SO, I have to admit that I skipped through alot of this, but want to throw in a small spanner. I would suggest you might want to consider waiting on the bigger offgrid system if you are on a FIT now. You can continue to get your FIT until it expires, the batter technology will improve and come down in price and you can work on the other efficiency measures to see how much you really need. As a single person household, it shouldn't be too difficult to run on your present system if you aren't cooking or heating with electricity and you have an efficient refrigerator. The idea of being offgrid is so tempting, but the extra expense and inability to share the extra power you generate doesn't add up economically (maybe environmentally?)
Have 1.5kW system grid feed. Want to add 2kW eventually go offgrid. Best way?
(38 posts) (9 voices)-
David
Membergrnbldr said:
SO, I have to admit that I skipped through alot of this, but want to throw in a small spanner.Did you skip the bit where I mention Grid-Hybrid using Selectronics SP-Pro for enhancement of a system? Just checking, pardon for throwing it back in again
as you could stop there or continue to full off-grid if one really got unhappy for one reason or another.
Posted Saturday 4 Jan 2014 @ 7:03:27 am from IP # -
David
Membergrnbldr said:
sounds fantastic except for the initial layout. prices going down all the time, soon it will be economical also (fingers crossed)I've not seen the pricing really going down for quality hybrid/off-grid components or suitable batteries much for sometime now in fact the prices are starting creep up again ever so slowly.
Posted Thursday 9 Jan 2014 @ 2:11:01 pm from IP # -
axess
MemberThis idea of waiting for the price to go down is interesting.
Our 1440W solar system with a 2500W inverter cost $11500 (net after $8000 rebate) in 1999. Since then, we've generated over 17500kWh. The same system would cost approximately $4000 today, 14 years later.
These first generation (no pun intended) components have just been re-used as part of an upgrade that increased the roof top capacity to 2340W, and brought the original installation up to current Standard conformation. Clearly those components- the inverter and panels- were built to last. The amount of design, testing and attention to build quality have clearly paid off.
The cost of adding a hybrid system (SelectronicPro,built in Australia but using Sonennschein(sp?) batteries) is approximately $10000.
We could wait for an indefinite period to take advantage of a possible drop in prices over the next 14 years, possibly driven by a politically opportunistic, unreliable Govt subsidy. No doubt the Chinese tech companies could provide a much cheaper version built to a bare bones specification running on much cheaper Lithium Iron batteries using a much cheaper Battery Management System. Or the utilities could offer these systems at a cheaper price using their buying power.
Hybrid anything is a stepping stone to at least start to change the way energy use is perceived and organised. At least it can be taken to the next house when we move.Posted Thursday 9 Jan 2014 @ 9:34:11 pm from IP # -
grnbldr
MemberYou have an excellent point, and it is the greater uptake in solar that has driven the price down. I too was an early adopter and paid a premium for it, but thought it was worth it to support my beliefs in alternatives. Generally, more people taking power into their own hands is a good thing. I applaud those who can afford to do it.
Posted Friday 10 Jan 2014 @ 6:16:48 am from IP # -
(I am the original poster of this thread. If the following doesn't make sense, please refer to the original post.) I have now had a (2 option) proposal from an accredited Latronics (inverter)installer for a totally separate 2+ kwh system that effectively runs "most" of my house on a new separate system with grid backup if the batteries get down to 70% discharge. If I installed this system, my existing 1.5kwh grid feed system would then feed its total of generated electricity into the grid. Below is the proposal:
Option 1, System Description:Solar Panels: Either 6 x 250W Tindo panels (Australian made) or 6 x 260W LG panels (Korean made)
Inverter Brand & Model: Latronics LS-1248 1200W / 3600W surge Pure Sine Wave inverter with built-in Auto Transfer Switch (Australian made)
Solar Regulator Brand & Model: IMARK SR40 (40A) (Australian made)
Solar panel racking system: Collridge – Independently Engineer certified for cyclonic regions (Australian made)
Batteries: 4 x Giant Power 12V 150Ah (Chinese made)
Battery bank capacity: 7.2kWh @C20 rate
Price with Tindo panels: $7,590
Price with LG panels: $6,790The above system will be wired to all household lights, ceiling fans (if applicable), kitchen fridge, plus a spare kitchen power point for use with small kitchen appliances with a max power consumption of 1600W, i.e microwave oven, clock / radio, blender, phone charger etc.
If you wish to have more appliances taken off the grid, below is a second option:Option 2, System Description:
Solar Panels: Either 9 x 250W Tindo panels (Australian made) or 9 x 260W LG panels (Korean made)
Inverter Brand & Model: Latronics LS-1848 1800W / 5400W Pure Sine Wave inverter with built-in Auto Transfer Switch (Australian made)
Solar Regulator Brand & Model: IMARK SR60 (60A) (Australian made)
Solar panel racking system: Collridge – Independently Engineer certified for cyclonic regions (Australian made)
Batteries: 4 x Giant Power 12V 165Ah (Chinese made)
Battery bank capacity: 7.92kWh @C20 rate
Price with Tindo panels: $9,990
Price with LG panels: $8,790This system will be wired to all of the abovementioned loads, plus an extra fridge / freezer, main television + DVD & Hi-Fi setup (or other loads with similar consumption).
End of Proposal
I like the sound of "off-grid with grid backup". This system wouldn't run my (currently) electric stove or probably electric jug(?). What I want to make sure of is that - in the future, should I choose to do so - I could go off grid - and use all my PV capacity - without having to turn around and buy all new equipment. It seems to me that with the second option (and changing my stove and how I boil water) I could end up with the new system that just needed more storage capacity. Plus I would have my existing system which could either just sit there to provide redundancy or to which I would need to add a new inverter which could feed into the same battery bank???? Any thoughts. Are the suggested inverters big enough?
Posted Wednesday 12 Feb 2014 @ 11:44:21 pm from IP # -
Have just realised that "grid backup" has potentially two meanings. It seems to mean backup OF the grid (eg in a blackout)by the PV system in selectronic literature. What the above proposal suggests is backup of the solar supply to the house BY the grid.
Posted Thursday 13 Feb 2014 @ 12:04:34 am from IP #
