Of topic from the Solar.... My partner and I have rescued pit bulls and Staffordshire bull terriers for over 20 years. Many of them have been abused by people to. In all that time I have been bitten once and that was accidental as I was holding food. They were not fighting at the beginning they were playing and will often do this when a welcomed stranger is around. Its just what they do. Its a way of them saying... welcome to out pack we know how to protect you.. watch this....... I would feel safer knowing they are around not worried. They are one of the most unfairly branded breeds of dog and are actually very loving ! Anyway I like the install its very neat and tidy. Have you started using using LifePo4 cells on any of your jobs yet ? You can fully drain them instead of only 25 to 50 % with deep cycle and you will get 2000+ cycles out of each battery. Try doing that with lead acid ! They will happily take a 30A charge with a 48v setup so can charge fast and remain very cool. No gasses full stop and can dump massive power loads when needed. Yes they are pricey but will outlast lead acid 6 times over. When you do the math they make a lot of sense ! Keep up the well engineered good work :-)
Very nice setup. The panels are getting bigger and cheaper the batteries are getting better and cheaper. Thanks for sharing.. I hope all is well with you and yours.
Well done , thats a really nice install . I put my 5kw on the workshop roof but damn its hard to get at them to wash them off . So I can appreciate the advantages of ground install . Wish i was qualified for electrical work.
All these people talking about running clothes dryers. remember clothes lines? Your clothes will last longer too. Or Dry them inside on a rack if the weather is bad.
Wow a first. An auto watering system. It's the first times I've seen one installed. More folks should put out vids showing these & how they're installed. Hate to say I'm a little envious of a 6K solar....lol
kdknitro If it gets clogged with particulate you can clean the entire watering system (disconnect from batteries first) with compressed air in about 3 minutes. If the clog is due to calcium buildup, it can be removed by soaking in vinegar, rinsing with water, and then using compressed air if needed. If it is a heavy iron build up, use diluted Muriatic acid, rinse well with water, then use compressed air. The best way to avoid clogging is by use of distilled water for the batteries.
Brumfield Not sure how it would get calcium build up as it's my understanding that you're to use distilled water in the system. Not sure how it would clog up. Just my 2 cents...LOL
1timby Your 2 cents carry more value than that. :) My response was to cover the usual scenarios that cause clogging. kdknitor didn't specify what the anticipated clogging would be caused by, so I went general. And yes, distilled water, is the norm, and is suggested by the battery manufacturers, but, as human nature goes, and seeing as how the battery manufactures won't oversee our actions, we some times don't follow instructions... and in this case we'd just use tap water. I've done that with my truck battery many times. "The best way to avoid clogging is by use of distilled water for the batteries".
I think it would be nice to see a list of materials and components used for the various jobs. Those batteries and watering system for example looked really interesting. Thanks for the videos.
About Ac: I faced that issue knowig its the locked rotor load that is a most troubleson. I chose to go a Mini split since it used inverter technolgy that starts the system by slowly ramping up thus eleminating the high start amperage draw with whole house units. Also most homes ductwork is likly not so good even using the newest duct sealing. its my impression inverter whole house iunits are very pricy.
Here's a quick question for you. We have a 24 volt system.We run a fridge and a small freezer and couple lights and a small laptop.THATS it. WHY is it that after a day our battery bank gets low? We have L16 lead acid battery's , I think 16 in total. I see all these other off grid setups who have less panels or the same (we have a 2k array) and they are running tons of things! I mean tons! My husband has a melt down when I leave even the cell phone plugged in all night BY accident. Is this normal??
Starry Hilder Shut the inverter off when u go to bed. Get a propane fridge and freezer they are the biggest power users. Monitor the power comming in from the solar and the power out to the inverter you cant charge batteries if you use more power than you produce. Add 4k of small wind. Check batteries weekly for proper voltages,acid levels and all electrical connections they will become loose over time or form corrosion. You have a bad battery or connection start there first.
Starry Hilder Maybe your charger does not deliver enough amperage. Or perhaps you are losing energy somewhere, such as undersized cable. Or maybe your batteries are worn out. Lots of possibilities, but I agree that something seems wrong.
Starry Hilder Your settings on your system might be telling you the battery is lower than it actually is. Sometimes the installers will conservatively program it to tell you your battery bank is low so your daily depth of discharge will be shallow. What type of inverter/charge controller do you have? Do you have a shunt to measure amp hours going in and out of the battery? That will tell you if you are getting the right amount of amp hours from your battery. L16's are usually around 400 amp hours so you would have 4 groups of 4 batteries in series wired in parallel to give you a 24 v 1600 amp hour battery bank. You should be able to discharge 20-50% (320-800)of that without hurting the battery. With that many batteries in series parallel you should be checking specific gravity to make sure all battery strings are getting the proper charge. Tell us more about your system. Get a shunt to count amp hours. From what you are saying, you should have plenty of battery to run the devices you have mentioned.
