Solar Power ⚡️

Starting Small

When it comes to solar I’m starting small and easing into it. Learning exactly how it works and how to optimize what I have. By keeping my needs minimal I can add as I understand what the heck I’m doing. At least if I make some sort of mistake I’ll wreck a couple of expensive batteries and not a whole bank of ten batteries. Makes sense, right?

“I don’t understand electricity that well”

I am by no means an electricity guru. Though I have a decent understanding it’s still a bit of witchcraft and voodoo. I have to really give these things thought before putting them into play.

My Basic Solar System:

Panels need a controller. Without a controller panels make electricity without guidance. Without the controller a panel’s output doesn’t know what the thing you’re charging (usually a battery) needs. So, without the controller your batteries would likely end up overcharged and nuked.

Batteries to store the electricity. There are a lot of different types of batteries, and ways to set them up. Mine’s a 12 Volt system. This way I can use 12 volt devices directly off of the batteries or run an inverter. Simply put, I have two 6 volt batteries connected the right way to make a 12 volt system.

Outlet. This where I do things in an unusual way. A usual solar powered home would also have a controller on the batteries and an inverter. The controller on the panels already tells me the level of the batteries. I have an inverter that I sometimes use however most of the time it stays turned off. I only turn it on when I need more power outlets for charging tools.

Solar Generator

What I use to distribute power is a ‘solar generator’. It’s one of those portable power stations that are usually used for camping. I charge it from the batteries and it has outlets which I use to run my wifi, radio, charge devices and lights. It does the work of an inverter while storing it’s own power. Also, because I have it charging directly from the batteries it charges slowly and doesn’t fully deplete them.

I won’t say that mine is the right way, or the end-all-be-all but it’s worked for me for over a year. My mere 6 - 100 watt panels are bringing in more power than my 4 batteries can hold. I’m looking forward to adding to the battery bank and seeing what I can do with that!

My Current System

I have two different systems. Everything here is experimental and the solar is no exception! System A is 4 panels with a controller, connected to two AGM batteries that then power my solar generator. System B is 2 panels with a controller, also connected to 2 AGM batteries.

This works for probably 98% of my power needs. Everything that uses less than 500 watts. My rechargeable lights, phone, wifi, pump for the sink, and many other things all use this system. When I need higher wattage like to use the saw for example, I use my Honda generator. It’s more efficient than to pull the power out of my solar system. In a year I’d be hard pressed to use 40L of gas in the generator even as I continue to build.

What do you think? Do you want me to break down the cost of my system? Review particular components?

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