12 Volt Solar Setup for Garage Only

[SunEagle]

Updated Components for my garage Small Solar 12 volt Project 1.3 kWh Max usage:

1x Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Polycrystalline Solar Panel 122.99
1x Hightech Solar 160 watt 12 volt Monocrystalline Solar panel $165.00
2x TROJAN T105 6 VOLT 225 AH $240.00 (2.7 kWh Storage)
1x HQST 40A MPPT Solar Charge Controller $153.00
1x AIMS 600 Watts Pure Sine Inverter $129.00

Total of $809.00

If I go with the 3x 100 watts panels is more money and I get out of the charging requirement of 22.5 A
260 watts = 21.66 A and 300 watts = 25 A.
So, I'm closer to the 22.5 requirement with 260 Watts than with 300 watts. But I may get only 270 watts with the 300 watts panels due to other factors.

Should I get the 3x 300 watts panels better?

Due to potential losses and limited sunlight the 300 watts and an MPPT CC would be better IMO as long as you can wire them in series and do not exceed the max DC input voltage rating of the CC.

Remember that C/10 is the sweet spot for charging but you can go to C/8 if needed, which at 25 amps is still only a C/9.

[john95]

Due to potential losses and limited sunlight the 300 watts and an MPPT CC would be better IMO as long as you can wire them in series and do not exceed the max DC input voltage rating of the CC.

Remember that C/10 is the sweet spot for charging but you can go to C/8 if needed, which at 25 amps is still only a C/9.

Thanks for you info SunEagle! You are the man!
In case of an emergency, I want to have some electricity. It is always good to have electricity at the middle of the night when all goes dark.

[Sunking]

In case of an emergency, I want to have some electricity. It is always good to have electricity at the middle of the night when all goes dark.

So what does that have to do with Solar? You do not need expensive limited solar to have power when commercial power is out. Pros do not use solar when power is out. It cost to much, supply strictly limited, very unreliable and cannot be counted upon when needed. Much like your wife and kids.

[john95]

So what does that have to do with Solar? You do not need expensive limited solar to have power when commercial power is out. Pros do not use solar when power is out. It cost to much, supply strictly limited, very unreliable and cannot be counted upon when needed. Much like your wife and kids.

Well, it does has to do with it a lot. It makes a lot of sense to have even a couple of batteries fully charged at 2.7 kWh. I can have lights, AM/FM radio and TV until next day when the sun shines again. The sun will shine for 7 billion more years. Trillions of trillions of mega watts of power there for free!
About the wife and kids, you do make them reliable by taking the money and toys away. My son begs me to do any chores around the house when I lock the internet connection.

[SunEagle]

Well, it does has to do with it a lot. It makes a lot of sense to have even a couple of batteries fully charged at 2.7 kWh. I can have lights, AM/FM radio and TV until next day when the sun shines again. The sun will shine for 7 billion more years. Trillions of trillions of mega watts of power there for free!
About the wife and kids, you do make them reliable by taking the money and toys away. My son begs me to do any chores around the house when I lock the internet connection.

It still comes down to what is less costly. Power from a solar/battery system is still much more expensive then from the grid. And unless the cost for fuel goes up again is more expensive then getting it from a generator. But at least it can be less noisy.

[J.P.M.]

It still comes down to what is less costly. Power from a solar/battery system is still much more expensive then from the grid. And unless the cost for fuel goes up again is more expensive then getting it from a generator. But at least it can be less noisy.

On the noise, I wonder a bit if it might be more practical and perhaps more cost effective, at least in some cases, if instead of PV with the costs, including that of commonly used batteries as a means of supplying off grid power on a reasonably reliable basis, to simply get a quality ICE powered electric generator and place it in an appropriate, very well sound insulated and appropriately well ventilated and designed enclosure fit for that purpose. Then, compare the life cycle costs of the two alternatives.

I suspect that, while the design and construction costs of such an enclosure would not be cheap, such a sound control method may well be a way to address most, if not quite all of the noise concerns in a way that would be more cost effective over a life cycle of say, "X" years, having a life cycle cost that is less than that of current life cycle cost of the PV/battery alternative when all things are considered, including perhaps some assignment of some monetary equivalent to the various not so desirable aspects for each alternative based on the opinions of the owner/user.

[john95]

Honda EU2000i Inverter Generator 2000 Watt costs about $1,000, plus $2.50 a gallon of gasoline per 9 hrs of use, plus the noise. ha, ha, ha.
That's $0.28 per kWh plus $28 per month for 36 months. If you are lucky to find gasoline when the emergency hits.

