Solar Power

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maaka
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Re: Solar Power

Post by maaka » May 19, 2017, 11:15 am

I will have a game stab at this one Red..

Firstly there are many ways to go with solar 12v, 24v, or inverter 240v. Each one has a higher price tag accordingly.
Me I like to keep it simple, even make my own powerboard, and install myself, so 12volt is the way I go. Cant get to much of a shock if you touch something untoward with 12v :D ..

The way I learnt about solar was look at the labels or back of the applicance / things you want to run, add up the wattage, and that will give you an idea of how big a system you will need. i.e. panels and batteries and controller.. a controller is different than an inverter..it just regulates the flow of power to a constant 12v, if you like, though it does provide more power automaticallly to the batteries when they are low..a boost if you like..

the panels charge the batteries and the sytem runs off the batteries, not the panels..abit like a car.. engine, generator, battery. The longer you use the power at night time the more the battery goes down.same as a car headlight with the engine off...daytime the panels keep pace..so if you have a piddly arse battery it wont last long, afew hours, during main power outage or night time...so all this comes to size :lol:

me I have gone for 5x 8w cabin boat LED lights, with a switch on them.. abit like a reading light, or spotlight, but 4" tall..photo here somewhere..the bulbs are cheap as chips and last, and easy to replace..you can swivel the lights around or focus in one general spot..they dont eat much juice..a thing to remember when plays with solar, every watt saved counts to a longer battery...I run a 12v tv, car stereo, water pump, as well, so I would imagine they equal one fan..

I have 2 x 120w solar panels and 3 batteries ( more batteries, more power at night before go flat..they never go flat cause you got your eye on the digital meter..and when it gets down to 11.75v your getting real low so you switch off and go to bed.. I know its 12v, but 13.75v is a full battery.

so depending on the wattage of your fan and how long you want to run it, added with your lights, is your power requirement.. but you want more wriggle room..no good to flatten batteries, as they dont come back from the dead to well, like a car battery..

me, I would guess that 2 x 120w panels, 2 x 105 amp hour AGM batteries, and a 20amp or 30amp controller, some wire, maybe fuse blocks, lights and your away laughing..
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minimiglia
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Re: Solar Power

Post by minimiglia » May 19, 2017, 11:58 am

Just buy a generator for power cuts , far less hassle.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by glalt » May 19, 2017, 12:10 pm

minimiglia wrote:Just buy a generator for power cuts , far less hassle.
A generator is a great idea. It's like magic. I can get the power to come back on just after I start the generator and get back in the house.

Sorry Mini, I'll keep my solar system.

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maaka
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Re: Solar Power

Post by maaka » May 19, 2017, 1:12 pm

sorry forgot in my long winded rave, that your fan is 240v, and I was harping on about 12v..unless you get a 12v, then you will need an inverter to bump you up to 240v...can be a 12v inverter to match my system as outlined, and everything else should be ok. so 12v or 240v....

generators are grand, but the ruddy noise of the thing gets on my wick..solar is quiet..

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Re: Solar Power

Post by minimiglia » May 19, 2017, 5:08 pm

glalt wrote:
minimiglia wrote:Just buy a generator for power cuts , far less hassle.
A generator is a great idea. It's like magic. I can get the power to come back on just after I start the generator and get back in the house.

Sorry Mini, I'll keep my solar system.
So why you have a generator as well then???

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Re: Solar Power

Post by glalt » May 20, 2017, 9:35 am

I keep the generator just in case the magic of restoring the grid power by starting it doesn't work. TIT

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fatbob
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Re: Solar Power

Post by fatbob » May 20, 2017, 5:10 pm

Forget solar panels, solar roof tiles are the go.

https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/solarroof?redirect=no

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Re: Solar Power

Post by JR » May 20, 2017, 7:38 pm

Unfortunately the tiles are not available in Thailand so that advice is a non starter. At least for now.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by fatbob » May 21, 2017, 7:18 am

JR wrote:Unfortunately the tiles are not available in Thailand so that advice is a non starter. At least for now.
What about importing, they are readily available on Thailand's doorstep in both China and Australia, very simple to do.

