Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

Started by Oljarhead, September 21, 2009, 02:53:09 PM

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JavaMan

Erik, I had something similar in the past in the house.  It was dirt in the faucet... I hooked up a water hose and flushed it out backwards. 

I had found that not only was there a screen in the faucet right at the sink, but inside the valve assembly ( which was under the sink) there was another screen and dirt from someplace would get stuck there.

I shut off water to the valve at the wall, disconnected the feed lines and hooked a hose from outside in through the door and back flushed it into a bucket.

If it is only on the cold side at one or two faucets it may be something like that.

Just thinking

OlJarhead

Certainly could be.  I'm hoping to get the new tap installed so I can flush the other direction.


OlJarhead

My solar panel order finally completed :)  Bought six 305 watt 36v panels (supposed to be 24v but I noticed open voltage was around 45v so I need to check that again not that it matters really) at $178/panel and picked up an outback FlexMax 80 with them as well as combiner and 3 breakers plus cables.

Now I just need to source an inexpensive roof mount system or get one made.  I want one that will life the front of the panels about 12" off the roof and that will allow them to tilt up to 63 degrees and down to 33 (to let me adjust in different seasons).

I'm pretty exited about this as it will bring me up to just above 10% of battery bank cap vs solar charger cap (660AH batter and about 70A charging).

OlJarhead

My panels and controller etc arrived! :D  [cool] c*

Now I just need to find an inexpensive roof mounting kit or at least a good design.  I want to mount them 12" off the roof at the base and have them setup so I can tilt them at 63, 48 and 33 degrees to adjust during different times of the year.

OlJarhead

https://www.solarroofhook.com/product/17648?parent=17648&id=656
I found these today and realized that I could use them to mount the panels to the roof of the main cabin instead of on the deck roof.  It would put the panels at 45 degrees which isn't ideal but would be cheap and ease to use I think (by looking at them it appears you mount to the bottom of the panel and then screw them to the roof ridges but I need to look at the installation PDF


OlJarhead

https://www.altestore.com/store/solar-panel-mounts/roof-mounts-for-solar-panels/standing-seam-metal-roof-mounts/s-5-versabracket-47-p10399/
This option may be a less expensive option but again, keeps the panels at 45 degrees which will cost me charging power in the winter when I need it most.

I'm still looking to see if there is a way to mount the panels on a steeper angle but this may have to do.  Mind you, with a total of 9 panels vs the 3 I have now (my current three can only produce 20amps in perfect conditions while all 9 will be able to produce 70amps) I probably won't even miss the added production frankly.

Thoughts?

https://www.altestore.com/store/solar-panel-mounts/roof-mounts-for-solar-panels/standing-seam-metal-roof-mounts/s-5-versabracket-67-p10398/
These are 1" taller (about) than the others and maybe I could mount them up top to tilt the panels a little more to get closer to 48 degrees.

MountainDon

I believe panel angle is of less importance when there are lots of panels like you will now have.  I stopped adjusting the angle for seasonal differences a few years back. The batteries always reach float on a normal day and that makes me happy.

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

OlJarhead

Quote from: MountainDon on November 22, 2016, 06:29:50 PM
I believe panel angle is of less importance when there are lots of panels like you will now have.  I stopped adjusting the angle for seasonal differences a few years back. The batteries always reach float on a normal day and that makes me happy.

This is my thinking because I don't adjust my current panels as much anymore either though in the winter I tilt them close to 63 degrees because it helps keep the snow off and I need every bit of charging I can get but with the 6 new ones I won't have to worry as much.  The last brackets are under $4ea so for $100 or less I can mount all 6 panels on the 12/12 pitch and do the happy dance ;)

OlJarhead

Quote from: OlJarhead on November 22, 2016, 05:46:54 PM
https://www.solarroofhook.com/product/17648?parent=17648&id=656
I found these today and realized that I could use them to mount the panels to the roof of the main cabin instead of on the deck roof.  It would put the panels at 45 degrees which isn't ideal but would be cheap and ease to use I think (by looking at them it appears you mount to the bottom of the panel and then screw them to the roof ridges but I need to look at the installation PDF

Spoke with the manufacturer about these and they do appear to be the best option to mount the panels to my 12/12 [pitch.  I'll need a rail to go across them to mount the panels to but after that I'll be set.


