McWidowmaker Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I am looking into doing a solar system for my house. Current usage after doing solar geysers, gas stove and all LED lighting is 17kwh per day. About 6kwh of that is during 10am - 3pm. The peak consumption is around 4kw, only exceeding that when I run my tumble drier, which is some evil thing from hell that consumes about 4.5kw all by itself. The system I am looking at is 16 x 250 panels, a 5kw microcare inverter(48v), with a 100a microcare MPPT charge controller. I'm looking to put on 4 x 200ah lead carbon batteries and later expand this to 8. Anything I should look out for, or anything you would change? Pitfalls? Ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Hi Mc this looks like a very nice system and when you get all 8 batteries you can get off the grid. The Microcare inverters allow for back-up power from a generator or municipal supply. I recently repaired my mom's tumble-drier and found it has two heat settings so I would only use it on low also because it burnt some of the wires Where are you getting the Lead Carbon batteries from ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepBass9 Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 You will work 4 batteries quite hard. Theoretically 200Ah x 48V x 50%DOD = 4.8kWh, so your 6kWh overnight will pull the batteries very low. I was doing the same on my system, so would have to start the generator in the morning to power everything, but now have 8 batteries (150Ah) and don't have that problem anymore. Are you going to have a backup generator, or still have Eskom? 17kWh is still a lot. When you go fully solar you will find a lot more stuff to turn off, I know I did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNodashi Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Why not use a clothes wire to dry your clothes? Or something a bit more efficient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hobson Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Why not use a clothes wire to dry your clothes? Or something a bit more efficient? If MWM is in the Western Cape then he NEEDS a tumbledryer. We live in the Karoo and our clothes dry on the line but I have spend one awful month during winter in the Cape with it cold and wet. I was grumpy and irritable by the time we left. I know know why the Cape Flats have a drug problem. I would also do tik if I lived there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McWidowmaker Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Hmm, sorry, was away for a while. From my calculations 4 batteries will not really be enough, I suspect I will need 8. I am changing the remainder of my lights to LED tomorrow, which should reduce my consumption a bit more. I have a few pc's that is running 24 hours, which is messing with my consumption, which I cannot really get rid off. The rest I think I have pretty much taken care off. I am going to keep my eskom supply, but it should be reduced to almost zero. My wife uses the tumble drier for towels to get them soft and fluffy. Think I am going to ask her to hang dry them and tumble dry them for 15 minutes I am still looking for a supplier on the batteries. I am busy checking prices today. Looks like I will be able to get them for close to R6k per battery. Chris Hobson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hobson Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 What fridge and deep freeze do you have I have a Bosch fridge (58 W) and AEG deep freeze (66W) + 10 LED lights. One can reduce ones needs to negligible (compared to what I had previously - Minus 40 fridge and deep freeze which were designed to run off a generator on a couple of hours each day (770 W each)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McWidowmaker Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Hmm, My upright fridge / freezer and upright fridge are about 10 years old. I suspect they are not that energy efficient. At some stage I suspect I will need to replace them. Will put the recorder on them and check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetkit Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Would all those 16 PV panels be mounted on the same roof with the same angle? If yes, then 100Amp should be ok. Personally I would rather go for 2 x 60Amp MPPT controllers. You have some headroom then to expand if needed. Your battery bank is way too small for what you looking to do. I had a similar configuration with a 225AH battery bank. Some days it cycled 3 times!!! If I had the money I would rather go for 600AH bank. Regarding computers running 24/7 - I also had this in my house. Eventually found the "media server" using 300w while it just sits and idle. Got a new PC with better specs. Now just using 50w on idle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McWidowmaker Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Hmm, yes, they will be on the same angle, but not all on the same roof. I don't think I have the roof space on the one roof to mount all the panels next one one another. There is also a chimney which shadow I would like to avoid if possible. The battery bank I will be going for will either be the Navara 200ah 12v x 8 which should give me 200 usable ah or the Deltec Lead crystal bc-6cnfj-200. The lead crystal batteries is damn expensive, so I'm still trying to figure out if they will be worth the extra cost. I will try it with the 400ah battery bank and if I run short, I will add 4 more batteries. Hope that won't be needed, the battery cost is really ouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNodashi Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 What generators (make + model, please) do you guys use, which definitely works with the Axpert inverters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 We always tend to solve the problem, i.e. 17kwh per day, instead of solving the cause of 17kwh. Want versus needs: - Family training and indoctrination regiment to switch off that what is not needed, must lower consumption at all times. - Stove on gas, oven on Eskom - unless there is spare during the day, then use the oven. - Geyser on EV tubes or flat panel - and train the family the cost of warm water. - Shower heads the water saving ones, baths only as a treat once in a while. - Lights on LED, the halogen outside lights also. - Fridge Freezer A++ or if you can, A+++ - Computers that has to be on, reduce their power consumption. - Use the power daytime, store only what you NEED for nights. - And do not forget the family training and indoctrination regiment to switch off that what is not needed, must lower consumption at all times. Try and get down to 50% of your current usage, 8kwh or less, then go solar. To get there, will be a huge lifestyle changer. Trust me. And sell the working stuff on Gumtree to help others, it is greener than throwing it away. Alternative is you get the 17kwh sorted, batteries not lasting as expected, cost a really expensive, and then in winter you discover you need more panels = rather huge disappointment as some of my friends and businesses found out. Solar is a lifestyle changer, a love affair for Electricity, she is a very dangerous and expensive mistress ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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