Solar panels are cheap here in Australia anyway, for the gain of approximately 30% with a tracker, you are better off putting the money into a static unit, set at ultimate degrees altitude for your area, and east west track. You have plenty of room, ditch the tracker, LOL.
A good electrician would have mounted the Inverter on standoffs, not on something that will just transfer heat to the plywood. The standoffs allow for better heat dissipation on the back side and the fans rarely need to run. I have several small solar systems using the "cheap" charge controllers and inverters and have never had a problem. I usually stack the charge controllers and inverters so that each one only puts out about 1/2 to 1/3 of it's rated power. Each charge controller costs between $10 and $30 and is cheaper than the name brand devices. Personally, I would have repaired the old inverter and stacked it too.
Tear down the bifacals and use them as a fence vertically. It will level off the bell curve on the power. It produces the most in the am and pm hours producing 2 small humps. Tether it to your tracker and you will get more power than you would expect. Cool thing is the fence doesnt collect snow and the snow returns over 50% power on both sides, which is way more than a snow covered panel.
I'm not a qualified electrician, but I setup my own off-grid system eight years ago and zero issues. The only $ spent has been upgrading battery and solar panel capacities. My only pet peeve is the lack of sunshine over the last several years. PowMR 6500w Chinese inverter unit.
I’m going to be a “little” harsh here, but you should just go ahead and surrender your electrical licenses!!! Why would you EVER buy something not listed and labeled? Why would you EVER just double the weight load on a mechanical apparatus without verifying the specifications?? I am willing to bet your first inverter (1000w) failed because you overloaded it, and that is why you got a 6000w to replace it? You mentioned that you have been running around helping other electricians, but I have to wonder if you are helping or hindering. I really hope you don’t do this kind of work for paying customers.
Thanks for the comment. I can't argue against anything you said... No excuses, you're looking at my laboratory , my hobby, not a finished dressed project, constantly evolving and being modified. Never would I do this for a customer, but I appreciate your comment..
Well... you are throwing money at it because you are obviously having fun playing with it. In that respect it is no different from any hobby, really. If you really wanted these things to break-even you'd think ahead a bit more and probably be able to avoid many of these pitfalls. Like... there is no reason under the sun (pun intended) that you need a tracker, unless you like to have fun playing with them. It's far cheaper just to put more panels on fixed mounts. The Y&H stuff is amusing. I have one of those myself but just for play... I knew from the beginning that it was mostly useless. A real charge controller is something like a Victron (to a battery) or an Enphase (grid-tie 240VAC). In anycase, the best way to DIY solar, have fun, and actually break-even at some point is to not get too fancy. Fixed panels, charge controller(s), a small battery system, and an inverter or two, permanently wired to a circuit. No transfer switch, and the only "grid" support would be a battery charger programmed to provide load-support when the batteries get low. I run two rooms and a fridge that way. It is mostly low-amperage Victron gear (100/20's, 150/35's for the charge controllers for example), a bunch of low-end LiFepO4 batteries (25.6V and 51.2V subsystems... I don't bother with 12.8V any more), and random solar panels... mostly 100W panels because the form factor hangs off my back railing well, in a 3s3p topology per each charge controller. Nothing breaks.. none of the equipment is even stressed. It just works day in and day out. Break-even is around 5 years. I've had the system a bit over 2 years now. -Matt
horribly misleading title
That’s the idea, all thumbnails have a level of Clickbait - it’s expected!
Time for a 30'x40' Steel Building... that is where we went... great video - thank you!!
That would be cool!
Solar panels are cheap here in Australia anyway, for the gain of approximately 30% with a tracker, you are better off putting the money into a static unit, set at ultimate degrees altitude for your area, and east west track. You have plenty of room, ditch the tracker, LOL.
Now you tell me...lol
I agree with his #1. Also remember ip ratings
Are you using two different batteries in parallel? Great video, sir!
A good electrician would have mounted the Inverter on standoffs, not on something that will just transfer heat to the plywood.
The standoffs allow for better heat dissipation on the back side and the fans rarely need to run.
I have several small solar systems using the "cheap" charge controllers and inverters and have never had a problem.
I usually stack the charge controllers and inverters so that each one only puts out about 1/2 to 1/3 of it's rated power.
Each charge controller costs between $10 and $30 and is cheaper than the name brand devices.
Personally, I would have repaired the old inverter and stacked it too.
Ouch, but I can take it. Thank you for the comment.
Tear down the bifacals and use them as a fence vertically. It will level off the bell curve on the power. It produces the most in the am and pm hours producing 2 small humps. Tether it to your tracker and you will get more power than you would expect. Cool thing is the fence doesnt collect snow and the snow returns over 50% power on both sides, which is way more than a snow covered panel.
I'm not a qualified electrician, but I setup my own off-grid system eight years ago and zero issues. The only $ spent has been upgrading battery and solar panel capacities. My only pet peeve is the lack of sunshine over the last several years. PowMR 6500w Chinese inverter unit.
The wood is still combustible, the old cover won't dissipate the heat effective enough to prevent starting the wood on fire, you need an air gap
Frolic away!
Thanks Bro.
You're welcome!
fantstic content! 🙂🙌
Thank you 🙌
dripping with hubris
Are you rocking Cartier Glasses?? 👓
Yes..
That’s bad ass man!
I’m going to be a “little” harsh here, but you should just go ahead and surrender your electrical licenses!!! Why would you EVER buy something not listed and labeled? Why would you EVER just double the weight load on a mechanical apparatus without verifying the specifications?? I am willing to bet your first inverter (1000w) failed because you overloaded it, and that is why you got a 6000w to replace it? You mentioned that you have been running around helping other electricians, but I have to wonder if you are helping or hindering. I really hope you don’t do this kind of work for paying customers.
Thanks for the comment. I can't argue against anything you said...
No excuses, you're looking at my laboratory , my hobby, not a finished dressed project, constantly evolving and being modified. Never would I do this for a customer, but I appreciate your comment..
Well... you are throwing money at it because you are obviously having fun playing with it. In that respect it is no different from any hobby, really. If you really wanted these things to break-even you'd think ahead a bit more and probably be able to avoid many of these pitfalls.
Like... there is no reason under the sun (pun intended) that you need a tracker, unless you like to have fun playing with them. It's far cheaper just to put more panels on fixed mounts.
The Y&H stuff is amusing. I have one of those myself but just for play... I knew from the beginning that it was mostly useless. A real charge controller is something like a Victron (to a battery) or an Enphase (grid-tie 240VAC).
In anycase, the best way to DIY solar, have fun, and actually break-even at some point is to not get too fancy. Fixed panels, charge controller(s), a small battery system, and an inverter or two, permanently wired to a circuit. No transfer switch, and the only "grid" support would be a battery charger programmed to provide load-support when the batteries get low.
I run two rooms and a fridge that way. It is mostly low-amperage Victron gear (100/20's, 150/35's for the charge controllers for example), a bunch of low-end LiFepO4 batteries (25.6V and 51.2V subsystems... I don't bother with 12.8V any more), and random solar panels... mostly 100W panels because the form factor hangs off my back railing well, in a 3s3p topology per each charge controller.
Nothing breaks.. none of the equipment is even stressed. It just works day in and day out. Break-even is around 5 years. I've had the system a bit over 2 years now.
-Matt
It's all about ROI. A 10 year ROI is complete BS. You want a 1-2 year ROI. Anything more, and you're getting screwed.
bro everything comes from China both great and horrible