Hey thanks for all this great input..its pretty ironic you wrote all this as we just got back from Backwoods solar with our new Trimeteric battery meter!! Haha...should be a awesome way to monitor those batteries more closely.. so we are for sure on the same page. I love it when people are always giving a good solid feedback to help! Also we just invested in a refractormeter...been checking specific gravity of each cell just did that a week or so and glad we did cause the cells were a little low!! So everything you suggested...GREAT advice. We also have a xantrax and a midnight solar charge controller. Have you EVEr had to p program the xantrax? UGHH nightmare..we still dont know how to change e the setting for the bulk and absorb times. Will have to call the company on that one. Anyway...thanks again for this good advice..sounds l like you are well versed! We will let you know how the specific meter works and how that tri metric meter pans out once my husband gets it up and running! Hoepfully we will see some improvement!! God Bless you so so much for taking the time out
Starry Hilder There is some good advice in the other replies, but I would like to add, metering loads is a great way to learn about personal usage, particularly if a load is causing your specific problem. From Amazon, I bought one of these: www.amazon.com/Electricity-Usage-Monitor-Reduce-Energy/dp/B00BGFRBTQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1438213641&sr=1-1&keywords=Electricity+Usage+Monitor%2C+Power+Meter%2C+Reduce+Your+Energy+Costs
jeneane zant Most of the time the auger is on a big John tractor. My friend has 1746 acres he said the only way to do it now is a tamper, saves time and work. The holes are so big and deep because of the wind load. Have a nice day!!!!!
jeneane zant Hi That's the first time I ever saw a machine like that, I don't know its name. It reminds me of a skid steer. You can take the bucket off and put many attachments on it. We are up late. lol I just retired no more 4:15. I saw you are in Texas. If you want to see something cool, Google Love Valley N.C.. I rode my racking horse through there many yeas ago on a wagon train. I just think I'm a cowboy!!!
Once I get the farm am going to be installing for the most part what you saw in this video you made. But I don't like Midnite solar and I will be installing 3 Outbacks (2 solar, 1 wind), 6k solar panels, ground mount, 2 1600 windmills (year later), 2 48V forklift batteries or equal (1 will be a couple of years or three later), two Magna Sine inverter, one Cotex 3k inverter (spare, well pump, shop, etc). Am even going to install some cheap Chinese 500W GTI's to back feed the 240v, six in total. My plan is to connect one line to each Magna Sine inverters to charge the batteries either by program at 85% or manually by breaker/switch if there is no programming capability available. The previous mentioned GTI's will connect to the commercial panel on a 240v 30A breaker via a switch or timer. Well, that's the overview. I still have to get the farm first. And banks are a royal pain. But most circuits will be moved over to solar minus water heater, heat pump and stove. Anything that is 240V or very high circuit demands. Later I'll work on replace whatever it is with more power efficient equipment.
I have a question: Why you choose to use 2v batteries? I'm asking because it doesn't seems to be very cos effective or efficient. for instance you get 12 batteries 2v each and a 1000ah each.. great in series you get 24v but still have 1000ah available 24v*1000ah = 24kwh but you rather buy 12 batteries at 12v put them all series and paralel and end with 1500ah so 24v*1500=36kwh... am I missing something? I'm a noob on this, I appreciate the time you put on your videos I learned a lot from them.
They ought to be able to run the dryer and heat pump easy when the sun is shining - with a 6K array - I run mine and I have two Geothermal furnaces / AC units that pull about 4200 Watts when they are "both" running. Of course night time or clouds stop that but I have had success with it -- Dryer should be no problem - just do it when the sun is out.
I did it differently. I used two SMA5000TL inverters controlled by an SMA 8.0 Sunny Island. Advantage is they are much cheaper grid feed inverters that are fooled into thinking they are on a grid. Oh...yes, we run air conditioners, dryer, normal electric how water...TIG welder etc. I think it is better than what you have done here, perhaps you don't have SMA stuff in the US? (we are in Australia).
Wow!! mama , that's a solar system PP. I just built mine for my bov and it is 400 watts of panels on roof supplying 500ah battery bank. And after I just built the same system for my apartment but with a 1000ah battery bank. For my apartment it is a enough power to get us by 5 days without sun or city electric. in the van it is enough to get us by 7 days without any sun or shore power hookups. Both systems are 12 volt systems. Love your system . It looks hard core. nice
Perhaps a system like this could be put on the roof of a car port? I suppose I would need to know the weight of the arrays and if the roof's slope is suitable.
I would want a system as a back up to the grid but seems that it would be a waste just sitting there... Maybe I could use it for a small dedicated application like my electronics, Ham gear..etc.. Always have a back up plan...
seeing the ground mounts i was just wondering like your yard you have them set up in two places,is there a system that could automaticly move to follow the sun from moring till dark. ?
Please let me and the channel know what these cells are and where to source them.. I want to go to separated 2v cells for my offgrid setup... just so if once cell fails it doesn't ruin a entire battery.. been looking at forklift cells. not much info for 2v cells .. or I'm just looking in the wrong places.
Scott, How about giving us a MSRP for certain components along your videos? Remind people that "Prices go up and down for certain components, but this widget alone costs $$." For example, how much for those batteries? You don't have to tell us the cost of the job, (although many of us would love that info). What is the benefit of two volt batteries? Longer life?
I've used the Schletter ground mount system before, a very robust system. I also like the Midnite controller, very straightforward and simple to deal with. Good looking job! How long was your run back to the house?
I like the battery setup, Topping up the water is a pain on my setup (bank of 12volt boat batteries) this is a cool system. I also like the fact that if one battery goes bad you can replace just that one unit. On my 12 volt system, if one cell goes out you lose the other 5 cells. Could you tell us the Model/Brand of the batteries?
evangelon2 The battery is an 826 amp hour (@ 20 hr rate) 48v bank comprised of 2 volt cells. That battery costs around $6500 and is referred to in some circles as a "traction battery". It is very similar to what you would see in a forklift. You can get that battery from practical preppers. It's not on the site but you can email PP through the site.
i looking into install solar system in my house but i don't know whats the first step,how many solars panels do i need what the inverter,whats the best battery for off grid system?
I don't know what the cost is per battery, but the maintenance on those SUCKS... watering the cells. Ugh. Why not just buy two or three used Tesla battery packs from a wrecked Tesla? Or if low temp is an issue, then NiMH packs from a Hybrid Rav 4? No maintenance as muc as with lead acid.
Another very nice system although I'm not sure why a ground mount is preferred over a roof mount. Seems like a lot of real estate is eaten up with these monsters but I guess they are easier to install on the ground. I wish you would talk a little about the cost. I mean sure if the grid is down for an extended period then it might be priceless but until then its an expensive insurance policy. If this runs 30K then it would take me at about 16 years to break even and new batteries may be needed before then. I'd also like to know if it would withstand a hail storm. I did not see any type of ventilation system for the battery bank. If these are lead-acid batteries then surely they'll emit harmful fumes right?
+Robert DeMilo At 1:33 you can see the house is perpendicular to the array. The array is facing south so the house's roof is facing east/west. Many times the house isn't always oriented properly for a roof mount install.
+Robert DeMilo Aside from the initial cost and ROI cost, ground mount itself has many advantages. Personally if possible, I would never put solar panels on my asphalt house roof.
if your house/roof is on fire, do not expect the fire dept to go up on your roof if solar is there.. House burn down first is better option than potential electrocution. remote, if you can do it, is so much more preferred, but get the damn thing 5 ft higher in the air. Geezum.
Very nice setup, appreciate all the info. Could you list the Battery Brand & model number please, as well as a link to the company or to were to buy. Thanks
How many and of what type of panel would you all recommend for a tiny house w/small AC/heater refrigerator lights. I know I'm asking for more of a ballpark figure. Maybe just a guess. I've seen a few adds for 45watt panels for around $140.00 each from harbor freight.
they are cheap thin film, will not last long... and are not all that. Remember,,, you get what you pay for... The panels that Tesla's solar city or whatever uses are more cost effective in long run , people say. There are videos out there... go search UA-cam with something like "OFF GRID TINY HOUSE SOLAR" or similar search.
I need help I have two window A/C and would like to put solar to keep my bill down. today it 108degress an 6% humility. were do I get these items I am in AZ.
7410ray Practical Preppers can provide you with a system like this or something smaller that would be more "plug and play". A window unit runs of 120vAC and uses 1500 watts max. You would want at least four panels, facing southwest at about a 15 degree tilt to run the AC in the afternoon. Practical preppers also has Solar Air conditioners.
+7410ray When I was stationed in New Mexico (dry and hot also), I had a swamp cooler...much better than window shakers. Now, I run two window shakers (8,000 cooling BTU) off my solar w/o any issues here in Oklahoma. I have videos on my channel of my set up if you are interested. Thanks.
Love the video. But these things are just pipe dreams to most of us because they just cost too much. Personally, I would have to live like the Amish to get off grid cause I'm just a poor hard workin' southern girl trying to do the best I can :) But again....Still love your videos.
+matt taylor about.. $300 per panel $1,000 per charge controller $2,500 per inverter $400 per battery that is just the basic items.. several thousand more more for all the rest of the electrical items and mounting items and then the cost for electrician to install.. my guess it this system is in the $50,000 range... I have a 1000 watt system with 4 x 250 watt panels, a Magnum inverter, a Midnite Solar charge controller, 6 Rolls Surrette batteries and a few other items.. it cost nearly $10,000 including taxes..
engineer775 Practical Preppers Thanks. Very similar indication based on all things being equal. It's roughly $5k difference when converted from U.S. pesos (joke). I haven't bought land yet. Just weighing up some of the costs / pro / cons. Cheers.
ok so if a gamer who is running a full tower PC running high end state of the art PC gaming system with (3) 30"-inch monitors LCDs constantly 24-7 and in the summer time 2 floor fans. as well as charging 4 different mobile electronic devices. what solar system does that person need ?? :)
+Robert Foster I would add all those loads and determine what inverter first then, batteries, charge controller and number of panels. CAn you tell me how much power all you equipment is using simulateously. This little meter can tell you the average consumption over a period of time. astore.amazon.com/practipreppe-20/detail/B000RGF29Q
wpherigo1 We overbuild everything. The ground mount in the video was designed for 130mph wind. Ground mounts are always stronger than a roof mount. Ground mount , ground mount , ground mount!
We expect at least a 10 yr life out of this battery bank. Lead acid, properly maintained is still the most cost effective solution we have found. When something better comes out in terms of cost and performance we will go with it.
engineer775 Practical Preppers I occasionally mess with boat inverter/solar, those 2 volts seem to be the ticket for small spaces, beat lugging alot of 6 volts around. Do you really think those batteries are going to last 10 years?
***** You can buy new batteries dry with no acid. Then add a alum solution, There's no sulfur to build up on the plates. There is a video on UA-cam ( making a bad 12 volt battery good again for under 5 dollars ). You wouldn't use car batteries, You would use deep cycle batteries, This should increase the battery life to well over 20 years. It should provide a cost effective solution.
