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Pietershomeprojects

Pietershomeprojects

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Joined
Feb 17, 2020
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Hey guys,

Been watching this forum for a while... finally i started with this project... i'm not a typer, i prefer to vlog my projects, hope you guys are ok with it!

Still, a lot of questions i didn't find an answer to....

like,
what u guys suggest for fuse wire (not us, so AWG isn't directly available)
which solar inverter for small powerwalls,
bushbar diy or those nikkel plates?
12v or 24v... or more?

Hope to learn a lot here!

Thanks
The powerwall section starts at 1min35....

 
Most answers can be found here, but mainly depends on what you wan't to do. Power a whole house. Just some equipment? Provide some information and you will get answered.
 
The idea is to start with only my shed
What's in there, well some powertools offcourse, the lightning for the garden (aiming to replace lightning with low wattage 12V led's)
and the most tricky thing in there is the pool setup... a 400W pump that runs about 7 hours a day and a pool heater of 2Kw....
So i'm aiming for an upgradable setup.

First i want to buy a solarpanel or 2 (290W) connect them in series (24V) and then with an inverter to a charger. i've been looking into those things, but here are so many inverters arround, i got no clue where to look at....
Also, i want to get an relayable monotiring system, I saw that AJW22 is using a raspberry with grafana, and this looks good

But then again how trusty is this all.

Dream is to got everything running off grid, but the house itself is a diffrent story... (4 woman and an electric car) so that will be a very big battery

Greetings
 
Pietershomeprojects said:
there is the pool setup... a 400W pump that runs about 7 hours a day and a pool heater of 2Kw....
So i'm aiming for an upgradable setup.
Click to expand...
400w * 7 = 2800wh + 2kw * 5hrs/day = 10000wh. That's in the range of 13kwh/day or 13*31days = 403kwh/summer-month.

If you're climate is similar to mine - you'll need around 9 x 300w panels for the above - e.g. a 2700w PV array. A Midnite Solar Classic 150 charge controller needs at least 3 x panels in series for 120v - but can grow up to 12 or 15 panels. So as an example, you might invest in equipment that can start at 3 panels but grow to 12 or 15. I use 285w panels and have 15 of them per each Classic 150 for 4275w each.

Pump and tools require spikes in power and heater is 2000watts - so you need a 3000watt -4000watt inverter. A 48v battery would better for this level of power as 4000w/48v = 83amps. If you go 24v that would be 166amps - getting up there :)

Personally - if its OK budget wise I would think in terms of starting with 3 x panels (in 280 - 330w range - e.g. 120v input voltage range) and a 48v battery bank and get equipment than can size up to the 9,12,15 panel level and 4000w inverter level.

Note: I find PVWatts (https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php)a free/accurate way to get good estimates of PV power for your exact location. Its been within 10% +/- accurate with my city.
 
Wow, big plans. To power everything I agree wit OffGridInTheCity. Gotta go big. Definetly a 48V System and rather big Powerwall. Maybe 14S80P or even bigger. Better 6 Panels depends on where you are located.

Also just looked your video. I think you will not get very happy with these chinese cells... Just my thought.
 
OffGridInTheCity said:
Pietershomeprojects said:
there is the pool setup... a 400W pump that runs about 7 hours a day and a pool heater of 2Kw....
So i'm aiming for an upgradable setup.
Click to expand...
400w * 7 = 2800wh + 2kw * 5hrs/day = 10000wh. That's in the range of 13kwh/day or 13*31days = 403kwh/summer-month.

If you're climate is similar to mine - you'll need around 9 x 300w panels for the above - e.g. a 2700w PV array. A Midnite Solar Classic 150 charge controller needs at least 3 x panels in series for 120v - but can grow up to 12 or 15 panels. So as an example, you might invest in equipment that can start at 3 panels but grow to 12 or 15. I use 285w panels and have 15 of them per each Classic 150 for 4275w each.

