Home power solutions

[Michael458]

Looks like yours are lead-acid batteries so they only want to cycle about 50% for best life. Yours are doing great. When you do have to replace them, there are much better alternatives now.

Oh I am very sure there are much better batteries these days than 10 years ago. I have not looked into batteries, I am afraid if I do it will cost me more, as I will want to replace the dinosaurs in the system...... I can already see a huge difference in the panels, with the older Canadian panels I never ever made 11kw in February........ I love the Sol-Ark, it is a massive improvement over the old Outback........ I imagine that maybe this year I will start looking at batteries and see if I can improve my capabilities....... Right now, overnight to the next day is not really a big issue, but if the next few days are cloudy I am going to have some problems I am sure.

BTW........ just as a side note, I have a 40kw Cummins propane generator. Yes, I can run the entire compound and all the heat pumps, air cons, everything from a to z. I have a 500 gallon, or that capacity tank..... now that converts I don't know, but I could run probably 5-7 days total................. But if you are smart, and sometimes I think I might be on occasion, you would not run the gen continuously, maybe a hour or two here and there, keep fridges and freezers cold, and then off. Also, I THINK we hooked up the gen set to charge the batteries......... But honestly, I have to check on that and how to do it, since I have not done so...... now, if I can indeed charge the batteries back with the Gen Set, and I should be able to, then that solves some cloudy day issues....... I am going to have to check on that to see.........

 

[JimP42]

Currently Lifepo4 batteries are usually the best choice for cost, life, weight, and safety.

It is very common to use a generator to charge up batteries. More efficient to run it at a constant high load to do that and then sip power from the batteries for fridge/freezer/lights/etc…

Your Sol-Ark has a generator input and a gen start connection, although you could be using the gen input for AC coupled solar panels or as a load shedding AC output. It can manage the generator automatically when your batteries are low.

 

[Michael458]

Thanks for the input @JimP42 , good points, and some things I need to look into and sort out............ I intend to look at the Lifepo4 batteries, thanks............

 

[tanstaafl72555]

Just thinking out loud...seeing what's legal.

Let's say you live in the country, not in city limits but are on grid.
You are TIRED of your power bill going up and up and up.

BESIDES SOLAR AND WIND, what could you do?
Could you turn the grid power off....and have a generator hooked up to run your house. Does the powers to be let you DO THAT???

DS

Engineer 775 (a big fan of PATRIOTS author James Wesley Rawles) on Youtube has several rigs where he assists people in running entire generator systems for a farm off woodgas. Yes, you "CAN" legally. You may have inspectors who don't know you can and try to bully you, but at least here in NC, we have a great deal of freedom in that area.

 

[tanstaafl72555]

Check out a Lister Engine. Runs on diesel or most waste oils.
my Great grandpa ran one on the farm from before WWII through the late 60s.
It’s not going to run an entire modern house but the one he ran lit up the entire house and barn. They are low maintenance and last forever.

Lister Type Diesel Engines: The Reliable Off Grid Generator • Walkerland

If you are looking for a proven reliable, durable engine/generator for your homestead you might want to consider a slow turning, cold starting Lister type machine. They are renowned world wide for their reliability, ease of starting, remarkable fuel economy, reliability & extreme durability. You...

www.walkerland.ca

Listers are AWESOME. Link bad. I was hoping someone domestically had restarted the line. Lister is out of biz and no longer manufactures. At least that is my understanding. Open to correction here.

India has companies that manufactures clones. It is sometime difficult to get them thru customs b/c of EPA regs. You have to be creative.

Lister Type Diesel Engine Latest Price from Manufacturers, Suppliers & Traders

Find companies Supplying Lister Type Diesel Engine in India. Get Lister Type Diesel Engine at best price from Lister Type Diesel Engine Retailers, sellers, traders, exporters & wholesalers listed at

www.exportersindia.com

 

[1075tech]

BTW........ just as a side note, I have a 40kw Cummins propane generator. Yes, I can run the entire compound and all the heat pumps, air cons, everything from a to z. I have a 500 gallon, or that capacity tank..... now that converts I don't know, but I could run probably 5-7 days total.............

