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Not ready or can't afford to go completely off-grid? No problem, do it incrementally. We've already written about the $600 DIY solar kit, which is one way to do things, but if you want to take baby steps, you can get results with even less initial investment.
Solar Baby Steps: Take One Room Off-Grid
Seeded on Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:05 PM EDT
Article Source: TreeHugger- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (15)
For $600, you could get yourself enough solar power each week (about 1KWh) to:
run a 20-inch tv for 20 hours, a portable stereo for 100 hours, a laptop computer for 40 hours, or a 12-watt compact-fluorescent light bulb for 80 hours.
The 800-watt inverter (with a 2,000-watt surge capacity) will run a small vacuum cleaner, a drill or a small drill press, a sander, a jigsaw or small band saw, but not a large circular saw. It will handle many toasters and coffee makers, but not all. A blender would be child's play for this inverter, a microwave an impossibility. A hair dryer on low, yes; on high, forget it.
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Here's what the "$600 kit" consists of:
One Uni-Solar 32-watt amorphous-silicon PV module, 12 volts: $180.00
One Morningstar 6-amp charge controller, 12 volts: $40.00
Two Deka 92 amp-hour sealed batteries, 12 volts: ($130.00 each) $260.00
One Aims 800-watt modified sine wave inverter, 12 volts: $65.00
TOTAL: $545.00
This leaves you with $55 for wire, battery cables, mounting hardware, fuses between components, and the miscellaneous odds and ends that are always needed for any project of moderate complexity.
- 2 votes
#1 - Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:10 PM EDTPar4, nice break-down on paper..Question..did you try this with one of your rooms?
- 2 votes
#2 - Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:34 PM EDTI will be next spring.. don't have the $$ right at this moment until income tax returns.. ;-)
I figured I would put this up from Tree Hugger .. to show some simple measures people can actually take on their own.. the article and the links within it can help direct people how to get the equipment.. This is for an OFF Grid system .. wouldn't want someone trying to tie in to the utility..
I did find running 40 hours of a laptop kind of interesting with a 1kwh solar system.. a 20 inch tv for 20 hours.. and a light bulb for 80 hours.. right there would save money after a few months of that..
- 2 votes
I agree..there are folks who like to tie into the grid system..illegally. You always share some neat or cool sites..
& thanks 4 doing so..Par4...Next spring will be here before we know it..;) I see you have fully recovered from your trip...your spunk has returned..Winter Projects??
- 2 votes
You're quite welcome Angela .. I do try to come up with some unique articles if I can find them.. lol
I am somewhat recovered .. however, on board the 5 planes I traveled on.. I have seemed to have caught a head cold.. there were people sneezing and coughing on many of the planes.. and I have been doing the same.. just an overbearing head cold right now.. tight quarters on a plane and the same air being circulated is a breeding ground for things like that.
As for projects.. oh hell I got plenty.. I have to clean gutters and install some leaf protection on them before our trees decide to drop them all.. side note: we are about 2-3 weeks behind.. many trees haven't changed color ..just a few are now starting to change but the majority is still green.. very unusual.. very much so.. anyway - that will give me time to do that work.. plus I have to clean up my grill (gawd..not looking forward to that) .. tune up the snow thrower.. clean the mower.. damn that list just goes on and on.. and on.. Winter projects : painting rooms.. finishing a couple of rooms (carpentry).. replace an electrical heater (simple job)..anyway.. enough .. I'm warn out just thinking about it.. lol
What about you.. do you have any projects set up and or set aside ?
- 2 votes
I certainly feel for you with a nasty head cold..all clogged up & keeping kleenex in business. Hope it passes soon.
Just rest..& don't forget to drink plenty of fluids..& rest Par4.. I figure since i caught a nasty bug in June-July..hopefully I've built up the antibodies..so i won't get a winter one..)
Yes, i have projects set up & aside. Going to paint a wall lavender..(small job.) Still looking at purples..& hues..
may even go with a blue..or lime green..tho. i think i should stay with the color Purple..
Just hobbies,, lots of unfinished ones to complete. Other than that..I'll be spending time seeing Drs.
I'll be swimming in a heated pool & working out..& hiking.