Pump and tools require spikes in power and heater is 2000watts - so you need a 3000watt -4000watt inverter. A 48v battery would better for this level of power as 4000w/48v = 83amps. If you go 24v that would be 166amps - getting up there :)

Personally - if its OK budget wise I would think in terms of starting with 3 x panels (in 280 - 330w range - e.g. 120v input voltage range) and a 48v battery bank and get equipment than can size up to the 9,12,15 panel level and 4000w inverter level.

Note: I find PVWatts (https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php)a free/accurate way to get good estimates of PV power for your exact location. Its been within 10% +/- accurate with my city.
Click to expand...

Heyhey,
About the climate, i got a solar setup right now (on grid) of 4,5Kw) and I got about 4Kw a year.
Im looking for solar panels, and I wanted to add 15 or so I got the space for it so ?
Ive seen 290Wh panels for a good price.
Im from Belgium, so we work with 220V systems

I love the idea of expandable like you said, start with 3 and grow from there on
If I leave out the heater to start with, since I dont want to go into 48v (yet).

The midnight solar classic looks good, but to begin with, a little bit too expensive (for now) if I calculate everything I want the price tag is a little bit to much (did I mentioned I got 4 woman in the house???)
So, you suggestion, 3 panels and an 48v bank ok, but I need more batteries for that. But what cheap converter will do to start with? Which BMS (also since Im getting into this, not too expensive)
And ofcourse, available in EU would be nice..

I tried the site, and yes they are pretty close!

Maniac_Powerwall said:
Wow, big plans. To power everything I agree wit OffGridInTheCity. Gotta go big. Definetly a 48V System and rather big Powerwall. Maybe 14S80P or even bigger. Better 6 Panels depends on where you are located.

Also just looked your video. I think you will not get very happy with these chinese cells... Just my thought.
Click to expand...

Thanks,

Well, about those chinese cells... the thing is, in Europe, you'll pay 10 - 14$ for 2 cells.... so i don't know where else to get them, for a reasonable price... i'm starting to look for used batches... but here, it's hard to do with our regulations...
 
I know why they seem to be attractive to us :) But they are most very bad. No good quality, not reliable. As I said most of them. There are ways to get cells cheaper than 10-14$. I'm from Germany and get new cells like these you got, aroound 2600 mAh for about 4 Euros, maybe less. And used cells on Ebay even cheaper of course. But I don't know your regulations in Belgium. But I think we got other members from your country here. Maybe ask them how they did?

Have a look what you can get. You'll need alot. Like at least 1000 cells and up.
 
Maniac_Powerwall said:
I know why they seem to be attractive to us :) But they are most very bad. No good quality, not reliable. As I said most of them. There are ways to get cells cheaper than 10-14$. I'm from Germany and get new cells like these you got, aroound 2600 mAh for about 4 Euros, maybe less. And used cells on Ebay even cheaper of course. But I don't know your regulations in Belgium. But I think we got other members from your country here. Maybe ask them how they did?

Have a look what you can get. You'll need alot. Like at least 1000 cells and up.
Click to expand...
well, 4 euros isn't that bad... but like you say... >1000 cells, is 4000.... and i think i can't convince my wife to spend so much money... for a project :p

I'm going to start with what i have, and see further on from there thinking about buying 3 solar panels next month and a simple, cheap mppt charger and work my way up from there
 
I couldn't find a local source for good & cheap fuse wire, so I strip and take apart tin(?) coated copper AWG22 wire, which yields 17 strands of ~AWG34.
Breaks at 5A~7A. I run at max 0.5A, so quite happy with these.
Most people seem to be using thicker wires of AWG32~30.


Pietershomeprojects said:
Also, i want to get an relayable monotiring system, I saw that AJW22 is using a raspberry with grafana, and this looks good
Click to expand...

It works well, and I can even view the status from my phone from anywhere in the world as long as I have Internet connection.
I recently added Wifi SmartPlugs that can be controlled from the PaspberryPi. For now (winter) I use it to disconnect my GTIwhen battery capacity is low and electricity is cheap (off peak hours). In the near future, I intend to smartly control loads such as water heaters, pumps for watering the garden, etc.

