solar

I live in an area where power outage for 2 hours is quite common maybe every other day. I would like to know how much it would cost me (excluding labor costs) to setup a solar system which produces electricity equivalent to a Honda EU3000is assuming there is good amount of sunlight. My first choice is to find a Renewable option because there is plenty of sunlight, before starting with wind power. If anyone can offer me a step by step guide (including what equipments/brands are the good value for money) I would really appreciate it.
It would even be more amazing if there was a way to do the following:
1. Use solar energy as a primary source of energy during the day time.
2. If the solar energy is not enough the additional amount of energy required would be supplied by the Grid (it would not totally switch to Grid electricity only the additional amount which the solar panels can not provide.) 3. If the Solar is not enough and there is a power outage from the grid then it would automatically start a generator. again this would be adittional power which the solar energy can not produce.
Please can you also give me suggestions about where to get the best price for the equipments which you recommend?

On 2 Jan 2006 03:47:14 -0800, jamesp010@hotmail.com wrote:

I live in an area where power outage for 2 hours is quite common maybe every other day. I would like to know how much it would cost me (excluding labor costs) to setup a solar system which produces electricity equivalent to a Honda EU3000is assuming there is good amount of sunlight. My first choice is to find a Renewable option because there is plenty of sunlight, before starting with wind power. If anyone can offer me a step by step guide (including what equipments/brands are the good value for money) I would really appreciate it.
It would even be more amazing if there was a way to do the following:
1. Use solar energy as a primary source of energy during the day time.
2. If the solar energy is not enough the additional amount of energy required would be supplied by the Grid (it would not totally switch to Grid electricity only the additional amount which the solar panels can not provide.) 3. If the Solar is not enough and there is a power outage from the grid then it would automatically start a generator. again this would be adittional power which the solar energy can not produce.
Please can you also give me suggestions about where to get the best price for the equipments which you recommend?

Your specifications are both excessive in terms of how much power you need to generate, and do not give enough information to properly design a system. The functions you specify, however, are well within the realm of possibility. My home system, were it grid-connected, would have the capability of not only doing what you specify, but also of selling power back to the grid if my batteries were full; charging the batteries from the grid if the solar input was inadequate; and taking advantage of "time of use" billing in effect in some areas to maximize the economic benefit to me.
A Honda EU3000 can likely produce some maximum number so long as you keep it supplied with fuel (until it wears out). To duplicate a system which can put out 3KW for a prolonged period of time is probably unneccessary, as your house will not consume that much. So a system which duplicates the EU3000 would not be economical.
What you probably should specify is:
1. Average electricity consumption per day. This might be different summer vs winter. This might be different weekends vs weekdays.
2. Peak surge -- i.e. pumps and other motors may have a starting surge that is five to ten times their running current. Well pumps and refrigerators fall into this category. Your inverter needs to be able to handle the surge.
3. "Days of Autonomy" -- How many days you want to be able to supply without the grid. In your case, it might be as little as two hours; or it might be a few days. This is something you can decide. This plus your answer to #1 will affect the amount of storage you have to have.
4. Your solar resource. This is usually expressed as the amount of effective full sun hours per day, or insolation. It is NOT the time from sunrise to sunset, but rather the average daily sun energy that will fall on a surface that is oriented solar south and at some specified vertical elevation. You will have to also supply information as to the difference in your orientation and elevation from the ideal. And take into account (or get rid of) any shadowing.
-- ron (off the grid in Downeast Maine)

In article , Ron Rosenfeld wrote:

On 2 Jan 2006 03:47:14 -0800, jamesp010@hotmail.com wrote:
I live in an area where power outage for 2 hours is quite common maybe every other day. I would like to know how much it would cost me (excluding labor costs) to setup a solar system which produces electricity equivalent to a Honda EU3000is assuming there is good amount of sunlight. My first choice is to find a Renewable option because there is plenty of sunlight, before starting with wind power. If anyone can offer me a step by step guide (including what equipments/brands are the good value for money) I would really appreciate it.
It would even be more amazing if there was a way to do the following:
1. Use solar energy as a primary source of energy during the day time.
2. If the solar energy is not enough the additional amount of energy required would be supplied by the Grid (it would not totally switch to Grid electricity only the additional amount which the solar panels can not provide.) 3. If the Solar is not enough and there is a power outage from the grid then it would automatically start a generator. again this would be adittional power which the solar energy can not produce.
Please can you also give me suggestions about where to get the best price for the equipments which you recommend?
Your specifications are both excessive in terms of how much power you need to generate, and do not give enough information to properly design a system. The functions you specify, however, are well within the realm of possibility. My home system, were it grid-connected, would have the capability of not only doing what you specify, but also of selling power back to the grid if my batteries were full; charging the batteries from the grid if the solar input was inadequate; and taking advantage of "time of use" billing in effect in some areas to maximize the economic benefit to me.
A Honda EU3000 can likely produce some maximum number so long as you keep it supplied with fuel (until it wears out). To duplicate a system which can put out 3KW for a prolonged period of time is probably unneccessary, as your house will not consume that much. So a system which duplicates the EU3000 would not be economical.
What you probably should specify is:
1. Average electricity consumption per day. This might be different summer vs winter. This might be different weekends vs weekdays.
2. Peak surge -- i.e. pumps and other motors may have a starting surge that is five to ten times their running current. Well pumps and refrigerators fall into this category. Your inverter needs to be able to handle the surge.
3. "Days of Autonomy" -- How many days you want to be able to supply without the grid. In your case, it might be as little as two hours; or it might be a few days. This is something you can decide. This plus your answer to #1 will affect the amount of storage you have to have.
4. Your solar resource. This is usually expressed as the amount of effective full sun hours per day, or insolation. It is NOT the time from sunrise to sunset, but rather the average daily sun energy that will fall on a surface that is oriented solar south and at some specified vertical elevation. You will have to also supply information as to the difference in your orientation and elevation from the ideal. And take into account (or get rid of) any shadowing.
-- ron (off the grid in Downeast Maine)

If I were you I would get an inverter to convert car battery or better source into 115 vac. to get through the dark days. then charge the battery on solar. upgrade as necessary.
-- Impeach Bush ! a noble cause Operation Iraqi Liberation = O.I.L.

In article , jamesp010@hotmail.com wrote:

I live in an area where power outage for 2 hours is quite common maybe every other day. I would like to know how much it would cost me (excluding labor costs) to setup a solar system which produces electricity equivalent to a Honda EU3000is assuming there is good amount of sunlight. My first choice is to find a Renewable option because there is plenty of sunlight, before starting with wind power. If anyone can offer me a step by step guide (including what equipments/brands are the good value for money) I would really appreciate it.

$12-15,000 for solar panels $2-3,000 for inverter or inverters $2-3000 or so for a low-use autostart generator - $5-7,000 for a solid one. $3-7,000 for batteries. Another $1-2000 or more for related components - charge controllers, dc breakers, enclosures, etc.
Given frequent 2 hour outages, batteries and inverters alone would do the job for a lot less money, but you obviously have money to burn, given your wants list.
-- Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

wrote in message

I live in an area where power outage for 2 hours is quite common maybe every other day. I would like to know how much it would cost me (excluding labor costs) to setup a solar system which produces electricity equivalent to a Honda EU3000is assuming there is good amount of sunlight. My first choice is to find a Renewable option because there is plenty of sunlight, before starting with wind power. If anyone can offer me a step by step guide (including what equipments/brands are the good value for money) I would really appreciate it.
It would even be more amazing if there was a way to do the following:
1. Use solar energy as a primary source of energy during the day time.
2. If the solar energy is not enough the additional amount of energy required would be supplied by the Grid (it would not totally switch to Grid electricity only the additional amount which the solar panels can not provide.) 3. If the Solar is not enough and there is a power outage from the grid then it would automatically start a generator. again this would be adittional power which the solar energy can not produce.
Please can you also give me suggestions about where to get the best price for the equipments which you recommend?
It sounds like you want a large UPS system. Since it seems like you

have power every day for quite a few hours, I would just charge a bank of batteries from grid and use the inverter during power outages.

Thought of wind generator ?
Do you have enough wind there? cauz its much more cheaper then solar panels.

Really?? There is wind but moderate amount of wind usually and then sometimes it gets very windy. Can you guide me how to set it up so that it can reduce my current electricity bills. My aim is to have continious power. Ideally I want some kind of load balancer device which gives priority to Renewable source and then if the renewable source is not enough then it would pull more electricity from the grid.
Even if you can guide me on what wind power equipments are really good value for money and were to buy it at the best price, it would be very helpfull.
Fuk U Spamer@fukspamer.com wrote:

Thought of wind generator ?
Do you have enough wind there? cauz its much more cheaper then solar panels.