In real life, i work on boats and batteries dont last that long from what I see, ive never heard of using aluminum, it has to have less power doing that.
No offense but can u do some videos that are for the budget minded everyday Joe? $70-80-90k stuff is kinda unrealistic for most people to add to an existing mortgage or 2nd. property purchase.
mikeallenbrown1 You don't have to spend $40 k for and offgrid system. The one in the video is "cadillac". What are your loads. We get all our solar know how from offgrid amish communities. They are all offgrid and the majority of their systems are under $10k
Greg White *sigh* people who buy these "off grid" solutions are thinking way ahead of you it seems. 1) You hardly know the cost of electricity in 10 years from now, let alone 43. 2) You are assuming that there will always be someone else providing YOU electricity. 3) You are minimizing the luxury of a self-sufficient lifestyle.
Actually I'm thinking on track. 1.In 10 years if electricity doubles, solar panels will probably cost half as much. Better to wait until electrical prices actually do rise substantially. 2. Yes I do assume that, If my power goes away then shit has just hit the fan in a big way, and I don't buy into that stuff. 3. A self sufficient lifestyle is not luxurious, it's the opposite. For these folks it means no heat or AC and no dryer. Also I bet they use the grid for back-up to that battery bank, it looks way too small to power that house for 3-4 days on cloudy weather .
+Greg White The point of the battery bank (The example in the video is actually monster sized) is to store energy in case there is no sun. Also, if electricity doubles in price that means demand for solar goes up. If demand goes up, supply goes down, and price goes up. It's simple economics. In 43 years this setup will have paid for itself. This family will have free electricity for the rest of their lives and their kids lives, all generated from the sun.
grexon Think of Amp Hour as a way of measuring Battery Runtime. A battery has a specific amp hour rating usually measured at a desired "withdraw" of say 5, 10, 20 Amperes per hour. The battery in this video can deliver 800 Amps for a one hour period, but you would not want to put that heavy of a load on it. Most battery systems should not be drawn down more than 20% (80% left in reserve) if you want to maximize the over all life span of the battery and the battery should be recharged as soon as possible.Hope that helps
grexon You're not a noob, Grexon. A noob is one who doesn't know because he never asked. "A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel," Proverbs 1:5
+Brumfield - He's a noob. You don't get to make up your own definitions to things. I'm a noob, too. Noobs are in learning stage. It's why they are NEW at it.
Nice to see the lightening arrestor on the AC.
Another nice job.
Of topic from the Solar.... My partner and I have rescued pit bulls and Staffordshire bull terriers for over 20 years. Many of them have been abused by people to. In all that time I have been bitten once and that was accidental as I was holding food. They were not fighting at the beginning they were playing and will often do this when a welcomed stranger is around. Its just what they do. Its a way of them saying... welcome to out pack we know how to protect you.. watch this....... I would feel safer knowing they are around not worried.
They are one of the most unfairly branded breeds of dog and are actually very loving !
Anyway I like the install its very neat and tidy. Have you started using using LifePo4 cells on any of your jobs yet ? You can fully drain them instead of only 25 to 50 % with deep cycle and you will get 2000+ cycles out of each battery. Try doing that with lead acid ! They will happily take a 30A charge with a 48v setup so can charge fast and remain very cool. No gasses full stop and can dump massive power loads when needed. Yes they are pricey but will outlast lead acid 6 times over. When you do the math they make a lot of sense !
Keep up the well engineered good work :-)
Good job guys , you put in a lot of hard work, by far the hardest is wotwith the old stuff!
Very nice setup. The panels are getting bigger and cheaper the batteries are getting better and cheaper. Thanks for sharing.. I hope all is well with you and yours.
Very good video...really picking up a few things that I may incorporate into my system. Esp like the 6KW ground mount.
If I ever want to do anything like this to my future home, Scott Hunt is who I'm gonna call.
I like what you guys have done there. It really doesn't take up too much room either.
Well done , thats a really nice install . I put my 5kw on the workshop roof but damn its hard to get at them to wash them off . So I can appreciate the advantages of ground install . Wish i was qualified for electrical work.
All these people talking about running clothes dryers. remember clothes lines? Your clothes will last longer too. Or Dry them inside on a rack if the weather is bad.
Wow a first. An auto watering system. It's the first times I've seen one installed. More folks should put out vids showing these & how they're installed.
Hate to say I'm a little envious of a 6K solar....lol
1timby but what if a line gets clogged over time??? just one thing to think about. Still pretty trick though.
kdknitro If it gets clogged with particulate you can clean the entire watering system (disconnect from batteries first) with compressed air in about 3 minutes. If the clog is due to calcium buildup, it can be removed by soaking in vinegar, rinsing with water, and then using compressed air if needed. If it is a heavy iron build up, use diluted Muriatic acid, rinse well with water, then use compressed air. The best way to avoid clogging is by use of distilled water for the batteries.
Brumfield Not sure how it would get calcium build up as it's my understanding that you're to use distilled water in the system. Not sure how it would clog up.
Just my 2 cents...LOL
1timby Your 2 cents carry more value than that. :) My response was to cover the usual scenarios that cause clogging. kdknitor didn't specify what the anticipated clogging would be caused by, so I went general. And yes, distilled water, is the norm, and is suggested by the battery manufacturers, but, as human nature goes, and seeing as how the battery manufactures won't oversee our actions, we some times don't follow instructions... and in this case we'd just use tap water. I've done that with my truck battery many times. "The best way to avoid clogging is by use of distilled water for the batteries".
