How to Solar Power Your Home / House #1 - On Grid vs Off Grid
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2012
- Visit my website for more Tips, Videos, DIY projects and more:
www.mjlorton.com/
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In this video I go through the components that are part of a solar power solution. I explain the differences between On-grid vs. off grid.
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View all my tutorials and videos: ua-cam.com/users/mjlorton...
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My techie channel MJLorton - Solar Power and Electronic Measurement Equipment - / mjlorton
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Thanks to Exsolar for the work on the solar installation - www.exsolar.co.za/
Other equipment used or mentioned in this video:
* Solar panels: Tenesol Total Energy - TE250-60M+ - 250 watt monocrystalline
* Outback FlexMax 60 MPPT solar charger
* The solar array will be 2250 watts (9x 250 watt mono crystalline panels)
* The battery bank will be 8 x 150 Ah lead crystal batteries.
* A Victron Energy Quattro inverter
* A Victron Energy Grid tie inverter
* A Victron Energy battery monitor
* DC to DC converter
* Micro inverters
* Eskom power and cost of energy
* Reduce energy bill / costs
* Eskom solar pre-paid electricity / energy meter
* Renewable energy
In this series on how to Solar Power Your Home:
* What is "the Grid" - On Grid vs. Off Grid?
* What is the best type of solar panel to install?
* Do I need a battery bank....what battery technology should I use?
* A look at the different type of inverters?
* How much solar power do I need - sizing the array?
* Measuring your energy consumption with energy meters.
* How to make your home more efficient - CFL, LED lighting, solar geyser,
heat pumps...and more..
* Is solar power / energy financially viable in South Africa? How long does it take to pay off?
* Does power factor play a role in solar generated power.
* Solar Power for your Home - "Free Electricity"?
* Can I run my house entirely from solar power?
* How to Solar Power a Home
* How to Solar Power a House
* how to solar power my home
Post a comment on anything else you would like to see covered. - Наука та технологія
Im in US and I'm currently studying photovoltaic systems. This video by far is the most detailed and informative video I've seen on UA-cam. thnx. I will subscribe!.
jgyrwa Thanks for the feedback.
mjlorton Im a licensed Electrician with no prior experience in solar energy.However, I've just applied for a job with a Solar company that offers training.Hope it goes well.
+jgyrwa if possible you can send me your email for contact. I am in Brazil and I'm currently studying photovoltaic. systems. Thank you
jnildo Costa Sure, ill send you a hangout invite on google plus.
+jgyrwa I am waiting , but if you can add in whatsapp +5591984481313 or skype: jnildocosta
Thank you
I have an understanding of electrical installations because i am an electrical technician but had little or not so sure idea of solar system installation.This video became a hundred percent tutorial for me even without putting the lesson into practice.
Most patient electronic teacher I've heard, flawless fluent English - a pleasure and YES - high relevancy.
Thanks very much for the feedback and support. Cheers, Martin.
Its a nice job and great for informing. Solar panels on Every Roof! Lets GO!
I'm not sure but ,if anyone else wants to learn about make your own solar power light try Magonsi Solar System Expert (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my mate got great results with it.
If you want the best home solar energy system online then go here now: HootPower.xyz
I'm investigating average cost to install solar power system and found a fantastic website at Ewans Energy Roadmap (google it if you're interested)
I can across this video on Ewans energy roadmap - there are many great videos there that may help you
There are many components to average cost of solar energy for home . One place I found which successfully combines these is the Ewans energy roadmap (google it if you're interested) without a doubt the most helpful plan i've heard of. Check out the incredible info .
Hello Mr. Lorton...I am from the Philippines...Your explanation for on grid and off grid we're very clear...Thank you...I am very interested on learning about solar panels...
Christina Rodriguez Thanks for the feedback Christina.
mjlorton hello mr lorton, thank you very for the wonderful on grid/of grid explanation. I live in Ghana west Africa but we are now in the crisis of electricity.iam interesting of installing my 8 bedroom house with complete solar system on off Grid.can you please advice me what sort of eguipment how many solar panel, battery etc to be able to power up an 2 refrigerator,1 airconditional and about 18 lights.thanks
Christina Rodriguez Here’s the complete step-by-step setup fully illustrated manuals and easy to follow video instructions present in the guide you will be able to create renewable energy at home.
Go here ==> earth4energy-new2.blogspot.com/
Making Solar Panels Is Very Easy
=================>>>> *home-renewable-energy.blogspot.com*
+Sammy Joe
wonderful
Best explanation I have heard from anyone so far. Thank you!
