Grid-tie would probably be the better way to go for you. Assuming it works the same way it does around here, you would mostly be getting paid the peak rate for your power and a good part of what you use would presumably be off-peak, so you could potentially only need to generate half as much as you use to break even.
On Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 1:57 PM, Paul Stewart <[email protected]> wrote: > Interesting… > > > > 8c off-peak > > 12.2c mid-peak > > 16.1c peak > > > > Supposed to jump 40% over next three years ;( The worst part is the > delivery charges too … I don’t have a bill in front of me but it’s quite > substantial … > > > > A lot of politics but prices are very high in the province of Ontario in > most areas (some areas not so bad).. mainly because of extremely high > salaries in upper management and irresponsible decisions being made all the > time.. > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Forrest Christian > (List Account) > *Sent:* Friday, September 11, 2015 2:45 PM > *To:* af <[email protected]> > > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] a new one, I think... > > > > Depending on where you are, you may want to consider a grid-tie system. > > Let's assume $400/month @ 10c per KWH. So 4000kWh/month. 133kWh/day. > Assuming 5 hours of sun, you need 27kW of panel. > > Solar panels are about a dollar a watt. So figure $27K for panels. > Inverters can be had for around 50 c a watt. So add another $14K. > > Total cost for gear then would be around $41K. Note that this is a rough > guess, and installation isn't included, etc. > > Note that if your cost per kwh is bigger (i.e. you are actually using less > power), then the cost of the system is going to go down. At 15c per kwh, > you can multiply everything by 75%.... which makes it even better. > > -forrest > > > > > > On Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 12:29 PM, Paul Stewart <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Wow.. I find that extremely interesting … > > > > I’d LOVE to find a way (or rather spend the time finding the right way) to > do this at my house. My electrical bill at my house is typically around > $400/month. The challenge is that even at $4800/year or $48k over 10 years > let’s say for simple math – I’m not really sure there is anything in that > price range that could provide for the power I need to be completely off > grid (and sustain for 24-48 hours of limited daylight). > > > > Am I totally wrong on this? > > > > Thanks, > > Paul > > > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Bill Prince > *Sent:* Friday, September 11, 2015 1:01 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] a new one, I think... > > > > According to a friend of mine "Anything can be built." > > > > We have several solar sites, and when they have enough battery and panels, > they are every bit as reliable as utility power. In fact, one site we have > had installed for 4 years without a single power issue. Our older sites > have had some relatively minor issues, as we learned how to do it. > > But first, I would guess that your power requirements are closer to 90 or > 100 watts just doing a rough mental calculation. > > Take the number of watts you really need (say 100 watts in your case). You > need that 24 hours a day, so multiply that by 24 for 2,400 watt-hours per > day. Multiply that by 10 (now 24,000 watt-hours). That's how much "battery" > you need. Because batteries are rated on 100% discharge, you then need to > double that amount (now at 48,000 watt-hours). Size your batteries > according to that. You want ~~ 48,000 watt-hours of battery (close to 4,000 > amp-hours if using 12 volt batteries). > > Then decide on how many watts you can get out of your solar panels on the > worst day (generally December 21). You want your panels capable of fully > recharging the batteries in about 1/2 of the solar time you have on that > worst day. Where we are south of San Francisco, we get about 5 good hours > on December 21 (37th parallel). You're at the 27th parallel, so you > probably get another hour or so. > > Just one more anecdote, we have numerous neighbors that live "off the > grid". When the big storms hit, they are usually the only ones that still > have power. > > bp > > <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com> > > > > On 9/10/2015 6:00 PM, Paul McCall wrote: > > OK, so I am working with a grounding expert today, getting some opinions > on a couple difficult towers, and one of the first suggestions he has for > me as I mention that I am looking to do fiber / DC up this tower is� > �Have you considered going solar up the tower?�� (to eliminate power > surges completely from going up the tower) > > � > > Hmmmm� > > � > > So my brain starts wrestling with that��� Is it practical?�� > > � > > Say on a tower with a Netonix DC powered switch running at 48v or 24v, > powering �6 ePMP APs �and 2 �320APs, 2 Mikrotik Bhs, and a small > Mikortik router.� > > � > > Would be about 50 watts maximum according to my quick calcs.� > > � > > Not knowing anything about solar, has battery technology developed enough > that it would be practical (size wise) to have enough batteries and a > charge controller up in a box on a tower?� And what size solar panel > would I need to drive that? > > � > > Paul > > > > > > > -- > > *Forrest Christian* *CEO, PacketFlux Technologies, Inc.* > > Tel: 406-449-3345 | Address: 3577 Countryside Road, Helena, MT 59602 > > [email protected] | http://www.packetflux.com > > <http://www.linkedin.com/in/fwchristian> <http://facebook.com/packetflux> > <http://twitter.com/@packetflux> > >