Brumfield Surely we wouldn't do something that we're told not to do...LOL
I think it would be nice to see a list of materials and components used for the various jobs. Those batteries and watering system for example looked really interesting. Thanks for the videos.
About Ac: I faced that issue knowig its the locked rotor load that is a most troubleson. I chose to go a Mini split since it used inverter technolgy that starts the system by slowly ramping up thus eleminating the high start amperage draw with whole house units. Also most homes ductwork is likly not so good even using the newest duct sealing.
its my impression inverter whole house iunits are very pricy.
Love that post hole digger. And all this time I have been doing it the hard way LOL
Very nice, neat, professional install. Your hired!
Very nice system, as usual with your work.
Here's a quick question for you. We have a 24 volt system.We run a fridge and a small freezer and couple lights and a small laptop.THATS it. WHY is it that after a day our battery bank gets low? We have L16 lead acid battery's , I think 16 in total. I see all these other off grid setups who have less panels or the same (we have a 2k array) and they are running tons of things! I mean tons! My husband has a melt down when I leave even the cell phone plugged in all night BY accident. Is this normal??
Starry Hilder Shut the inverter off when u go to bed. Get a propane fridge and freezer they are the biggest power users. Monitor the power comming in from the solar and the power out to the inverter you cant charge batteries if you use more power than you produce. Add 4k of small wind. Check batteries weekly for proper voltages,acid levels and all electrical connections they will become loose over time or form corrosion. You have a bad battery or connection start there first.
Starry Hilder Maybe your charger does not deliver enough amperage. Or perhaps you are losing energy somewhere, such as undersized cable. Or maybe your batteries are worn out. Lots of possibilities, but I agree that something seems wrong.
Starry Hilder Your settings on your system might be telling you the battery is lower than it actually is. Sometimes the installers will conservatively program it to tell you your battery bank is low so your daily depth of discharge will be shallow. What type of inverter/charge controller do you have? Do you have a shunt to measure amp hours going in and out of the battery? That will tell you if you are getting the right amount of amp hours from your battery. L16's are usually around 400 amp hours so you would have 4 groups of 4 batteries in series wired in parallel to give you a 24 v 1600 amp hour battery bank. You should be able to discharge 20-50% (320-800)of that without hurting the battery. With that many batteries in series parallel you should be checking specific gravity to make sure all battery strings are getting the proper charge.
Tell us more about your system. Get a shunt to count amp hours. From what you are saying, you should have plenty of battery to run the devices you have mentioned.
Hey thanks for all this great input..its pretty ironic you wrote all this as we just got back from Backwoods solar with our new Trimeteric battery meter!! Haha...should be a awesome way to monitor those batteries more closely.. so we are for sure on the same page. I love it when people are always giving a good solid feedback to help!
Also we just invested in a refractormeter...been checking specific gravity of each cell just did that a week or so and glad we did cause the cells were a little low!! So everything you suggested...GREAT advice.
We also have a xantrax and a midnight solar charge controller. Have you EVEr had to p program the xantrax? UGHH nightmare..we still dont know how to change e the setting for the bulk and absorb times. Will have to call the company on that one.
Anyway...thanks again for this good advice..sounds l like you are well versed! We will let you know how the specific meter works and how that tri metric meter pans out once my husband gets it up and running! Hoepfully we will see some improvement!!
God Bless you so so much for taking the time out
Starry Hilder There is some good advice in the other replies, but I would like to add, metering loads is a great way to learn about personal usage, particularly if a load is causing your specific problem. From Amazon, I bought one of these: www.amazon.com/Electricity-Usage-Monitor-Reduce-Energy/dp/B00BGFRBTQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1438213641&sr=1-1&keywords=Electricity+Usage+Monitor%2C+Power+Meter%2C+Reduce+Your+Energy+Costs
Hello: That post hole digger is cool. Job well done.
It's called and auger and takes a lot of work out of the job. Never seen one so big n diameter.
jeneane zant Most of the time the auger is on a big John tractor. My friend has 1746 acres he said the only way to do it now is a tamper, saves time and work. The holes are so big and deep because of the wind load. Have a nice day!!!!!
Rickugg Is that what the machine running it is called?
jeneane zant Hi That's the first time I ever saw a machine like that, I don't know its name. It reminds me of a skid steer. You can take the bucket off and put many attachments on it. We are up late. lol I just retired no more 4:15. I saw you are in Texas. If you want to see something cool, Google Love Valley N.C.. I rode my racking horse through there many yeas ago on a wagon train. I just think I'm a cowboy!!!
jeneane zant It is a Toro Dingo. It can take a variety of attachments. I needed a 24" auger with a 3' extension to drill 7' deep holes for this job.
Very Pro install -- thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Patrick
Can you provide a ball park price tag including labor for a job of this scale .
cool battery bank...would have liked to see the batteries and more info. great set up!
really nice clean set-up .
Nice, no front mounts with the poles, 'easy' grass/weed clearing maintains. How high can you go with the poles?
What happens to the batteries and the solar panels if there is an EMP? Is there a way to protect them in some type of Faraday cage?
