Anyone out there using a Tesla battery (or at least solar) to power your grow rooms?

I see there's a market for used Tesla car batteries. People are using them for all sorts of purposes, including powering rooms of their house. In about two years, I'm buying a house in the mountains. Places I'm looking at have a population density of like 30 people per square mile. I'm not going to want to depend on the grid 100%. Supplementing with solar seems like a must. But I do like the Tesla option. The used batteries are still a big purchase -- they're not cheap.

At this point, I'm curious to know what those of you who live "in the cut" use for a discreet, reliable power supply.

Apostatize said:

I see there's a market for used Tesla car batteries. People are using them for all sorts of purposes, including powering rooms of their house. In about two years, I'm buying a house in the mountains. Places I'm looking at have a population density of like 30 people per square mile. I'm not going to want to depend on the grid 100%. Supplementing with solar seems like a must. But I do like the Tesla option. The used batteries are still a big purchase -- they're not cheap.

At this point, I'm curious to know what those of you who live "in the cut" use for a discreet, reliable power supply.

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Reliable? The electric company. Solar produces even on cloudy days but start checking wattage on these panels.100 watt with the inverter was special at Costco last spring. $100 each. Start adding that up along with the controller and deep cycle batteries. It ain't cheap.

I've got juice to my cabin. My off-grid friends get jealous in winter.

hotrodharley said:

Reliable? The electric company. Solar produces even on cloudy days but start checking wattage on these panels.100 watt with the inverter was special at Costco last spring. $100 each. Start adding that up along with the controller and deep cycle batteries. It ain't cheap.

I've got juice to my cabin. My off-grid friends get jealous in winter.

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Right, it's mostly that I don't really understand how solar/Tesla batteries work when your house is powered by an electric company. With a battery, it seemed like the battery was the only source of power to the rooms -- or perhaps, specific breakers/outlets, depending on which you choose to wire to the box/battery. But if you have solar panels on a house powered by an electric company, I imagined the amount of energy is constant and the mix of solar/regular electric changes as available solar energy fluctuates. No idea, but figuring this stuff out now will position me to make smarter decisions.

Thanks!

Apostatize said:

Right, it's mostly that I don't really understand how solar/Tesla batteries work when your house is powered by an electric company. With a battery, it seemed like the battery was the only source of power to the rooms -- or perhaps, specific breakers/outlets, depending on which you choose to wire to the box/battery. But if you have solar panels on a house powered by an electric company, I imagined the amount of energy is constant and the mix of solar/regular electric changes as available solar energy fluctuates. No idea, but figuring this stuff out now will position me to make smarter decisions.

Thanks!

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The panels power the house anything over what you don't use can be bought my the power company. There's an inverter I think that switches back.and forth. The batteries are really only for night before the need for supplemental power from.the company.
For my house to get solar and cover 100% of my needs for a 2600 sqft house in Oklahoma installed and all.permits pulled for the it and the power company approved it would cost me 27-36k

Apostatize said:

Right, it's mostly that I don't really understand how solar/Tesla batteries work when your house is powered by an electric company. With a battery, it seemed like the battery was the only source of power to the rooms -- or perhaps, specific breakers/outlets, depending on which you choose to wire to the box/battery. But if you have solar panels on a house powered by an electric company, I imagined the amount of energy is constant and the mix of solar/regular electric changes as available solar energy fluctuates. No idea, but figuring this stuff out now will position me to make smarter decisions.

Thanks!

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If you produce more power than you use with your solar it goes into the grid through a meter and you're paid for it. If your solar isn't producing enough you draw from the grid. The battery bank is constantly charging if panels are receiving light. If there's a total power outage that's where your battery bank comes in.

If you are even halfway considering solar you should be very selective about where you buy and build. As you likely know you want as much southern exposure as possible.

Many states require you to tie into the grid if you install solar or wind.

As for the batteries in a few more years they'll start going bad and then all that lithium junk will end up a junk yard unless we start shooting them into.the sun.

Lordhooha said:

As for the batteries in a few more years they'll start going bad and then all that lithium junk will end up a junk yard unless we start shooting them into.the sun.

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And if you use acid lead batteries like most have to they gas off so should be in a separate enclosure from living quarters.

hotrodharley said:

If you produce more power than you use with your solar it goes into the grid through a meter and you're paid for it. If your solar isn't producing enough you draw from the grid. The battery bank is constantly charging if panels are receiving light. If there's a total power outage that's where your battery bank comes in.

If you are even halfway considering solar you should be very selective about where you buy and build. As you likely know you want as much southern exposure as possible.

Many states require you to tie into the grid if you install solar or wind.

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Ahh, worked in a power co's reg compliance office, recall power cos being required to buy energy from individuals, particularly producers of a certain capacity, but it never occurred to me that they'd have to pay for energy I'd produce from panels (or at least lower my bill). I haven't looked into this very closely apparently. That's really cool and gives me a few directions to do some research. Thanks!

