I'm in the Arizona Dessert Approx: 300 clear days, 30 partly, 35 Overcast.
5 years ago It started to be just a backup off grid system.
Then I discovered Grid tie inverters, then I discovered how inept the power company was.
So, I Parted out the 2 new grid tie Inverters and went totally off grid.

The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) watches the time, battery voltage and Intensity of the sun.
Then turns the loads on and off in sequence according to the amount of power coming from the panels.
I only use the Batteries to run the outside flood lights at night, thus not running the battery's up and down a lot.
The system is 5 years old now and the battery's are still in good shape. Wish i could say the same for the panels.
Approx system cost. It's about 20% low I'm still trying to justify Putting the system in. It's a hobby, there that helps.
("small print" don't do it for the money.)
Solar Panels 45 each 100W Rated / 40 Watts actual 10Hr/Day $100 ea $4,500
18 KW / Day = 540 / month Times 16Cents = $86.40 / Month
Solar 80 Regulators 5 each $100 ea $500
Inverters 7 each $140 ea $980
Batteries 6V RE220 AH Trogens 6 each $150 ea $900
Solar Wire #12 (Yes it's special) $200
PLC Logic Controller Keyence 1 each $ 250 $250
Battery Chargers 2 each $ 100 $200
Misc Parts $ 420 $420
My Labor $00.00 $ 000 $000
Total $7,780
Total Investment Pay off 7.5 Years at18KW per day at 16Cents / KW
Related but not included Cost (Medical falling off ladder) $500
psychotherapy (After Programing the PLC) $400

 

Nice. Thanks for sharing. Do you have a question?

 

Nice. Thanks for sharing. Do you have a question?

No I started this for others info and not to HiJack another thread

 

Your wiring is scary!

Besides the outside lighting off the batteries what do you power with this equipment?

 

Your wiring is scary!

Besides the outside lighting off the batteries what do you power with this equipment?

Electric heat, 2each 6000btu Air Conditioners, Hot tub, Swimming Pool, 3 refrigerators, shop power and AC all running off Modified sine wave inverters, 1ea Pure Sine wave Inverter for electronics tv computer etc.

I put extra outlets in the place, so we can switch over to the grid at nite. Like for instance in the summer we switch the AC over to the grid at night and anything else we need. The PLC in the system switches things on and off during the day (Clouds) hot tub off first, then the pool, then the AC, (as I type the Solar system just switched me over to solar) ( Sun came up) where was I, yea, then if Clouds get really dark the refrigerators go off.

I have used the solar a few times off the battery's at night to run lights and the freezers when the grid was down.
Don't run anything but the flood lights at night under normal conditions.
The battery's are 440 amp hours so it not much of a load overnight.
I just wanted to be nice to the batteries we still have the grid so we use it totally at night.

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Sparky

 

I'm on the opposite spectrum. 300 days a year of partly cloudy to cloudy but with highly reliable and cheap grid power.

My thing is homebrew wind power and GTI systems. Cheap and dirty but fun to play with.

 

Your wiring is scary!

Besides the outside lighting off the batteries what do you power with this equipment?

and I worked on it before the picture.
To tell you the truth I lost interest in the hole system due to the poor solar panel performance.
I was going to get a metal cab put the hole system in A small swamp cooled room for the batteries.
It gets to 130 deg in the shed (Arizona Desert). But like i said Lost Interest.
Sparky

 

To tell you the truth I lost interest in the hole system due to the poor solar panel performance.

Sparky

And that right there defines the difference between needing solar or any type of RE based power system because you have no alternative and just playing with the concept.

If you don't absolutely have to depend on the system for your life the real life always and often substantially less than advertized system performance plus high cost of upkeep wears pretty thin after a while.

My #1 stumbling block for wind power here has been finding good quality blades. So far of the dozen or so different blade designs from different sources I have tried nothing has held up worth crap compared to the old simple all wood designs..

I've tried multiple fiberglass and fiber composite based and even a few sets of stamped steel and aluminum. All over priced junk for the dismal performance and short operating lives they had considering the best blade sets I have ever had were either original 1930 - 1950's wood units and several sets of homemade one built from carved 2" x 6" and 2" x 8" framing lumber that flew uncontrolled for years without issue until the generators they were attached to either wore out or broke off the towers in storms.

Fortunately in the last year or so I have added some wood working equipment to my collection of fabrication gear so I can now carve my own blades if I ever get around to it now.