I forgot you get a lot of snow there..wonder if we will get any. It is beautiful here..& time to go..work out. I'll be back..you'll probably be resting..so i won't bother you..;) till later..
- 2 votes
Busy Gal you are.. that's good.. busy busy .. keeps the blood flowing..
Hope you have fun (had fun ) work out..
Lavender is a nice color.. I prefer it over green anytime..
- 2 votes
Ready to go..John has to finish up math homework..;)
Going now..sorry;)
- 2 votes
I like the $600 starter kit. I want to scale it up to fit my desk top. I have boinc and leave my computer on 24/7 to be used by numerous research groups for computations and would really like to take it off the grid.
Another good seed Par.
- 3 votes
Thanks Tim.. again thanks for the comment..
This type of article is what I have been looking for.. gives an simple value to how long ..for a do-it-yourselfer..
- 3 votes
The company I work for sells and Installs up to 3.5kw systems on houses with our HVAC units, each solar panel has a micro inverter, and puts out AC current that can be connected to our HVAC units or to a reverse meter. The utility company's will then pay you for the power you produce, or it can be used to run your 2.5 ton heat-pump or help reduce the power costs of running a bigger heat-pump. The micro inverters match the phase of your utility connection and wont produce power unless it detects power from your utility to prevent shocking Linemen if the power goes out in your area.
Its not an off the grid thing but it is a green power thing. overall its supposed to pay for itself in around 10 years and then produce around $900 to $1200 a year, its not much but thats not really the point. The cost of install plus panels can run in the range of $25k to $35k+ depending on what you want.
I just thought I would add there are AC panels you can use to sell power back to the grid, or power things directly, though for storing and using power its not very good, your better off with DC panels and batteries, and an inverter.
- 2 votes
#3 - Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:31 PM EDTThanks for input.. I would not want my system on the grid if I was to install one at a time and go to the 'plug & play' type system.. even if it was room at a time .. I have 2,300 sq ft of roof about 1/2 of that gets sun all day long facing sun no shade trees.. also from what I have seen a roof isn't necessary either so it is somewhat unlimited (except for shaded areas) on a person's lawn or on an old concrete patio.. I do not expect to be installing what Larry Hagman did .. he can afford it.. I am a realist and a true believer of renewable and alternative energy... I would prefer to save some through using an independent system than the cost of a system that will cost me 30-50 $1,000.00 payments. With the different photo-voltaic out there ..even some that can be a cover over a patio to keep the sun out ones eyes.. like an array of cloth .. I will be building my own (next spring) Vertical Axis Wind Turbine of small porportions.. because of the building codes ..if it can part time take care of one outlet in the fall, winter, and early spring in the Northeast.. which we do not have an optimal sun here in Massachusetts in winter..
- 2 votes
Something else to consider, we have been hearing about things like solar shingles, don't produce as much power but could be an interesting alternative to large solar array's. I agree, not everyone can afford huge solar systems like that, and bit by bit can be the way to go, its quite affordable if you have to skills to build your own solar panels just buying the solar cells and soldering them together in a custom made panel for them. It is something I have considered for some time.
- 2 votes
What the heck.. I'm retired.. and it will keep me out of my wife's hair.. that's the way I look at it.. and if I can establish something on the old homestead and it works well.. I can add that onto the price of the home when I'm ready to sell.. even if it is one room.. You're right.. a little at a time is a lot easier on the pocket .. and if one has the patience and knows how to soldier .. one could create configuration whether on the roof or on a segment of lawn.. What interest me as of late.. saw it on Tree Hugger site.. is that there is a gizmo that senses the suns direction and it will follow the sun all day long.. instead of the stationary kind.. A mixture for the Northeast (Wind & Solar) is best .. I think.. and as long as I do not tie in to the grid and keep it low key.. Building codes/permits I might not have to go through.. except for nosy neighbors..
Well knowing what you do and in the biz.. or at least work with them.. I would think it would be easier for you..
- 2 votes
Definitely a small scale solar project, but that's good. Big scale is a pain in the wallet, and it takes a while for these systems to pay for themselves. Definitely wouldn't want to tie onto the grid either, mainly because dealing with whichever of the regional compliance commission you fall under and NERC can be a hassle. Plus protection relays would just add to your costs.
- 1 vote
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