Once I get the farm am going to be installing for the most part what you saw in this video you made. But I don't like Midnite solar and I will be installing 3 Outbacks (2 solar, 1 wind), 6k solar panels, ground mount, 2 1600 windmills (year later), 2 48V forklift batteries or equal (1 will be a couple of years or three later), two Magna Sine inverter, one Cotex 3k inverter (spare, well pump, shop, etc). Am even going to install some cheap Chinese 500W GTI's to back feed the 240v, six in total. My plan is to connect one line to each Magna Sine inverters to charge the batteries either by program at 85% or manually by breaker/switch if there is no programming capability available. The previous mentioned GTI's will connect to the commercial panel on a 240v 30A breaker via a switch or timer. Well, that's the overview. I still have to get the farm first. And banks are a royal pain. But most circuits will be moved over to solar minus water heater, heat pump and stove. Anything that is 240V or very high circuit demands. Later I'll work on replace whatever it is with more power efficient equipment.
1:27 that would be real handy for digging an outhouse.
this is great i just purchased my off grid property id like to talk more about a system like this as far as cost and needs
I have a question:
Why you choose to use 2v batteries? I'm asking because it doesn't seems to be very cos effective or efficient.
for instance you get 12 batteries 2v each and a 1000ah each.. great in series you get 24v but still have 1000ah available 24v*1000ah = 24kwh but you rather buy 12 batteries at 12v put them all series and paralel and end with 1500ah so 24v*1500=36kwh... am I missing something?
I'm a noob on this, I appreciate the time you put on your videos I learned a lot from them.
They ought to be able to run the dryer and heat pump easy when the sun is shining - with a 6K array - I run mine and I have two Geothermal furnaces / AC units that pull about 4200 Watts when they are "both" running. Of course night time or clouds stop that but I have had success with it -- Dryer should be no problem - just do it when the sun is out.
I did it differently.
I used two SMA5000TL inverters controlled by an SMA 8.0 Sunny Island.
Advantage is they are much cheaper grid feed inverters that are fooled into thinking they are on a grid.
Oh...yes, we run air conditioners, dryer, normal electric how water...TIG welder etc.
I think it is better than what you have done here, perhaps you don't have SMA stuff in the US? (we are in Australia).
Beautiful system I have a 1KW 3/24VDC battery bank system spent about 5000. Your system must be 10's of thousands to build but very impressive.
What is the part number for that red water movement indicator that was used with battery bank? That's a cool accessory.
If they have natural gas or Propane, get a gas dryer (120v) in place of the 220 electric dryer.
Wow!! mama , that's a solar system PP. I just built mine for my bov and it is 400 watts of panels on roof supplying 500ah battery bank. And after I just built the same system for my apartment but with a 1000ah battery bank. For my apartment it is a enough power to get us by 5 days without sun or city electric. in the van it is enough to get us by 7 days without any sun or shore power hookups. Both systems are 12 volt systems. Love your system . It looks hard core. nice
Perhaps a system like this could be put on the roof of a car port? I suppose I would need to know the weight of the arrays and if the roof's slope is suitable.
Class "A" again...as usual. Very clean.
I would want a system as a back up to the grid but seems that it would be a waste just sitting there... Maybe I could use it for a small dedicated application like my electronics, Ham gear..etc.. Always have a back up plan...
+agaveman Are you insinuating the sun is going to blow up sometime soon? LOL!
Sweet install. Well done. :-)
I live in the Midwest where we get the occasional hail storm. Is it possible to still go solar? Are the panels shatterproof?
i think this should be higher so you can manage grass under or at least not having area "stolen"
seeing the ground mounts i was just wondering like your yard you have them set up in two places,is there a system that could automaticly move to follow the sun from moring till dark. ?
Thank You engineer775, LOVE IT!
May have to pay airfare for you to come do my setup when (and if) I can ever get farmland. =)
Nice setup
Please let me and the channel know what these cells are and where to source them.. I want to go to separated 2v cells for my offgrid setup... just so if once cell fails it doesn't ruin a entire battery.. been looking at forklift cells. not much info for 2v cells .. or I'm just looking in the wrong places.
Scott, How about giving us a MSRP for certain components along your videos? Remind people that "Prices go up and down for certain components, but this widget alone costs $$." For example, how much for those batteries? You don't have to tell us the cost of the job, (although many of us would love that info). What is the benefit of two volt batteries? Longer life?
I got not the money to get off grid,so im staying in.good luck !
I've used the Schletter ground mount system before, a very robust system. I also like the Midnite controller, very straightforward and simple to deal with. Good looking job!
How long was your run back to the house?
For a/c 5 40 foot deep holes for geothermal cooling heating
I like the battery setup, Topping up the water is a pain on my setup (bank of 12volt boat batteries) this is a cool system. I also like the fact that if one battery goes bad you can replace just that one unit. On my 12 volt system, if one cell goes out you lose the other 5 cells.
Could you tell us the Model/Brand of the batteries?
evangelon2 The battery is an 826 amp hour (@ 20 hr rate) 48v bank comprised of 2 volt cells.
That battery costs around $6500 and is referred to in some circles as a "traction battery". It is very similar to what you would see in a forklift.
You can get that battery from practical preppers. It's not on the site but you can email PP through the site.
Thank you for the info, I'll reach out to Scott when I have the funds to replace my amateur cobbling of old deep cycles
Try a RV washer n Dryer, they run of a 120 watts.