OlJarhead

I found for my six STP305-24/Ve panels I can get a roof mounting system from Ironridge for about $380 (their site but I'm sending out and RFQ to distributors so maybe less).  This would give me the rails and mounts plus grounding lugs and wire clips.  Then I'd just need to install on the roof and wire it up to the outback etc....of course that means I'll have to stand on a low sloped metal roof which aint gonna happen if it's iced up!

OlJarhead

Also, those panels are actually 36.2v VMP and 8.43A IMP

OlJarhead

Some thoughts on the PV calculator spreadsheet:

Using this spreadsheet and my old numbers on what I expected to use it shows me needing 140AH daily.  However, I know that if the bank is 100% charged (based on my Trimetric meter) at sundown I will use right about 66AH overnight or 10% of the battery bank capacity at 70F.  Of course, I'll still use some of that power during the daylight hours though not as much since I won't have lights on etc and generally do not use the internet, for example, during the day.  Furthermore, while the sun is shining the panels will provide some or all of my power requirements AND recharge the batteries back to 100% if they have 4-5hrs of sunlight (this makes sense as my current panels provide ~20A IMP so over a 4-5hr period they should be able to replenish that 66AH and run the cabin at the same time).

When I add in the new panels which provide 50.58A IMP I will then have as much as 70A IMP with full sun and optimal conditions (note:  I realize that's not real world and it may be as low as ~60A in the real world) so in theory they will be able to charge up the battery bank within two hours or less and provide enough charge during sunlight hours to power the cabin without draining the batteries.

So anyway, I see the spreadsheet calls for more usage than I actually have so I played around a little with it and it shows me I'd need 12 batteries (which is what I have) and 3 of the 305W panels to provide me enough power to go three days without sun and drawing down to 50% DoD (not something I want but I may run into -- on a side note I have my generator set to come on at 24vdc under load so I shouldn't hit 50% DoD).  This makes me pretty happy as I'll have 9 panels (3 205-FA2's and 6 STP305's) which should ensure excellent charging in the dead of winter (when the panels provide the most power too) which is where I always had trouble in the past.  Heck, I might even be able to watch TV a little more often without the genset running or use the freezer in the summer when we like having ice etc).


OlJarhead

Back at the cabin for a milling job up near Java's place :) No snow where I'm milling and maybe only a couple inches up by Javaman's (if that now) but more expected soon.

Not much solar production today so running the gen.  Would be nice if I had the new panels up as my three panels just held the batteries at 91% since this morning (so they produced enough power to keep it from dropping lower than it was at 6am but that's it).  The new ones should be able to recharge the bank completely on a day like today so I'm looking forward to getting them put up!

CabinNick

I was looking back through your previous posts where you were routing T&G into your pine boards for interior paneling.  Would you do it again?  Trying to decide whether to mill and finish my own T&G or just buy it.  On one hand I would really like to have interior paneling that I have cut and milled from my own trees but on the other hand it seems like a lot of work to finish the rough cut lumber and you can find T&G pine for as cheap as $0.33/ln ft. 

On another note, this summer I was talking to a guy is Washington about buying his woodmizer LT10 that he had purchased 6 months earlier and had posted on craigslist.  Looking at your posts I am pretty sure it was your old sawmill!


OlJarhead

Absolutely I'd do it again -- and intend to :)  Once you have the setup it's pretty simple and not much trouble at all.

My old mill?  I saw that he was selling it and wondered what happened?  It's good little mill and worth every penny if you ask me! :D  For a small cabin owner who is willing to do the work that mill will produce (I made a lot of lumber with it)....it won't, however, keep up with my new mill ;)  I've milled a sustained 400bf/hr on the new mill with big logs and a good crew...couldn't touch that with the SMLT10 but then it's not a big production mill either and my mill cost 5 times what that little mill is worth ;)

If you buy it, I'd be happy to pass on any info I can on how to produce with it (I did manage short bursts of 200bf/hr on it but that takes a really good crew and good logs etc...my new mill will do that without breaking a sweat ;)

I'm at the cabin this week milling up near JAvaman's place (he could get in still actually but there is snow on the ground)...I'll post pics when I get a chance but so far I've milled up 7500 board feet of lumber out of burned logs for a customer who is rebuilding after the fire.

