

Contact me in PM for availability.

As for solar power,
Two ways to do this, depending on exactly your situation...

AC coupled, working in the US standard home 240 Volts AC (AC Coupled) every home has currently, solar panels, Grid Tied Inverter,

And a DC coupled system, with batteries or whatever... (Solar technology from 40 years ago, with a few updates).
This involves the inverter to convert DC (batteries) to AC, a charge controller to both regulate power for the batteries and condition the power for batteries, a battery charger, batteries themselves, solar panels, and if you have a generator/grid connection, regulators for those.
It can get quite complicated...

.......


*IF* you want to knock the bills back over time, then Grid Tied (AC Coupled) system will do that.
Your production goes to your home first, and anything you over-produce goes on the grid for credits.
Indiana doesn't have the best buy-back, it's not 1-1... They credit you with wholesale price, about 1/3 of retail most places...
But over time it will pay itself off and often to continue to to work well after payback reducing those retail bills.

If it only produces enough to offset air conditioning bills in summer, that's a bunch of retail power you don't have to buy.
Very few things you will own pay for themselves, this is one of those rare things that will.

............

*IF* your needs are completely Off Grid, then you will need a Hybrid Inverter, something that can convert battery (or generator) power into useable power for the home.
This *CAN* be a frustrating mess, since unlike AC coupled systems, there is a crap ton of battery types, voltages, etc to deal with in a DC coupled system.

My advise is to get a HIGH VOLTAGE battery bank (easier & more efficient to convert & regulate voltage than to convert Amps into Volts).
Further advise is to spring for an expandable system (forget the 12 volt inverters intended for 'Car' batteries) since the OBJECTIVE is to supply everything in a 'Normal' home with your system, and power needs NEVER DECREASE...
An expandable system grows with you instead of having to be entirely replaced.

The cost of an off grid system is not 'Payback' based, it simply costs what it costs to get started, the lifespan determines the value/cost per kWh.
The longer the system operates the lower the cost per kWh.

.........

There is a third option, but it's 'Unconventional' in the US.
That's panels, Grid Tied Inverter(s) AC coupled to a battery/Hybrid inverter.
While it's common for larger systems worldwide, it's not common in the US.
(See something like SMA/Sunny Boy 'Sunny Island')

The battery/Hybrid inverter makes the AC sine wave form, which 'Unlocks' Grid Tied inverters that are much more efficient.
High Efficiency AC power in the daytime, battery/hybrid inverter at lower efficiency at night.
These systems often accept generators, wind mills, about any power source and combine them for your AC power needs.

The batteries/Hybrid inverter take the place of the 'Grid' input, and the cheaper, more efficient Grid Tied inverter(s) produce the actual power.
It's what most people call a 'Micro Grid' since it's expandable and works well for larger systems.
The down side is the second inverter(s) cost, but if you want large amounts of power, it's quite effective.

.......

Ground mounts and panel racking are often as much as the production hardware, labor even more.

If you can put posts in the ground, or panel racks on the roof, you can save a TON of money on your system.
Ground mount panels can be cheap & easy if you are willing to invest 'Sweat Equity' in your system (and have room),
There is no big mystery to solar mounting, it simply something that will accept and hold the panels without damaging them.

What you can't get through to some people, it's simply fence posts with solar panels on them...
A fence row can produce a LOT of power!
Tall fence posts if you want to mow under them or have livestock on one side of the fence, and that's about all there is to it.

Every install is different, you will have to decide how/where you want your panels, the panels don't care as long as they get sunlight, neither do some inverters, a fence post mount does just fine...