Can you tell us who makes those awesome batteries? :-)
Thanks!
i looking into install solar system in my house but i don't know whats the first step,how many solars panels do i need what the inverter,whats the best battery for off grid system?
I don't know what the cost is per battery, but the maintenance on those SUCKS... watering the cells. Ugh.
Why not just buy two or three used Tesla battery packs from a wrecked Tesla? Or if low temp is an issue, then NiMH packs from a Hybrid Rav 4? No maintenance as muc as with lead acid.
Do the lightening arresters only hand direct strikes or are these capable of preventing damage from EMP's?
Another very nice system although I'm not sure why a ground mount is preferred over a roof mount. Seems like a lot of real estate is eaten up with these monsters but I guess they are easier to install on the ground. I wish you would talk a little about the cost. I mean sure if the grid is down for an extended period then it might be priceless but until then its an expensive insurance policy. If this runs 30K then it would take me at about 16 years to break even and new batteries may be needed before then. I'd also like to know if it would withstand a hail storm. I did not see any type of ventilation system for the battery bank. If these are lead-acid batteries then surely they'll emit harmful fumes right?
+Robert DeMilo At 1:33 you can see the house is perpendicular to the array. The array is facing south so the house's roof is facing east/west. Many times the house isn't always oriented properly for a roof mount install.
+Robert DeMilo Aside from the initial cost and ROI cost, ground mount itself has many advantages. Personally if possible, I would never put solar panels on my asphalt house roof.
Roof mount panels need removing when roof is shot. also for snow removal if required.....
if your house/roof is on fire, do not expect the fire dept to go up on your roof if solar is there.. House burn down first is better option than potential electrocution. remote, if you can do it, is so much more preferred, but get the damn thing 5 ft higher in the air. Geezum.
Scott, who makes those batteries?
What do you need to do to make your array 'lightning protected'?
did I hear that right? 48v x 826ah.... so about 39kWH of storage?
Very nice setup, appreciate all the info.
Could you list the Battery Brand & model number please, as well as a link to the company or to were to buy.
Thanks
What brand of batteries are those? Where can they be bought?
Where can I buy the mounting system?
What is the name brand off the batteries. Are they more money then running a 6 volt system.
hey, what was the total cost of this system ? good info video
How many and of what type of panel would you all recommend for a tiny house w/small AC/heater refrigerator lights. I know I'm asking for more of a ballpark figure. Maybe just a guess. I've seen a few adds for 45watt panels for around $140.00 each from harbor freight.
they are cheap thin film, will not last long... and are not all that. Remember,,, you get what you pay for... The panels that Tesla's solar city or whatever uses are more cost effective in long run , people say. There are videos out there... go search UA-cam with something like "OFF GRID TINY HOUSE SOLAR" or similar search.
Have you looked at using Nickel Iron Batteries?
How much power does each individual solar panel generates?
AC/DC lighting rods? what is the diff? just asking.
How much did all those panels cost?
what was the cost for this set up??
what roughly, was the ballpark of this system, cost wise?
how many square foot is the house? what part of the country?
I need help I have two window A/C and would like to put solar to keep my bill down. today it 108degress an 6% humility. were do I get these items I am in AZ.
7410ray Practical Preppers can provide you with a system like this or something smaller that would be more "plug and play". A window unit runs of 120vAC and uses 1500 watts max. You would want at least four panels, facing southwest at about a 15 degree tilt to run the AC in the afternoon. Practical preppers also has Solar Air conditioners.
+7410ray When I was stationed in New Mexico (dry and hot also), I had a swamp cooler...much better than window shakers. Now, I run two window shakers (8,000 cooling BTU) off my solar w/o any issues here in Oklahoma. I have videos on my channel of my set up if you are interested. Thanks.
Clovis...the armpit of NM.
Great Job
how much did everything cost to get installed and system
what did you do for the air condition solution for them ?
What is the cost of this setup?
Love the video. But these things are just pipe dreams to most of us because they just cost too much. Personally, I would have to live like the Amish to get off grid cause I'm just a poor hard workin' southern girl trying to do the best I can :) But again....Still love your videos.
getsmartnow2011 Amish folks taught me how to build these systems!
can you give an estimate of what this system cost, including battery bank and all wiring etc?
+matt taylor
about..
$300 per panel
$1,000 per charge controller
$2,500 per inverter
$400 per battery
that is just the basic items.. several thousand more more for all the rest of the electrical items and mounting items and then the cost for electrician to install.. my guess it this system is in the $50,000 range...
I have a 1000 watt system with 4 x 250 watt panels, a Magnum inverter, a Midnite Solar charge controller, 6 Rolls Surrette batteries and a few other items.. it cost nearly $10,000 including taxes..
What are the 5 posts, stainless, aluminum, galvanized?
Galvanized and heavy duty.
is that 40 kWh battery ? or my math is wrong
That depth and amount of concrete is overkill for that. We dont need it that deep for 1.5m high retaining wall to adjoining property.
Damien Percy It was designed for wind loads and soil condition for Mobile Alabama. 135+
engineer775 Practical Preppers thanks. Ive been looking into complete off grid for a large but energy efficient home. Quotes are over $60K.
Damien Percy What we installed here ~ 40k
engineer775 Practical Preppers Thanks. Very similar indication based on all things being equal. It's roughly $5k difference when converted from U.S. pesos (joke).