I love your post, along with EEVblog. You guys teach me stuff I never thought of. It keeps my mind active and saved me money on equipment that was not well built.
I always remind people electrical engineering is still taught as theroy for a reason, so treat it with respect.
Hello mr lorton i have been following your tutorials for the last year, and untill then i had no idea about electronics or solar power, but with your help i have now set up a 500watt system in my mountain cabin in Aragon Spain i have a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter, and according to all the rules that's wrong, i have 4 ordinary 75 amp hour car batteries that work my washing machine and fridge plus 750watt microwave with no problems. i would just like to thank you for the way you teach without complicating things and i have helped several other friends with there problems, in this vicinity, and have told them of your web site. Once again thank you very much coulden't have done it without your help.yours gratefully KEN LUKE.
Angela Luke What a pleasure to read your post Ken. I'm so chuffed you've managed to get a system up and running. It does not matter if it's not perfect...it can always be improved over time if needed. The fact that it's fulfilling a function for you is brilliant. All my best to you and beautiful Spain.Cheers, Martin.
mjlorton my wife and I just signed a contract they average dollar bill out to 200 a month is what we would've paid for electric now it will go to hey $40,000 solar panels on our roof that will feed the grid and we would have no electric bill but we still pay $200 for the next 12 years
mjlorton do you think that's a wise move?I still have two days to back out of the contract
I find it over priced, but the grade, and performance of your system eludes me in order to provide an educated answer. However if you kept the solar, you will pay 12 yrs., let us say 15 yrs, PV panel lasts around 20-25 yrs., so ten yrs. x 200 x 12 months equals around 24,000 dollars, take that from the initial investment, equals -16,000 dollars. I t may seem a bad idea, but I thank you for the ecological effect that it will have on our planet, also if you are in a tiered system it will definitively be worth it on the long run, need less to say that you help me fight the invisible beast that gnaws, and claws at us from afar, know as the Petrol, Coal, and Propane giant. You may want to review this opinion as my grade of education is 8th grade, or jr. high I believe you may call it, also I reside in a god forgotten Mexican state.
Thank you kindly if you went green, if not there is still time.
Dear kindly I want help from you can we contact on what's app ?? Angela Luke
Could you do a video on how to use your electric bill (annual avg) how to calculate how much solar power one would need to cover that.
Having both a physics and electrical engineering background, I appreciate that you have covered the essential basics here. You understand the concepts and are giving good advice. I only hope people appreciate the level of understanding you have on this subject.
I am so glad your video came up on You Tube. I am a total novice when it comes to solar power, and you answered the solar off grid/on grid question so that even I could understand it. Thank you for taking the time to make this video!
the number of multimeters on the desk though :)
Very technical detail explanation.
Michelson Tran My pleasure, thanks for the post.
I am busy investing in acquiring a solar system business and find your videos very informative and easy to understand. Thank you and I will be following all your solar related tutorials.
I appreciate the hard work you put into your videos Martin, I can tell you spent a lot of time making these. Keep up the great work.
I know you mentioned the best system for South Africa but what would be the best system in the US? I'm about to sell my house and wanted to invest some of the equity in to my new home. Oh and thank you this is the most informative video I have seen so far.
one word the great job
He did also mention that GTI (grid-tied) systems, in particular ones with mini GTI's on each panel, are more popular in the US
You talked about grid invertor and normal invetor,you said you can get energy from grid invertor and to the normal invertor please elaborate more on that point.
hjuhh
This is all from China; just 8 - 100 watt panels (800 dollars), on a 160 dollar charge controller, and 160 dollar pure sine wave inverter off grid. Very affordable ua-cam.com/video/E2NfsTGEWro/v-deo.html The batteries are ultimately the biggest expense ua-cam.com/video/GO_d9Ek5nXg/v-deo.html
Yes, you do a great job ! I've been studying this heavily and your videos really help. BTW, I'm quite familiar with the SA electrical grid as I've been to Cape Town numerous times and have family that suffers outages.
What a great introduction to solar power systems! Very thorough, thank you for the effort!
Hello sir, I am building, or will be soon, a off grid home, out of shipping container's, here in the states. Your video explained off grid very well but, I have a question; should I wire my home 12v, 24v or all 120v? Maybe lights only 12v/24v and rest 120v? I am a little lost on this because I don't want to have to come back in later and change or add. I will not have grid but may in the future, not that I would want it but, some states are getting stiff on off gridder's. Thanks
if voltage level for single phase loads is 120V there, then all the equipments must be rated for 120V. So you don't need to go for different voltages.
