Questions tagged [solar]
The solar tag has no usage guidance.
0
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1answer
32 views
AC Combiner Box for Solar Project
I've been searching online for a NEMA 3R enclosure to act as a combiner for two 40 Amp, 240v circuits coming out of two solar inverters. Total combined amperage is 80 Amps. The AHJ is going to be ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views
Comparing mixed orientation solar panels to non-mixed on a Brooklyn Solar install
I'm looking for advice on choosing from two solar panel proposals. I have a historic landmark brownstone in Brooklyn with a flat roof and am looking for the most power that I can fit into the roof ...
0
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2answers
57 views
Solar air conditioning
What are your thoughts on this Rube Goldberg system I may try this spring in Wilmington, NC.
A shallow well about 15 feet to the well point; static water at 10 feet.
Water temp at 58-60 degrees out ...
0
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2answers
93 views
Off grid Solar What panel to use to distribute power to 2 locations Butte County California
Panels, Batteries and Inverter are all in the shop. Lighting, outlets, sprinkler system pump and well pump will be run off the sub panel in the garage. House isn't here yet but will have a 200 amp ...
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1answer
40 views
Temperature monitoring for storage hot water system (RP-2 connection)
My HWS has a secondary outlet connection I don't use, and I'd like to use it to install a thermal probe I can monitor.
HWS RP ¾ / 20 temp probe?
Does anyone know of a practical way to install a ...
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0answers
58 views
Connecting house battery to starter battery - cable sizing considering alternator?
I have a heavy duty 6 ton truck with 24 volt start batteries. I am building a house battery system, also 24 volts. I want to connect the house battery to the car battery with a switch, so that I can ...
0
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2answers
50 views
Status of solar-powered landscaping lights [closed]
As of now (9/2018), are solar-powered landscaping lights a sensible option?
In 5-year intervals, for the past 15 years, I've been suckered into buying solar-powered landscaping lights and every time ...
0
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2answers
211 views
Use a solar light inside
I have a solar light with motion detection that works fine outside. I'd like to know if I can use it inside as well. I want to place it on the windowsill of my clerestory window so that it charges ...
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0answers
45 views
Solar panel not charging battery
I have a small PV system for my shed. Just setting up and testing at this point.
90W panel
MPPT T20 charge controller - 20 AMP
120ah 12 volt battery
Only one led light connected to load.
I am not ...
0
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1answer
40 views
Good Solar Path LEDs for cloudy weather [closed]
I live in Seattle, where its usually rainy/cloudy for 8 months of the year. Do solar path LED lights make sense? If yes, could I have a recommendation?
This was suggested to me:
https://www.lowes....
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2answers
78 views
Any ideas for how to use solar to offset electricity in an apartment? [closed]
I have 2 solar panels and a deck that is east and south facing, so it gets plenty of sun. I've been trying to see if there's a way to use those to help offset electricity in an apartment. Any ideas ...
0
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1answer
76 views
Advice on adding a LPG Gas Boiler on Central Heating System with a Hot Water Storage Tank heated with Solar Panels
I am from Kathmandu, Nepal, and presently trying to install a central heating system in my house using Solar Water Heater.
Background:
Winter days in Kathmandu lasts about 130 days a year. Minimum ...
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1answer
1k views
energizing both elements of electric hot water heater
I'm considering using an electric hot water heater (EHWH) with upper and lower heating elements as an electric diversion load. This EHWH would be for pre-heating the water bound for the standard HWH....
6
votes
2answers
574 views
Do I need to upgrade to a 400A panel with solar?
I'm getting solar installed with some powerwalls. As it stands I'm going to have my entire house backed up.
However, I plan to add two EV chargers in the future and I don't want these backed up.
The ...
1
vote
0answers
75 views
Off-Grid Garden Irrigation Pump/Plumbing Question
I am trying to design a system for irrigation of a garden area that has no access to grid electricity, but does have a 24V solar system. There is a spring/seep with a tank at relative elevation 0. ...
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2answers
50 views
Over voltage protection to prevent appliances from burning
I have recently installed a solar energy system at my home, I am currently looking for a protection device that could protect my inverter and other appliances from burning if an over voltage (let's ...
0
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1answer
36 views
Solar for particular electronic equipment
I am living in a rental house. Earlier i had an idea to install solar panel for whole house but the cost is very high and other problem is if i am going to shift the house I want to move solar ...