The last couple of projects I worked we used products from all over the world, the Aus Embassy in Bkk, all face bricks direct from Australia, Gal steel window frames from China, in Phuket all our slate roof tiles, about 250 pallets came direct from China, limestone out of Portugal, pool and water feature stone Indonesia, kitchens and cabinets Italy and the list goe's on and on, you cannot limit yourself to Global House and Home Pro..

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Re: Solar Power

Post by JR » May 21, 2017, 10:49 am

Ordering 250 pallets by a thai firm may not be much of a problem. Have you tried to import something by yourself? I have and am not going through that hassle again.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by fatbob » May 21, 2017, 4:38 pm

JR wrote:Ordering 250 pallets by a thai firm may not be much of a problem. Have you tried to import something by yourself? I have and am not going through that hassle again.
All purchasing done by ourselves then using an import company to deal with the customs red tape paperwork, in Phuket we used PUSCO, never a problem, don't see where I said a Thai firm...

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Re: Solar Power

Post by glalt » June 2, 2017, 1:15 pm


minimiglia
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Re: Solar Power

Post by minimiglia » June 2, 2017, 1:56 pm

Believe it when it actually happens

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Re: Solar Power

Post by glalt » June 3, 2017, 10:35 am

There are four electric meters on the pole outside our house. Only our meter was changed to a new electronic meter. It appears that since they have seen the solar panels on the roof, they suspect that I'm feeding the grid. No one has said anything.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by ytrewq » June 26, 2017, 7:11 am

Just had 5 kw grid-tie solar installed atop garage.

320 watt poly panels x 16
Growatt 5000MTL-10 inverter
Various and sundry wiring, mounts, etc.

All installed and documented by a bonafide licensed Thai electrical engineer (not to be confused with the run-of-the-mill rice-paddy "electrician"). The same electrical engineer who correctly connected our whole house to our generator (ATS enabled). This guy literally teaches electrical engineering and would cake walk any USA or EU board exam.

PEA will inspect and change our meter soon. After that, we can legally switch it on. Word is the government will begin paying for excess fed to grid starting this September. That would certainly be nice and welcomed, but not a primary motivation. We simply wanted to just do it so we won't be a burden to our kids in the future.

====Start Tangential Rant ====

In the event of a grid power outage, the solar inverter shuts off. The ATS for the generator (7 kw) turns on the generator. The house is without power for about 10 seconds as that happens.

When grid power returns, the ATS turns off the generator and switches back to grid power (no down time). The solar inverter turns back on and continues its job of supplying power to the grid.

We have a motorized gate, garage door, and some perimeter lights (with day/night sensor switch and remote control dongle). Those are connected to a workstation UPS (had it laying around), which is itself connected to house power. So, even if the generator fails (or we disable it before going out), we can still use remotes to get inside when stormy outside and the perimeter lights stay on at night.

====End Tangential Rant====

Went off on a tangent there, but if anyone has been considering solar, now is the right time IMHO. Prices are reasonable (our 5kw solar system <200k all-in). Electric cars are coming 2020's. Thai grid will be stressed and upgrade projects will be undertaken = per kw prices going up. Solar talent will be short and their prices will go up even as equipment costs go down. Avoid the rush. Start getting net free electrical power courtesy of that nuclear fusion reactor in the sky!

NOTE WELL:

When you spec your system, keep in mind it will be 20-30% inefficient off the bat due to natural (clouds), physical (heat), and mechanical (materials, resistances) issues about which you just have to accept as status quo. So, up your solar panel count accordingly to compensate. If you have a 5000 w inverter, the spec capacity is actually 4800 w. You may want to max your panels per the inverter spec capacity.

