Solar Power For Backup??

[crobertson1]

Any solar power authorities out there in TDR land?



I'm thinking of a backup system for our home for when our power goes out. It went out for a week in 2003 when we got 8 feet of snow. I have a generator and a switch panel for the essentials like the refrigerators, well pump, some lights and outlets in the kitchen.



Generators are noisy and require gasoline. Is there a relatively simple solar setup that would run the stuff I mentioned, possibly for a long term. The well pump is 3/4 HP. I'd probably need a minimum of about 1000 watts I'm thinking.

 

[TboneMan]

First off, where do you live? You say you got 8' of snow. I'm guessing the somewhere in the Rockies.



Solar is relatively expensive. You need the panels, batteries, a charge controller and a power inverter (assuming you're going to fee power into your panel) plus switching and other usual AC apparatus.



Panels: Typically you want a clear southern or southwestern exposure to maximize the exposure to the sun. If you are looking just for a "backup" supply , you may not need a huge array. The larger the array the faster you can recharge the batteries.



Charge Controller: A device which takes the juice from the solar panels and send it to the batteries. It modifies the voltages and prevents over charging.



Batteries: deep cycle. The more "storage" you have the longer you can run you AC appliances.



Power Inverter: You'd need a power inverter of sufficient wattage. If your trying to run things like well pumps and frig's. you'll need a big one.





Needless to say, this stuff isn't cheap. In MHO, way too expensive for backup power. You are better off keeping the generator for backup power. If you really want to get into solar, find out if your state gov. has any deals for homeowners who install solar that feeds the elect. grid.





BTW, 1000 watts is only 9 amps (AC, 110 volt). That's not a lot of juice.

 

[crobertson1]

Thanks. This is the kind of info I am looking for.



Yes, I live in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Granted, 8' of snow in one dumping is a once in a lifetime event-I hope. It's not rare to get 2-3' of snow at a time though.



Thanks again.

 

[BimmerAgent]

Try these

Hi- I live in Colorado, and have some clients in the solar biz. If you want to learn about it, you might try these websites: Bella Energy | Formerly Sun Electric Systems, Empowering Colorado Communities Since 1982 and www.coseia.org. If you're on Xcel for electric, you can get a substantial rebate and/or credit for installing solar. I'd go solar, but we don't use a large enough amount to justify the inital outlay. Bruce

 

[TboneMan]

I had another thought over the weekend (after I saw a roof top full of PV's).





For the price of probably just the charge controller and a panel or two, you can probably get a full house standby generator that runs on your residential natural gas supply (if you have it) or propane.



Up my way, full house generation is catching on. I see many new house in rural-suburban areas putting them in as they are building. My father-in-law has one.



In fact, I know a couple of businesses (again in rural areas) that are off the grid. They generate all their powe,r as natural gas is cheaper than electricity.

 

[CKelley1]

put an amprobe on the incoming line and you will see you will need more power than you think or can afford , the best thing to do is to get a diesel generator with a quiet package and if you build a new house dual wire it for 12v led lighting and true sine wave inverter receptacles for some things, the efficiency of the led's are getting higher every month and the price is dropping, today it is about $250 per fixture for a 100 watt equivalent light

 

[crobertson1]

Yeah, but my house is already built. I want something off grid-that runs on solar or wind. Something that I don't to re-fuel. LEDs would be cool though.



Have you guys been on craigslist lately? Generators are going for very reasonable prices. There are a lot of them too.



Maybe I should check this out:

Land Power | Airbreeze

 

[TboneMan]

Yeah, but my house is already built. I want something off grid-that runs on solar or wind. Something that I don't to re-fuel. LEDs would be cool though.



Have you guys been on craigslist lately? Generators are going for very reasonable prices. There are a lot of them too.



Maybe I should check this out:

Land Power | Airbreeze

That's the advantage of whole house standby generators if you have natural gas. They'll run as long as you gas is flowing down the street. If you have propane, you'll have to watch you tank, but it is nothing like having to lug fuel cans back and forth to a gas station (providing they have a generator to run the pumps.



The problem is, you want a lot of power. It is technically possible to get it, just not cost effective. Likely high 4 digits or even 5 digits $$$$$. That's a lot of money for "backup power".

 

[crobertson1]

Thanks TboneMan. I'll see if I can find some info on those things

 

[crobertson1]

I started some research and found this to start with:

Air Cooled Guardian Generators - generac generators, guardian generators, home generators, generac portable generators, emergency power generators, generac transfer switch, generac guardian, generators, generac 04582, generac 04582, generac

 

[TboneMan]

Wow, 13kw for less than $3000?!



Hmmm, 2. 18 gal/hour (propane) full load. My last propane fill was $2. 69/gal. If you average a 30% load for 24 hours that's about $42 a day. Gasoline is about $4. 15 in my area. That equates to about 10 gallons of gas. That's probably what a 5000-6000 watt generator would use in the same time period.



Plus you don't have to go to the gas station every day to fill the cans.

 

[crobertson1]

I think an 8kw would be overkill for us. That would easily power our whole house. Thus the name I guess. I'd be looking at $2400 for one for me. My only concern would be if the natural gas supply was interrupted. I'm thinking of a major SHTF scenario obviously.

 

[TboneMan]

I think an 8kw would be overkill for us. That would easily power our whole house. Thus the name I guess. I'd be looking at $2400 for one for me. My only concern would be if the natural gas supply was interrupted. I'm thinking of a major SHTF scenario obviously.

If things are so bad that natural gas is interrupted, powering you house (what's left of it anyway) will be the least of your worries. In fact, you probably wouldn't want to broadcast that you have power (you'd be a target for civil unrest).