off grid electricity

If I remember correctly, the cost of the panels would have been around $12K, but I may have been mistaken. There are Federal and State tax credits (maybe rebates) which helps some but i think the break even point for me was around 10 years- at least that's what they claimed. They do offer a buy out program (purchase panels) after 5 years. But leasing leaves them on the hook for repairs, maintenance, etc.

Lastly, if they didn't look like crap on the roof, I probably would have considered it more seriously.......

Moneymike313 said:

yo is the chat not working? I haven been on in a few years can I get some help plz

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If you just started with a new name it takes like 48.hrs plus a handful if posts and a similar number of likes by different people of your posts and then you can do the other things again. Here's a like for ya!

Aliexpress.com look up wind generators. It's a bulk outlet site so they sell for wholesale super cheap prices. The products are not cheap crap tho. I have bought several items from different companies on this site and they were really good, customer service is good for some companies.
I am not expecting 100% efficiency, I want to poke my head around and see what other people think. After looking at all this, I think if I keep the two 300 w led I have now, and cut out the 1400 watt panel, it will be better. As for winter weather I'm thinking I should get a hps, maybe just a 100w to add light and heat.
I don't think hiring a midget on a bicycle is in my budge. Have you seen how many skittles they can eat in one sitting?

Thanks for the input both good and bad it gives me something to think about.

So the battery pack I think I'm understanding it better. I can hook everything up and let it run for a bit to charge the batteries, then start using my electronics after the batteries have a charge
I am thinking relatively temporary. After it warms up next year I will probably just go outdoor depo and not have to use electricity, then by this time next year I can have a longer term plan going

4 years ago I was involved with a lot of renewable energy topics at school. Wind is the way to go in terms of efficiency and return on investment. It is also more reliable as the wind always blows where as it may only be sunny 50% of the time

fandango said:

The big thing about solar is they are working on storage batteries the size of a school bus and have yet to make this event happen,so just have to wait awhile.
As for us small solar users,it cost 500 bucks per panel for materials to make 200w

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One might say that battery improvements are battery improvements...not solar energy improvements.

I think a down grade with cutting the big light will help.

Can I hook up the wind generators in a series? Or do they have to be set up independent? And then If I have a 300 watt light connected to a 400 watt generator can I hook up a heater to run when the light goes off even if light+heater<400w? Since only one will be running at a time?

bravedave said:

One might say that battery improvements are battery improvements...not solar energy improvements.

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The battery is to feed the power grid for American homes,soul source of voltage from the solar array regulated power feed

ryan s said:

4 years ago I was involved with a lot of renewable energy topics at school. Wind is the way to go in terms of efficiency and return on investment. It is also more reliable as the wind always blows where as it may only be sunny 50% of the time

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How do you figure? Wind, does not always blow and the ROI may beat solar but in general its also a loser and without subsidies always a loser. Its unfortunate all the money dumped into worthless products by governments around the globe was not earmarked for making the product viable first.

fandango said:

The battery is to feed the power grid for American homes,soul source of voltage from the solar array regulated power feed

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Right, but a better battery is not going to dust off the solar panels or stop the desert sand from screwing with positioning. I'll have to find the article about the CA city that went all in solar...I don't think battery storage was even mentioned as an issue but maybe it was.

I think it's called progress. Over time the technology will pay for itself and that makes it a viable choice over coal and even nuclear power. Which we don't even know what to do with the ever growing spent fuel. It's cleaner. Of course dams are efficient but you have to completely alter!!!!!!!!! Our natural environment to build them. And what are the upfront costs of building a damn(nuke) power plant and how long does that take to recoup the costs?

So, I feel going off grid is a worthwhile goal to those who can afford the up front costs. How great is that to truly live away from it all and still have the common comforts of electric power and all the amenities it provides including running your direct tv? IF you can afford it. It's certainly not all about just saving money. But, it also gets us off the grid. It gives us independence. It's green and helps save our environment.

Supposedly Telsa (or the guy that started that company) is coming out with new revolutionary batteries next month, per Solar City........

GrowUrOwnDank said:

I think it's called progress. Over time the technology will pay for itself and that makes it a viable choice over coal and even nuclear power. Which we don't know what to with the ever growing spent fuel. It's cleaner. Of course dams are efficient but you have to completely alter!!!!!!!!! Our natural environment to build them. And what are the upfront costs of building a damn(nuke) power plant and how long does that take to recoup the costs?

So, I feel going off grid is a worthwhile goal to those who can afford the up front costs. How great is that to truly live away from it all and still have the common comforts of electric power and all the amenities it provides including running your direct tv? IF you can afford it. It's certainly not all about just saving money. But, it's also gets us off the grid. It gives us independence. It's green and helps save our environment.

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Beware of those touting progress while showing little. What happens with its future does not make it viable now. That is complete BS. It falls in line nicely with the rest of your post, however.

