[Elecraft] OT: Small solar array to handle just the shack, computers, and lighting

[Wes (N7WS)]

It says OT right at the beginning. That said, I believe this might be of 
interest to many Elecraft owners, particularly considering the QRP DNA of the 
founders and many of the faithful.

Personally, I'm in favor of more nuclear power and I live in Arizona, where it 
is alleged that solar is the answer (to what question I'm not sure.)

Don't get me started on government/utility subsidies that transfer the cost of 
light bulbs from one customer to another.


On 9/25/2015 11:14 AM, Oliver Dröse wrote:
> Please don't start another off-topic thread, guys! Wayne requested responses 
> off-list ...
>
> Thanks,
> Olli
>
> Contest, DX & radio projects: http://www.dh8bqa.de
>
>
> Am 25.09.2015 um 19:01 schrieb Jim McDonald:
>> 60W equivalent LEDs are $3 for a pack of three at Costco in the Chicago area 
>> due to an instant rebate from ComEd, the area power company.  I really like 
>> them, so I need to find a home for my inventory of CFLs.
>>
>> Jim N7US
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>
>> On Sep 25, 2015, at 10:33 AM, Wayne Burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Some of our friends are putting in large solar arrays that feed power back 
>> into the electrical grid. I'm looking for something smaller and simpler since 
>> our electricity use is very low overall.
>>
>> The reason it's so low is that we've converted all of our lighting to LED. 
>> (LED bulbs that consume 10 W yet have 60 W equivalent light output relative 
>> to incandescents are getting remarkably cheap -- 3 for $10 at Home Depot.) 
>> Consumption goes up when we use the electric range, etc., but that's 
>> infrequent, and I don't mind paying the city at such times. As for the 
>> radios, I run 10 W more often than 100 W, and the computers don't use much, 
>> either.
>>
>> So I figure we could run the house from a 500- to 600-W array most of the 
>> time. Other requirements:
>>
>> - I'd like to forego feed-in to the power grid. We don't need to watch our 
>> meter turn backwards, and with a small array it would turn pretty slowly 
>> anyway. But I do want city power in parallel when we exceed solar array 
>> capability.
>>
>> - I want a backup battery that's sufficient to hold us for a couple of days 
>> during a blackout. Every once in awhile on a really hot day, city power 
>> consumption exceeds what's available, and a transformer blows somewhere. Very 
>> entertaining until you have to go buy ice for the fridge.
>>
>> Systems that meet the above requirements seem to cost a lot more than the sum 
>> of the parts. So what I'm looking for is a good source of roll-your-own-solar 
>> info. I'll hire an electrician to wire up the solar system in parallel with 
>> the city supply, but I could purchase the components and do most of the 
>> installation myself.
>>
>> Any suggestions? Please contact me off-list.
>>
>> tnx
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>