Author Topic: Home Solar Power ??  (Read 14142 times)

billt

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2015, 01:14:56 PM »
Our power here has been very consistent over the last 18 years we've been here. But I think I'm going to invest in a good generator. Not those El Cheapo 900 watt models, but something I can run the A/C and fridge off of should we have a major failure. I want it to be portable so if we move it goes with. I would have an electrician wire up a transfer switch so I can plug it in, fire it up and go.

But I'm going to hold off until I'm sure we're going to stay here for at least a while. I haven't decided if I want a multi fuel, (natural gas and gasoline), or just gasoline. I've got natural gas available, so it wouldn't be a big deal to tee off a line from the meter.

TAB

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2015, 01:24:10 PM »
Our power here has been very consistent over the last 18 years we've been here. But I think I'm going to invest in a good generator. Not those El Cheapo 900 watt models, but something I can run the A/C and fridge off of should we have a major failure. I want it to be portable so if we move it goes with. I would have an electrician wire up a transfer switch so I can plug it in, fire it up and go.

But I'm going to hold off until I'm sure we're going to stay here for at least a while. I haven't decided if I want a multi fuel, (natural gas and gasoline), or just gasoline. I've got natural gas available, so it wouldn't be a big deal to tee off a line from the meter.


1 ton of cooling= ~ 3500 watts of power   1ton = 12k btus


if you have a 2 ton system I would recommend a 10k watt unit, 3 ton  at least 15k.   add 5k watts per ton.  yes it  is over kill, but it is better to run your gen at 75% then 100%

a  15k watt PNG is about 5k.  expect to have to upgrade your gas system to handle it.   so anywhere from 7-12k installed.     
I always break all the clay pigeons,  some times its even with lead.

billt

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2015, 03:18:30 PM »
What would I have to do to the gas system?

Solus

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2015, 06:03:15 PM »
I have friends in Lake Havasu City who are leasing a solar system for 20 years.  All maintenance and upgrades are supplied by the by the company.

As part of the lease contract their electric bill is guaranteed not to exceed $120/mo. 

I do not know what their monthly payments are, but they believe that energy costs will rise fast enough to make their breakeven point sooner than had they purchased the system.


 
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
—Patrick Henry

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
— Daniel Webster

TAB

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2015, 07:58:40 PM »
What would I have to do to the gas system?
generally up size the pipe and add another leg.  Depending on location of the unit to the meter it can get very expensive.  I believe its table 10-4. Of appendix a un the ibc, but it has been awhile, lots of good info out there if you google it.


What happens when that company goes under and a lot will in 2017.  As the credits and write offs from doing the installs are tge only thing making them profitable.
I always break all the clay pigeons,  some times its even with lead.

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #15 on: Today at 05:24:16 AM »

billt

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #15 on: June 01, 2015, 08:13:43 PM »
Why are the gas companies going to go under?

TAB

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #16 on: June 01, 2015, 08:35:22 PM »
The solar companys.  They make thier money off  gov cheese that goes away 2017. 
I always break all the clay pigeons,  some times its even with lead.

billt

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2015, 08:39:24 AM »
One thing I didn't ask him about are batteries. Don't you need a $h!t house full of batteries to store the energy you generate? Or can you "sell it back to the power companies", like everyone raves about? I always thought the rate they pay you for the excess electricity you produce and don't use, was really cut rate compared to the rates they charge consumers. And really, how many watts can a average size houses roof full of solar panels generate? And if you do store it in batteries, then don't you need big Inverters to change it back to 110 V? Where do you put all of this $h!t on a suburban size lot? (He's got 2 acres).

To me the whole thing sounds more Rube Goldberg the more I think about it. Like I said, I'd rather spend money on a back up generator in case of a long term power failure. That appeals to far more people than having all of that crap mounted on your roof. And like TAB said, when all of the Government backed credits expire, these solar outfits are going to be going broke faster than if you built a whore house in the Vatican. Remember Solyndra??

Solus

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2015, 10:11:21 AM »
This product has been getting some interest as a possible advance is home batteries for energy independence...

Jury is still out however.

http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall

Con:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-06/tesla-s-new-battery-doesn-t-work-that-well-with-solar

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
—Patrick Henry

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
— Daniel Webster

billt

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Re: Home Solar Power ??
« Reply #19 on: June 02, 2015, 10:31:18 AM »
Just like solar, the whole Lithium Ion battery deal still isn't there yet. It is somewhat for common AA and AAA sizes for digital cameras and the like, albeit they're 5 to 6 times as expensive as Alkaline batteries of the same size. But in large, heavy draw situations, they get hot. Really HOT. Remember the laptop fires, along with the fires they had on board the Boeing 777 and 787 that grounded the whole fleet sometime back? All were Lithium Ion battery related. I believe the Chevy "Volt" went through much the same thing, bursting into flames without any warning.

Again, I think in time this sort of thing will improve, and costs drop because the technology will get cheaper over time, much like big screen TV's. Perhaps in 20 or 30 years these things will be common, and almost as cheap as dirt. But for now it's just not there yet. This in spite of Obama thinking he can legislate technology. As I said, remember Solyndra, and the whole Fuel Cell cars pie in the sky.. 

 

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