New member introductions (READ THIS FIRST)

[Hialtitude]

Hi, My name is Greg Pisanich.     I am working to learn more about solar and hybrid wind systems.   I'm currently working to add an inverter, batteries, and solar panels to a lance camper.  I'm also working to design a solar power system to for an off grid home.  I have a lot of questions and I hope I can eventually provide answers to others. 

Other interests include rainwater connection and composting. 

I'm also interested in machining and desktop 3D printing.

thanks for hosting this forum. 

[younggk1]

Hi I am Greg, I live in NC. I am running 11.5 kw worth of panels (40 homemade and 24 purchased). I am using 5 150 lite controllers (love them) Battery bank is 24 LR16RE-2v configured at 24v. Power supplied to the house and HVAC using 2 aims power 6kw split phase 240v inverters.  I am primarily off grid with the exception of long cloudy periods.  I use Grid as back up.

[zarathust]

New member learning what I can about off grid living here in central Virginia. Currently have a generator based system, 16 6 volt batteries, dual schneider xw 6000 watt inverters powering my log house (still under construction). Will eventually add solar and wind. Interested in any information or assistance available in learning more and operating these systems efficiently and effectively.

[TomW]

zarathust;

Sounds like you have a good start on the system!

You will find lots of world wide experience here. The do it yourself types, Professional installers, Distributors  and Manufacturers all hang around here.

Welcome to the Forum and just go ahead and dive in with any questions or ideas you want to discuss. These folks are very helpful and knowledgeable.

Tom

[Lesmar]

Hi my name is Leslie

I live in north east corner of Cincinnati Ohio on 2.75 acres of my  private jungle.
I have been in green energy since 1997 when I have purchase 2 each Trace SW4024 inverters and batteries.
For charging my batteries I had purchase 20KW diesel generator which I run and still I am running on used veggie oil.

About month ago I have find solar panels on sale for $0.79 @watt. That what it take me to purchase some. For last month I have been studying manuals of all solar controllers avaliable. Midnite solar won hands down. Yesterday I have put my money down and purchase Classic 150.
BTW: You guys in Midnite should be busy selling, you have the best product on in the USA and world market. i am glad I am allowed to participate.
Thank you for having me.

Leslie

[Gray2Hairs]

I have been living off-grid for more than 3 years.  We are located 20 miles south of the canadian border and although grid power is available I chose solar because of the independence and just plain stubbornness.  Still working out some kinks but overall I am very happy with my system.

[TomW]

i am glad I am allowed to participate.
Thank you for having me.

Leslie

Leslie;

Welcome to the forum!

Just dive in the folks here are very friendly and helpful. Hands down the best customer support I have ever experienced.

Tom

[TomW]

I have been living off-grid for more than 3 years.  We are located 20 miles south of the canadian border and although grid power is available I chose solar because of the independence and just plain stubbornness.  Still working out some kinks but overall I am very happy with my system.

Welcome to the forum!

Feels good to not hook up to the grid doesn't it.

Hoping to cut the line myself here soon.

Tom

[DMJ72]

Hi, I am David, hailing from the sunny island of Jamaica. Last year, I put up my first DIY system consisting of a 1500w Samlex Inverer , 4 200watt mono panels and a Morningstar TS-MPPT charge controller.

Just love my Midnite Solar MNDC and Combiner Box. The Workmanship is EXCELLENT.

Looking hard at the Classic 150 .. such a sweet CC!

[Cniemand]

Hi, My name is Cloud. I am not entirely old or smelly just yet (Only 33 after all). In May 2013, after finishing up a season of flying around the US doing aerial mapping work for county governments, decided to purchase 3 acres in the mountains of Colorado. Put up a 2000 Watt solar array (8 -250watt Canada Solar connected 4 in series and combined for 150v @17amps going to a Midnite Solar 200V CC) and proceeded to build an Off-grid,  Tiny House.

I guess I am a bit different than most. Opted to use LiFePo4 chemistry batteries for the bank instead of Lead. I didn't want to deal with venting issues, hydrogen gas, corrosion, nor the maintenance associated. From my reading, most banks die a premature deal due to harsh living with poor maintenance.  Lithiums made sense. No equalizing, no electrolyte monitoring. No self-discharging. They do not care if left at less than 100% SOC for any periods of time. Also, the battery bank capacity did not need to be doubled to remain within 50%DOD for cycle life. LiFePo4 paperwork suggests greater than 3000 cycles if kept within 80%DOD. Costs for the bank itself shipped to me was $2400 for a 5120Watt hour bank.

After 7 months of Off-grid living. 202 days system up. 461kWh produced or ~8500aH (I use on average 2kWh/day) I can say this setup and chemistry works perfect! No cell balance issues whatsoever.

[mbryner]

Hello, my name is Marcus.   Our family (wife & 2 kids) live off-grid on 320 acres in a log house in Southern Oregon.   We moved from a tract house in town 3 years ago and are now up to 4x more efficient with energy use.   There's a lot to tell about, but we have a website:  www.docbryner.com/mossy_hollow

EDIT (TomW):

The above link does not work.
Working link:

http://mbryner.fatcow.com/docbryner/mossy_hollow/Home.html

Done EDIT..

In short, our electrical system is 16 x L16 batteries, 2 Outback 3600watt inverters, Listeroid 6 hp diesel generator (1920's era, 600 rpm, etc.), Outback MX80 charge controller, and Midnite Classic 200 charge controller.   

I use the Listeroid diesel generator because it's fuel efficient, made of heavy cast iron (should last forever with care), and I was tinkering with burning wood gas and waste motor oil.   Since the Listeroid  causes flickering of the lights in the house with its very slow speed, and doesn't have a lot of reserve because of low HP, I feed its output through a home-built AC-DC power supply into the Classic 200.   The Classic thinks it's getting DC solar power and our whole system acts as a giant UPS.   It was working fine using %VOC mode until the bridge rectifier blew about a year ago.   About a week ago I replaced the bridge rectifier and inductor/choke.   Now, for some reason, the Classic won't charge in %VOC mode, but it will in other modes (just not efficiently).   I'm installing a firmware update and maybe that will help.   The Classic 200 is also used for microhydro charging, but there's no water in the creek this year.

And there're always more projects when you're "homesteading."

Marcus

[Westbranch]

Marcus I get a 403 error    (Forbidden)  with your link.

[Cniemand]

Marcus, I also get the error code from your webpage. I am interested in seeing your lister in action! Very neat.

[TomW]

Marcus;

403 error here, too.

Post a working URL and I will fix it in your original post.

I wanted to see it, too.

Thanks.

Tom

[mbryner]

Whoops!  Sorry about that!   I've been in the process of switching domain registrars.   It will be fixed in the next day or so.   I'll update you shortly....