Feeling clever and confused in NE Washington State - new member

[OrdinaryBeauty]

I've constructed the shell of a lovely little building in the-middle-of-nowhere, and it's time to get more done. "More" means, in particular, get an off-grid solar system designed and installed.

I like this forum — it has the most information and conversation that I have found anywhere. Why-oh-why didn't I find all y'all three years ago when I started studying and planning?

I am opting for solar for several reasons. My property is remote, the closest point of 'normal' power is a good half mile away. I'd just as soon have my own source of power, even if more costly. Etc.

I am building a 'studio', all legal with permits and such. But I am building to residential codes, so that some day it will be feasible to upgrade the structure to a residence.

In usual country fashion, we are making things happen as we can, with a good dose of make-do and innovation.

[Mike90250]

Welcome.

Do you have enough sun in winter time to make it worth while ?
PV watts is the standard calculator to see if it's worthwhile.

http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/

[Sunking]

Starting point is to determine your daily watt hour usage. Then read this stickie and come back with questions. Winter will be your downfall and you will need a generator. Don't eliminate the idea of bringing in commercial power as it is likely to be the least expensive long term solution. Depends on how much power you need and location.

[OrdinaryBeauty]

Welcome.

Do you have enough sun in winter time to make it worth while ?
PV watts is the standard calculator to see if it's worthwhile.
http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/

Thank you.

The winter sun might be less than ideal; the good days are mighty fine, but the days are short and the angle meek. I've been really watching how it tracks and am beginning to accept that I will have to take out a tree or two for best results.

[Sunking]

the good days are mighty fine,

Not so much as your December/January Sun Hours are a whopping 1 hour. Nothing fine about 1 Sun Hour per day. What that means if you had a 100 watt panel from Sun Up to Sun Down would generate 100 watts x 1 hour = 100 watt hours.

[Mike90250]

So, counting on 1 hour per day in clear weather, you can run a couple of small lights and maybe a laptop or tablet & charge a cell phone. Not a lot of appliances, unless you want to invest in a huge system. So summer, spring & fall, may be OK, and winter is generator power. I'm able to manage with less than 3 hours runtime in the winter here in Northern California, when it's cloudy and no solar harvest (going out today to get another 10 gallons of red diesel).
So, make a list of the gear, wattage, and hours per item:
Wireless Router 30watts 24hr =720wh
Fridge 100w 12 hr
lights (4) 20w 8 hours
tv 120w 3 hr =360wh
DVD player 40w 3 hr = 120 wh

Total up the wh and that's your daily load. Don't need the fridge in winter, so when you can't keep it going , unplug it. And watch out for the little 20 watt stuff, that NEVER turns off. That will eat as much power as a fridge ! We call them Vampire Loads.