Solar Powered Homes

[Readytoride]

The difference is most grid homes are not designed for off grid systems and use appliances that eat up power.

Very true. Our farm was built at the time when tying to the grid was commonplace and expected, even though the reliability of the utility didn't have the best track record. Almost every farm surrounding us has a partial house or whole-house generator for backup power should the Grid go down. I tend to think that is overkill. We have a small generator that powers the few items we deem essential (refrigerator, TV), but for the most part the outages rarely exceed a few hours. Maybe a few days every half decade or so. So the cost of buying and maintaining a whole house generator that uses fossil fuels was a big NO from me.

I was used to living off grid while I was competing in equestrian sports, so learned early on what works and what doesn't when it comes to providing ones own power needs.

What eats power are well pumps and HVAC systems. We do rainwater capture (treated), store bottled water, have a wood burning stove (for winter that will heat the entire house) and fans (for the summer that run off 120v), so the two major power hog appliances are covered by lower power consumption backup, or electric free options. The electric stove is backed up by a camp stove that runs off propane cannisters, and an outdoor grill. Small appliances and internet are run off deep cell batteries that are recharged by small portable solar panels on a rotational basis.

The only problem with a Grid outage is with the electric vehicle(s). I plan to talk with our solar installer about putting in an EVSE directly tied to our array to charge our vehicles right from the panels themselves (which can only happen when our panels are producing at their max of 8.9kWh for the draw of 7.7kWh required by a Level 2). In the meantime any outages requires me to drive to an area where the Grid is still up to charge the car from any available Level 2 or 3 station. I could charge a car from my generator, but only if it was the last resort.

 

[Readytoride]

V2H combined with EV mandates has the potential to turn every house into a virtual power plant (VPP). This will be hugely disruptive to the energy game, we're already seeing some providers attempt to get into that space. How is the VPP landscape developing in the US? Is it commonplace?

The Leaf was touted as being the perfect (and only) V2H since it was equipped with a DC charge port that was bi-directional. Nissan made a big deal out of it, displaying to the Japanese public how the car could provide enough power to run a household for days or weeks.

Unfortunately, this capability never got any further than being a demo, and (from what I understand now) was never intended for the US Leaf owners. The only way my 40kWh Leaf could be used as a power source would be if I stripped the battery out of the car, hung it on a wall, and had a knowledgeable electrician connect it to my main as a power wall.

I have heard there are people working on developing the necessary inverters to make V2H connections possible, but it's still very early in the game for that transition to be marketable. Trust me - I've been keeping my ear to the ground waiting for this technology to be ready for prime time. At this moment in time, it isn't. Ford is making promises that its F150 electric truck will be able to provide backup power directly from its main battery, but I'll believe it when I see it.

The potential for homes to be their own VPP is real, but technology has to catch up to make it a reality. We are still far too early in EV adaptation for follow-up breakthroughs to hit mainstream. I'll be keeping my little gas generator as my backup power source for a few more years at the very least.

 

[Solarcabin]

Most existing homes are not designed well for solar

Solar can work on just about any home but most existing homes were designed for grid power. In order for solar to be efficient the panels have to face true south (unless you are down under) and most homes are situated according to a city plan to face the street and doesn't have good true southern exposure. So they will need more panels and costs more. They also have all kinds of vents and the wrong roof style to allow a proper installation.

Most existing homes are too large, are poorly insulated and leak making them difficult to heat and cool with solar power alone. They are designed with whole home vented furnaces and HVAC to keep lots of rarely used rooms heated or cooled even when not in use. That is not a good system for solar power and will require a much larger and expensive system.

There are ways to make an existing home more efficient for solar power. You can bulk up insulation in your roof, get better windows, doors and seal it up and replace HVAC and furnaces with a heat pump for heating and cooling. Those use much less power. If your area allows it then a wood stove or propane can be used for heating and propane also works well for cooking and running an OD water heater with no power needed.

If your house is not situated correctly to get good sunlight on the roof then you can consider building on a carport, garage, workshop and install the panels on that or use a ground mount system and that can be creatively installed to blend in to the landscape.

We all love trees in our yards and you will want shade but trees and solar do not mix so you may need to remove or at least trim trees way back because even a small amount of shade on a single panel will greatly reduce output. That is a big problem with series tied panels and not so much with parallel off grid systems.