I haven't bought land yet. Just weighing up some of the costs / pro / cons. Cheers.
i need to ask what kind of panel do you recommend poly or mono
how much does this setup cost with Lithium Ion batteries?
ok so if a gamer who is running a full tower PC running high end state of the art PC gaming system with (3) 30"-inch monitors LCDs constantly 24-7
and in the summer time 2 floor fans. as well as charging 4 different mobile electronic devices.
what solar system does that person need ?? :)
+Robert Foster I would add all those loads and determine what inverter first then, batteries, charge controller and number of panels. CAn you tell me how much power all you equipment is using simulateously. This little meter can tell you the average consumption over a period of time. astore.amazon.com/practipreppe-20/detail/B000RGF29Q
+engineer775 Practical Preppers what's the approximate cost of a system like that let's just say Parts without labor
Damn impressive!!
How much would a setup like this cost in materials??
stavros19743 Roughly $30k
cloths line solves the dryer
Beautiful !
How much wind can a ground mount survive vs a roof mount?
By the way, these videos are really enjoyable and educational!
wpherigo1 We overbuild everything. The ground mount in the video was designed for 130mph wind. Ground mounts are always stronger than a roof mount. Ground mount , ground mount , ground mount!
Have you looked at Tesla's powerball for battery upgrades in the future
Pu La Power Wall, right? (going from feeble memory here)
Is there another solution for whole house power storage thats cost effective other then lead acid? (batt life being the main concern)
We expect at least a 10 yr life out of this battery bank. Lead acid, properly maintained is still the most cost effective solution we have found. When something better comes out in terms of cost and performance we will go with it.
engineer775 Practical Preppers I occasionally mess with boat inverter/solar, those 2 volts seem to be the ticket for small spaces, beat lugging alot of 6 volts around. Do you really think those batteries are going to last 10 years?
***** You can buy new batteries dry with no acid. Then add a alum solution, There's no sulfur to build up on the plates. There is a video on UA-cam ( making a bad 12 volt battery good again for under 5 dollars ). You wouldn't use car batteries, You would use deep cycle batteries, This should increase the battery life to well over 20 years. It should provide a cost effective solution.
In real life, i work on boats and batteries dont last that long from what I see, ive never heard of using aluminum, it has to have less power doing that.
Hi man. When I build my off the grid solar house I might just give you a call, if you don't mind. ;-)
No offense but can u do some videos that are for the budget minded everyday Joe? $70-80-90k stuff is kinda unrealistic for most people to add to an existing mortgage or 2nd. property purchase.
Would love to be off grid but the expense is immense and way way out of my reach.
mikeallenbrown1 You don't have to spend $40 k for and offgrid system. The one in the video is "cadillac". What are your loads. We get all our solar know how from offgrid amish communities. They are all offgrid and the majority of their systems are under $10k
how much the cost all of that...............??????????
Agan jengkol he answered it in comments, roughly 39K
+Ninja 87 I can run my house including heat pump and electric dryer for 43 years for that much $.
Greg White *sigh* people who buy these "off grid" solutions are thinking way ahead of you it seems. 1) You hardly know the cost of electricity in 10 years from now, let alone 43. 2) You are assuming that there will always be someone else providing YOU electricity. 3) You are minimizing the luxury of a self-sufficient lifestyle.
Actually I'm thinking on track. 1.In 10 years if electricity doubles, solar panels will probably cost half as much. Better to wait until electrical prices actually do rise substantially. 2. Yes I do assume that, If my power goes away then shit has just hit the fan in a big way, and I don't buy into that stuff. 3. A self sufficient lifestyle is not luxurious, it's the opposite. For these folks it means no heat or AC and no dryer. Also I bet they use the grid for back-up to that battery bank, it looks way too small to power that house for 3-4 days on cloudy weather .
+Greg White The point of the battery bank (The example in the video is actually monster sized) is to store energy in case there is no sun. Also, if electricity doubles in price that means demand for solar goes up. If demand goes up, supply goes down, and price goes up. It's simple economics. In 43 years this setup will have paid for itself. This family will have free electricity for the rest of their lives and their kids lives, all generated from the sun.
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
i went with ni-fe 1.2 400ah batts
Can you just leave that battery waterer hooked up 24-7 and not have to worry?
Bunk-Bunk no, you disconnect the tank when not watering, there is a quick connect fitting.
Did anyone else jump when he touched the two terminals?
Yes. I realise now that the circuit wasn't completed.
what the hell do u put water in a battery for?
Because batteries get thirsty due to the hard work they perform.
Sorry I'm a electric noob. What does 800 amp hour mean?
grexon Think of Amp Hour as a way of measuring Battery Runtime. A battery has a specific amp hour rating usually measured at a desired "withdraw" of say 5, 10, 20 Amperes per hour. The battery in this video can deliver 800 Amps for a one hour period, but you would not want to put that heavy of a load on it. Most battery systems should not be drawn down more than 20% (80% left in reserve) if you want to maximize the over all life span of the battery and the battery should be recharged as soon as possible.Hope that helps
grexon You're not a noob, Grexon. A noob is one who doesn't know because he never asked. "A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel," Proverbs 1:5
+Brumfield - He's a noob. You don't get to make up your own definitions to things. I'm a noob, too. Noobs are in learning stage. It's why they are NEW at it.
How much did they spend?
$39,000