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#11 |
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
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![]() So you're averaging about 1/4 kWh per day. Not too bad for such a small setup. Do you know how much you use per day on average?
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#12 |
Apprentice EcoRenovator
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: mid michigan
Posts: 191
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![]() I'm embarassed to say that I don't know exactly how much we average
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#13 | |
X-Frenchy: very
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Toulouse, France
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![]() Quote:
![]() How much square feet do you heat ? For 900 sq ft we are using 17kWh/day (12.5 peak hours, 4.5 off peak) in addition to summer consumption (no AC), ie +85%, but our single digit temperatures are in °C, so 32-48°F. We are currently producing per week what we are consuming in one day for heating... ![]() ![]() With optimized orientation and angle from horizontal, you should be able to have an average production of 4-5Wh/Wc/day, ie 40kWh/month. Do you have an idea about your minimal instantaneous consumption in summer ? With your low consumption it may be lower than your instantaneous production : you'll have to switch on the AC more ![]() Denis.
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#14 |
Apprentice EcoRenovator
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: mid michigan
Posts: 191
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![]() I forgot to check my last bill, but I wouldn't be surprised if were are using more than that at the moment. It's -14F air temp right now
![]() In the summer there are times when the fridge isn't running when the instantaneous consumption should approach zero. |
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#15 |
Infrequent noob
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
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![]() 4 panels swapped for a scooter? That's a nice deal.
I would recommend staking the corners of your array though. You'll get a storm blowing through there at some point that'll threaten to tip those puppies over. It'd be a shame to break 'em.
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#16 |
Apprentice EcoRenovator
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: mid michigan
Posts: 191
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![]() That would literally and figuratively blow
![]() The photo doesn't show it, but I used some of those spiral dog stakes at each corner. Won't be enough in the spring when the ground is mush but that's all I could get in the frozen ground for now. My brother gave me a mobile home anchor (looks like an earth auger thing) that I'll put in as soon as the ground allows. Until then I could add more cement blocks at the corners to be safe. |
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#17 |
Infrequent noob
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
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![]() Woo! Just checking.
![]() I've already broken one panel - a small cheap grade 1 amp 12v battery trickler. I had leaned it against the side of the garage while I was charging a battery, and a gust pushed it over. Only 12 inches tall, and it still broke when it tipped and smacked the ground.
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#18 |
Apprentice EcoRenovator
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: mid michigan
Posts: 191
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![]() That's an ecobummer Metro
![]() I remembered to check my last three electric bills, and from mid Oct thru mid Nov we averaged 19.1kwhrs/ day. From mid Nov to mid Dec we averaged 26.9kwhrs/day, and from then to now we averaged a whopping 32.8kwhrs/day ![]() I managed to grab 560whrs today too ![]() |
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#19 |
Infrequent noob
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
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![]() 560 is good. Cold & sunny, eh?
But it's sobering to realize how small a fraction of total power usage it is. I think the general public vastly overestimates the power production capabilities of solar, if the number of people who suggest I power the electric car with PV is any indication. They need to see a thread like this to get a better idea.
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#20 |
Lurking Renovator
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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![]() Some of the panels I have in my setup are from the early 80s and they still generate about 90 of their rated output. I have my panels mounted on a pole so I turn them around several times a day to face the sun. this helps with a battery setup because you can get charging for a longer time rather than higher amps for a short time period. I also have to scrape/brush the snow off them (sometimes several times a day).
-James |
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Tags |
electric, solar |
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