Grid tied systems without a battery storage system like a power wall do not work if the grid goes down. They are designed to protect power workers that may be fixing the lines. With battery storage and grid cut out you can usually get by with just your solar and battery backup at least for a few days if you are conservative until the power is restored. Off grid systems are not tied to the grid and generally are designed for at least 3 days of backup battery power in the event of low sun days, Batteries are heavy and need a dedicated safe place to be stored and not all homes are designed for that. Depending on the type of batteries used some require a lot of maintenance and some are no maintenance at all. You will need to understand that system.

Solar is a fantastic power source that will reduce or eliminate your power bills BUT it does require some planning and possible remodeling and is not as easy as slap some panels on your roof. Even if you want to stay connected to the grid and your home is not designed well for solar you can still install a DIY small solar system and I recommend a 400 watt to 1000 watt system and that will power all kinds of appliances, recharge your ebikes, power tools and reduce your power bills and can be used when the grid goes down for a power emergency to keep your family safe.

You can get a nice Federal tax rebate of 30% in the US for grid tied and off grid systems and even DIY systems and you may also qualify to get state and local incentives. Some Federal help for low income people to make homes more efficient are also available so do your research.

 

[pmcdonald]

Some friends of ours have a hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander on order that they'll be using to feed back into their property. I don't know the specifics of their hardware but the Mitsubishi plug in hybrids have offered this in a few markets for half a decade. It has only recently come to Australia. The only downside is the smaller 12KWh battery. I think V2H will fast become the norm in EVs over the next few years, effectively bypassing home batteries.

 

[kevinmccune]

Checked the numbers on our 6 KW array out of curiosity. Since install last April it has generated 13.8 MWh. Over that period we've used substantially less, but our usage is typically the inverse of the generation (an 'M' shape morning and night, versus an inverted 'V' for generation). Per annum we're net positive on the power bills, but winter racks up a couple of hundred $$$ per month which we claw back with the feed in tariff over the warmer 8 months.

We're currently in the middle of a wet, overcast week where there's no way we could sustain our usage if we were operating off a battery/solar combo - we'd need grid power to see us through the week. V2H with the attached 60/70/80+ KWh battery would solve this neatly, but compatible models are expensive or low capacity (Leaf, Mitsubishi hybrids), we don't need a new car, and the technology is still in its infancy here in Australia. Watch this space though - V2H combined with EV mandates has the potential to turn every house into a virtual power plant (VPP). This will be hugely disruptive to the energy game, we're already seeing some providers attempt to get into that space. How is the VPP landscape developing in the US? Is it commonplace?

In these parts the local "CO-OP" sat on their hands for awhile using grant money and probably internal resources, it seems now the economy gave them an excuse to raise rates probably some 30%( guesstimate) they have let early adopters buy into(green power) at a reduced rate and have been more or less sponsoring a group of solar contractors to come in and "solarize" your home,I didn't pursue because wifey would have none of it, they are also trying to get people to sign up for their high speed internet to shoot the local pioneering company out of the saddle right now its anyones guess as to how this venture will turn out. There have been some very happy off grid people who utilized solar when they found out a hookup to the "Co-ops" umbilical would cost in the neighborhood of $50K USD to have the convenience of yard lights and refrigeration. The one big solar site along our main drag route seems to be stalled for the time being only the supports have been erected, it also takes up several acres of pretty good farmland( they should have put it over on the nasty government clearcut( public land my @$$) less than a "Klick" away( this land was basically useless for farming) the population is going to be reduced one way or the other by plague( the undesirables have already painted a bullseye on themselves) or starvation( thanks Mr . Gates)

 

[Zekeer]

If you noticed things were getting pretty good for the common man in the nineties from my pespective, then along came little Bush( time to start knocking the common man down a bit more) things were starting to balance out everyone started getting comfortable, then covid and imaginary shortages another knock down for the common man, things are perking up a bit, so watch the next reset will come faster and the SOL will suffer again.I have said it once and will say it again"If you have the money and want something you had better get it now".

