Solar on a Budget... or am I chasing a unicorn?

[DrHenley]

We had a huge energy hog of a chest freezer, but when it died, I decided to get a much smaller one. There was food down in the depths of the huge one that had been forgotten a decade ago, LOL

The new chest freezer measures 37"x21" and uses an estimated 250 kW hours per year. So that's like 0.7 kW hours per day (a average power consumption of 29 watts) I was able to make room for it in the pantry, which would have been impossible with the old one. Space it tight in it, but that makes it more efficient!
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We also have an ancient Kenmore upright (non-frost free) I bought in graduate school in the 1980s.

 

[Brent S]

Do you have a chest freezer? If so, what size, and how much juice does it take each day?

My fridge is a large side by side and is an energy guzzler pulling 10amps. The chest freezer only pulls 5amps. Those are the two main things I wanted to run. I actually have a 2nd chest freezer too but it will stay hooked up to the grid for now. Both chest freezers are about 4’ wide and 3 ft tall. One holds meats and cheese and the vegetables go in the older one. Once I get a handle on the average use of my battery capacity I will add some lighting circuits and maybe a couple other receptacles as I can. All the lighting has been converted to LED for a long time now So it dosent pull much at all. once I finish with installing the three separate systems I should be able to run everything except the central heat and air. I will stay connected to the grid for that, and even though I will use the solar for day to day on everything else it’s mostly just for having energy security.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

that's okay for now but what happens when SHTF and the supply chain collapses and spare parts aren't available, or am I the only one thinking long term?
seems to me that there are perhaps more people in America who are setting up homesteads with a view to a better way of life, we don't have "homesteads" in the UK, and most preppers are ordinary folk living in ordinary houses just trying to make a living, and when SHTF they will just have to survive with what they have and what they've been able to prep and resort like me to a simpler way of life because we haven't got the kind of capital, especially following covid-19 many Brits wont even have a job any more, so any kind of financial investment is out of the window.
it seems that the two styles of survival thinking US V UK are completely different.

We have a lot more land for off grid folks to go to. I think that is the main difference. People are pretty much the same. Personally I feel that those with more backup systems will do better in the long run. They won’t have to adapt to no water for bathing and preventing most bugs and many illnesses. They won’t have to have their bodily system switch instantly to dirty clothing and body. They can survive a harsh winter or summer with solar and generator. The advantages of having a fridge and freezer is not to be discounted. Lights and cameras are no small thing when having to defend what you have.

Just my random thoughts.

 

[DrHenley]

I had to look up on the manufacturer's site what the rated current was for the chest freezer. It is 1.2 amps, or 132 watts. I am not sure if that is the startup draw for the compressor or continuous. We never hear the compressor starting up like we do for the fridge, so it can't be much. You could easily run this thing on one of those small 250 watt car inverters plugged into the cigarette lighter outlet.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I have a wood stove for both heating and cooking and a root cellar. Even have axes and hand tools. If things get really really bad I could survive. The thing is though that I like the comforts we are used to. As long as I have the ability to help ensure I can live as comfortable as I am accustomed to I’m glad to do it. Some people like to drive a fast sports car, drink 300$ bottles of wine and dress to impress others. Personally I would rather let others think I am poor and invest in tangible things that make my life easier. Everyone has Their own priorities.

Everyone does have their own priorities. While in my younger days I I had some pretty lame priorities, my middle to older years don’t. No more expensive wines or excessively expensive cars or clothing. I shamefully admit to purchasing $400-50 blouses and shoes In the past. Won’t even talk about purses. Anyway, point being I think it is wise to not flaunt your wealth these days. Our current home is about 1/3 the size of our last one...and around 1/4 of the cost. And I love it! Am much happier here in the mountains with fellow Christians and hill folk around me! I am so enjoying getting back to the land.

All that said, I think those with solar, wood stoves and generators are planning well!

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

that seems to be relying on some future technology coming to help survival, the way things are going I don't think we've got 5 years.

Curious question BP. What are you going to do for water when the public water stops flowing?

 

[TexasFreedom]

AD,

I thought you had a bigger solar setup? That looks like only about 2kW? And up where you are, you might not get that much sunlight.

Doc, I wouldn't touch an inverter under 2kW, and a major brand like Magnum or Xantrex. Overkill? Yes. But I've used those small <1000w inverters, and they last a few months and die. Underkill doesn't begin to describe them.

 

[DrHenley]

Texas, I'm just saying you could, not that you should. My smallest car inverter is a 450 watt, and it has been in continuous use for a couple of years. I had a 2kW pure sine inverter in the car at one time, but it was more trouble than it was worth since the cigarette lighter wouldn't supply enough power to do anything that a small inverter wouldn't do.

