Anyone running solar powered stuff at home?

[Neo]

I was so bored today, i made a kind of a solar simulator http://www.filedropper.com/solarsim, Source included.

However you can buy Solarpanels,batterys, chargecontrolers and plug any kind of load on it. To see if your setup can keep it up.

 

[MannDude]

Going to install this tomorrow. Got a new pure sine waver inverter and have had a second 100watt panel sitting in the box for like six months now that I need to install. Going to use this to power my RPI and some ham radio gear for now. Trying to get stuff done before storm season. I usually lose power in the spring and summer a few times. Got a couple more batteries to install on the battery bank too.

 

[Aldryic C'boas]

I've been meaning to get around to building panels to put on my roof, just haven't really had the time to do so.  That'll be a good project once I'm done rebuilding the kid's Marlin and get some free time.

 

[HalfEatenPie]

I've been meaning to get around to building panels to put on my roof, just haven't really had the time to do so.  That'll be a good project once I'm done rebuilding the kid's Marlin and get some free time.

I guess the limit for me is the fact that I"m in an apartment complex and if I try to get on the roof they'll probably charge me of something.  

 

[graeme]

Becoming very common in Sri Lanka - tropical, high electricity prices, domestic electricity tariffs that rise with increased usage means it now makes economic sense. I suspect it does in a lot of tropical countries.

 

[drmike]

Becoming very common in Sri Lanka - tropical, high electricity prices, domestic electricity tariffs that rise with increased usage means it now makes economic sense. I suspect it does in a lot of tropical countries.

Becoming a necessity here in the United States also.  I mean upgrading gear and reducing electric use is costly itself.  Still have the underlying monthly bill even in a slightly trimmed version.


I've used electric for supplemental heating (common as only heat in the south).  The increase in rates led me to mothball that and pack up / disconnect all the electric heating and move to other fuel sources.


KwH are hitting 15 cents and above to consumers.  Unsure how that compares to situation in Sri Lanka - expect it to be relatively cheap comparatively.


Historically we are more use to seeing like 5 cents a KwH.  In my solar modeling / ROI 5 cents was always the magic number.

 

[graeme]

In US dollar terms, Sri Lankan prices vary from 2 and a bit to about 30 cents a kWk on domestic tarrifs with rates increasing with increasing consumption. The people who are switching are those on the higher tarrifs.


Thanks to looking it up, I may have found a cheaper tarrif to switch to.

 

[MannDude]

Got another panel installed today. The bottom two are currently not in use and are just some HarborFreight 15 or 20w panels that I'm going to use to charge a small battery bank up for backup backup power. The top two are 100w Renogy panels and are connected in parallel to a battery bank that I'm now using to power a desk in the kitchen that I'll take a photo of later... it just has a power strip with a few small items tied into it now.

 

[tmzVPS-Daniel]

The only solar thing in my house is a cell phone charger! I need to get more involved. 


- Daniel

 

[MartinD]

What are the rules/regulations for working on the supply from the utilities companies in to your house?

 

[MannDude]

What are the rules/regulations for working on the supply from the utilities companies in to your house?

None that I am aware of. I'm not tying the system into the grid anyhow.


My main concern is the historic society bitching since I live in the historic district (House built in the 1870s) but what they don't know wont hurt them. Can't see them from the front of the house and that's what they think is more important to keep historic anyway.

 

[MannDude]

Pretty ghetto, I know.


Once I can wing new batteries I'm going to relocate everything upstairs on a rack so it's closer to where I actually use everything, allows me better access to tinker with stuff, and of course a cleaner/dryer environment. Don't really feel like maintaining an array of lead acid batteries in my living space that I have to vent and let gas off next to where I eat and sleep.

 

[mitgib]

Pretty ghetto, I know.

Your deep cells look like they are swelling, but could easily be an optical delusion.

 

[MannDude]

Your deep cells look like they are swelling, but could easily be an optical delusion.

I've never noticed it to be honest. When I go back down to the dunge.. err, I mean basement later I'll take a closer look. Keep in mind these were pulled from a golf cart that got converted to gas and sat outside forever before being put to use. They could be swollen a bit.


If I recall properly, you have some solar stuff in operation at home? What batteries are you using? I'm certainly going to replace those as soon as I am able to, as well as replacing the charge controller with a MPPT one and moving the battery bank, inverter, and controller indoors so I have better access to everything and for more tinkering.

 

[mitgib]

If I recall properly, you have some solar stuff in operation at home?

Your age is starting to rot your brain  I'd love to make some use of Solar, heat would be my #1 desire in the winter, even though it is ~60 this week, baseboard heat is not cheap, but as a renter, and walking distance to the colo, I'll stay put.

 

[MannDude]

Must have been @KnownHost-Jonathan then?


I'll keep tagging people until I get it right.

 

[drmike]

Your age is starting to rot your brain  I'd love to make some use of Solar, heat would be my #1 desire in the winter, even though it is ~60 this week, baseboard heat is not cheap, but as a renter, and walking distance to the colo, I'll stay put.

Baseboard heat is downright pricey today especially compared with the ever sinking natural gas prices.


Location is allegedly everything in real estate, that's why I am headed to uber rural  I prefer wood heat and living simple.  You lads can keep the city amenities.  I'll be on the front porch with my guitar.

 

[drmike]

Must have been @KnownHost-Jonathan then?


I'll keep tagging people until I get it right.

I believe you are thinking of Gordon from Incero

 

[MannDude]

This is all I have for now connected.


Laptop running RTL-SDR, docking station for handheld radio and the CFL light on the desk (which is turned off now, not needed, only turned out for the photo).


I need to get back under my house and pull all the CAT5 for the IP cameras back through the floor and re-route them to where this desk is so I can also run my surveillance system/DVR on solar.


Idea being that if I don't have power I'll be able to still use my radio gear (Soon installing a base antenna outside and other stuff as I get more interested in amateur radio) and that my cameras will still be recording. Of course having light and stuff too is nice and other things could be plugged in as needed.


My actually 'work desk' is next to this that has my soldering iron, dremmel and LiPo battery charging station so I may plug those in fromk time to time just to test the inverter but the main goal is to just have communication/surveillance stuff plugged into the system now. I live right on the border of Indiana and Kentucky and can also point a directional long-range wifi antenna across the river to houses on the other side and pick up some networks. Even if the power is out here with no internet, I can still access the net from across the river which is neat (Assuming they have power too... it's a different grid).


Fun fun.

 

[drmike]

Looks good... Need LED lighting  No reason not to use it these days unless you need something really bright on the cheap from retail location.


What are you tuning on the RTL-SDR?   Using Linux for that too?