Fuse wire: It doesn't need to be AWG measurement. You just need wires that have a cross section of around 0.02~0.05mm^2.
https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
 
For the pool heater, rather than sun into electricity converted, stored then used to heat it would be more efficient to heat the water directly from the sun. That would scale down your system requirements.
 
hey pieter by the looks of your name you are comming from the Netherlands?
if you want to find a cheap source of cells contact your local bike stores i just bought 240 cells (ebike) for 65 euro's or if you get lukcy you can get them for free
 
barry said:
hey pieter by the looks of your name you are comming from the Netherlands?
if you want to find a cheap source of cells contact your local bike stores i just bought 240 cells (ebike) for 65 euro's or if you get lukcy you can get them for free
Click to expand...


Not the Netherlands (i do work there tough) but Belgium... but that's an idea i didn't think off before! Thanks

johnallinson said:
For the pool heater, rather than sun into electricity converted, stored then used to heat it would be more efficient to heat the water directly from the sun. That would scale down your system requirements.
Click to expand...


I got that, but it is a rather big pool (28 000L) andi've tried it, but it never reached the desired temperature without help... and, if i want to upgrade it, i gotta fill my whole shed roof with solar heaters :(
 
What kind of system did you use to try to heat the water?
 
Korishan said:
What kind of system did you use to try to heat the water?
Click to expand...

I made solar panels, with 50mTyleen tube on a spiral. When the sun is out it actually produces a lot of heat, (it melted the pool tubes so temp above 80 degrees) but once the water is running it doesn'tgot a lot of effect... if i really want to have effect i got to make this very big... and then, when there is no sun. i got nothing also the system to determinate whenthe water should acctually pass trough it, was a little too expensive, soi'm manually operating it, and that givesthe opposite effect sometimes, if it's colder outside, itcools the water down... so i'm not using this anymore itlookedgood when i started it... found an old picture...got 4 of these.... this was the first one this panel is 1m * 1m... the picture is 1 corner of the shed roof... like a quarter so imagine how many solar panels can fit on there.

[img=1031x583]http://zwembadforum.be/wp-content/uploads/WP_20150207_002[1].jpg[/img]
 
Nice, I have a few panels I got for $20 for 3. They are a little bit bigger but are the kind that has the copper snaking on the back. I plan on duplicating the design. In materials it'd cost about $20 for 1. I can't believe people are buying the system for $500+ and it only had 3 panels, a pump and some pex tubing. The pump is even cheap, around $25.

You could use a temp sensor to control a DC motor and when the temps are low, the pump is powered with low voltage, to off. And when the panels get hot it ramps up to full speed. Auto regulated
 
Pietershomeprojects said:
barry said:
hey pieter by the looks of your name you are comming from the Netherlands?
if you want to find a cheap source of cells contact your local bike stores i just bought 240 cells (ebike) for 65 euro's or if you get lukcy you can get them for free
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Followed your advice! first try, they didn't want to think about it.... Second try, guy had them laying at home, and i can go and pick them up next week... arround 10 battery packs :D
He didn't even wanted money for it, but i'm going to give him some anyway... that way i can go back :D

Korishan said:
Nice, I have a few panels I got for $20 for 3. They are a little bit bigger but are the kind that has the copper snaking on the back. I plan on duplicating the design. In materials it'd cost about $20 for 1. I can't believe people are buying the system for $500+ and it only had 3 panels, a pump and some pex tubing. The pump is even cheap, around $25.

You could use a temp sensor to control a DC motor and when the temps are low, the pump is powered with low voltage, to off. And when the panels get hot it ramps up to full speed. Auto regulated
Click to expand...

Hmm, maybe i might look into it again, right now it's connected to the filterpump.... so pressure is rather high... and, ofcourse, it has to run for atleast 6 hours a day, i'm not gonna sit there for 6 hours... so, low voltage pump could be an option..
 
is would use thin copper wire and exepriment with that and see when it blows,there was a guy on YouTube "avarage joe" did some experiments with good results
 
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