Guru
Joined: 17/10/2017
Location: BelgiumPosts: 481
| Posted: 08:37pm 18 Nov 2023 |
Difficult question
It was summer 2018 when I put up my first solar panels (about 11kWp) at my private house. First year with a grid connection and since then without, I now have a backup generator. Started with a small scheppach 2000W generator and now owning a hyundai hy3200 (still toys actually), in a somewhat isolated cabin wich I can turn from inside the house. I can't say they run flawlessly, the scheppach needs investigation, it won't run continuously anymore. The hyundai is decent but I just had 2 weeks troubles with the hyundai because of a bad fuell on/off switch, last year I had a stuck exhaust valve. But I'm not an expert with InternalCombustionEngines.
I should have gone straight to a decent diesel (with wkk) and do proper maintenance from the beginning.
I have a combination of maintanance free lead accids(300Ah) and lifepo4 battery's (400Ah permanent 400Ah for experiments), 48V system.
Everything is DIY (with great forum contribution) but not on the 100% finished level that I want, and sure not kids friendly.
Last 2 years I did great things professionally but that made me do very little on my system and completely ruined my health and motivation/energylevel.
If the sun is out for 8-9 months/year I'm very happy, it gives an amazing feeling knowing everything in the house is working only with the power of the sun. I have also a collector making hot water.
For 5 years now I never had a power down, except for implementing modifications. The system doesn't need a lot of maintenance, just the generator.
For the batteries, need to make sure they stay charged so manual activating the generator (this could be automated, another project...).
And, don't use all appliances at once but better to spread the load as much as possible.
But for example, I can't say I'm living without stress if I'm away for 3 weeks, I work in power electronics and I have seen the results of spectacular blow ups. Not all cause I fire but that is my greatest concern. My system is currently located in the basement...
When I installed my system I was 30, now I'm 35 and have 2 small kids... I'm not the same fearless guy I once was anymore.
Since I've constructed my house, they've build 2 new houses near me and I'm not feeling that comfortable as 5 years ago when I turn on my generator or throw another log in my nice wood stove(where I completely heat my house with also sanitary water). Damn eco movement...
It's not that I live in the city but I do have neighbors left and right within 20 meters.
Winter is coming now where I live, and we do not have a lot of sun in this part of Europe, so the generator needs to be put on. You can still hear it inside the house because the cabin is placed on the other side of the wall. I always need to think ahead if we have guests, I don't want it to be running. And it would be silly to plug in a power cord at the neighbors no? So when the generator fails...
I think I'm living in constant stress if I read the above again :p
We also go in "winter modus" where we use the dishwasher less, or towels are not going in to the dryer etc.
It's because I'm considering it somewhat as a hobby, If I look at myself I'm still that little inventor I was when I was like 4-5years old. It's a great platform to experiment with and to keep learning.
So in a final attempt to stay off grid (I serious consider a grid connection, it's not that expensive and at this moment pretty reliable, but in the future with all those electrical cars, heatpumps, closing nuclear plants, importing only energy...), and a total financial stupid idea, I purchased another pallet of solar panels to occupy every bit of roof or place to fill with solar panels. So that in theory I have enough energy to go thru winter. I'm now having trouble to put everything up and running because of the bad weather, so I already failed in my attempt to use the generator as little as possible.
Also I didn't finalize how I would "manage" the system, I'm still in doubt how for example I transfer the energy (parallel/series, etc) from the solar panels to the battery. 30kWp is a lot of potential power to handle
Edited 2023-11-19 07:01 by nickskethisniks