My home inverters are 600 Watt pure sine, 2kW Pure sine and 6kW (12 kW peak). The 600 watt is for portability for use with a single battery.

 

[Brent S]

Wow, I just uploaded all these photos at once and it was done in less than two seconds! Huge improvement from the old systems here.
I finally finished all the connections for this first system today! Yay. I have never seen any other systems personally and would have liked to for design ideas and such. I got all this from just reading online so I am sure there are things I could have done better or differently. The racking for the panels Is welded together. I wouldn’t do that again as with all the clean up, priming and painting it would have just been easier to bolt it together. The welding also caused the rails to warp a little bit and the panels aren’t perfectly flat. No one else would really notice but I did. The wiring looks a lot more complex than it really is. I ran two of every wire to reduce the strain on the system. Not necessary but not a bad thing either.
I’m excited to see how much the panels produce tomorrow. By the time I turned everything on the sun wasn’t hitting the panels anymore and it was still producing 54watts. There are 2000 watts of panels on this first part. I did not Add up everything yet but have really close to 6k in this part so far. That does include 11 more of the 250w panels though. Kind of regretting not going with lithium batteries but we all live in a world where we have to spend within our means. , unlike our government...

 

[Brent S]

The next system will be this same size but will be roof mounted. I think that will be easier than the ground mount.

 

[DrHenley]

Looks great Brent!

 

[Brent S]

Thanks, I’m just glad it didn’t short out when I powered it up! (Sigh of relief)

 

[Brent S]

My fridge is a large side by side and is an energy guzzler pulling 10amps. The chest freezer only pulls 5amps. Those are the two main things I wanted to run. I actually have a 2nd chest freezer too but it will stay hooked up to the grid for now. Both chest freezers are about 4’ wide and 3 ft tall. One holds meats and cheese and the vegetables go in the older one. Once I get a handle on the average use of my battery capacity I will add some lighting circuits and maybe a couple other receptacles as I can. All the lighting has been converted to LED for a long time now So it dosent pull much at all. once I finish with installing the three separate systems I should be able to run everything except the central heat and air. I will stay connected to the grid for that, and even though I will use the solar for day to day on everything else it’s mostly just for having energy security.

Between the fridge and freezer I need 3kw a day to operate them. Then you need to at least double that for cloudy days.

 

[DrHenley]

3 kW hours per day? Or 3kw x 24 hours per day?

 

[tmttactical]

Looking real good Brent. I voted for ground mount, as harder to install but a lot easier to troubleshoot.

 

[Brent S]

3 kW hours per day? Or 3kw x 24 hours per day?

That’s 3kwh per day, actually a little under but I rounded up.
i used a meter called ‘kill a watt’ I got on amazon. It gives a true reading over a 24hr period.

 

[Brent S]

Looking real good Brent. I voted for ground mount, as harder to install but a lot easier to troubleshoot.

The porch where the panels are mounted in front of is we’re I will mount the next round on the roof. I can get onto the roof from a 2nd story window easily so don’t think it will be too bad.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

The next system will be this same size but will be roof mounted. I think that will be easier than the ground mount.

So cool Brent! Well done! You have got to be stoked to have this part finished. Let us know how it works today.

 

[pengyou]

That’s 3kwh per day, actually a little under but I rounded up.
i used a meter called ‘kill a watt’ I got on amazon. It gives a true reading over a 24hr period.

Have you ever run a chest freezer as a fridge? replaced the thermostat so that it stays at 50 degrees or so? That is my next goal - to create a "root cellar" type environment for lts foods that (supposedly) make 10 years in a controlled environment, butter being one things to come to mind right off the bat.

 

[pengyou]

Wow, I just uploaded all these photos at once and it was done in less than two seconds! Huge improvement from the old systems here.
I finally finished all the connections for this first system today! Yay. I have never seen any other systems personally and would have liked to for design ideas and such. I got all this from just reading online so I am sure there are things I could have done better or differently. The racking for the panels Is welded together. I wouldn’t do that again as with all the clean up, priming and painting it would have just been easier to bolt it together. The welding also caused the rails to warp a little bit and the panels aren’t perfectly flat. No one else would really notice but I did. The wiring looks a lot more complex than it really is. I ran two of every wire to reduce the strain on the system. Not necessary but not a bad thing either.
I’m excited to see how much the panels produce tomorrow. By the time I turned everything on the sun wasn’t hitting the panels anymore and it was still producing 54watts. There are 2000 watts of panels on this first part. I did not Add up everything yet but have really close to 6k in this part so far. That does include 11 more of the 250w panels though. Kind of regretting not going with lithium batteries but we all live in a world where we have to spend within our means. , unlike our government...View attachment 10666View attachment 10667View attachment 10668View attachment 10669View attachment 10670View attachment 10671View attachment 10666View attachment 10666Awesome!