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Erik
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Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 3089
Location: Big Island of Hawaii On the slope of Mauna Loa 4500 feet mag 7 sky :)
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 Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:46 pm Post subject: Getting closer |
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With the help of a friend, we installed our inverter/charger, along with 4 large batteries, so our 24V system is up and running. Yesterday, I installed the breaker (I'd accidentally bought the wrong box at first, so I had to exchange it for the correct one), as well as the 8' ground pole and copper ground wire. Man, it's tough driving an 8' pole into lava rock with a sledgehammer!
We don't have the solar panels yet, so we charge the batteries with the generator until they reach 29V or so, and then run the house off the batteries until they get down below 24V. It's working great so far; much more efficient than having to turn the generator on for power. It will be nice to eliminate the generator altogether, except for emergencies. 
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-Erik Wilcox
Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob
SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ
Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod
Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount
Orion 10x50 binos
Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor
Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor
Evolution is both fact and theory. Creationism is neither. -Anonymous |
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snorkler
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Joined: 13 Feb 2008
Posts: 2428
Location: Bay Area, California
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Cool. I posted that off-grid thread to give you ideas, but you didn't need my help 
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Ah, but I was so much older then.
I'm younger than that now
Bob Dylan
Mileage above accumulated over 5000 miles!
Best trip 163 miles @ 52.6 mpg = 219% of EPA est. mileage!
Wife's car, driven by me only on long trips |
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Seantóir
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Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 2076
Location: Area 14, Kildare, Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Do you have any plans to use wind as well as solar? I imagine that at that elevation it should be possible to generate a respectable amount of power with a small wind turbine enclosed in a safety cage to protect birds.
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John
Life is a temporary assignment. |
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Erik
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 3089
Location: Big Island of Hawaii On the slope of Mauna Loa 4500 feet mag 7 sky :)
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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It's not often windy here. Despite our elevation, we're in a bit of a valley, as our lot is below the road. South Point, about 20 miles from us, is one of the windiest areas anywhere, so wind power would be an option if we lived there. Astronomy wouldn't be, though... 
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-Erik Wilcox
Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob
SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ
Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod
Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount
Orion 10x50 binos
Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor
Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor
Evolution is both fact and theory. Creationism is neither. -Anonymous |
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Square_peg
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Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 668
Location: Maple Valley, WA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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Cool to have a battery power system. I'm just starting one for emergency and field use here. I bought a 36"x36" solar kit from Harbor Freight and an Interstate deep cycle marine battery. I hope solar panels keep getting cheaper. I'd like to have a bunch more of them. Then a couple of forklift batteries for my emergency power. 
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Tom (Pegster) |
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Erik
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 3089
Location: Big Island of Hawaii On the slope of Mauna Loa 4500 feet mag 7 sky :)
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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I remember you'd gotten the solar panels, Tom- glad to hear you got the battery. I hope panels get cheaper too. We'll need quite a few, and they're running $700-900 a piece right now.
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-Erik Wilcox
Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob
SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ
Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod
Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount
Orion 10x50 binos
Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor
Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor
Evolution is both fact and theory. Creationism is neither. -Anonymous |
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Square_peg
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Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 668
Location: Maple Valley, WA
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Erik
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 3089
Location: Big Island of Hawaii On the slope of Mauna Loa 4500 feet mag 7 sky :)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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That's a great deal. I think the ones we were looking at were 200 watts.
How well do yours work, Tom? What are you using the energy to power?
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-Erik Wilcox
Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob
SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ
Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod
Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount
Orion 10x50 binos
Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor
Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor
Evolution is both fact and theory. Creationism is neither. -Anonymous |
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Erik
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 3089
Location: Big Island of Hawaii On the slope of Mauna Loa 4500 feet mag 7 sky :)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Also, I think the ones we need are pricier because we're building a 24V system.
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-Erik Wilcox
Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob
SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ
Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod
Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount
Orion 10x50 binos
Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor
Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor
Evolution is both fact and theory. Creationism is neither. -Anonymous |
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Square_peg
super member
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 668
Location: Maple Valley, WA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Erik wrote: | | That's a great deal. I think the ones we were looking at were 200 watts. |
That's close to the same watts/$ as mine. So far I've just used mine to charge 12v batteries. I bought it thinking it would be handy during power failures (they can last several days around here) and for field use at star parties and on camping trips.
Can solar panels be ran in series like batteries to boost the voltage up to 24v? Or do your solar panels vary in output with sunlight like mine and need to be regulated to 12v? Once you're in a 12v system it's easy to get 24v just by running in series.
How's your setup work?
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Tom (Pegster) |
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Erik
Site Admin
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 3089
Location: Big Island of Hawaii On the slope of Mauna Loa 4500 feet mag 7 sky :)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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We have four 12V batteries run in series, and a 1500W inverter/charger. A 5000W generator charges the batteries through the inverter- at least, until we get our panels.
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-Erik Wilcox
Homebuilt 16" Truss Dob
SV 80mm ED Nighthawk NG on M1 ALT/AZ
Nikon Prostaff 65mm spotter on Trekpod
Konusvue 20x80 binos/Peterson pipemount
Orion 10x50 binos
Homebuilt 80mm f/5 refractor
Mirador 60mm f/12 1960's refractor
Evolution is both fact and theory. Creationism is neither. -Anonymous |
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