I found this nice presentation..... Solar Power For Ham Radio !! Check it out and post your comments and/or tips you may have to offer !! It is a couple of years old so there may be some better battery technology on the market now! But still good information.
As an off-grid solar powered homeowner, I found this lecture to be excellent and clearly presented. I would add that the same formulas and approach can be used for estimating the PV and batteries you will need for your house. The key there is to have a way to monitor your combined usage from lights, appliances, etc. in your house., so you can determine your usage requirements.
I use the thin-film, flexible solar panels on my metal roof. They are not as efficient, but very durable and shade tolerant. I would suggest that you could save a lot of money buying on eBay or other online auction websites. The same 135-watt, Uni-Solar thin-film PV (PVL-135) that I use can be purchased on eBay for about $150, just over a dollar per watt instead of the $10/watt cost of the ones mentioned in the lecture. BUT, Uni-Solar went bankrupt several years ago, so there is no warranty. That said, mine have worked flawlessly on a daily basis for about 10 years.
As an off-grid solar powered homeowner, I found this lecture to be excellent and clearly presented. I would add that the same formulas and approach can be used for estimating the PV and batteries you will need for your house. The key there is to have a way to monitor your combined usage from lights, appliances, etc. in your house., so you can determine your usage requirements.
ReplyDeleteI use the thin-film, flexible solar panels on my metal roof. They are not as efficient, but very durable and shade tolerant. I would suggest that you could save a lot of money buying on eBay or other online auction websites. The same 135-watt, Uni-Solar thin-film PV (PVL-135) that I use can be purchased on eBay for about $150, just over a dollar per watt instead of the $10/watt cost of the ones mentioned in the lecture. BUT, Uni-Solar went bankrupt several years ago, so there is no warranty. That said, mine have worked flawlessly on a daily basis for about 10 years.
73,
Dale / K3DD