I will have no electricity at my home,,, it is a half mile away and I don't need it... we will be using solar and wind power..
+SheepDog7071 wherever you live it all depends on the rating for which your load is sized. And all loads are sized for same voltage level.
+SheepDog7071 I have some really great off grid kits on my web site that might help with your solar powered shipping containers.
FreeElectricity.INFO
Checking them out now.
Hi Mr.Lorton,
I just began to look at this first video.
My Girlfriend and I 'd like to buy a small house in the mountains. I'm doing the conception of the Solar system. As an electronics engineer, I don't have that much experience in solar energy. Could you please advise which type of panel you would recommend ? But I think you'll go in details into that in the next videos ?
Anyway : thanks of this great video. That's better to read any technical paper. Younes.
the advances ua-cam.com/video/0rrxvlutKeQ/v-deo.html
Thank you for the time you took to do this. You are very detailed and easy to understand. Only on part 2 of these but enjoying it so far. Thank you and keep up the great work!
i had to hit pause, and comment.. This are the BESTS videos on youtube.. unlike other solarPanelvideos, Martin goes straight to point. very informative, great job
how much will it cost to buy and install all this equipment?
we are in beijing china ,and manufacture all solar on+off completed systems,
skype: michealkerry whatsapp"+86 13071117539
how much can it cost to install a solar system which can be used on 4bedroom house and also used for a borehole pump
MeisterSexy11
MeisterSexy1
I think you need more Multimeters...
I just found this series of videos and have to say that it's a wealth of knowledge. I have been trying to find info on how to configure my on-grid house here in western Canada and have to say this is definitely a video series I will follow closely. Thank you.
Thanks for the feedback. I will elaborate on why I have two inverters when I do the video detailing our specific installation. Cheers, Martin.
15:58 actually in USA, most major cities who have a government run monopoly on the power system, they won't give you money, they basically buy (in credits) your extra power at like 1/3 the cost they sell it to you.
edit: on top of that, most charge you a FEE if you are off the grid... kinda bs yeah? :D
Please don't spread lies like this. Power companies are public utilities, but they are NOT run by the government. And here in Virginia, Dominion Power pays us $0.15 per Kwh.. which is more than it costs to buy it (they sell it at $0.11 atm).
So yeah, stfu if you can't post the truth.
+John Fowler I said most major cities, not all cities.
Actually, in many large cities it is in fact a monopoly granted by the state or local government. This means you always know who to call if you see a power line down, and there aren't dangerous high voltage lines from multiple power companies criss-crossing an area. States in the US vary widely in the level of regulations imposed on power utilities. My current state is one of 4 that has flat out banned 3rd party solar sales. Christoper was telling the truth that in some places they "buy back" the power at 1/3 of what they sell it for, and charge you an additional monthly fee. Other places have much better regulations. I've lived in 10 states now, and aside from the fact that Congress mandates that they buy excess power back from you, there is not uniform set of regulations as to how much they must pay for it, or what other fees they can impose. Many state legislatures are very "business friendly", especially when that business is the local power company, from whom they extract a fair amount of their sales tax revenue. From a financial standpoint, the benefits of home solar/wind production can vary widely. From an ecological standpoint, I would absolutely go for it, providing you live in a productive area.
ladykay8 yup, some places good, some places bad. I have lived in a place that pays you back $$$ 1 for 1. Other places, like currently i get screwed.
Best places, best rates, best buy backs have always come from private companies, like CPL in south texas.
You gotta feed the beast !!
lol, well i don't have 200k to spend on $30.00 a per month eletricity bill !!!!! maybe your friends will outfit my place for no charge ,( I will make a vid too) thanks for the vid!!!
We pay anywhere from $200-$400 (USD equiv) a month in Japan and we don't use much electricity at all. Those who live in the US where power is very cheap won't appreciate solar. In fact many are spoiled by cheap power and waste much of it. They would not like the compromises needed for solar. The town has been building solar farms all over the place so I'm not sure if I need to, although the ability to go off the grid if necessary, is very tempting.
Jim Davis He is just trolling anyway, nobody needs a 200k system, and with a less than 20k system my power bill would be 0 per month. In fact I priced one last night with Twelve Edison 1000 amp hours batteries, 6x275 watt solar panels, and it had everything I need to give me a usable 9,675 KWH per day, and it was only 14k, of course that didn't include wiring, fuse box and such, but even with a small propane gen set I am still looking at less than 20k.
Of course I am building a house that's partially underground and has a green house, etc, so it's very efficient, any heating will come from wood or gas. It's basically a modified hybrid earth ship.
