fishbuck
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Watt is the answer?
How many watts of solar electricity is required to run a Casita? Has anyone tried wind power.
How does one run a refrigerator/freezer on solar power.
How many storage batteries are required?
[Edited on 12-28-2016 by fishbuck]
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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BajaNomad
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I believe the answer to this is different for everyone - and it depends upon you, and what your intended needs are (plus what your discovered needs
are once you get going!).
[Edited on 12-28-2016 by BajaNomad]
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
https://www.regionalinternet.com
Affordable Domain Name Registration/Management & cPanel Web Hosting - since 1999 |
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fishbuck
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I figured.
But is it possible to determine a sort off. "Baja offgrid standard".
Kind of a beginner minimum?
A tv, a fridge, lights,
When preparing for an offgrid life these are the sort of questions that arise.
Most solar systems are expandable too.
So to figure out the minimum buy in you first have to determine your minimum requirement.
For example. I figure a 3000 watt generator will run a 26 foot trailer.
But my 1st project would be to set up a solar system to replace the generator.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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El Jefe
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The good news is that solar systems are fairly modular so you can add capacity as your needs change. We started off with 3,500 watts solar capacity on
the roof and 12 huge 4 volt Rolls batteries in the garage to run a normal 2 bedroom house with all the usual appliances you would have stateside.
After adding a swimming pool we increased to 6,000 watts of solar panels with the same batteries. You can easily spend $20,000 on batteries alone.
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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monoloco
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Check out Dyno Batteries in Seattle. They have been building industrial batteries for the railroad and other applications since 1933, and they are
reasonably priced.
4248 23rd Ave. W.
Seattle Wa. 98199
206 283 7450
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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larryC
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I have no idea what you will need but my place runs on 2280 watts of solar on solar trackers which makes them equivalent out put wise to 3000 watts of
solar panels. I run 2 elec refers, a chest freezer, all my garage tools, table saw, skill saw, small mig welder etc. lights, TV and dvr, microwave and
all kitchen appliances, clothes washer, and gas dryer. When the sun doesn't shine for a few days then I run the gen to charge batteries. All in all it
works just fine. You need to figure out what you are going to be powering and size your system to that estimate. Probably you would want to double
your estimate, there are always things you didn't plan on, like the wife's elec coffee maker, hair dryer, curling iron, washing machine, clothes
dryer, and on and on and on.
good luck with it.
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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fishbuck
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Thanks! About what I thought.
I'm going from "fear of the unknown" to "Internet expert". 
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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fishbuck
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I like this little system.
Good little starter kit or waste of money?
San Quintin has plenty of wind and lots of sunshine.
900W System:400W Wind Turbine Generator & 5*100W Solar Panel & 1KW Inverter Home
Condition: New
$1,026.00
[Edited on 12-28-2016 by fishbuck]
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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Riom
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Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  |
But is it possible to determine a sort off. "Baja offgrid standard".
Kind of a beginner minimum?
A tv, a fridge, lights,
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Depends on how much you're prepared to adapt your lifestyle. My first place in Baja was a secondhand 5th wheel. Fridge, cooking and hot water were
propane, no TV, no 110V things at all, so my main power draws were 12V lights and the water pump. One 7A solar panel, a couple of batteries, and a
controller (no generator), installed cost well under $1000 12 years ago.
But that's probably more basic than most would be happy with, especially for a full-time place. And things have changed, fridges (and even
minisplits) have become much more efficient, lighting can now be leds.
One item that is surprisingly heavy on power (especially the start-up surge) is a microwave.
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LancairDriver
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Here is more information than you will ever need.
http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm
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Bob and Susan
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don't buy that $1000 set...waste of money
i'd stick with larryc advice
buy outback inverter and charge controller
don't buy a windmill...they are NOISY!!!
not a good investment
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fishbuck
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Again, also what I was thinking.
I know I will need some good components eventually. Enspecially when I put in my pool and jacuzzi... later. And a sauna. I'm a sauna junky.
I am only planning on living in my trailer 2 years max while build.
I will eventually put the panels on the garage roof and the garage will be the first structure. Then the 1st casita.
So the system is really for the casita and later when it grows into a full casa and maybe even a casa grande.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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Russ
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When designing your garage try to have the roof facing the right way for solar and roofing to allow you to install the solar racks easily. I think a
good starter system would be 4- 220wat panels with an area to expand for 4 more when the casita is complete and you're ready to make it a house with a
the goodies that use power. A 4000watt inverter ( I have a Trace 4024 - almost 20 years old now) and an Outback 80 amp charge controller. You'll want
a combiner box for panel connections and a breaker box / switch for the panels and another for the batteries. Batteries... There are a lot of ideas on
that and newer technology coming out now and in the near future to make the choice difficult. I am still using L-16 batteries and have 8 of them. No
hair dryer, coffee maker or cloths dryer. You can always top off the batteries with your generator that will run a mini split AC if needed. Craigs
List sometimes have some good deals so watch for them. Check with neighbors to see what works for them and what their usage is. Oh, I'm starting to
switch out lighting for the LED type now. They use about 1/2 what I had or less. Put in some serious thought for house wiring and an expandable main
breaker box.
Good luck!
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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rts551
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Talk to Ron at talkbaja. (Bajagringo here). he is off grid and in your area.
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larryC
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| Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck | I like this little system.
Good little starter kit or waste of money?
San Quintin has plenty of wind and lots of sunshine.
900W System:400W Wind Turbine Generator & 5*100W Solar Panel & 1KW Inverter Home
Condition: New
$1,026.00
[Edited on 12-28-2016 by fishbuck] |
That inverter in the picture does not appear to be an inverter/charger. Typically solar batteries are very high amphour capacity and to recharge them
can take a long time unless your charger can put out high amperage. My outback inverters can put out 125 amps to charge the batteries. So suppose your
batteries are down 400 amphours to recarge them with the inverter acting as a charger would only take 3 to 4 hours (because of the tapering charge)
but to charge the same battery using a small automotive charger could take days of generator time. I find the inverter/charger to be a huge asset in
my system.
And I agree with Bob, rotating machinery breaks, usually when you need it the most. Put your money into solar panels. I would start out with no less
that 1000 watts of solar panels and plan on doubling that. Another consideration is the voltage of your system. If you go with a 24v or 48v system you
will save on charge controllers and wire. You can use smaller wire with a 24/48v system.
Lots to learn.
[Edited on 12-29-2016 by larryC]
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan | don't buy that $1000 set...waste of money
i'd stick with larryc advice
buy outback inverter and charge controller
don't buy a windmill...they are NOISY!!!
not a good investment |
My wind generator makes very little noise. Works great in our windy climate. I know others in the San Quintin area that say the same thing.
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