1
vote
2answers
79 views
Solar powered routers and security cameras [closed]
I would like to put a web cam at the end of my driveway, but don't want to run any new wire (plus it is at least a hundred yards). I know that there are solar powered security cameras, but I don't ...
0
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1answer
55 views
How to calculate theoretical long-term projected savings for a DIY solar powered fridge? [closed]
I went on energystar [dot] gov and used their product finder to find the lowest "annual energy use" compact refrigerator. For my use, that turned out to be the FURRION - FCR43ACA-BL which has an ...
2
votes
1answer
487 views
Is there a type of interlock (transfer switch) that can be used for a generator OR solar panels?
For a new house, I've decided to install two breaker panels, one for critical loads like the well pump, lights, refrigerator and certain outlets, and a second for heavy and non-critical items like the ...
0
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1answer
164 views
Solar powered thermal ballast - is it feasible?
My living room gets plenty of sun from big, west facing windows. As the cold weather is approaching, I wanted to make a device that leveraged this exposure to sunlight to store some energy and slowly ...
1
vote
1answer
595 views
Solar Water Heater Exchanger Removal, Glycol Removal
I have an old Reynolds Solar Hot Water Heater and would like to uninstall/remove it safely. All my solar panels were removed years ago but the tank is still here. COLD and HOT lines leading to solar ...
3
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1answer
69 views
Can I convert a 12 volt DC device that uses a 240v transformer, back to 12 volt?
I have a small snack bar/kitchen trailer that I need to convert partly to 12 volt.
There is a 12 volt dc water pump 5.2amp and an LED strip light 12volt 5.2 amp - both of these devices currently have ...
2
votes
1answer
477 views
Charging a battery with a solar panel
I want to light a cabin.
I have the following:
75w 12V Coleman solar panel (two bare wire ends)
Large car battery from a Jeep
Even larger (boat?) battery - an Optima Yellowtop 34/78
50/10/2A 12V ...
4
votes
2answers
531 views
Multiple grid-tie (non-micro) inverters
This is a question that just occurred to me. Assume you have multiple grid-tie solar PV inverters connected to your home load center. What would happen if, while in operation, you were to open the ...
0
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2answers
97 views
How does a roof replacement impact recommended timing of solar panel installation?
I just found out that I should replace my (currently asphalt shingle) roof in the next year. I am also interested in evaluating the feasibility of installing photovoltaic and/or solar hot water panels....
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Offgrid L14-30 connector to solar generator
I have a small off-grid cabin in the woods that I recently purchased. The previous owner had a L14-30 generator connector installed on the outside of the cabin and wired it with normal 120v outlets 4 ...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
Rig a 10W DC solar panel to feed back into house power?
I have one of these: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/retired/9759
Is it possible to rig it up so it is providing general power for my house albeit in very low capacity?
How would I do so?
2
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0answers
43 views
Combining a solar collector with photovoltaics
Our house has 10 solar collector panels, each 1 by 2 meters, installed around 20 years ago. By now their polycarbonate covers are breaking down due to the elements, and we've thought about the ...
0
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0answers
28 views
Solar Water Heater issue
I have a solar hot water heater, and one of the pipes in the crawl space starting leaking. I have shut off the pipes thru crawl space and just running off the electric for now.
The pipe with the run ...
1
vote
3answers
197 views
How can I economically switch between two home power sources?
We're researching low cost solar power systems, and we stumbled across a company out of Tx, offering a system that allows you to switch individual circuits between your service lines and solar. Sounds ...
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2answers
164 views
Will this solar charger work with my solar panel setup?
I recently bought some used solar panels that are about 25 years old, because I got a great deal on them. They have some odd operating values, which is confusing me as to which solar charger will work ...
0
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1answer
43 views
PVC solar 2" pipe joints degrading from ultraviolet…something I should anticipate more of?
I've had leaks develop from the pipe joints on my 2" main PVC lines that feed solar network for pool heating. Tech pages say pipe should be painted white but will that do anything for the couplers? ...
1
vote
1answer
115 views
Making a Solar Power Battery Backup Unit
Ok, so this is a small battery backup unit.
I want to just start small and see if I can get the idea working.