*****
almost 10,000 KWH? That must be an error, we use that much in 5 years. 10 KWH a day sounds more realistic.
sorry men't 1,000 watts per hr
Jim Davis I admit I am no expert in power, but yes it was supposed to be 9.675 KWH a day, of course given a sunny day could use more, that is just how far I can safely drain my bank down too, which is 20 percent of total capacity.
Actually it's 9.600 KWH, but given a good sunny day my six 275 watt panels can produce 1.650 KWH of power an hour, which means about 1.5 KWH per peak sun hour into my battery bank. So in just over 6 peak hours bank will be fully charged back up, but in the summer time here we get about 12 hours of Sun, so can use much more than that if used while suns out, because even off peak sun hours, cells still produce power.
My point though is, it's plenty enough power since I am not using it to heat and cool with, or even cook, unless you count warming food up in the microwave cooking.
People going off grid should do it right, and become self sufficient, and that includes a house that is very efficient, and appliances that use less power, and less power draining things than most people are used too.
Thanks...good question...I will try include that in a future video... or post on my forum. Cheers, Martin.
No worries, I look forward to seeing your posts. Thanks for sharing what's involved in your installation. I hope the Panama trip is a good one.
Cheers,
Martin.
My pleasure, thanks for the feedback.
I went through many videos but was in vain...this video was very loud and clear covering every point i need to understand . Great job...thanks
You can tell clearly that what you do is done with pure Passion. I too have a great passion for this and I'm gratefull that you are willing to share this wisdom with us. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback...and yes, I certainly do enjoy the system from both a technical and financial point of view At this point we are only consuming about 25% of our normal consumption from the grid.
This is a great initiative! It's really practical to explain the difference between on grid or off grid solutions
The various multimeters in the background show that you most likely have a strong affinity with electricity/electronics!
Great video. Watching this was like taking a class on solar power. There is a lot of really great information explained here. This video explained everything I have had questions about and how the equipment works together. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
the is the best video I have ever seen about solar power that makes sense to a non technical person. Keep it up bro! great job. u got my thumbs up!
Great video.
My name is Ruddy, i am originally from the DR Congo but i have been living in SA for the past 5 years.
i was actually thinking about bringing a solar system back to my country by opening a company that will instal efficient solar panels.
your video sir really helped in knowing much more about the entire system.
Thank you for taking time to post this very informative video! It's people like you that will help educate the world.
amazing video!! the most detailed and scientific video i have seen. very helpful.
can't thank you enough. deeply appreciate your commitment to this technology.
PV and other forms of renewables have been on my agenda for sometime, for my home, and for my workshop. I live in mid-France, where we have regular power outages due to storms (that in itself is something I have to research as the hail storms break the tiles on the roof!), but I have to say, this is the most useful and detailed video I have seen. I look forward to viewing the others. Thank you.
Excelente video. Muy útil. Muchas gracias por compartir vuestro conocimiento.
Excellent video. Very useful. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
saludos desde Argentina
Great Information on Solar Systems I really Enjoyed the Videos, myself an my wife are working on our Ranch Solar has saved us so much $$$. Thx
MR LORTON be blessed i find your lectures quite excellent and very informative.Interestingly i want to learn more of the installations .I am from ZIMBABWE ,this has been and remains a rewarding info.
Wow! Awesome video! So informative and educational!! I am just beginning to gradually switch to solar power, and this video was worth a 6 week college course! Thank you!
That box and the rubber mats are perfect! Can't wait to see it all done now.
Thanks, yes, there are many settings to control the grid feed and battery levels...I'll cover these soon in a video.
Thanks
I start watching your videos years ago I built my 1st off grid system Thank you, today I have a new grid tie system.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks very much for the post. Great to hear you have your system installed.
I can't imagine how this could have been explained better for a beginner. Great job! Thank you!!!!
Finally someone explains this in a way that makes sense! Thanks.
Fantastic tutorial - building my "in town, off grid" home next summer, and overwhelmed with information and options. Very helpful - thank you sir! Now... on to your other videos.
I look forward to it Martin.
Nothing beats hands on practical experience to see the results.
I did mount mine on ground built frames and a sun tracker stepper motors and light sensitive resistors. Makes maintenance and cleaning easy.
Thank you so much for this video. I live in India and the Solar Market here is similar to what you have in South Africa, maybe even worse. This video helped me get an idea of what I need and what I need to do :)
I will be following the rest of this series. Thank you once again!
Thanks for the feedback Stephen.
Outstanding-You outshine all the others I've seen on the internet on this topic.
