Who's smart on Off Grid Solar?

catmandu

catmandu

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Catmandu
Post-Irma recovery is in the works for our family home in STT. Finally spotted it in a flyover today, we still have a roof, so that is a start. I plan on heading down in a few days to check things out fully.

Those who've been through this before say it could be 4-5 months before electricity is restored. So I am looking for something that could operate the essentials for the house (water pump, fridge, 4 cieling fans, small appliances, some lights and plugs). There is a 6.5 Kw gasoline generator already there to supplement, and we are looking at another quieter, more efficient Kohler as well.

DIY installation. Limiting factor is everything must be able to go in the belly of an airliner. Is this doable?
 
Where is STT?

Ill say this about generators. Get a quiet one. The Hondas are quiet. If you've ever had to live with a generator, you will want the quiet one. Yes they are more expensive.
 
Looks like a 4.5Kw solar power system for off the grid is going to be big (15 panels) and expensive, $9,000.00
 
To do a true off-grid that'll last 24/7 you'll need enough solar panels and then also a battery setup. Is there normally wind there too? If so a windmill can be good also.

Do you want to do rooftop solar or ground mount? Problem with rooftop is that if you need roof repairs it'll require removal of the panels. Problem with ground mount is you see the panels on the ground. Windmills can be relatively small.

I have friends who live 100% off-grid and could help get you pointed in the right direction. But it's going to be expensive to get all that stuff down there.
 
  • I'm sitting in my cabin using stored PV power right now. Been evolving my solar equipment for 20+ years. Cell phone booster, TV, stereo, CF lighting, blow dryer, etc are no problem. My well is 220v so I power that by gennie only. I have 200w of panels and an MPPT controller feeding a 1200ah bank of Rolls batteries. I have a 6kw diesel gennie on a remote start for charging when the solar isn't keeping up (Alaska!) but in summer that's never an issue. My inverter-charger is by Magnum Energy and includes a 120a charger, thus the big gennie. A smaller 4kw gas gennie won't push the charger very effectively (I have one as a standby for super cold weather but the diesel gennie starts better so the gas unit just sits there.) My system works great. I have a Honda ei6000 as a backup at my city house and it's a great generator but for a solar system? Go with diesel, definitely. I've added a 12v distribution panel for lighting and a tv that's fed by a small (cheap) dedicated inverter. I could live year round on the low voltage equipment but wifey likes some normal appliances. And adundant well water.
I started with Exide batteries and a DR inverter (now Schneider Electric) and those worked pretty well. The Rolls batteries are clearly better. They maintain voltage much better as amps are consumed. The Magnum inverter is also better but that's because the technology has improved. If you want the good stuff don't shop by price.
 
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PS- refridgeration will probably be your biggest problem. And forget electric stoves and ovens. If you have a generator you can run a chest freezer for a couple of hours a day. Schedule to open the freezer just before the generator runs. That works great as long as you don't open the freezer several times a day. A fridge is tougher. Buy a propane refridgerator and the solar life gets much easier. Assuming you can get propane there. A 100# bottle will last for months with a fridge and stove using it.
 
Thanks, folks. This is not a forever thing, just something to get by until the grid repairs can be made. Wind is mostly available but not so well regarded by those that have installed systems on the island already. Kohler options are preferred as we have a family member who can get us deals on hardware. We understand that compromises need to be made. The stove is propane, so we are good there. Getting a propane Fridge onto a devastated island is a nogo. Current Fridge is a top freezer 20 cubic inch basic electric model, topping off with a generator every day is not a bad option. Cargo door on the airplane is apparently limited to a 28" dimension.
 
Good luck and best wishes for a full recovery.

BTW, my Consul propane fridge measures 24x27x56. It'll fit easily into a C206. Mine's 20 years old and has never missed a beat.
 
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Why a short term solution? The grid let you down. Self-sufficiency is a good thing.
 
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