12 volt wiring

[scw]

I need some help wiring the Vermont cabin.  I am planning to use a solar panel and I want to run a couple of those compact fluorescent bulbs, a radio, small stove, and charge up batteries at night (tools, cell phone, etc.).  I guess my question(s) is/are what size inverter (500w?), what kind of deep cycle battery or batteries to use, and how big a solar panel.  The Northern Tool and Equip catalog just came and I am itching to make an order.

Thanks.  I am hardly a carpenter, never mind an electrician.

[martypalange]

Try New England Solar Electric. Their online catalog is very informative.

http://www.newenglandsolar.com/

[John Raabe]

Here's an old nugget I dug up from the archives (an earlier forum posting);

http://www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html

[Kevin]

I just ordered stuff from sierrasolar for my Vermont cabin and they are very helpful. Give them a call and tell them what you are doing. They seem to have all the answers and are very friendly.
http://www.sierrasolar.com/index.html
Kevin

[Chuckca]

Scott at:

www.backwoodssolar.com

[scw]

Thanks guys.  Those packages seems pricey.  I thought I could do it cheaper than them.  Thanks for the how-to link John.  Exactly what I was looking for.  I thought that I could do it for $300, and looks like I can.

Perfect!

[glenn-k]

$300 will get you started, SCW, but I think you will want more.

Forget any kind of stove that uses heating elements on a small system such as this.  A small microwave would be better - quite a current draw but only for a short time.  A small inverter will not run it.  As an alternative use a small propane stove.  Save your power for lights, etc.

Take the number of watts of each thing times the time you want to use it and add some extra for power losses. Two 13 watt compact fluorescents on for 5 hours will use 130 watts.  With losses round that up to about 200 watts or all the power a 100 watt solar panel will make in 2 peak hours.  You have around 5 or 6 peak hours a day in a lot of places.  A 100 watt panel should cost about $450.

To find watts if all you have is amps and volts multiply amps x volts.  120 volts x 2 amps =240 watts or all the power a 100 amp panel will make in about 3 hours with losses if used for 1 hour  -rough figures.

For a small 12 volt system I would get some deep cycle marine batteries such as Costco sells for about $70 at about 115 amp hours storage capacity.  Later if the bug gets you you will want to move up to a serious inverter and big batteries such as L16's.  When you get to that point we can talk more.

I am on 100% solar and wind power.   This message arrived to you via home power.

[Amanda_931]

No refrigerator?

I've been thinking about those chest-type refrigerators, but I'd guess that after a couple of months I'd hate it.  Same compressor as the sun-frost, but since they're the different shape, they don't spill all the cool air out on the floor.   A lot cheaper than, especially, the two-door sunfrosts because, IIRC, those have two compressors.

Here's their sizing chart, which doesn't seem to be what the advertising says, if I'm reading it right, but still pretty much do-able.  Also, if your winter is like ours, it's colder, but with a lot less sun, so, with respect to panel size, summer and winter may be a wash.

http://www.sundanzer.com/PDF/residential_system_sizing.pdf

[scw]

We are pretty bare bones up there now.  Two dual fuel Colman lanterns have provided enough light so far and the two burner Colman stove is like cooking at home.  The cooler and/or the spring and/or the cold VT October and November air keep the food and beer cold.  I am going to start out small with the wiring system.  I want to walk in the door and flip a switch and have lights come on, with no hissing or having to light a match.  So 3 compact fluorescents will suffice for now.  Maybe a fridge in due time.  Need to get the rest of the siding up first.  Got to think ahead though.

What do you have for a wind turbine?  There is talk of putting a wind farm on a mountain side not far from my place in VT.

[glenn-k]

I'm using a Bergey XL1.  They seem to have the best for the money.  I checked one that claimed to be cheaper  and near the same size but its actual output was much less.  Bergey has a lot of information on their site.

http://www.bergey.com/

As you go larger you will want to plan on working into a 24v or higher system, but 12 v will get you started.  Higher voltage uses smaller wires.