JavaMan

Thanks for the report on things up near my place, OJH.  Interesting to see that it could possibly be accessible in mid-December! The winter part of the project is going according to plan, so count on being out there again this summer ;)

Good to see your panels keeping up with electron production, even this close to the solstice.  Once I am all dried in next fall, I will be looking at solar so will need to pick your brain for info on that.

Stay safe, and I am looking forward to those pictures!

OlJarhead

Probably could still get in as there hasn't been much snow yet.  Most I know of so far around your place was 4" and not much has fallen since...it's coming though, and coming fast!

OlJarhead

Quick trip to the cabin today to check on things and work on the tractor.

Can I say WOW! :)  I love this place and look at that sky!


That shading on the panels isn't good!  It's just about noon so I need to do some tree removal.  However the new panels are going on the roof and the batteries were at 100%

OlJarhead

Got a quote for Ironridge solar panel mount and rack system for the roof and it's about $250 so I plan to order soon :)  Just need to have a day when the roof is dry enough to climb up on it and put the mounts in.  Basically you screw them to the rafters (through the roofing) and then bolt on the aluminum rails that the panels are mounted to.  I'll have 22 feet of rails on a 26 foot roof!  Two rails, then put up the panels and run the wiring to the midnight solar combiner box and from there to the DC panel and Outback.

Shouldn't take long to get it all done but at the moment they sit in the garage waiting for me to order the racks and get the tractor running so I can plow the driveway.

Might get up there next week for a couple days if the parts come in for the tractor.

OlJarhead

Wow!  Just realized this is the 2nd most replied to thread and 3rd most viewed!  Ofcourse, a lot of that is probably me! LOL

Maybe I'm just more active at posting these days as it is kinda quiet in here.  Still, cool stat I think.


CabinNick

Enjoy reading your posts and following your adventure - keep it up!

OlJarhead

While the snow comes down (about 5" so far here in Moses Lake) I've been working on my solar can heater :)


I started out drilling both the tops and the bottoms.  This was a real challenge and despite buying better bits and trying different methods I was really having trouble with the tops.


Then my wife suggested a can opener....at first it didn't work very well and then, strangely enough I tried going backwards!  WOW!  That was the trick and I was really cooking on the tops.


Tops and bottoms done I'm boxing up all the cans to get them ready for washing etc but I need 289 cans so I have some work ahead of me!


My myself a template/guide for the can tubes.  Once all the cans are ready and I have the box done (4' x 8') I'll glue them up with high temp silicone in this and once dry I will transfer to the box for painting and final assembly.


Pretty simple design ;)  Two boards, a stop and some screws :D


Some might notice the P38 in this pic ;)  I've carried it since the 80's and am always amazed at the uses let alone how effective it can be.  IN this case when the can opener doesn't fully cut the lids off I use the P38 (also sometimes called a 'John Wayne') to finish the job.


Darn near pro now :)


In case you missed it ;)


I suppose I could recycle these?  I'll have some 300 of them when done.

I hope to have the whole thing done in a week or two and then plan to take it to the cabin to mount and install.  With luck I'll see some heat production this winter from it :)


JavaMan

So where's a link to the esign of this solar heater?  :D

Not that I drink ANY pop (or soda depending on the part of the country you're from), but I think I might be able to get some.  You'll have to let me know how well it works!

OlJarhead

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/GregCanCol/Can%20Colllector.pdf
This is one link that's decent but he didn't use headers and should.  Lots of stuff out there though, just search for 'solar heaters'.

I don't drink a lot of the stuff but I do like some with my bourbon in the evening and it builds up over time.  However it takes a LOT of cans so I ask others for theirs ;)  Anyone and everyone I worked with or visited with often enough (at the cabin etc) I asked for theirs.  Didn't take too long to get a few hundred (actually about 2 years but could have done it faster, I just wasn't in a big hurry).

I know one the size I'm making can produce about 9000btu's but that's in sunlight....dead of winter with only a few hours of good sun?  Might not be enough to do too much but I suspect it will help.

JavaMan

Hmmm... I wonder if PVC pipe would work in a similar fashion.

Might be something I'll investigate eventually.

And as far as efficiency, or efficacy, I figure as long as it's not actually cooling the place and adding even just a little heat, it's a win!   ???