Right next door in Utah, you are also better off with a generator. The 'average sunlight' maps may say different, but they likely aren't accounting for the heavy inversions that we get in these mountainous regions. Sometimes we don;t see the sun for two weeks or more. Air quality is like Beijing.
On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 9:34 PM, Eric Kuhnke <[email protected]> wrote: > I have to respectfully disagree, in WA and BC the mid winter sunlight > hours are even fewer. But 12 x 345W panels tilted at 80 degrees facing > directly south will produce far more than enough kWh/mo for a particular > type of site's calculated needs, in December and January. Battery voltage > monitoring systems are set up and a portable generator can be brought to > the site if needed during those two months. > > Predicted production is about 247kWh a month in December. > > Load, which is all DC, is below 90 kWh/mo. > > > > On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 8:29 PM, Sean Heskett <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Totally agree with Chuck on this line of thought. Where we are (NW >> ColoRADo) there is no amount of panels + batts you can install for Dec & >> Jan. Propane generator is the only way to keep an off grid site running. >> YMMV >> >> -Sean >> >> >> >> On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 5:17 PM Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Remote start propane generator is a much better value for sites like >>> this. In the middle of winter have a low voltage relay trigger the >>> generator. Run it just long enough to top the batts. Usually an hour a >>> day is more than enough. Store enough propane to get through the worst of >>> it. >>> >>> *From:* Eric Kuhnke >>> *Sent:* Tuesday, June 20, 2017 6:00 PM >>> *To:* [email protected] >>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] Vendor for super high efficiency (Sunpower,etc) >>> PV panels >>> >>> I care about efficiency because in some cases space is at a premium. If >>> these were going on the roof of a warehouse/office type building I would >>> agree. But in a place where it is 4x4 access only, and only in summer, >>> there is a scenario where a big ground mount tilted at 80 degrees for off >>> grid will only hold 12 x 72-cell panels (2.0 x 1.0m each). >>> >>> Going any bigger than that for square footage of panels and size of >>> mount will drive up the cost considerably. The site I am building right now >>> has 12 x 345W 72-cell panels, and I am looking at a configuration with 12 x >>> 360W panels for the next one. The goal is the greatest possible kWh >>> production in December and January and additional safety margin for >>> extended periods of cloudy days in mid winter. >>> >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 6:58 AM, Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> I use 11 watts per square foot as a rule of thumb. Never wanted >>>> efficiency, always wanted low $/watt. >>>> >>>> *From:* Eric Kuhnke >>>> *Sent:* Monday, June 19, 2017 6:47 PM >>>> *To:* [email protected] >>>> *Subject:* [AFMUG] Vendor for super high efficiency (Sunpower, etc) PV >>>> panels >>>> >>>> Anyone have a favorite vendor source for >21% efficient PV panels >>>> they'd like to share? >>>> >>>> I'm looking at various commodity 60 and 72-cell modules made with 4.95 >>>> to 5.0W high efficiency 156mm monocrystalline cells, but the Sunpower mono >>>> stuff is still better in STC watts per square foot. >>>> >>>> 60-cell x 5W = 300W >>>> 72-cell x 5W = 360W >>>> >>>> >>>> Of course, willing to pay somewhat of a price premium.... >>>> >>> >>> >> >