Thank you so much for this very helpful video. Learnt a great deal - very clear and informative. Cheers.
Series, long awaited. Thank you!
Excellent explanation, sir. Couldn't been done better. I finally can understand in detail this amazing topic.
I appreciate it!
I just watch the first video of your series and it was very good, I'll watch the others. Thanks for your effort on doing this!!! Greetings from Mexico City, this will help me a lot with my project for saving a lot on my bill.
Makes me happy that I made the right choice.
I had a 3.6kw system installed here in the UK.
I have 16 panels each with their own micro-inverter.
It works great, in summer I pay so little for my electricity that what I earn from selling it back to the grid more than covers the cost, and in winter it reduces how much I pay by almost half
Mark
I was confused about a lot of what you explained BUT now I see it more clearly. If only the other how to vids i'v watched where as clear and to the point
Fantastic video...I learned more from your video than anything else I've seen or read. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!!! God bless.
Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure of who to use in the USA...but do some good research and get referrals on other work the installers have done.
Excellent solar energy video series, mjlorton. Thanks for making and sharing it!
MrSolar.com My pleasure, thanks very much for the feedback.
Great Video. This video is very helpful and informative for the beginner wanting to understand PV Solar electricity. Thanks Very Much!!
the most complete video of solar energy, taking classes about but the instrutor doesnt explain very well, now all os clear..thank you
Amazing tutorial! This is a complete package of solar power solutions.
Very informative and helpful for budding engineers!
Manoj Bajaj,
Student,
Glocal University - U.P, India
just starting out.. looking into this system.. as an alternative.. thank you.. a good start..
Very good clear explanation, I am from Malaysia who starting DIY my 5kw off grid system.
The explanation is so satisfying... Really informative and educational.. subscribed
best channel on youtube - period.
This was so amazingly insightful and helpful.
I will certainly follow your work...looks like good stuff. Thanks for the post.
Thanks MJ , nice video no racist or snorty comments about the country even though we are frustrated
Thanks for the feedback. The general rule is that the higher voltage inverters are more efficient. Also means less current need to be carried by wires as the voltage is higher.
I'm mechanical engineer, from Serbia (Europe) and not THAT in electricity, but this video explain a lot... I was considering about making my own system... All I have to do is to calculate how much it gonna cost, and when it's gonna pay off. Thanks for a great video.... :)
That intro! Cool Setup there...Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas
Even with a thick SA accent, your video was easily understood and interesting. Great video 👍 and thank you.
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks very much for the feedback.
I am in Denmark and I am staying recent technologies in renewable energy and waste treatment systems. Thank you for this video.
Thanks for such a brief explanation and helping me to enhance my knowledge.....
Great video, I recently bought some PV's and a controller just to play around with. I wasn't aware of all the various options you have put forward. You've got me thinking now. Thanks and keep up the great work.
Thanks Dave.
Amazing Video, your so Awesome. THANKS so much for sharing all that you shared. It was very informative, motivating, inspiring and all... Please Keep sharing...
I am glad i found your channel, am located in Southeast Asia and half the year is cloudy and half the year is sunny and electricity seems stiff and awfully ridiculous to be paying for and got me thinking to look for alternatives and am still in the research process. I am glad i stated with your channel it did explain everything i need to know, so thank you so much. I did subscribe and like the videos you posted. Again thank you.
Great Series, I will watch them all!
He is hell good , I found his channel . While I was searching about fluke product . I am kinda dumb but this help me to learn a lot . Thx him and thumbs up
The best part about this video tutorial is that it is very informative and detailed. Since I didn’t have much information about how to tap solar power, I am glad I came across your video and understood the difference between on grid and off grid as well.
This is great man!! So relevant to our current crisis.
Brilliant video,well presented. I will be watching all the videos you have made.
Thank you for very informative and clear explanation about solar energy.
Great video, I hope you are enjoying the new system!
I might add that the micro inverters also have the advantage of more efficiency because they convert the panel voltage to mains voltage at the panel. This allows the power to be transferred by smaller wire with less loss(higher voltage lower amperage).
I am so happy to have found your videos. I hope to set up a system to power my EV and house. Your videos are very helpful. I converted my car to all electric drive. I hope my videos will be helpful to you. Thanks again
Thanks, my pleasure!
i agree with all other comments...this is absolutely a helpful channel.
Hi Mr. MJLorton.
I have been looking for such information. Today I found it by accident in your you tube program a clear explanation .A fantastic video. I will follow up with the rest of the articles.
Regards,
S.Arul.........