New Age United said:

If you could go wind/solar that would be sweet but that sounds kinda cheap you don't wanta buy garbage don't cheap out get something that's actually gonna last you. The batteries are for storing the power bc either wind or solar is not going to produce constant 400w output so you may have to get a couple units to provide 18 hours light. If you're going to go with a generator don't go with a big one there pigs on gas and you don't need that much. Better off going with a couple of 1000W Honda generators.

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Honda generators kick ass. Worth every penny. So quiet.

Google self runig generator. Take electric motor conext to a generator head. I'm saving up to do one. Basically the electric motor takes x amount of power from the head and rest is overage. You can buy a nice head around 1000 $ for 15000 watts electric motor will use around 4000 watts so 11000 watts of power for grow. Just read how many rpms needed to turn it. To turn it on you will need 110 volts from power company to start motor and when its spinning fast enough flip it over to generator head side.

bravedave said:

Beware of those touting progress while showing little. What happens with its future does not make it viable now. That is complete BS. It falls in line nicely with the rest of your post, however.

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Your future is that of an ignorant uneducated stoner bro. lol. I mean seriously and embrace your career in the toy isle. Stay stoned, play with your Xbox. And stay out of the way while the world builds up a grid to provide you with cheap electric power you can afford to keep your games going.

OP. I like solar panels the best because I have some knowledge of that and not wind. But, if you ever noticed, wind farms been around for many decades. And I remember seeing them decades ago built in areas where natural wind currents would occur. As others have stated. You have to figure in where and how you are going to position these alternative energy sources. But, gas generators? I mean to me. That doesn't save you anything over time. You really need to do the math to even see if the idea could even be profitable.

Have a great day RIU. Good thread OP.

Darth Vapour said:

Dude i think you got it all wrong i have off grid 7200watts 6750 watt continuous i mean i can run that 24 hrs a day....
I put in my new home and planing was done way before roof was installed people do not realize the importance of the Pitch of your roof this will determine amount of sunlight hrs you will get
down fall it was over 15,000 and another 3500 to put in .. this is something you actually leave for the pro's and from what i have learned is efficiency is not how you think of it its most efficient panels use less space for instance my set up i have 27 - 250 watts solar panels black base daily watts based on 5 sun hrs is 33,750 watts its all about getting the best power performance and that is actually having it in the correct orientation and direction also important is air flow solar panels do not like Hot and will perform better at the proper operating range i have already talked to them about another set up that actually follows the sun but ground based units

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What storage battery system do you use Darth?

bravedave said:

One might say that battery improvements are battery improvements...not solar energy improvements.

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SSHZ said:

Supposedly Telsa (or the guy that started that company) is coming out with new revolutionary batteries next month, per Solar City........

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HERE is the link to Elan Musk's Tesla Motors "POWERWALL" division.......These are an "affordable and efficient" alternative to high priced and large battery storage systems! They work very well with home wind and solar generation systems.....Note the price compared to $35K "normal" battery storage prices! Less then 10% of the cost!

http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall

I read about these in Pop Science,,,,,,NICE!

Doc

This thread turned into more of a pissing contest...

I have talked to the manufacture of the particular generators I was looking at. For a 2000 watt wind + 600 watt solar including the inverter, tower, wiring panels etc it will be 2000 and change.

For a 2000 watt wind generator and all equipment it will cost 1505.

I was thinking to be extra safe I would get the first package and add a 400 watt wind generator as well for 3k watts at top power. So with 50% power I would have enough to run the big led. Does it sound like a good idea? Can I link two wind generators to the same inverter?

Hopefully I get to start this by the end of this month! I will post pics to my grow and stuff after I get it going. Hopefully the ones of you guys that are still with me and leaving helpful comments will see this progress and let me know What they think! Have a good and stony day!

mikek420 said:

This thread turned into more of a pissing contest...

I have talked to the manufacture of the particular generators I was looking at. For a 2000 watt wind + 600 watt solar including the inverter, tower, wiring panels etc it will be 2000 and change.

For a 2000 watt wind generator and all equipment it will cost 1505.

I was thinking to be extra safe I would get the first package and add a 400 watt wind generator as well for 3k watts at top power. So with 50% power I would have enough to run the big led. Does it sound like a good idea? Can I link two wind generators to the same inverter?

Hopefully I get to start this by the end of this month! I will post pics to my grow and stuff after I get it going. Hopefully the ones of you guys that are still with me and leaving helpful comments will see this progress and let me know What they think! Have a good and stony day!

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Sounds like an interesting project. Maybe I missed it...What is the backup power then? Are you prepared for a cloudy, calm week... 2 weeks? Adding wattage to your generating capacity does allow you to take better advantage when there is a wind but does not force the wind to blow.