Wow, that whole concept tied together nicely the way you explained it. Helpful.

I have a 200w solar panel on the roof of my shed, and my grow tents are inside of the shed. I use the panel to power a 12v fan, which brings in fresh air from outside, and I also use it to power 12v LEDs (intended for RV's) to clone with. I'm using two 12v marine batteries in parallel to hold the juice. I need more panels and more batteries to really do much more, but I did it mostly just to get my feet wet with solar, and also get some free juice from the sun.

Lordhooha said:

As for the batteries in a few more years they'll start going bad and then all that lithium junk will end up a junk yard unless we start shooting them into.the sun.

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I like that shooting them into the sun idea!

hotrodharley said:

If you produce more power than you use with your solar it goes into the grid through a meter and you're paid for it. If your solar isn't producing enough you draw from the grid. The battery bank is constantly charging if panels are receiving light. If there's a total power outage that's where your battery bank comes in.

Many states require you to tie into the grid if you install solar or wind.

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you'd think you'd be able to set a timer to, for example, switch to battery power at night after it's charged all day; and switch back to your solar/power co. feed during the day. if a battery's reduced to a generator during storms, you're not getting all the value you can from a Tesla battery, considering lifespan, capacity, price.

Apostatize said:

you'd think you'd be able to set a timer to, for example, switch to battery power at night after it's charged all day; and switch back to your solar/power co. feed during the day. if a battery's reduced to a generator during storms, you're not getting all the value you can from a Tesla battery, considering lifespan, capacity, price.

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Oh I don't know anyone rich enough for a Tesla Wall. Everyone I know uses marine or golf cart batteries.

As for the batteries in a few more years they'll start going bad and then all that lithium junk will end up a junk yard unless we start shooting them into.the sun.

Apostatize said:

you'd think you'd be able to set a timer to, for example, switch to battery power at night after it's charged all day; and switch back to your solar/power co. feed during the day. if a battery's reduced to a generator during storms, you're not getting all the value you can from a Tesla battery, considering lifespan, capacity, price.

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If I do solar on this house I'm not wasting money on the batteries. Not worth the cost or space they take up

Lordhooha said:

As for the batteries in a few more years they'll start going bad and then all that lithium junk will end up a junk yard unless we start shooting them into.the sun.

If I do solar on this house I'm not wasting money on the batteries. Not worth the cost or space they take up

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Totally agree. Use it while it's working. Batteries are a nightmare. Heavy. Must be recycled as hazardous waste.

hotrodharley said:

Oh I don't know anyone rich enough for a Tesla Wall. Everyone I know uses marine or golf cart batteries.

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Used, Tesla batteries go for like $1,900+. But a good one that will last 10 years is probably a lot more expensive. Probably need more than one? If they do what I think they can do, a Tesla battery would pay for itself within a year+ (unless it's like $30k, that'd be crazy). Supposedly, the battery lasts longer than the car in some cases ... and Tesla claims its recycling process/battery recyclability is improved and improving. Used batteries are pulled from wrecked Teslas and other ways they could end up in a landfill.

Who's the battery plug around here?

Apostatize said:

Used, Tesla batteries go for like $1,900+. But a good one that will last 10 years is probably a lot more expensive. Probably need more than one? If they do what I think they can do, a Tesla battery would pay for itself within a year+ (unless it's like $30k, that'd be crazy). Supposedly, the battery lasts longer than the car in some cases ... and Tesla claims its recycling process/battery recyclability is improved and improving. Used batteries are pulled from wrecked Teslas and other ways they could end up in a landfill.

Who's the battery plug around here?

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Tesla car batteries are totally different than the Tesla wall. Hell you can already buy used Prius batteries.

This book has helped me understand solar a ton. An off grid indoor grow would be awesome.

I can see people killing themselves playing with ev and hybrid batteries. No idea what Tesla uses but I work on 380v dc hybrid and extensive training was required to do so.

Lordhooha said:

If I do solar on this house I'm not wasting money on the batteries. Not worth the cost or space they take up

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I think it is real close for the Tesla Powerwall to be worth every penny. You need to store your excess power from the panels, otherwise it's just a waste. It acts as a backup generator in the event the grid is compromised as well.

J232 said:

I can see people killing themselves playing with ev and hybrid batteries. No idea what Tesla uses but I work on 380v dc hybrid and extensive training was required to do so.

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Right, I don't even change my oil. It's something new'ish and a pro installer might question my purposes (paranoid); also, I'm not sure you can just ask any local electrician. I have an electrician friend that added breakers/outlets, I want to know enough about it primarily to budget for what I'll need to buy. He's a little hesitant, I think he appreciates the complexity/difficulty of what I'm asking (or at least acknowledges it's beyond his experience). Two years to plan. I'll dig up as many guidance docs as necessary to assess project needs, I want to ensure no animals are harmed while I grow, including humans.