[SunEagle]

Honda EU2000i Inverter Generator 2000 Watt costs about $1,000, plus $2.50 a gallon of gasoline per 9 hrs of use, plus the noise. ha, ha, ha.
That's $0.28 per kWh plus $28 per month for 36 months. If you are lucky to find gasoline when the emergency hits.

I agree that the Honda would be my first choice as a quite emergency backup power source. I also have a little bit of gas available in case of an outage so no worry about the lack of fuel.

But I also get to thinking that I have to worry about the exhaust fumes and there is still some noise even at 50 db.

I have both a quite Coleman 1800 watt generator as well as my 65Ah battery system for my CPAP both are easy to setup and will last the night. It is a matter of choice.

[Sunking]

Well, it does has to do with it a lot. It makes a lot of sense to have even a couple of batteries fully charged at 2.7 kWh. I can have lights, AM/FM radio and TV until next day when the sun shines again. The sun will shine for 7 billion more years. Trillions of trillions of mega watts of power there for free!

Stop that silly, you are delusional. No solar needed or required. Just a battery charger. Solar is very far from free, you must live near the Left Coast Island of Austin where they teach non sense. Battery cost alone will cost you 5 to 10 rimes more than buying from the Power Company and the Power company is a lot more environmentally friendly than a battery manufacture. Your POCO will generate a lot less pollution and not waste as much fuel and resources your children will never see. Austin will not teach you that.

[Sunking]

Honda EU2000i Inverter Generator 2000 Watt costs about $1,000, plus $2.50 a gallon of gasoline per 9 hrs of use,.

Only idiots would use gasoline. Are you an idiot? Battery cost depending on model and manufactture wil cost you 75-cent to over $1 per Kwh. Not onlyu are you pissing away money but become a very heavy polluter. Not something you would want to brag about or let anyone know you believe.

[SunEagle]

Only idiots would use gasoline. Are you an idiot? Battery cost depending on model and manufactture wil cost you 75-cent to over $1 per Kwh. Not onlyu are you pissing away money but become a very heavy polluter. Not something you would want to brag about or let anyone know you believe.

Well maybe he doesn't care or believe (like some other people here on the forum) that CO2 levels from burning gas is a problem.

[Sunking]

Well maybe he doesn't care or believe (like some other people here on the forum) that CO2 levels from burning gas is a problem.

They should cut their throats, they exhale CO2. Who said you have to burn gasoline?

[SunEagle]

They should cut their throats, they exhale CO2. Who said you have to burn gasoline?

IMO if anyone was really serious in stopping the addition of green house gases going into the atmosphere, they would stop using an ICE vehicle. Turn off their electrical appliances when the sun wasn't shining (unless the power came from hydro or wind generated electric). Stop burning any fossil fuel, plant life, wood or anything else the produced CO2, methane, etc.

Then they should work toward planting more trees and shrubs to absorb the CO2, put the damn cows in under a tent and collect the methane, rip up their driveways and add more grass, etc, etc, etc. I can go on and on about why I do not think people are really serious about green house gases emissions but I won't.

I just think they like to complain and point fingers at the POCO's and anyone else they think is causing the sea levels to rise and the temperature to go up but are not willing to do more than nod their heads and agree that someone has to fix the problem.

Whew. Now that I got that off my chest. I will get off my soap box and have my afternoon cup of coffee. Decaff of course.

[Sunking]

[FONT=arial]IMO if anyone was really serious in stopping the addition of green house gases going into the atmosphere, they would stop using an ICE vehicle. Turn off their electrical appliances when the sun wasn't shining (unless the power came from hydro or wind generated electric). Stop burning any fossil fuel, plant life, wood or anything else the produced CO2, methane, etc.

Then they should work toward planting more trees and shrubs to absorb the CO2, put the damn cows in under a tent and collect the methane, rip up their driveways and add more grass, etc, etc, etc. I can go on and on about why I do not think people are really serious about green house gases emissions but I won't.

I just think they like to complain and point fingers at the POCO's

I think you hit the Nail on the Head. However if they would Cut their throats, the problem goes away.

[john95]

I agree that the Honda would be my first choice as a quite emergency backup power source. I also have a little bit of gas available in case of an outage so no worry about the lack of fuel.

But I also get to thinking that I have to worry about the exhaust fumes and there is still some noise even at 50 db.

I have both a quite Coleman 1800 watt generator as well as my 65Ah battery system for my CPAP both are easy to setup and will last the night. It is a matter of choice.

You are not going to sleep well with that noise, the Exhaust fumes and the guilt of contaminating the planet! ha, ha, ha.
By the way, what batteries 65 Ah and how many do you have for your setup?