Off Grid Solar systems.

lalababa

Hi everybody, I'm thinking of going completely off grid. And was wondering has anybody done anything similar, and how they made out.

bradygaz

Will be interested to hear responses too... I have been given some solar panels and in the coming weeks will be looking to link them to some car batteries to provide me with some light on my smallholding and in my polytunnel and new shed (yet to be built!!) Love to hear what battery storage would need to actually run a plugged tool from... eg a mini rotavator or a circular saw?

Lady Haywire

There's a fella down near me in Leitrim that's completely off grid, he was featured in the Irish Times recently, - http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/rooftop-revolution-ups-and-downs-of-off-grid-electricity-1.2849782

If you're interested I can PM you a link to their Facebook to message them.

thegodlife

Interested in this also, think its better to design home especially for it rather than convert existing one. Like rainwater harvesting and also interested in that Liam F1 wind turbine.

M.T.D

There is a Renewable Energies forum. You will probably get more response there.

Offgridcoe

Hi we are in the process of finishing our house and are looking to go offgrid. We have a 20kw woodburner with boiler attached for winter heat and heated water over winter. We plan to fit a thermodynamic system that will provide our hot water on the warmer days the burner is not in use. We have a total of 4.3kw of solar panels and a 1kw micro turbine that will be set up to generate our power. We have decided to go for traction batteries for energy storage (fork lift batteries) due to availability and price. Our system will be 12v because we had bought inverters to fit but if setting up from scratch I would advise you to go for 24v or 48v systems as there are greater efficiencies in wiring. We have two 3kw inverters that will run in tandem for the kitchen and downstairs ring main and a 1.6kw inverter for the upstairs ring and lighting circuits. Our battery bank will be small and backed up with a generator probably about 6-8kw. We decided this as building a battery bank big enough to accommodate usage and Irish cloudy days would have been huge so better reducing the size of the bank and spend the money elsewhere. We are not on tap yet due to delays on our build so have nothing to show. Have a look on the Bimble solar site based in UK, cheap and pretty informative. Hope this helps and whets your appetite a little. Good luck

lottos owner

Lady Haywire wrote: »

There's a fella down near me in Leitrim that's completely off grid, he was featured in the Irish Times recently, - http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/rooftop-revolution-ups-and-downs-of-off-grid-electricity-1.2849782

If you're interested I can PM you a link to their Facebook to message them.

Id be interested in their Facebook to find out about it