At 3/4 load, you might get 5 days run time with the 500 gallon tank. Maybe 7ish at 1/2 load. Of course, that assumes the tank is at 80% (legal max fill) when you start.

IS the generator liquid fed, or vapor fed?

If vapor fed, depending on temperature, it will likely starve for fuel before the tank is actually empty. Liquid feed, it'll run until the tank runs dry.

I would recommend upgrading the tank to a 1000 gallon, or larger. Going with an underground tank will get you another ~100 gallons storage capacity (underground tanks can be filled to 89%). If it's vapor fed, low temperature won't affect it as much and you might increase your run time a little.

The thing about generators is they're good as long as you expect the grid to come back online.

 

[Michael458]

At 3/4 load, you might get 5 days run time with the 500 gallon tank. Maybe 7ish at 1/2 load. Of course, that assumes the tank is at 80% (legal max fill) when you start.

Probably about correct. Thing is, it would never, has never run 24/7 to begin with, Hour or two, here and there. Last time we were without power, about 6-7 days as I recall, we would be on solar and batteries most of the time, powered down as to not over tax the system, and ran the Gen about 1-2 hours just after 0 dark thirty. Shut it down, and go the next day. Any cooling that was needed we did while the Gen was running. Or any other larger power demands. At the end, the needle barely moved off 80%.

IS the generator liquid fed, or vapor fed?

Oh that question is way out of my area............ I would guess vapor.... propane???

I would recommend upgrading the tank to a 1000 gallon, or larger. Going with an underground tank will get you another ~100 gallons storage capacity (underground tanks can be filled to 89%). If it's vapor fed, low temperature won't affect it as much and you might increase your run time a little.

At this time neither is an option, underground is impossible at this point, just way too much crap under this dirt in all directions...... and the area would not be big enough for a 1000 tank without destroying other things in the process........ I will have to do with what I have ...............

The thing about generators is they're good as long as you expect the grid to come back online.

Very true........... I have the solar for the time it don't come back on, and hope to god that it can run without computer upgrades....... LOL...........I think the Sol-Ark is much better in that regard. After a couple of years, I decided the Outback was way too complicated and would never accomplish the long term problem that we might face.

And the other issue is, I am not a mechanically inclined sort of chap.

 

[1075tech]

Oh that question is way out of my area............ I would guess vapor.... propane???

If there's a regulator at the tank, it's vapor fed. If it's hard piped (schedule 80 black pipe usually) it could be liquid. I've hooked up smaller generators that were liquid feed and larger ones that were vapor feed. So, size of the generator isn't necessarily an indicator. I think the largest I did was a 120k and that was vapor feed.

 

[SnowRooster]

Listers are AWESOME. Link bad. I was hoping someone domestically had restarted the line. Lister is out of biz and no longer manufactures. At least that is my understanding. Open to correction here.

India has companies that manufactures clones. It is sometime difficult to get them thru customs b/c of EPA regs. You have to be creative.

Lister Type Diesel Engine Latest Price from Manufacturers, Suppliers & Traders

Find companies Supplying Lister Type Diesel Engine in India. Get Lister Type Diesel Engine at best price from Lister Type Diesel Engine Retailers, sellers, traders, exporters & wholesalers listed at

www.exportersindia.com

They are great. If I was gonna try an off grid homestead I’d have one to add to my power generation system along with wind and solar. Seen a few at the antique farm and equipment show that were from the early 1900 still running balls out!

 

[DirtySCREW]

@DirtySCREW
Do you have a year round stream that has a high flow rate?


View attachment 734263

Making an Undershoot Water Wheel

Describes construction of a homemade undershot water wheel to produce electricity

www.builditsolar.com

I wished!!!