Cost effective solar set up

[bowdrill]

just seen the inverter for £29.99 in maplins pity i already got one from halfords for £44.00 lol
oh well shit happens

cheers bowdrill

[Nemesis]

You pay for watts and build quality, one of my Halfords ones I have had at least 7 years, used in car before I got solar only blown it once and they are fused protected.


If somehow they are same spec take it back to halfords they are good for returns, just claim intermittent fault.

[Nemesis]

Some of you showed an interest in a small DIY solar setup, I got round to taking some pics today of the upgrade I did just after Xmas.

I added 3 more panels to the setup, giving me 450 watts which meets my needs post shtf.

Pic 1: shows 5 panels 4 at back 1 at front.




Better view of the 4 front ones.



Front shot, as you can see I needed to make a strong frame I went with scaffold frame.



I went with car exhaust type clamps to connect panels to bar.



Cemented 3 foot of bar underground.



Box one this connected all 4 front panels to box 2.



Box 2 this connected both front panels and back panel, to the regulator.



Regulator, box 2 and TV.

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This is main switch box, I decided to make this water proof and portable I can take this in to my home and connect it to my in house solar connecters and even to the woods with my mobile solar build.



This tv has sat in my garden since before Xmas and is working fine even after the recent cold spell -11/15, I do put a jumper over it not sure if that’s needed, the good thing about this tv is it can take usb and small usb hdd to watch movies, tv shows dl of internet, so post shtf plenty of movies and shows to watch




There is A lot more solar gear I have not shown as I keep it in doors, rice cooker, chip fryer, good inverters, and other kit I am sure each to their own buy what you feel is right for your needs.

Btw I am running 3 batteries now and will add 3 more over this year.

[Skean Dhude]

W&C,

That looks good. From my first look it looks like it could be fitted into a very small space and then folded out to deploy quickly. I could see it being on a roof rack or a trailer. Reversing that to pack away and GOOD2 if your BOL was under threat.

I'm impressed.

[NorthernRaider]

Fabulous article as always, with priceless images to help novices like me understand WTF you are talking about. Cheers.

[Nemesis]

SD I am thinking I should cut the cross bar in half and use a straight connecter fitting this would break down the length from 22 feet to 11 feet, much more manageable.

We are here to teach each other NR, I have been advised on another forum to add a bracing, even though I have had two panels on that roof for two years now without issue I might just take the blokes advice and reinforce each panel, this is why we post to help and be helped.

[uks]

W&C
How much are you save on your electricity bills?.
Carrying from another thread how long do think it will be that TPTB charge you for using the sun or the electricity companies put a service charge on it?

[NorthernRaider]

(1 March 2012, 02:02)WetandCold Wrote: SD I am thinking I should cut the cross bar in half and use a straight connecter fitting this would break down the length from 22 feet to 11 feet, much more manageable.

We are here to teach each other NR, I have been advised on another forum to add a bracing, even though I have had two panels on that roof for two years now without issue I might just take the blokes advice and reinforce each panel, this is why we post to help and be helped.

We had some PV panels outside the intrument relay hut on one of the wind farms, dont know much about the whys and wherefores but they had to have stiffeners and diagonal extra braces fitted cos the higher wind speed in the area caused the bugger to flex ever so slightly, but apparently ever so slightly over many months buggers the crystaline membrane something or other, greatly reducing the panel eficiency and shortens its life as well.

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W & C Question, Isnt the entire aluminium frame supposed to be resting or attached to a frame, I cant fully remember the stuff from the course but I thought the frame the PV cell was in was only there to hold it the right shape, but the unit was supposed to be fitted with multiple points fastened to the roof or support structure?

[Nemesis]

(1 March 2012, 09:10)uks Wrote: W&C
How much are you save on your electricity bills?.
Carrying from another thread how long do think it will be that TPTB charge you for using the sun or the electricity companies put a service charge on it?

Hi first of all this system is off grid not wired to the mains it is a DIY small solar build 12 volt 450 watts, the only thing that can turn it off is the sun or should say day light as solar don't really need sun.

(and snow is a problem)

When you run a system like this you just need to look for low watt items, like imported 400 watt hot plates, I have a 800 watt chip fryer and so on, I also have tested it with all my power tools minus a few bench saws, and all was good, last of all it is connected up to many lights in the garden and a wire is run into my home for indoor use.

This is quite a cheap system to setup.

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Nr the crystalline membrane are a lot tougher than one might think, in fact the panel is very strong I am aware that people do sell damaged panels and seen these tested for output and even bent up and twisted they out putted (is that a word) the same as a non-busted one, "youtube"


If I was a company or government body I am sure the panels would need to be braced tight to the roofs for health and safety reasons I would not have thought it would affect output in any way, in fact I am sure of this.

[NorthernRaider]

uks Wrote: W&C
How much are you save on your electricity bills?.
Carrying from another thread how long do think it will be that TPTB charge you for using the sun or the electricity companies put a service charge on it?


Labour had plans to increase council tax bills by one or two bands on properties that had certain home improvements made which included swimming pools, conservatories, orangries and PV systems.