Aditional 4200w of PV

[TomW]

QLD;

Must be a great feeling cutting out the middle man on your transportation energy source!

Nicely done.

Thanks for the share and sorry this went off topic there awhile.

I am thinking of going with an electric golf cart to replace the ATV I use for farm chores so I can quit buying gasoline to do them. Of course, that means more solar panels. And the addiction continues... 

Tom

[vtmaps]

Of course, that means more solar panels. And the addiction continues... 

Admitting it is the first step... eleven more to go      --vtMaps

[Westbranch]

Ohoh... next it will be pv's on the GC roof,... and.....

[offgridQLD]

PV Sure is addictive. I remember when we first moved in to the off grid house and I mentioned to my wife 4000w is more then we will ever need . Looking back its a bit like saying 56k is all the computer processing power one could ever need

It's just so clean, simple and it works. With brand name PV at under $1 watt it really is good value. You can always find a use for the energy. While the additional 4000w we are adding is there to cover the load of charging the car. When I'm not charging the car it will come in handy taking some of the load off the battery's meeting big loads during the day.

I guess you can never have to much PV. Though you have to stop some where.My thinking is each time we add additional large loads to our system  we upgrade the PV.

A dream of ours (one day when we can afford it) We would like to install a swimming pool at our off grid house. Running a pump and filter each day for several hrs a day would see me adding another 4000w or so to cover its loads. It hurts paying up front for the energy in the form of PV but in the grand sum of things an extra 4k on a 40k swimming pool to have its energy needs covered for life is good value.

I managed to trailer the 21 panels from the city house up into the hinterland last night. I was flinching every time we drove over a bump. Trying to avoid every pot hole in the road. I even let the pressure down on the trailer wheels to smooth the ride out. The old gas car sure got a workout towing the 1000lb of PV & trailer up the 12% climb. Happy no broken glass

Now I need to gather all the hardware, cable, wracking, combiner boxes, beakers, lightning protection...don't think my existing PV has any so that's new to me . The additional classic 150 needs ordering to.  I will have a play with two panels on the grass today end experiment with some numbers.

Ps,
     If I could count the number of times people have mentioned I should have pv on the roof of my electric ca so I  could drive around all day from the sun . GRRRRRR  most people really have no clue how much energy it takes to move a car. To travel a 60mph powered directly from the PV I would need around 10,000w of pv on the roof of the car to hold speed. Now that is something I would love to see 

Kurt

[laszlo]

 I am also getting juiced up about the Tesla cars pushing the envelope on battery storage but I have always wanted a hybrid or electric 4x4 high ground clearance vehicle and it seems the market for electric cars is kind of limited this way.  This thread is kind of diverging into all kinds of directions, so here I register my major disappointment with Elon Musk of Tesla -- if  you are such a pioneer of transportation, why don't you make a decent all-electric 4x4?

[offgridQLD]

Give it time and you will have your wish.

If your looking for a project the small susuki 4wd's make a great platform to convert to EV. Run the motor directly to the tranfer gearbox and have a simple 2 speed selection on the dash H-L and Toss the gearbox.

The trouble with the DIY projects is its cost as much if not more than just buying a (edit) OEM EV and are never as good. So you have to have a real dedication to a particular car for it to be worth the time and $$ converting it.

Kurt

[Vic]

Hi OgO,

This may not be enough of an EV for your needs,  and may not be sold  down-under yet,  but:

http://www.toyota.com/rav4ev/

Range only about 100 Miles,  oooopppppsssss,  sorry ...  range about 160 km,  and not inexpensive.

You referred to "EOM" in your post,  been processing on that,   is that the same as OEM?  FWIW,    Thanks,     Vic

[offgridQLD]

Sorry yes typo ... OEM

I'm not looking for a 4wd ev myself. I just purchased a Mitsubishi I-miev EV. I was just about to start building a diy EV. Then  Mitsubishi Australia were clearing all stock of I miev's and not importing any more. At under 1/2 the RRP for a new car . I couldn't even purchase the parts for the same money. Even doing all the fabrication work myself the value didn't add up. I just couldn't justify the DIY build.

I'm very happy with the little I-miev It has its compromises but as a package its great for our needs.Driving around from energy  straight from your own PV just makes you smile.

It was Lazslo that was keen for a 4wd EV. Yes the rav4 could be a option though I didn't think they were making them anymore and they were crazy expensive even 2nd hand. Not actually a serious 4wd more of a soft of road thing . But might be enough for most peoples 4wd needs.

Kurt

[Vic]

Sorry yes typo ... OEM

I'm not looking for a 4wd ev myself.It was Lazslo that was keen for a 4wd EV.
Kurt

Indeed,  so it was ...  just dropped a few bits.  Have fun with the added PV and enw EV.    Thanks,  Vic

[laszlo]

Thanks for the links and the info guys.  Though I have been wrong before, 4x4 EV or electric truck may just be in the works.  I would love to have an all eletcric truck and charge it form PV.