The shop here at the ranch was built in 2000. I got lots of work done there, but by 2011, two things were clear: the wooden exterior doors were in dire need of replacement and it would be nice to have a covered outdoor space to keep sawdust out of the shop. I installed new pre-hung metal doors and with the help of a neighbor, added a 20-foot extension that year — complete with a metal roof. There just wasn’t a concrete slab.
Continue reading →I’ve been threatening to build a storage shed at the ranch for some time now. After going through everything in the shop and selling, discarding, or giving everything away I could, it was still too crowded to work effectively. I needed more space. A friend had recently mentioned a sale on small buildings at Costco — it was worth a look.
Continue reading →In the last post, I described the DC charge controller and battery wiring for the Shop Solar System. With solar panels and batteries connected, the inverter was functional. A quick test showed the expected 240 VAC at the inverter output, and it was time to connect it to the breaker panel in the shop.
Continue reading →In the last post, we mounted the solar panel array. Now it was time for the solar power system low-voltage wiring. The array is about 50 feet from my shop, where the batteries and inverter are located. I planned to use two strands of #6 UF direct-bury cable to conduct the predicted maximum of 36 amperes to the shop.
Continue reading →In a previous post, we selected a site, cleared trees and installed foundations. Now we were ready for framing. There were four 8-inch concrete piers defining the four corners of the array. The plan was to mount two 10-foot 4-by-4 … Continue reading →
Ground mounted solar array guide covering site selection, foundation layout, concrete piers, and a durable DIY mounting system for eight full-size panels.
Continue reading →Off grid solar system for shop: real 2 kW system design to power a workshop, including air conditioning, lighting, battery storage, and backup power.
Continue reading →Ikea makes a wonderful work light (JANSJÖ)that sells for about $13. I have several of them, and love the warm pool of light they provide on desk surfaces. Let’s convert one of them to solar power with the Altoids LED light project
Continue reading →Solar water pump for well—measured power consumption, battery capacity, inverter losses, and real-world off-grid system performance.
Continue reading →After testing our off-grid solar system, it became clear we needed more capacity. By adding solar panels, we improved charging performance, and expanded the system for real-world use.
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