Question for jennifer408

Jen
You have mentioned that you are off the grid and using solar power. I was just wondering if you could post some pictures of your setup and how it works. Been thinking about trying to power my shop that way. I know I'm not the only one that would like to see it!
Thanks Gary

I'd like to see it too. The thought occurred, amish shops use small diesel engines to power equipment, wonder if that would be cheaper than being on the grid.

What she did not tell us is what her start-up costs were. You know, the solar panels, and battery bank, and the inverter, and how long the batteries last on cloudy days, and dark nights. Because, if she doesn't have a basement full of batteries, the lights go out when the sun goes down.

Diesel is NEVER cheaper than grid, in fact several times more expensive.

I have a small solar set up for our house on the farm (mains power would cost over $150,000 to connect)

It has three 200 Watt 24 Volt panels, 450amp hour deep cycle 24volts of batteries, solar regulator and pure sine wave inverter. All up cost was less than $6000 Australian (roughly same in US$). Runs lights, small appliances, refrigerator and freezer. When needed, I top up batteries with Honda 2000 Watt inverter generator, driving two CTEK 25 Amp 12 V battery chargers, connected in series.

We have lots of sunlight, only need generator to top up during heavily overcast days.

I may be wrong but I do not think off grid power can compare to grid power.

The reason I assume people are off grid is not by choice but rather they live so far out it would be cost prohibitive to run a line in if they even offered it.

Diesel is NEVER cheaper than the grid? I'll argue that-it depends on quantity of electricity used, weather you're hooked on to an existing service or independent service and if you have a use for the incidental heat you produce. For a shop on a separate service, look at your bill, you pay a meter charge even if you don't use electricity,and problem some state fees to pay for electricity for folks that can't afford it. Take you total Kilowatts used and divide it by actual amount you have to pay. Be prepared to be surprised. If you're on the same service with your house look and see if you're an ON PEAK/OFF PEAK customer, if so you might be paying .15-.16 a KW for power you are using on peak, add on taxes apportion the meter charge and government fees and don't be surprised if you're close to $.20/KW. If you have a reasonably efficient generator and are heating the shop with the waste heat I'm guessing you're pretty darn close. Many of the Amish have diesel powered shops but they often run the generator and a common shaft off of the same engine and grab up the cooling water for heat.

I'm all for everyone getting off the grid, UNTIL the folks in your local state house figure out you're not paying taxes and fees on your electricity giving them the right to butt into your business and start telling you what to do. Why do you think the head genius in Washington is talking cap and trade on carbon emissions? So they can stick there noises into your business, come on to your property tell you what to do AND hold their hand out and demand you fill it with money. It also give them a reason to figure out why you're using so much power, how much power you're using and send their nephew I.R Service over to grab his share of your money you made with that power.

Solar and wind might help you but unless you have some way to store it it's going to limit when you can work in the shop. Hmm tractor is broken, I have hay down but I won't have power to work on it until tomorrow AM when the sun comes back up (and I should be out baling hay), that' not sustainable.

Then you are still, by your own admission, dependent on fossil fuels.

You are talking about a 600W service, most US households have 20-40kW. The batteries required to store that would be quite excessive.

I welcome discussion, but my estimates have Diesel at about $.60 per kWh. It would be different if natural gas were available, but propane and diesel are expensive.

ok, i will put together some pics and prices and info in a new post. give me a little time to put it all together. we also just got thru hooking up a solar well water system so the sun gives us water with no monthly bill, which i will document.

Jennifer, Where do you live?

Just thought of it-- with solar power how is there enough "juice" to run the computer to post here, not to mention lights and what all else, especially with consecutive days of cloudy weather?

jennifer408- Welcome to 'Tractor Tales"!

Greg

(quoted from post at 18:30:09 06/08/14) Jennifer, Where do you live?

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we live 18 miles south of paicines, central california, in between the coast and the central valley. BFE basically.

(quoted from post at 19:48:18 06/08/14) jennifer408- Welcome to 'Tractor Tales"!

Greg

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why thank you Greg.

Kalifornia, that explains it all. If you don't include start up costs, then yes the energy is free for the taking.
Just like you don't use fossil fuels because you ride the bus.....

Kalifornia, that explains it all. If you don't include start up costs, then yes the energy is free for the taking.
Just like you don't use fossil fuels because you ride the bus.....
This is for jennifer408

I am assuming you have a mild climate, a lot of sun and no air conditioning. That is a perfect place for solar.

bwillett, you keep taking jabs because folk's systems include some use of fossil fuels. I don't think anyone in this thread is off-grid to prove a point or be a greener- Certainly Bob in Australia ($150,000 cost to hook up) and I suspect Jennifer (out in the middle of nowhere) are off grid by necessity, and of course, they'll have an integrated system- solar and wind for routine stuff, but fire up the diesel generator when you've got to temporarily supply a big load.

(quoted from post at 08:44:30 06/09/14) bwillett, you keep taking jabs because folk's systems include some use of fossil fuels. I don't think anyone in this thread is off-grid to prove a point or be a greener- [b:45b4cdce1e]Certainly Bob in Australia ($150,000 cost to hook up)[/b:45b4cdce1e] and I suspect Jennifer [b:45b4cdce1e](out in the middle of nowhere) [/b:45b4cdce1e][b:45b4cdce1e]are off grid by necessity,[/b:45b4cdce1e] and of course, they'll have an integrated system- solar and wind for routine stuff, but fire up the diesel generator when you've got to temporarily supply a big load.

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hose are the only reasons i would go solar and wind because it makes sense

My shop, barn, and an electric Ritchie stock waterer only cost me around $35 a month. dont think I can buy too many inverters, solar panels and batteries and still do the same job. And I flip a switch and the lights come on every time.

Gene

IIRC she didn't say it was free, she said she lived off-grid.

I am not trying to avoid fossil fuels, I just want enough reliable power for the refrigerator and freezer. Mighty hard to live without those in a modern world.

In any case, I use plenty of fossil fuel in farming 4,500 acres on grain farms. Just can't avoid that if the world wants to eat (given present technology—using a modern no til farming system)