The Alternative Energy Thread - Generators, Solar, UPS, Wind

[hkamil]

i have searched about the technicalities. But personal experience is something else. what i want to know is that how you designed your system and how have you done your calculations. Can you share your design and calculation, if possible?
my email address is mhassankamil@gmail.com

[haris.mahmood.566]

I have demonstrated the working of a 5kva inverter. Check the video.

[Nabs]

Looking at the current price hike in LESCO bills, I am glad I installed solar system last year. I just crossed 1000 units (KWh) from solar setup in total which were mostly from winter season without AC and fans.

These days I am running AC on it at minimum temperature and consuming about 20 units daily from solar. That makes about 600 units per month or 15,000 rs savings in bill at current cost.

[imfaisalkh]

I'm researching about solar panels. Your setup seems pretty good, although the initial cost is high but I'm more concerned about recurring costs. I know I'll need to change batteries on regular basis (may be after every 2 years?), so there's that. Do I need to change anything else on regular basis? e.g. what about solar panels? Do I need to regularly change them too? I need this info to effectively calculate ROI, to see if it worth in my specific scenerio.

@Nabs

[nibzy26]

Hi @Nabs

What volts you get from solar at around evening ? What is the total volt for your series connection ?
Does solar take load when the voltage goes out of mppt range which is from 120 to 450 v .
I am also thinking if buying 5.2kw aerox inverex inverter BUT dont wanna use batteries

[Nabs]

I'm researching about solar panels. Your setup seems pretty good, although the initial cost is high but I'm more concerned about recurring costs. I know I'll need to change batteries on regular basis (may be after every 2 years?), so there's that. Do I need to change anything else on regular basis? e.g. what about solar panels? Do I need to regularly change them too? I need this info to effectively calculate ROI, to see if it worth in my specific scenerio.

@Nabs

Don't know about imported AGM batteries, but local Exide 180 Plus last 2 years for me on UPS so expecting the same on solar. But my solar inverter has battery equalization mode, After 6 months on solar it felt like battery performance has dropped a little. I turned on battery equalization for 4 hours. After that the performance was completely restored. I have read online that regular battery equalization for lead acid batteries can make them last a long time (3-4 years), lets see.

If you buy good quality solar panels, they will last a long time. My panels have 10 years warranty and 25 years life. I read report about 40 years old solar panels still running in US. The only problem I can think of that you may face is with diodes in solar panels connector box, but they are very cheap to replace.

The only regular running cost is battery replacement, otherwise solar setup can run for decades if equipment doesn't fail.

[Nabs]

Hi @Nabs

What volts you get from solar at around evening ? What is the total volt for your series connection ?
Does solar take load when the voltage goes out of mppt range which is from 120 to 450 v .
I am also thinking if buying 5.2kw aerox inverex inverter BUT dont wanna use batteries

My inverter has 250 volts recommended DC input. My volts from panels range from 210-270 volts throughout the day.

It takes minimal load below 200 volts, but it can vary from inverter to inverter.

If you plan on using solar system off-grid, or during load-shedding, then batteries are must, otherwise a single cloud blocking sun over your panels will turn off the inverter if it can't maintain the load. If there are batteries then inverter will divide the load between solar and batteries temporarily. I also thought about running solar without batteries at first, but after running my solar setup for 6 months, I can say that solar system without batteries is useless.

[highroller]

@Nabs have u tried running two 1.5 ton ACs simultaneously?

[umans]

I'm thinking to intall a grid tied system without batteries to offset electricity bill. Anyone has experience of that, please share the experience

[Nabs]

Yes, two 1.5 ton ACs run simultaneously, but for that I have to disconnect other house load as the maximum watts I get from solar panels is 3,500 watts at noon. One AC can go to 1500 watts max, so two ACs = 3,000 watts max. When I run both ACs on 26, they gradually go from 0 watts to around 3,000 watts, then when the room is cooled they drop their watts to around 400-1000 watts range each, so both ACs = 800-2000 watts (after initial cooling), also they sometimes again jump to 3000 watts. So its not possible to run whole house with ACs.

So instead of two ACs, I run one AC and whole house, even microwave work with AC.

[Nabs]

I'm thinking to intall a grid tied system without batteries to offset electricity bill. Anyone has experience of that, please share the experience

For that you should contact solar companies as it requires proper grounding and lightning arrestor installation. Everything must be perfect and according to your power company's requirements. After installing the system, you apply for net-metering and then their agent will visit your house and inspect your installation. On approval, they will install a new meter capable of net metering.

[umans]

Not interested in net metring. Just a grid tied inverter with limiter. Inverter will take input from panals and output will be attached with main lines or any appropriate power socket. Limiter will make sure no electricity will be fed to grid.
Only Load above capacity will be taken from grid. It'll offset units in day time atleast.

[ashbal]

I just want to run a 1ton invertor ac and a 60 inch led along with a fan and 2 lights....what kind of setup am i looking for?also tell according to 1.5ton invertor

[ashbal]

Mainly i want to run it all day long basically the ac....it may be off in the morning but it is gonna be on in the night so i recquire a setup according to
That

[Nabs]

I just want to run a 1ton invertor ac and a 60 inch led along with a fan and 2 lights....what kind of setup am i looking for?also tell according to 1.5ton invertor

Mainly i want to run it all day long basically the ac....it may be off in the morning but it is gonna be on in the night so i recquire a setup according to
That

You can run these on 3 KW inverter with 2,500+ watts solar panels. You can also run 1.5 ton inverter AC, but for that 3,000+ watts solar panels is recommended for efficiency. For 1.5 ton AC, your maximum load will be under 2,000 watts.

My solar panels has capacity of 4,240 watts, out of which I get maximum 3,500 watts at noon these days. At 8 AM I get 1,500 watts, at 9 AM I get 2,500 watts. That's how it works. So more the solar panels, the better. Also, forget about running AC on batteries at night. It isn't possible.

[ashbal]

How many batteries will be needed for night?in morning it will only be charging as i am nit home at all

[Nabs]

You would need high quality AGM deep cycle batteries, that too in large number. The cost of batteries will be more than entire solar system if you want to run ac at night. It simply isn't economical. Batteries are meant to balance solar power during cloudy days, not run on batteries entirely.

[nibzy26]

@Nabs

Did you also look at inifi 5kw inverter both infini and yours (axpert 3.2kw) are from same company voltronic ? What specs make infini expensive .Inverex has now added Netmetering in their 5.2kw inverter.
Secondly how good is the switching time like when you switch from solar to wapda /wapda to solar .feel any glitch or sound from ACs? during switching
I just want to offset electricity bill so not considering batteries and just want to run two 1.5 Ton Inverter GREE ACs.
Currently I am considering aerox 5.2kw inverter with 4000W of solar panels risen/inverex

[Nabs]

@nibzy26
Yes, I did consider infini, but did not opt for it as it was quite expensive. I am using this inverter as off-grid. Wapda is completely disconnected in the morning with changeover switch and back on in the evening. So I don't know how good it is at auto-switching with Wapda.

[nibzy26]

Nabs, your model axpert 3.2kw is quite decent and it can do live sharing of load between wapda and solar You can set the priority in the order
SUB meaning first it will get power from solar but if the load is more then will get some power from wapda(utility) and will consider Battery as third option.
You dont have to change over manually and during night / late evening it will auto disconnect from solar caz it will sense solar volt/current decreasing.
Whats your Source selection setting currently set to ?