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Forum Index : Solar : 2 Solar or not solar?
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| neil0mac Senior Member  Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
SSW_squall ... I think you meant 18 x 185 panels. |
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graynomad Senior Member Joined: 21/07/2010 Location: AustraliaPosts: 122 |
We've been living on solar for ten years, normally just the usual living stuff, TV PC etc etc. But for 18 months I was building a motorhome, welders, grinders, saws, you name it, all day every day and all off solar (albeit a pretty large system). As mentioned you do learn to be power aware but you can live a normal 21st-century life 
One thing I should mention, when off the grid the power supply is your responsability, when things sh*t themselves at 2AM you don't just call SEQEB, you have to fix it yourself. Rob Rob Gray, AKA the Graynomad, www.robgray.com |
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KarlJ Guru  Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
Off grid for sure! I spent 19K on a 4.44KW grid connected system and this is more than enough to run our house complete with reverse cycle heating and 5 people and although I'm a natzi turning things off and buying everything that uses low power for all new purchases eg 32" LED TV uses just 60W running as opposed to my 42"plasma which uses 300W. Laptop kicks PC butt for energy use -this is no problem, nor is the printer etc that go with it. Killer is the fridge and cooling in summer, again smart use of these items makes the world of difference and can be managed. I agree the aussie solution is better over the SMA solution. backup genny will be an important part though to keep the cycle life of the batteries up to something better than every 3 years! with something like the selectronic inverter mentioned earlier adding panels later shouldnt be a problem. Buy yourself an ENVI or Efergy (i reckon better) and monitor your current useage is a top idea and will give you a better idea of your requirements. At the end of the day batteries are one of the most expensive things about off grid, so a $10,000 battery bank is not part of the equation, hence making it a resounding yes go solar! and later add some wind for winter! BTW I recommend a tracker of sorts. Luck favours the well prepared |
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| neil0mac Senior Member Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
emmam, Are you really 'Off Grid' or not? See ... http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bil ls/r4356_aspassed/toc_pdf/10093b01.pdf;fileType=application% 2Fpdf .... that says .... After subsection 23B(3) Insert: (3A) However, in the case of an off-grid small generation unit, the regulations must provide for a number of certificates to be multiplied only if the certificates relate to the first 20kW of the rated power output of the unit. (3B) In subsection (3A): off-grid small generation unit means: b) in the case of a small generation unit less than 1 kilometre from a main-grid line—the owner has provided written evidence from the local network service provider that the total cost of connecting the unit to the main-grid is more than $30,000, making it uneconomic to connect the unit to the main-grid. (3C) The regulations must provide that the number of certificates that may be created under subsection (3A) as a result of a multiplier in subsection (2) for a period specified in column 1 of an item in the following table must not exceed the number specified in column 2 of the item.(a) a small generation unit at least 1 kilometre from the nearest main-grid line; or |
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| petanque don Senior Member Joined: 02/08/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 212 |
My thoughts are if you had 28,000 for solar and 30,000 that you now have the mains power for 15,000. So the mains power is now half the cost and changed the balance of the equation. Mains has the advantages that if you have periods of high demand that it will probably meet that demand. Can you run an arc welder off an inverter? Will you ever have house gests that may stay more than a day or two? Having mains electricity will add some value to the property as will the solar system. How much value? I don’t know and it may depend on the purchaser. While a generator is likely to meet these peak demands generators are not a cheap way to make electricity. Personally I would get the mains electricity and if after you are settled in the property you still have the $13,000 that you did not spend available (after all building projects often go over budget). Then investigate some sort of grid tie system. After all they are likely to be better and cheaper in 2 years time I will suggest that solar systems can make financial (and environmental) sense but they are probably not essential. While grid electricity does have ongoing costs stand alone systems also have costs that while they may not be as regular as a quarterly electricity bill they can be considerable. |
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