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How to Wire a Solar System – Finished

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on June 10, 2020 by JimJune 10, 2020
photo showing Miles (dog) approving of the Solar Power System

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.

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Posted in solar | Tagged batteries, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, how to, Interstate, inverter, off-grid, power, renogy, solar, solar power generator, storage, sungoldpower

How to Wire a Solar Power System – DC

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 29, 2020 by JimJune 10, 2020
Image of Shop Solar System showing the Inverter, Batteries and DC Wiring

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.

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Posted in solar | Tagged batteries, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, how to, Interstate, inverter, off-grid, power, renogy, solar, solar power generator, storage, sungoldpower

How to Mount a Solar Panel Array – Framing

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 5, 2020 by JimJuly 2, 2020
photo of a completed solar array

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 →

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Posted in solar | Tagged build, DIY, headlok, hill country, homesteading, how to, off-grid, panel, renogy, solar, Strong-tie, Texas, wb0mmc

How to Mount A Solar Panel Array

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 10, 2019 by JimJuly 2, 2020
Photo of the Solar Panel Mount site with Piers

With the Solar Generator Project underway, it is time to mount the solar panel array. Last May, I purchased eight Renogy 270-watt solar panels similar to those in the Solar Rainwater Project. At 65 by 39-inches, and weighing 65 lbs., they require a substantial mounting system. In the Solar Rainwater System, I had the advantage of an existing building with a south-facing roof that could hold four panels.

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Posted in Projects, solar | Tagged build, concrete pier, DIY, foundation, hill country, how to, quikrete, renogy, solar, solar panel mount, solar power generator, wb0mmc

A Practical 2 KW Shop Solar System

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 4, 2019 by JimDecember 10, 2019
photo of All six solar system panels installed

Two years ago, I installed a small solar system to pump water at the ranch. This solar generator makes us independent from the grid by insuring we can always pump water  — even in a grid down event. I’ve learned a lot about solar power and want to continue. What about refrigeration? In a power failure we cannot refrigerate food or produce ice.

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Posted in Projects, solar | Tagged air conditioner, consumption, DIY, energy, gas, generator, grid down, how to, insolation, Interstate, inverter, LED, lighting, power, rainwater, refrigerator, renogy, solar, system

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Completed?

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 15, 2017 by JimNovember 15, 2017
photo of Completed Solar Powered Rainwater System

The Solar Powered Rainwater Project began about eight months ago, although one might argue it is the culmination of my rainwater system dreams beginning in 2002.

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Posted in Central Texas, Gardening, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Power Rainwater System – More Panels!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 14, 2017 by JimNovember 15, 2017
photo of A solar-powered water shed

The solar-powered rainwater system was complete — except for more panels, and a cable to isolate the rainwater power from the rest of the system. Construction on the rainwater system began in 2002, when I trenched the various wires and pipes into the ground. I needed power for the rainwater system, and tapped into an underground wire originally intended to supply power to the well.

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Posted in Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar, Woodworking | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Final Assembly

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 15, 2017 by JimNovember 14, 2017
photo of the entire solar system

With all the parts in stock, it was time to assemble the whole Solar Powered Rainwater Project. I cleaned out a space in the garden shed, and added plywood to the wall for attaching the various components. We would be mounting the inverter/charge controller, solar panel combiner/breakers, A/C transfer switch and related wiring.

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Posted in Central Texas, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Batteries

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 11, 2017 by JimJuly 15, 2017
photo of Battery cart with batteries

You may recall from an earlier post that the Solar Powered Rainwater Project requires substantial battery storage. In our original calculations, we decided we would need 15,796 watt/hours of storage to provide three days of autonomy (or days without sun).

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Posted in Central Texas, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – The Chinese Connection

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on June 26, 2017 by JimJuly 15, 2017
photo of The inverter box

It’s been a while since I reported on the Solar Powered Rainwater Project. Since that early-April post, I’ve been gathering the rest of the parts, and we took our annual trip to the Red Power Roundup — this year at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. The biggest part of the delay was waiting for the inverter/charge controller. I wasn’t thrilled with the delivery delay on the device, but it turned out well in the end.

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged battery, build, charge, China, Chinese, controller, deep cycle, DIY, hill country, homesteading, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, panel, rainwater, renogy, solar, Sun Gold Power, Texas, texas hill country

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