Is there any risk of battery or UPS exploding? What are the best battries I can get in the market at the moment, technology and brand wise? Also can you recommend the best inverters?

If you want a cool hobby, great!
If you want to save money, stick with the grid. The cost of "power" from the grid will not even pay the interest on the loan to buy the "grey" power equipment.
If you are stranded in the boonies and cannot get power cheaply then go for it.
wrote in message

Really?? There is wind but moderate amount of wind usually and then sometimes it gets very windy. Can you guide me how to set it up so that it can reduce my current electricity bills. My aim is to have continious power. Ideally I want some kind of load balancer device which gives priority to Renewable source and then if the renewable source is not enough then it would pull more electricity from the grid.
Even if you can guide me on what wind power equipments are really good value for money and were to buy it at the best price, it would be very helpfull.
Fuk U Spamer@fukspamer.com wrote: Thought of wind generator ?
Do you have enough wind there? cauz its much more cheaper then solar panels.

I built my own wind generator, cost me pretty cheap, bought all the tit bits here n there saved me money rather then bought it as complete ready to install wind generator from some company which is still not meeting my requirements
Here is my story what I have done if it helps you please go ahead:
I am living in open area (Pennsylvania) kinda windy place most of the week (3-15MPH) and some time it exceeds over 30-40 MPH during stormy days. In the beginning I was thinkin to buy ready to install WG but when checked there specs. poor performance or very costly. Then I start digging more and come to conclusion that I have to built my own to cut the price and meet my requirements. (Lot of info available on Google if you couldn't find decent please reply in this post and I will send you tons of link) . I bought old DC motor from industrial junk for $ 300 which was kinda virtually new. Motor specs. was really good.... 640Volts with 25 Amps @ 1000RPM, it was brushless motor with rare earth magnet almost nil maintenance except greasing the bearing once in a year. It is pretty big motor with 16 inches length and 7 inches diameter. Once settled with motor started looking the blades, checked on ebay and here n there but none was meeting my requirements, with that hefty motor I needed atleast 10ft. diameter propeller, finally cut the aluminum sheets in blade shape and asked a local machine shop to built rotor for me to mount on the motor shaft, cost me like $250 for both sheet and rotor. Initially mounted the motor on my basket ball pole for testing, with just 5MPH wind, magic happened. Propeller was turning and I saw on my voltmeter showing 20 Volts AC and it was keep moving up and down with wind speed. I wasn't using any voltage controller or rectifier that time so what I was seeing on my voltmeter that was AC current not DC. Later I installed 3 Phase bridge rectifier to convert the AC to DC and a Voltage controller (switchable 12-24-48Volt) to get a constant DC volt for my battery charging. I am still building a battery bank initially started with 4 deep cycle 12 Volt batteries connected in 24 Volt configuration and I am thinking to go some thing like 10 Batteries that will give me enough storage power in case if of grey out or grid failure I can still survive. Long term goal is totally self sufficency in my energy needs. I will later add Solar Panels but as you know it is costly so I am holding back. By the way this Wind Generator Project cost me like $1500 but what I am getting outta that is much more then what those wind generator manufacturer offered at over $10000 cost. I am using surplus alternative electric (AC) directly from wind generator to heat up my 2 electric water heaters when batteries are fully charged as dummy load. It reduced my electric utility bill so much that I was really surprised. My heating and air-condition is through electric and I am thinking to installed 2 more similar wind generators in next summer to switch that load from grid supply.
The beauty of wind generator is unbelievable, it cost really cheap, you can start with little money and then built up the system gradually as per your funds. In your case I think you should go for it as your requirement is to use this alternative source when grid supply is out, If you have open area and nice neabours this is ideal solution. My wind generator is installed on a 15 ft. pole. I didn't go for a 50 ft. rocket size pole cauze I am already on hill top and zero obstruction around my place.
Awsome
wrote in message

Really?? There is wind but moderate amount of wind usually and then sometimes it gets very windy. Can you guide me how to set it up so that it can reduce my current electricity bills. My aim is to have continious power. Ideally I want some kind of load balancer device which gives priority to Renewable source and then if the renewable source is not enough then it would pull more electricity from the grid.
Even if you can guide me on what wind power equipments are really good value for money and were to buy it at the best price, it would be very helpfull.
Fuk U Spamer@fukspamer.com wrote: Thought of wind generator ?
Do you have enough wind there? cauz its much more cheaper then solar panels.

