Solar Power a few appliances

A stand alone power system will always be more expensive than conventional energy because of the ancillary equipment involved.
Such a installation is not about return of investment. I don't cater for those sort of systems mostly because often those who do have to compromise the system to do so or have to work to best fit ie. shortfall in Winter abundance in Summer, acceptable losses etc..

I design bespoke minimum self-consumption systems with optimised performance, reliability and redundancy so it's how long is a piece of string I'm afraid.
Most people who approach me looking for a cheap solution, I send elsewhere because I can't compete with systems that don't stand up to their ratings or performance claims. Everything I recommend I've tested and use myself.

I can price up the above but it'll be when I get around to it I'm afraid.

The way I look at it is you end up paying way over the market price for power to reduce expenses elsewhere. If you don't need services then unviable sites or lifestyles are suddenly attainable.

Eg. Houses with services and planning permission are expensive, narrowboats with a mooring are comparatively less so. Granted installation costs for power on a boat will be vastly more expensive but it will work for a decade with minimum upkeep and facilitate a less expensive domestic annual outgoing. You can pay €500 a year for shore power to keep batteries charged or €500 once on solar pv.

My systems do this to batteries as a matter of course, you won't build that from a catalogue.



Upfront costs are above the mean because I include fit for purpose metering, automation & isolation, the hidden expenses of premature battery renewal from poor charging and imbedded parasitic losses are mitigated.
I only spec inverters where they are needed, and good quality ones too.
Diversion loads contrary to popular belief do not need to warm an inverter enroute to the dump load. Those that do need to be 230VAC are not transient generators slowly deteriorating the rest of the appliances active on the house phase.

Given the choice between cheapest and most suitable I cater for the latter. Hence I make systems that work in preference to financial investments.

I have a habit of not using less than 1.5mm² for vibration resilience due to having "trained" on mobile installations. Most of the spec is voltage drop oriented, there's wiggle room on cost versus performance.

This is something I've been using to test chargers and charge controllers.
Current battery 8yo FLA starter on bench showing signs of recovery.



I've a selection of low frequency inverters not connected nor is the 12kWh AGM in the space jacket wired currently.


It powers lights and 12V appliances including the 14.4v drill.

Installation is grid-connected so artificial mains waves aren't a priority.


110Wp attached to the MorningStar Ecopulse.
The Victron charger is absolute muck, currently testing a Ctek but I build my own chargers that work better than most you can buy, by feeding SMPSs into MorningStar MPPT controllers.


Ctek under test.
EcoPulse under test.
Victron IP1215 failed to make grade seeking new home.
Victron BMV failed to make grade.
Mastervolt SOC meter & mass combi failed to make grade.
Sterling Power ProCharge Ultra failed to make grade.
Several off brand jobs failed too.
Studer...coo-ar batteries usually fail before inverters.



MorningStar passes with flying colours every product every time although the EcoPulse has some annoyances I've been in touch with the makers about.


SOC metering not connected but have in storage also.

Solar thermal needs to be close to your storage tank to mitigate system losses.

I'm not a fan of permanent and semi-permanent ground arrays. Why compete with agriculture?
You'll have more losses due to shading and vegetation.

Cheaper for a DIYer maybe, outbuildings and wall mounted are the best compromise.

If you are getting them installed by a company; any barns or sheet metal roofs are quickest and cheapest due to the foundations already being in situ.

Ground arrays are definitely not cheaper after you remount them on the roof because you want another polytunnel in the garden.

If you are going the battery road 24v (nominal voltage lead acid) batteries and 60 cell panels or 48V batteries and 120 cell panels (2 x 60 series) with PWM controllers are every bit as good as MPPT systems and a hellova lot cheaper.

60 cells are the perfect Vmp for these batteries, there are simply no losses if wired well for an MPPT controller to recuperate.

Don't believe the hype either. MPPT is only 10% better than PWM with standard panel configurations (72 cell for 24V) unless you deliberately mismatch the panel to battery voltage moreso.

I've been monitoring a 60 cell panel ona MPPT controller and it's maximum power point in Irish climates is no better than a basic PWM controller will do for you.
I'll get around to generating some real data at some stage, with parallel identical systems running, the only difference being the charge controller topography...it's on the to-do list....

I can explain it mathematically too if anyone cares, there's a bit to it.
Installers like MPPT because they can charge extra and it compensates for their lack of homework.

Wooden mounting systems won't last, angle aluminum is the best foot forward.

If you set the ground mount above sheep height you can to an extent share the space more often than not.

150Wp installed.



Sofa Change was found and time was donated in an effort to prevent certain parties molesting all my orphan starter batteries.

Currently it's running lighting with some off-site recharging. System will come into it's own come March where it'll be able to run some basic power tools too.



And yes I do know that solar charge controller is 90° perpendicular to correctly optimised heat sink operation...if it gets upset I'll do something about it.

For three light bulbs and an occasional drill?

Besides its not my installation.

As a side note I can meet most of my lecky demands throughout the year with 265Wp.

It's a feedback loop; everytime I ran outtov youtube power I redesigned the system. :pac:





Nice not having bills though. :P

Arah I was teasing Unkel. Hospitals use a lottov power too.

Ooh I usually keep about ~300kg fully charged at all times..just in case....:pac: