# New to solar power? How many people,,,,,,,,,



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

How many people on here would like to have a small solar set up but 
don't because they don't know how to do it?

Or how many are looking at a "kit" because that looks like the easy way
for a beginner that's not so scary? 

Lets be honest here. I started with a small "KIT" myself just because I didn't
know anything about setting up solar stuff.


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## rjd25 (Nov 27, 2014)

budgetprepp-n said:


> How many people on here would like to have a small solar set up but
> don't because they don't know how to do it?
> 
> Or how many are looking at a "kit" because that looks like the easy way
> ...


I am in this group for sure. The whole Amp hours thing confuses the shit out of me. Also, I can't wrap my head around how the batteries are recharged specifically how the wattage of the panel relates to how long it will take to recharge the battery bank.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Kind of where I am at. Plus I am looking to expand incrementally.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

rjd25 said:


> I am in this group for sure. The whole Amp hours thing confuses the shit out of me. Also, I can't wrap my head around how the batteries are recharged specifically how the wattage of the panel relates to how long it will take to recharge the battery bank.


Knowing the answers to these just takes a little bit of knowledge in the field of electrical theory.
Knowing this formula(Ohm's Law) will help a ton: Watts = Volts x Amps
There are many variations of this formula, depending on the variable you're looking for.

When we discuss "amp hours", that is "how many hours will the battery provide power at 1 ampere of current draw". If the battery states "35AH", then it will produce 1 amp for 35 hours, or 35 amps for 1 hour. (this would be a drastic discharge rate, and likely explode the battery, don't do that )
It should be noted, you should not drain a rechargeable battery all the way to zero, or even to 50%, as this can affect the charging efficiency. Keep this in mind when choosing battery capacities and counts.

To figure out the actual power the battery holds, we have to convert the AH rating to Watt Hours, or WH, using the above formula.
The same 35AH 12v battery would be rated at (12V x 35A) 420WH.
With that, we know how much total power needs to be pushed to the battery by the panel, and how much power is available to our devices at maximum charge.
If we hook a 6 watt LED lightbulb up to our 420WH battery, we can run that bulb for 35 hours. (assuming we never discharge the battery past 50%, or 210WH/6W = 35H)

To charge the same battery, we need to establish a parameter. That is, how much time do we have to fully charge it? Normally, we like for this to happen during daylight hours. 
This will vary depending on your environment, such as angle to the sun, shade near the panels, cloud cover, etc...
Let's assume a full 8 hours of sunlight. How much power does the panel/panel array need to produce to fill our 35AH(420WH) battery in 8 hours?
We must account for a percentage of loss during the charging process, which is normally around 15%.
So, we only supply 85% of the panel's wattage output to the charging system.
The wattage rating of the panel, times the hours of output, times the efficiency rating will yield our total power to the charging system to fill the battery.
If we assume our panel is 60 watts, and we have 8 hours of daylight, we determine total charging power like this: 60w x 8h x .85(efficiency) = 408WH.
We can just about top off our battery's full capacity in those 8 hours. Luckily, since we only should have depleted 50% of that power, we should have a fully charged battery in less time.
Creating a panel array would pick up the slack, and allow more batteries to be added.

Hope that helps.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

*Took a Job*

Solar first peaked my interest about 4 or 5 years ago after closing my business and starting construction on my home in the desert. I knew the utility company would never come close to the home site I chose and solar or a generator were the only options. I also knew it would take me 2 years plus to build my house there. SO I contacted a company in California and asked for a commission only sales job to which I made a whopping $3k in commissions over 4 months. Yeah - not much - but I learned how the systems work for homes. What I have learned since is:

1) Buy the components yourself even if you don't think you can install them. Shop shop and shop for a good deal and buy everything from panels, wires and inverters yourself,
2) If you can't get it done yourself hire someone, if you aren't going to tie into the grid avoid a contractor and hire someone for a job completed it will be less expensive,
3) If you are going grid tied - like I did in Modesto - then hire a contractor. In my case the contractor cost me $2k and the rebate from the local utility was $3k.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I would love to install solar. I don't think it would be cost effective in my area. We get over 200 days of heavy cloud cover per year.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

I would like to install some solar, but I do not think it is cost effective, yet.
Live in Florida, have lots of sun , still---


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Since this is AZ, I'm still looking at the big house roof unit, 85 kilowatts per hour. Excess power goes into the grid. Now power companies are gripping about how much it costs them to get electricity from the solar powered house. But you don't hear them complaining about not having to build another generating plant because of all home solar systems on line.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Question is, how long does it take to get back your investment?


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## graynomad (Nov 21, 2014)

I've been living on solar for 14 years, built 4-5 systems in that time and a simple small system can be knocked up in a hour or two.

As for return on investment, even with today's cheap panels it's not great, but that is not my motivation, being independent is.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

What I'm looking at is a leas with option to buy after 20 years. Friend with similar system (unfortunately just started it running in January) is paying $60 per month on the lease plus $13 to her electric company for the connection. The last time I looked, 3-4 weeks ago, she had put nearly 1500 KW into the grid. During the summer (in AZ) she will take it back out as credit against what she uses for A/C. If after a year, is she has a surplus, they pay her about $0.10 to $0.12 per KW. her normal at this time of year is about $65/mo. She has only paid the $13 connection fee per month since she started it up. Her summer bill peaks at about $185-190. That would be about 1500 KW per hottest month or 30 KW per day. At 8.5 KW/hour, in 4 hours she is even with the electric company. If she can get a total of 7.5 hours a day, she breaks even in the summer. Any excess she put into the grid is profit in her pocket. Since it is very sunny most of the time in AZ, I'd guess she's got a chance to do better than break even.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I had some money saved up with strong intention of putting in a whole house off grid system and then I found out how much more money I owe to the feds for income tax. 

Major setback.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

My small solar system I have just shy of $2,000 into. 520watts of solar panels to a 30amp controller to three 125AH batteries. 2,000watt inverter which is 16.67amps. At my storm shelter it is also tapped for 12VDC for things like lights, fans, etc. Main thing that system runs is a small chest freezer.

Now, if I were to expand I would do a separate 20amp system. Same as at your breaker panel you have separate breakers.

"kits" for solar are a gimmick. An over priced gimmick.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

graynomad said:


> I've been living on solar for 14 years, built 4-5 systems in that time and a simple small system can be knocked up in a hour or two.
> 
> As for return on investment, even with today's cheap panels it's not great, but that is not my motivation, being independent is.


Like my hero, The Graynomad, so eloquently put it...for me its not ROI, its being independent.


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## graynomad (Nov 21, 2014)

Awww shucks, now I'm blushing


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Slippy said:


> Like my hero, The Graynomad, so eloquently put it...for me its not ROI, its being independent.


Yes me also I didn't install it for the savings as much as being independent.
But it did work out for me I have about 800 watts and I can run all my lights tv, computer, And all the small stuff.
Just about everything except for water pump, refrigeration, washer dryer. 
I don't share with the electric company but I can see the difference on my electric bill.

When TSTF or in a electrical outage at lest I can get by.


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