I agree and believe because I see it with my own eyes . How things that are crumbling are manufactured to . Leading economists are saying unless things are figured out and turned around within a year . Which was their talk from last March 2022. They say there will be a crash of everything like the world has never seen before . That modern civilization we take a massive hit downwards . It amazes even more how most are totally in the dark or in denial .
When anyone comes forward to speak they are immediately degraded by teh Media . And I am speaking of people with Doctorates and PHD highly acclaimed . Yet when they come out and say the numbers are skewed on Covid . Or that Climate change estimates are being fudged . Even showing us why . They are shut down and their lives destroyed . And like in the thread the average person yells conspiracy . I had someone say to me Storms have always occurred . I asked them what don't you get about unprecedented or record breaking . We live in a world of deceivers at the highest levels of authority . And they are really pretty dumb. Which says a lot about the people that voted them in

 

[Art Deco]

Wow. For whatever your reason, this is about solar systems .Shall we mention batteries

 

[Art Deco]

Actually those are big old industrial batteries and probably don't have enough power left in them for actual use. But you made my point. It's not necessary to have a room full of batteries like that to live off grid, and especially not for grid tied backup. No one is going to be using all their appliances at once when their neighbors are without power.
With just a few loads running at night and charging the batteries daily, you really shouldn't need any more battery capacity than an RV or an eBike carries as a normal thing.

 

[Readytoride]

Checked the numbers on our 6 KW array out of curiosity. Since install last April it has generated 13.8 MWh

I just checked our numbers for our 14.8kW array. From August 12th when it went live to today's total (September 3rd) it has generated 1.3Mwh. That's a total for a mere 23 days. Kinda blows my mind a bit.

I've decided I need to use our storage of deep cycle batteries because they are just sitting for months on end waiting for a power outage to be useful, so I'll try them out with my portable solar panels and a 1200W inverter to see how well they perform recharging my ebike batteries.

 

[Solarcabin]

Actually those are big old industrial batteries and probably don't have enough power left in them for actual use. But you made my point. It's not necessary to have a room full of batteries like that to live off grid, and especially not for grid tied backup. No one is going to be using all their appliances at once when their neighbors are without power.
With just a few loads running at night and charging the batteries daily, you really shouldn't need any more battery capacity than an RV or an eBike carries as a normal thing.

Those are forklift batteries and probably an old set up.

A general rule is you want at least 3 days of back up power for low sun days or a power emergency.

BUT that does not mean you need 3 days worth of power to run everything in your home.

Even on low sun days you will still get some power and as long as you plan to use big appliances in the day time when your batteries are charging you only need backup power mostly to keep a fridge running and run a heat pump.

Living with batteries or an off grid system is as much a change of lifestyle as it is a change of power source. You become a lot more aware of your power uses and plan things to take advantage of the free sunshine when your batteries are full in the day time. It just becomes instinct for off gridders after awhile.

 

[Rossterman]

You buy hydro by the Kilowatt? CN

We have essentially a monopoly ipof public utilities that have zero competition and are absymally run. You buy your power from a single utility or you don’t get power. Several offer greener generation options at even higher kw rates (the current reg rates are astronomical $35-$45 cents a kw). we have several large hydroelectric plants but they just feed into the grid.

 

[kevinmccune]

I agree and believe because I see it with my own eyes . How things that are crumbling are manufactured to . Leading economists are saying unless things are figured out and turned around within a year . Which was their talk from last March 2022. They say there will be a crash of everything like the world has never seen before . That modern civilization we take a massive hit downwards . It amazes even more how most are totally in the dark or in denial .
When anyone comes forward to speak they are immediately degraded by teh Media . And I am speaking of people with Doctorates and PHD highly acclaimed . Yet when they come out and say the numbers are skewed on Covid . Or that Climate change estimates are being fudged . Even showing us why . They are shut down and their lives destroyed . And like in the thread the average person yells conspiracy . I had someone say to me Storms have always occurred . I asked them what don't you get about unprecedented or record breaking . We live in a world of deceivers at the highest levels of authority . And they are really pretty dumb. Which says a lot about the people that voted them in

It amazes me people can vote against their best interests, the biggest argument seems to be against"them" and"why should I" while ignoring the fact that some of"them" can turn out to be their best customers.
"Alas Babylon, Babylon the great has fallen!" there is simply no reason to believe we are any exception to the rule

 

[Gionnirocket]

It amazes me people can vote against their best interests, the biggest argument seems to be against"them" and"why should I" while ignoring the fact that some of"them" can turn out to be their best customers.
"Alas Babylon, Babylon the great has fallen!" there is simply no reason to believe we are any exception to the rule

What amazes me is that they are totally consumed.

 

[kevinmccune]

What amazes me is that they are totally consumed.

Edison said" Few people think because it is such hard work".

 

[Zekeer]

Uh, you can tone down the screaming. The only thing that doesn't cause cancer for any biological life force on this planet...is death.

I'm happy with my choices, thank you very much, including owning/driving my electric car.

Screaming ?? LOL .. You can be happy -But I promise you not for very much longer . All you have to look at is Europe and Australia . It's just amazes how people like yourself actually get upset when the truth comes out . I guess I don't get why you wouldn't want to know. Because as you just pointed out we all have to deal with death . Where things will just be starting .

 

[Readytoride]

You can be happy -But I promise you not for very much longer

Thank you for your prophesy. I promise I will give your words all the consideration they warrant.

 

[Solarcabin]

In the fight against climate change, some are going all-electric at home

In the fight against climate change, some are going all-electric at home

CHICAGO -- At first glance, the scene is strikingly ordinary: just two working parents whipping up a quick family dinner. Scott Kroll stirs the pasta sauce. His wife, Clare Fauke, drops spaghetti into a pot of boiling water.

www.newstribune.com

 

[Solarcabin]

Reposted:

Most existing homes are not designed well for solar

Solar can work on just about any home but most existing homes were designed for grid power. In order for solar to be efficient the panels have to face true south (unless you are down under) and most homes are situated according to a city plan to face the street and doesn't have good true southern exposure. So they will need more panels and costs more. They also have all kinds of vents and the wrong roof style to allow a proper installation.

Most existing homes are too large, are poorly insulated and leak making them difficult to heat and cool with solar power alone. They are designed with whole home vented furnaces and HVAC to keep lots of rarely used rooms heated or cooled even when not in use. That is not a good system for solar power and will require a much larger and expensive system.

There are ways to make an existing home more efficient for solar power. You can bulk up insulation in your roof, get better windows, doors and seal it up and replace HVAC and furnaces with a heat pump for heating and cooling. Those use much less power. If your area allows it then a wood stove or propane can be used for heating and propane also works well for cooking and running an OD water heater with no power needed.

If your house is not situated correctly to get good sunlight on the roof then you can consider building on a carport, garage, workshop and install the panels on that or use a ground mount system and that can be creatively installed to blend in to the landscape.

We all love trees in our yards and you will want shade but trees and solar do not mix so you may need to remove or at least trim trees way back because even a small amount of shade on a single panel will greatly reduce output. That is a big problem with series tied panels and not so much with parallel off grid systems.

Grid tied systems without a battery storage system like a power wall do not work if the grid goes down. They are designed to protect power workers that may be fixing the lines. With battery storage and grid cut out you can usually get by with just your solar and battery backup at least for a few days if you are conservative until the power is restored. Off grid systems are not tied to the grid and generally are designed for at least 3 days of backup battery power in the event of low sun days, Batteries are heavy and need a dedicated safe place to be stored and not all homes are designed for that. Depending on the type of batteries used some require a lot of maintenance and some are no maintenance at all. You will need to understand that system.

Solar is a fantastic power source that will reduce or eliminate your power bills BUT it does require some planning and possible remodeling and is not as easy as slap some panels on your roof. Even if you want to stay connected to the grid and your home is not designed well for solar you can still install a DIY small solar system and I recommend a 400 watt to 1000 watt system and that will power all kinds of appliances, recharge your ebikes, power tools and reduce your power bills and can be used when the grid goes down for a power emergency to keep your family safe.

You can get a nice Federal tax rebate of 30% in the US for grid tied and off grid systems and even DIY systems and you may also qualify to get state and local incentives. Some Federal help for low income people to make homes more efficient are also available so do your research.

 

[Art Deco]

I just checked our numbers for our 14.8kW array. From August 12th when it went live to today's total (September 3rd) it has generated 1.3Mwh. That's a total for a mere 23 days. Kinda blows my mind a bit.

I've decided I need to use our storage of deep cycle batteries because they are just sitting for months on end waiting for a power outage to be useful, so I'll try them out with my portable solar panels and a 1200W inverter to see how well they perform recharging my ebike batteries.

Let us know how that works. I don't know what an ebike battery charger draws, do you? And I have heard it is a good practice to cycle the backup batteries seasonally, but have no experience with them yet.

 

[Solarcabin]

Let us know how that works. I don't know what an ebike battery charger draws, do you? And I have heard it is a good practice to cycle the backup batteries seasonally, but have no experience with them yet.

Mine takes 178 watts. You should rebalance your ebike battery with an extended charge about once a month and avoid short charging cycles or do a longer ride and full recharge once a week.