Off-Grid Living Group
Freesteading group focused on the discussion of off grid living.
Organizer:
- Organized by
-
-
Direct power from Solar panels to load, no inverter no batteries.
-
Direct power from Solar panels to load, no inverter no batteries.
More testing with direct DC dump loads I have installed a relay from an electric car that can handle over 400v, 200 amps of power, so for my playing around this is great, no more worries with DC sparks or destroying mc4 connectors when making connections. I use a small wall wart to power the relay. The relay is in line to the solar panels to the loads. This morning I powered up my treadmill motor with this zero issues. Now testing these resistive loads and this one is working with success. lots of heat coming off of that, I put a pot above that just to see if it would heat up and cook. I am thinking this would be good for a dehydrator.
-
16 Replies
-
Looks great! Have you thought about using DC coils on an electric water heater to dump the load and store the energy?
-
The coils come in today with UPS from home depot 🙂
I am trying to decide if I want to do ->
1) Dump load from direct from solar panels to thermostat once battery is charged.
2) Dump load from inverter to hot water heater.
3) Dump load to an immersion heater in bath tub, then use camping shower to have a shower in bathroom.
-
-
I would bypass the inverter for dump loads. There’s no sense stressing the inverter when you can wire it direct through a load switch. https://www.walmart.com/ip/10V-60V-Battery-Adjustable-Low-Voltage-Cut-Off-Switch-Protection-Control-Module/124497958
-
Yeah, I have been thinking thru the logic of choosing to go thru the inverter verses going direct to solar.
I am testing now going direct to the panels. The advantage I see going thru the inverter is the battery is there to act as a capacitor to fill in the gaps clouds will cause.
The disadvantage that I have seen commented on Youtube was that you may be micro cycling your batteries if you set it up that way…
I think I will test both way and see how it works out, my hot water heater elements came in today and I hope to get better heating with these.
-
Also have to keep the power loss of using the inverter in mind.
-
Yeah, but that can be off set by the MPPT that stores more energy in the battery than the coils can at low light.
-
Yeah maybe but I would need to see identical setups running side by side at the same time to verify.
-
Yes. well I installed a new water heater element this morning, and partly cloudy day. It matches my panels far better…. I am up to 110 degrees with 40 gal of water Just about where I want my shower to be woo hoo 🙂
-
Yes load matching the panels always produces more power / heat.
-
Yep I had a tiny setup before, now I hit a high of 112v for 40 gal of water. That makes for a LONG shower 😉
-
-
-
I provide water on my homestead by using PV energy directly to a 24V deep well pump. There are no inverters or batteries used. I use a 3000 gallon tank on my highest grade to store energy from pumped water. The pump runs continuously in sunlight and uses a mere 4.5 amps which comes from less than 200 watts of panels. Excess water is released from a pressure relief valve and that passively waters a mixed poultry flock of approximately 100 birds.
-
Thanks for sharing that Tywiggle. Myself I use a cheap Chinese pump that runs off 120 V. I went this route because I can run it off my generator or if needed my van with an inverter. Since the pump cost like $300, I bought a second one and have it in storage, but my static level is only 35 feet so I have options other people do not.
I do have questions for you if you don’t mind.
What is the flow rate of the water coming out, and how deep is the well?
What is the protection for the pump if there is low voltage from clouds?
What is the brand of the pump?
Thanks.
-
-
Yes, that would work. I also have a small oven I want to test with this…. Lots of options.
-
Good point, I have an Excalibur dehydrator which i use all the time. I could control the temp now with a temp monitor ( it is coming in the mail ) Then I would have it shut off via control with my home automation software -> Domoticz
Log in to reply.