Off grid system in Maine

[Halfcrazy]

Corinna, Maine
Here are some pictures of my off grid system in Maine.

Below are my 2 arrays.
The first being 18 Shell / Solar World 165 watt panels. Tilted to 45deg. This array faces slightly to the West of optimal do to the placement of the barn. The second being 15 Suntech 215 watt panels also tilted to 45deg. This array faces just about do south Maybe favors a little to the east. So optimal is somewhere in the middle of the two.

[Halfcrazy]

My power center. Clipper, 4 Classics and a pair of VFX3648's Classic stacked.

[Halfcrazy]

My Generator for charging the batteries when needed, it is a Lister clone 6hp. The second is my wind turbine. It is a 10ft home brew based on Otherpower's design.

[niel]

about 6.2kw in pv, that's nice. i would be curious as to the angle you used in aiming the pvs? i seem to recall your place does not face directly south either.

i'm also noting the extensive use of the spds.

[Halfcrazy]

Niel
I added the tilt info to the above thread. Yes I do have a few SPDS's but then I have taken a few very close and one most likely direct hit (There is a gouge in the tower leg where it was hit) so I am a little gun shy if you will.

Ryan

[boB]

In another day or so you'll be able to link those 4 Classics together !

Also, hopefully, you'll only need one battery temperature probe, too.

boB

[niel]

it sounds like you may want to provide a better path from the tower legs to ground. put a ground wire from each tower leg to their own 8ft ground rod just outside the concrete footer and tie them together with bare copper wire buried in the soil. you should also go up the tower and check each section for arc-over or welding. these may need to have a heavy gauge jumper placed from one section to another for each tower leg, but i would think at a minimum you should do this for at least 1 leg.

the idea is to dissipate as much of the energy as possible with the lowest amount of resistance so that there is less potential to go elsewhere.

[mtdoc]

In another day or so you'll be able to link those 4 Classics together !

Also, hopefully, you'll only need one battery temperature probe, too.

You mean I just sweated bullets trying to get the temp probe cable through 1 inch conduit already filled with several large gauge wires for nuthin'   

Can't wait to link my 2 Classics ......  I pre-emptively put a telephone cable through that same conduit.  Please tell me that 4 conductors on the cable will be enough for networking...

Will post pictures of my recently upgraded system install soon

[boB]

In another day or so you'll be able to link those 4 Classics together !

Also, hopefully, you'll only need one battery temperature probe, too.

You mean I just sweated bullets trying to get the temp probe cable through 1 inch conduit already filled with several large gauge wires for nuthin'   

Can't wait to link my 2 Classics ......  I pre-emptively put a telephone cable through that same conduit.  Please tell me that 4 conductors on the cable will be enough for networking...

Will post pictures of my recently upgraded system install soon

Yes, 4 wires are enough for networking.  The only time that 6 wires are needed is for the MNGP Remote plugged
into the MNGP (top) jack on the classic control  board so that those 2 bottom LEDs on the MNGP will light up.

boB