Home Solar System

[the nikster]

Gents,
Recently our home in Alaska ‘went to live in the country’.
We have another property in Alaska that is completely off grid where we intend to start over. We want to incorporate a complete solar system to keep us energized.
I think we NEED about 6 kw but I WANT about 10 or 12 kw.
Does anyone have real world experience they would be willing to share?
I want to buy before the end of the year for taxes.
I’m guessing I will need a dozen or so 415 panels, 3 or 4 or 6 batteries in the 24v 100ah class and an all in one panel.
Thoughts?

 

[mtmuley]

Gents,
Recently our home in Alaska ‘went to live in the country’.
We have another property in Alaska that is completely off grid where we intend to start over. We want to incorporate a complete solar system to keep us energized.
I think we NEED about 6 kw but I WANT about 10 or 12 kw.
Does anyone have real world experience they would be willing to share?
I want to buy before the end of the year for taxes.
I’m guessing I will need a dozen or so 415 panels, 3 or 4 or 6 batteries in the 24v 100ah class and an all in one panel.
Thoughts?

Have you seen the systems that the "shingles" are actually the panel? mtmuley

 

[Threedognight]

Winter time will be hard to get many KWs from solar.

 

[the nikster]

Have you seen the systems that the "shingles" are actually the panel? mtmuley

I have only seen the Tesla version. I like the concept but I am on a budget!

 

[the nikster]

Have you seen the systems that the "shingles" are actually the panel? mtmuley

I have only seen the Tesla version. I like the concept but I am on a budget!

Winter time will be hard to get many KWs from solar.

true. Our consumption averages just over 300 per month so I hoped that during the long winter I might be able to get by with double the capacity and running a generator every other day or 2.

 

[mtmuley]

I have only seen the Tesla version. I like the concept but I am on a budget!

That's the system we recently installed on a "Hunting "cabin. Pretty cool. mtmuley

 

[Flylo]

I have a 12k sol ark. We are totally off grid and it was definitely a learning curve when we bought the place. The system was already installed and I knew nothing about it. I’m no electrician so it was all a little overwhelming. Honestly I still don’t know all the specs we but that’s were sol ark has been amazing. Our system is connected to WiFi and every problem I’ve had I could call them and they would log into my system and walk me through the settings and adjustments I should make. Sounds like you are a lot more savvy than I was so you might not need that kind of support. I do have to run the generator a fair amount during the winter here in southern Montana but we are getting better and better about tricks to save on power. Wood and propane are our only heat sources. It definitely a lifestyle change. For the better!

 

[rtraverdavis]

@the nikster
When you write that you’ll need a dozen 415 panels, you mean for a 6 kW system, right? We have 27 420 panels for our 11.34 kW system. It’s more than enough to power our 2700 sq ft house with a 100% annual energy offset.

 

[Caseknife]

Definitely ground mount, that way it easier to clean snow off the panels, impossible if they are on the roof. Have them far enough off the ground so a plow can clean the snow away that slides off the panels. If they are relatively clean of snow, as soon as the sun comes out they will clean off and produce power. We have 28 340 watt panels and 14 400 watt panels if I recall correctly and produce 18.5-19 mwh per year. Grid-tied and no battery back-up, have a propane generator on an ATS. Ours are not adjustable for season changes, could get more production if we changed them twice a year, but really is not needed. Lead acid batteries will only last 7 years or so, keep that in mind. If I were to go to a battery back-up, would really investigate the wall mount Tesla system.

 

[Redmt]

I have a question for you solar guru's. We have a solar well. In dead on sun it works good enough for maybe 3 hours a day. My question is to the side angle of the panels to the sun. I have them set to dead Solar Noon and the tilt variable depending on time of year. They only produce enough power for an hour or so on either side of solar noon. Shouldn't they produce once the sun actually hits them?

 

[SO7mm]

I purchased my system from solarelectricsupply.com. I told them what my KWH needs where for the year and they handled the design and material list for the system to meet those needs. I'm not sure if they deliver to Alaska but it worked out really well for me.