Is there any risk of battery or UPS exploding? What are the best battries I can get in the market at the moment, technology and brand wise? Also can you recommend the best inverters?

Is there any risk of battery or UPS exploding? What are the best battries I can get in the market at the moment, technology and brand wise? Also can you recommend the best inverters?

Is there any risk of battery or UPS exploding? What are the best battries I can get in the market at the moment, technology and brand wise? for home long term use. Also can you recommend the best value for money inverters?
A Veteran for Peace wrote:

In article , Ron Rosenfeld wrote:
On 2 Jan 2006 03:47:14 -0800, jamesp010@hotmail.com wrote:
I live in an area where power outage for 2 hours is quite common maybe every other day. I would like to know how much it would cost me (excluding labor costs) to setup a solar system which produces electricity equivalent to a Honda EU3000is assuming there is good amount of sunlight. My first choice is to find a Renewable option because there is plenty of sunlight, before starting with wind power. If anyone can offer me a step by step guide (including what equipments/brands are the good value for money) I would really appreciate it.
It would even be more amazing if there was a way to do the following:
1. Use solar energy as a primary source of energy during the day time.
2. If the solar energy is not enough the additional amount of energy required would be supplied by the Grid (it would not totally switch to Grid electricity only the additional amount which the solar panels can not provide.) 3. If the Solar is not enough and there is a power outage from the grid then it would automatically start a generator. again this would be adittional power which the solar energy can not produce.
Please can you also give me suggestions about where to get the best price for the equipments which you recommend?
Your specifications are both excessive in terms of how much power you need to generate, and do not give enough information to properly design a system. The functions you specify, however, are well within the realm of possibility. My home system, were it grid-connected, would have the capability of not only doing what you specify, but also of selling power back to the grid if my batteries were full; charging the batteries from the grid if the solar input was inadequate; and taking advantage of "time of use" billing in effect in some areas to maximize the economic benefit to me.
A Honda EU3000 can likely produce some maximum number so long as you keep it supplied with fuel (until it wears out). To duplicate a system which can put out 3KW for a prolonged period of time is probably unneccessary, as your house will not consume that much. So a system which duplicates the EU3000 would not be economical.
What you probably should specify is:
1. Average electricity consumption per day. This might be different summer vs winter. This might be different weekends vs weekdays.
2. Peak surge -- i.e. pumps and other motors may have a starting surge that is five to ten times their running current. Well pumps and refrigerators fall into this category. Your inverter needs to be able to handle the surge.
3. "Days of Autonomy" -- How many days you want to be able to supply without the grid. In your case, it might be as little as two hours; or it might be a few days. This is something you can decide. This plus your answer to #1 will affect the amount of storage you have to have.
4. Your solar resource. This is usually expressed as the amount of effective full sun hours per day, or insolation. It is NOT the time from sunrise to sunset, but rather the average daily sun energy that will fall on a surface that is oriented solar south and at some specified vertical elevation. You will have to also supply information as to the difference in your orientation and elevation from the ideal. And take into account (or get rid of) any shadowing.
-- ron (off the grid in Downeast Maine)
If I were you I would get an inverter to convert car battery or better source into 115 vac. to get through the dark days. then charge the battery on solar. upgrade as necessary.
-- Impeach Bush ! a noble cause Operation Iraqi Liberation = O.I.L.

Are there any risks of battries exploding? Can you tell me what are the best battries in the market at the moment? Technology / brand wise? Can you also guide me for inverters? Great value for money types.

On 8 Jan 2006 00:04:01 -0800, jamesp010@hotmail.com wrote:

Is there any risk of battery or UPS exploding?

Yes.

What are the best battries I can get in the market at the moment, technology and brand wise? Also can you recommend the best inverters?

The "best" depends on your specific requirements. So far you have not posted here your specific requirements in sufficient detail to do a system design (see my previous response to your original post in this thread).
In addition to those requirements, also post with information concerning ease of maintainability vs economics so far as you are concerned. Flooded lead acid deep-cycle batteries can be significantly less expensive than AGM type batteries, but you will need to add water a few times a year.

-- ron (off the grid in Downeast Maine)