I'll buy this 20 watt solar panel with charge control
http://www.amazon.com/20W-12V-...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
Solar panel to DC heating element to pre-heat water before on demand water heater
I'm looking to possibly buy an Craigslist water heater($120), replace the heating element with a DC unit(12V), and power it with a 100 watt solar panel (12V). On an 40 to 80 gallon insulated tank ...
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2answers
257 views
Switching to LEDs: 12v LEDs on existing transformer or remove transformer and use 240v LEDs - Which is better?
I have +/- 50 10w halogen lights running on transformers at 12v. I want to switch these to LEDs.
Some quotes are coming in with keeping the 12v transformers and getting 12v LEDs and some are on ...
1
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1answer
51 views
Using solar to heat water
I am designing a compact home on a high elevation in Colorado. There will be a finished basement apartment on a concrete slab and I was thinking of spiraling PVC pipe through the slab to heat it. ...
2
votes
1answer
977 views
Is Solar Heating of Pool worth it? Especially after Time of Use (TOU) electric rates are introduced?
I'm thinking of getting solar heating for my pool. We're in San Diego and the cost would be about $6000. Currently, I don't heat the pool at all as it's prohibitively expensive with natural gas. I ...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
Sizing electrical wire from Solar Panels
Our home has a 200 AMP main service disconnect and a 200 AMP sub-panel inside the house. The barn is about 200 feet away with a small sub-panel and is currently fed by a an overhead 8/3 wire. I plan ...
3
votes
3answers
131 views
Photovoltaic installation: does it make sense (or is possible at all) to get a bigger inverter than the power output of the installed panels?
We are going to install a PV in our offices. Our actual needs would be satisfied by an installation of about 4kW, so that ~16 panels of 250W. It's going to be a central-inverter, grid-connected ...
2
votes
1answer
710 views
Why does the Tesla PowerWall operate at 350v - 450v?
According to the Tesla website the new Powerwall operates at 350 to 450 volts? Why such a high voltage when most solar battery banks operate at 48V?
3
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2answers
243 views
Solar backup system, advice needed
Here in South Africa we are experiencing frequent power blackouts, as I work from home on a small property (generators not an option) this is rather disruptive to my work as a programmer. So bearing ...
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4answers
2k views
Would it be entirely crazy to cover my lawn with solar panels?
I was just wondering how viable this would be and if this seemed too crazy. I have a fairly large lawn that just so happens be sloped and facing east. Assuming the city ordinances don't bar me from ...
0
votes
1answer
3k views
Regulations 2015 NEC regarding 12/24 volts DC, New DC wiring Light/+in my old.“ I'm Scared ”
What might regulations would there be in the 2015 national residential electrical code regarding 12/24 volts dc in residence.
I want to install mostly lighting but also also all electronic devices ...
0
votes
1answer
214 views
splitting sun tunnel
We have a nice sun tunnel in the kitchen soffited area that I would like to split off with a 90 t and add a 4' extension and an additional plate on a vertcial side of the soffit. I realize I am not ...
0
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1answer
108 views
Is it worth it to upgrade a solar system to get power from partially obstructed panels?
So I did a 7K solar system in 2009. A year or two later I was reading about a new converter that removed the penalty for partially obstructed panels. In other words, if one of the 4 panels in a row is ...
0
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1answer
427 views
solar tubes to heat room [closed]
What if I actually WANTED to use a solar (skylight) tube to help heat a room? (WANTED because some folks have reported unwanted heat coming down the shaft to be a problem in the summer.) It struck me ...
2
votes
3answers
10k views
What is required to connect solar panels to my home without connecting to the grid?
My household has a base power consumption of approx. 200W-300W. I am considering if it was possible to get a reasonably sized solar panel to cover its needs when the sun is up, with a seamless ...
1
vote
1answer
258 views
No hot water even if heating elements work (solar/boiler combination)
I've got following setup for heating water:
boiler
solar panel on the roof
The overall setup is simple - the cold water enters the system and goes first through the solar panel and then through the ...
2
votes
2answers
86 views
What factors should I experiment with to improve the performance of a DIY solar hot water system?
Background:
Late in the summer last year I finally commissioned a DIY solar hot water pre-heat project. Very simple, drain back, open (vented) tank, PEX coil for a heat exchanger,
PEX plumbing ...