 

[Wildabeest]

I have a question for you solar guru's. We have a solar well. In dead on sun it works good enough for maybe 3 hours a day. My question is to the side angle of the panels to the sun. I have them set to dead Solar Noon and the tilt variable depending on time of year. They only produce enough power for an hour or so on either side of solar noon. Shouldn't they produce once the sun actually hits them?

Are you running it direct from the panels, or do you have batteries? Well pumps can take a lot of juice and may need your panels at full output capacity in order to give it sufficient power to run.

 

[Redmt]

It's directly on a controller. It used to run sufficiently on 7 or so amps. Now the panels don't put out enough amps until sun is almost directly on them.

 

[Nambaster]

With off grid I have found the solar generators as an all in one to be much better than purchasing inverters separately. Keep in mind that the specs on a 415 watt panel is going to run at much higher volts. Generally they have an output of about 38 Volts so you have to find an inverter that can handle that.

The easiest thing is to purchase a Bluetti Apex 300 which can handle double that voltage. You can then set them up in parallel to not exceed the voltage for intake. I wouldn’t recommend going over 4kw in solar production per Apex 300 so if you intend to go larger then purchase 2 to divide amongst your home circuits.

As far as storage goes you can stack B300’s underneath the Apex 300’s to increase storage.

 

[grizzly_]

I ordered a 14.4kw system with ground mounts, inverters, and backup batteries from Signature Solar. I've not yet installed it, but the company and materials seem very good

 

[the nikster]

I have a 12k sol ark. We are totally off grid and it was definitely a learning curve when we bought the place. The system was already installed and I knew nothing about it. I’m no electrician so it was all a little overwhelming. Honestly I still don’t know all the specs we but that’s were sol ark has been amazing. Our system is connected to WiFi and every problem I’ve had I could call them and they would log into my system and walk me through the settings and adjustments I should make. Sounds like you are a lot more savvy than I was so you might not need that kind of support. I do have to run the generator a fair amount during the winter here in southern Montana but we are getting better and better about tricks to save on power. Wood and propane are our only heat sources. It definitely a lifestyle change. For the better!

I think I have watched just about every video on YouTube. I learned the key words for the industry so I don’t sound too ignorant. I used a Toyo and wood prior to the fire.

 

[the nikster]

@the nikster
When you write that you’ll need a dozen 415 panels, you mean for a 6 kW system, right? We have 27 420 panels for our 11.34 kW system. It’s more than enough to power our 2700 sq ft house with a 100% annual energy offset.

Minimum. I would like many more, as you say. I don’t want to outpace myself in the summer but I have to, to a degree, or the winters will be cold and dark.

 

[the nikster]

Definitely ground mount, that way it easier to clean snow off the panels, impossible if they are on the roof. Have them far enough off the ground so a plow can clean the snow away that slides off the panels. If they are relatively clean of snow, as soon as the sun comes out they will clean off and produce power. We have 28 340 watt panels and 14 400 watt panels if I recall correctly and produce 18.5-19 mwh per year. Grid-tied and no battery back-up, have a propane generator on an ATS. Ours are not adjustable for season changes, could get more production if we changed them twice a year, but really is not needed. Lead acid batteries will only last 7 years or so, keep that in mind. If I were to go to a battery back-up, would really investigate the wall mount Tesla system.

I am going to need batteries. I have no idea how long it will take for the grid to expand to the new place. I also want to oversize, as you did to make it easier as I get older

 

[the nikster]

I ordered a 14.4kw system with ground mounts, inverters, and backup batteries from Signature Solar. I've not yet installed it, but the company and materials seem very good

I feel like I will end up buying a system as you did. I can save a bit and become a bit more efficient by seeking out and purchasing individual pieces but I think I am going to take the more simple route and get a complete system.

Does the system need to be installed this year to get the energy credit?

 

[grizzly_]

I feel like I will end up buying a system as you did. I can save a bit and become a bit more efficient by seeking out and purchasing individual pieces but I think I am going to take the more simple route and get a complete system.

Does the system need to be installed this year to get the energy credit?

My understanding is it needs to be installed and operational this year, so that's what I'm going to do. SS' customer service and design support was great and then I know everything integrates with each other. I've submitted for my permit, just waiting on the city and then I'll get started with the mounts.