4800 w x 1.25 (inefficiency allowance) = 6000 w / 320 w per panel = 18-19 panels.

We chose to go with 16 panels (5120 w) because that is what fits on the garage roof without going over the edges. We chose poly rather than mono panels because the difference in efficiency didn't justify the difference in cost to us (me). If 375 w panels were available at a reasonable cost, then we would have gone with 16 of those instead to get to 6000 w.

We have another project for a building next to the main house planned for later this year. We may put another 10 kw on that (separate meter to keep PEA happy) if they do indeed start paying out for excess fed to grid. Decision delayed until more info received from PEA and our 5 kw performance feedback.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by JR » June 26, 2017, 11:00 am

Cannot send you a message yet. Appreciate if you would send contacts for your electrician. If not here or if you cannot send message, mail me at [email protected]. We need to redo our solar system. Thanx.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by rjj04 » June 26, 2017, 12:19 pm

glalt wrote:
June 3, 2017, 10:35 am
There are four electric meters on the pole outside our house. Only our meter was changed to a new electronic meter. It appears that since they have seen the solar panels on the roof, they suspect that I'm feeding the grid. No one has said anything.
Oh boy. I hope they don't lock your meter.... should be easy to do with a digital meter.

As far as I'm aware, at this point in time, if you are not enrolled in the solar rooftop program of a couple years ago, then you can not "sell" power back to the grid/PEA. I certainly hope this all changes soon, but I will not hold my breath as the power of an utility monopoly seems quite high.

Can Thai solar companies "fanangle" their way to a special waiver of some sort?... apparently.

As far as pure-electric cars flooding into Thailand I will not hold my breath on that either... I believe the average car air conditioning system consumes about 3KW of power. In Thailand for most drivers the air con is going full blast all the time during the day, even while sitting in a parking lot. So in Thailand we are probably talking about nearly 10HP or around 7KW of power consumed by the aircon whilst driving during the mid-day hours. If the car were using deep-cycle lead acid batteries (I know they are all using Lithium or some higher tech) you'd burn through (deplete) 4 150AH (50KG each = 200KG) batteries after just sitting in the car in an uncovered parking lot midday with the aircon on high for one hour (the car sitting at rest... not driving). It would be interesting to see how a Tesla car or the like work out in a high temp high humidity country like Thailand... anyone see data on that?

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Re: Solar Power

Post by glalt » June 30, 2017, 3:16 pm

I'm by no means a sparky but I did a little research on a Tesla. It was estimated that it would take 16 250 watt solar panels to fully charge the battery in a day. The big problem with that is that the Tesla batteries would be difficult to swap since they come out on the bottom of the car. If you drove the car mainly after dark, it may be worthwhile.

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Re: Solar Power

Post by tomo » July 2, 2017, 11:35 am

Hi ytrewq,
I found your post very interesting and exciting, please forward me the contact details of the Electrician who installed your system.
I have wanted to do the same for sometime.
I cannot message you, so please contwct me on [email protected]
Thanks,

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Re: Solar Power

Post by ytrewq » August 13, 2017, 12:16 pm

I will contact all who requested soon after all government paperwork is completed to get us 100% legitimate per all laws and regulations. It is a nightmarish process involving lots of paperwork, multiple cities, authorities, engineers, visits, etc. So much that I will not attempt to write about it. It's totally inane, but TIT.

In the interim, we switched everything on and cut it off when our meter is due to be read. Feedback: Absolutely DO "overclock" with more panels. We'll be adding +8 panels to the 16 in place now so that we max or near max inverter capacity. Heat, clouds (even those too high up to know they are there, air density, and time of day issues are even more significant considerations than I expected. The 16 are on the SE side of the garage roof (after noon). The +8 will go on the NE side to catch the pre-noon sunlight. I figure that should put us at near max capacity for more of the day. Maybe over capacity for 1-2 hours, but inverters are designed for 130% capacity for just this reason (overclocking).

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