Anyone on here ever install a solar power system?

I'm thinking of doing it. I have a barn up north. The south side would be an ideal spot to mount the panels. I can put the controls in the barn. I'd use the power just for LED lights in the barn and run a cord to the garage for some LED lights there too, and a separate underground line to the house. I'm not going to hook it to the grid. They want too much to do that. I'm thinking I'd run the power to a small hot water heater and just collect the excess that way. Most of my electric bill right now is for hot water. If I had extra power left over I suppose I could use it for heat in the barn or house in the winter. Same idea, a small hot water heater and a coil of copper tubing. Fill it with propylene glycol and let it go. I'd leave the grid stuff for outlets. It wouldn't need to be a big system. The barn is 30 feet wide so what is that, 8-10 panels? I thinks that's about 1 kW peak. It's 30 feet tall so I can add more panels if the inverter can handle them.

mounting hardware, wire, Panels, inverter, breakers, and breaker box

That's probably around $2-5K??

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trackboy · 22-25, M

if its just for lighting you could run a 12 volt solar panel. 12 volt storage battery and 12 volt lights. harbor freight surplus has 100 watt solar panel and charge controller around 200 dollar. is on sale regularly. then no need for power inverter. there are water heating panels you can mount that the water would run through for pre heat water feeding into water heater as needed, pre heated water would be in a separate tank that feeds into the water heater to be heated rest of the way as needed. you could light the barn that way without having any power lines to barn. most people have natural gas water heater. costs less to run then electric water heater.

Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

@trackboy Place is out in the middle of nowhere Minnesota. Gets rather cold up there. Sun is so low that I'm not sure I could get much heat from it in the winter.
Summertime, sure.

trackboy · 22-25, M

@Tastyfrzz then just do the 12 volt solar panels for the barn so you can keep battery charged for 12 volt lighting system. you have electricity to barn now? solar is expensive way to get electricity and usually does not pay for itself if you have power from the grid. is more for places off the grid where you would have to run a generator to have power.

Byron8by7 · M

If you are "handy" and can do all of the work yourself, it sounds like it would be worth it. I have no idea about the cost.

Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

@Byron8by7 I rewired everything and it's all passed inspection so far. I use heavy gage wire, switches, and sockets.

Byron8by7 · M

@Tastyfrzz

Sounds like you are on your way. Best regards.

MarineBob · 56-60, M

Seems like it would take a good while to make it payoff, I'd look into a backup generator

Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

@MarineBob I do have one of those. This is more of a hobby thing.

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Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

@LvChris Any particular inverter to get or stay clear of?

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MethDozer · M

Yes, yes I have.

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Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

I do have a spot on the south wall of the house that that would work well on. Could use it for the Jacuzzi in the sunroom. Yep, I stuffed one in there.
I even have some small 12 VDC pumps. It just gets so cold up there in the winter that I doubt that it would heat up much. 35 below is not uncommon.

Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M

@MethDozer Did you grid tie or use batteries?

MethDozer · M

@Tastyfrzz You'd have to look at the designs. They make models that work even in very cold temps. They are vacuum insulated so.
Heating anything with electricity is incredibly inefficient so you're going to really be using a lot of panel for it. You'd be better off getting a propane or wood fired water heater.

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