Any off-grid solar experts here? (1 Viewer)

[cbmontgo]

I'm building an off-grid cabin and am to the point where I'm needing to calculate solar panel, charge controller, and battery bank size. The online stuff seems to be all over the board. I've got my kwh calculated and need to convert it to actual hardware.

Let me know if this is anyone's specialty here.

 

[e9999]

LOL. The problem with asking for experts is that the true experts who are smart enough always think they don't know enough about it and they would never call themselves experts. OTOH, some folks who don't know much do think they are experts...



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Dang, now I can't even try to help at all any more for fear of revealing that I actually don't know much about any of this... (but then you already knew that...)


So I'll just say one thing: get SAM from NREL.

 

[cbmontgo]

LOL. The problem with asking for experts is that the true experts who are smart enough always think they don't know enough about it and they would never call themselves experts. OTOH, some folks who don't know much do think they are experts...



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.
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Dang, now I can't even try to help at all any more for fear of revealing that I actually don't know much about any of this... (but then you already knew that...)


So I'll just say one thing: get SAM from NREL.

Ain't that the truth! It's just about impossible to get clean data these days.

 

[sdnative]

Have you been to this site?

DIY Solar Power Forum

Love building DIY solar electric projects? Come hang out :D

diysolarforum.com

 

[1911]

Have you been to this site?

DIY Solar Power Forum

Love building DIY solar electric projects? Come hang out :D

diysolarforum.com

Thanks for that; getting closer to a solar fab/install at my place also.

 

[peesalot]

OK, so what is the demand ? nominal & periodic max ? Have you decided on a battery type ?

 

[cbmontgo]

OK, so what is the demand ? nominal & periodic max ? Have you decided on a battery type ?

I’ll PM you when I get a sec. Thanks.

 

[Casey E]

I’d be interested in what you guys come up with. We have a decent sized solar setup at our one cabin off grid and I’m looking to do a smaller setup at the new off grid place I just bought.

We have a midnight solar charger controller, 250 classic charging our 48volt battery bank, then we run SMA sunny boy inverters. I forget the size of our panels.

 

[cbmontgo]

I’d be interested in what you guys come up with. We have a decent sized solar setup at our one cabin off grid and I’m looking to do a smaller setup at the new off grid place I just bought.

We have a midnight solar charger controller, 250 classic charging our 48volt battery bank, then we run SMA sunny boy inverters. I forget the size of our panels.

I’ll follow up as I get this system put together. @peesalot has been a huge help. We’ve been messaging back and forth on this. Good stuff.

 

[peesalot]

Casey E, CB has a 12V system with 12v loads, when using the inverter and 110v loads theres a few differences but not anything hard. The main diff is some general wire sizing, minimum requirements for the sunny boy , how much solar to supply requirements and maybe a pricey battery bank but its all doable.
What kind of loads are on you goona have & what voltage ?