Starting out a nd need herlp

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  • Seminutjob
    Junior Member
    • Oct 2018
    • 4

    Starting out a nd need herlp

    Hi guys and girls, I'm Rob and goes by Seminutjob cause I drive a semi. I'm am good with working with my hands, I build rifles, work on three of my pickups, and woodworking. I also work on my house electrical systems and plumbing. With that being said, he is my challenge.

    I have a 12x16 shed that I am using as a woodworking shop. So far I have a table saw, miter saw, small power planer, router table with a free hand router and hand power tools. I have 5 LED lights at 45w each. But I also be getting a band saw and drill press, might also be looking at a jointer too. There will a 2nd shed that I will be running power to it for lights.

    So I was thinking a 3000 watts inverter will work but then I am lost after that. What you guys will start at With panels and batteries? And thanks for the add.

    thanks

    Seminutjob
  • Mike90250
    Moderator
    • May 2009
    • 16020

    #2
    Large power tools are a problem. Their motors generally have a huge starting surge, and many inverters cannot handle that much power, so you are going to be looking at some of the higher end 48V inverters. And you need pure sine wave, otherwise motors tend to overheat with mod sine power.

    Do you intent to work daytimes, night or both? If you can tie your work hours to sunlight hours, you can save a bundle. If you need nighttime power, you have to
    deal with the inefficiencies of charging batteries, and having a larger pile of batteries.

    Have you run the cost of a trench and power conduit to the sheds ? Solar, panels, inverters, batteries are going to cost quite a pile of $ and have associated labor and expenses with it.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

    Comment

    • Seminutjob
      Junior Member
      • Oct 2018
      • 4

      #3
      Originally posted by Mike90250
      Large power tools are a problem. Their motors generally have a huge starting surge, and many inverters cannot handle that much power, so you are going to be looking at some of the higher end 48V inverters. And you need pure sine wave, otherwise motors tend to overheat with mod sine power.

      Do you intent to work daytimes, night or both? If you can tie your work hours to sunlight hours, you can save a bundle. If you need nighttime power, you have to
      deal with the inefficiencies of charging batteries, and having a larger pile of batteries.

      Have you run the cost of a trench and power conduit to the sheds ? Solar, panels, inverters, batteries are going to cost quite a pile of $ and have associated labor and expenses with it.


      Do you intent to work daytimes, night or both? Both day and night.

      Have you run the cost of a trench and power conduit to the sheds ? Yes but the wife want to check out solar power first and all power tools are 110 volts.

      Thanks
      Seminutjob

      Comment

      • peakbagger
        Solar Fanatic
        • Jun 2010
        • 1565

        #4
        If you want to get an education feel free to try but realize it rarely if ever makes sense to put in solar when there is grid power nearby. Even if you design a perfect system, it likely you will kill your first set of batteries prematurely and after writing a check for replacements you will realize you should have run a wire from the grid. Lot to be said for some heavy gauge extension cords.

        Comment

        • SunEagle
          Super Moderator
          • Oct 2012
          • 15126

          #5
          Running some lighting and maybe a cooling fan from solar can be done relatively cheaply but once you add in power tools the cost starts to sky rocket.

          I understand your wife's desire to first try solar to power your stuff but I am pretty sure she would balk at the cost of $1000's needed to build a solar/battery system that requires constant maintenance to keep the batteries happy.

          Comment

          • Sunking
            Solar Fanatic
            • Feb 2010
            • 23301

            #6
            Do yourself a favor, save a ton of money and install something that actually works, and will not likely catch fire from doing something foolish. Use your labor skills and dig a trench from your home to shed and install a 60-Amp AC Feeder to power your work shop. Solar is foolish for your applications and will not work unless you have $10,000 to throw away. For $1000 you can have as much power as you and all your neighbors can use and still have plenty left over with an endless supply of dirt cheap power.
            MSEE, PE

            Comment

            • jflorey2
              Solar Fanatic
              • Aug 2015
              • 2331

              #7
              Originally posted by Seminutjob
              Hi guys and girls, I'm Rob and goes by Seminutjob cause I drive a semi. I'm am good with working with my hands, I build rifles, work on three of my pickups, and woodworking. I also work on my house electrical systems and plumbing. With that being said, he is my challenge.
              Is there a reason you don't want to run power to it?

              If you want to run solar, then run power to your sheds and install solar grid tie on top of them.

              If you really, really don't want to run a big circuit to your barn, then run an extension cord and power an inverter/charger with grid support. Limit the input to 8 amps or so and use a small battery. The battery handles the surges and (short) run times for your tools. The extension cord provides the energy over time. And since the battery stays at 100% charge most of the time, it lasts a long time. Needless to say, this is not the best way to do it - but it's still better/cheaper than an independent off-grid solar power system.

              Comment

              • Seminutjob
                Junior Member
                • Oct 2018
                • 4

                #8
                Would like to thank you for your input. Digging a trench would be cheap and the wife was wondering as to what is involved with solar power.

                thanks
                Seminutjob

                Comment

                • J.P.M.
                  Solar Fanatic
                  • Aug 2013
                  • 14939

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Seminutjob
                  Would like to thank you for your input. Digging a trench would be cheap and the wife was wondering as to what is involved with solar power.

                  thanks
                  Seminutjob
                  Those who believe solar energy applications can solve all their needs effortlessly and cheaply tend to temper their optimism quite a bit with education. Suggest to your wife that she do that while handing her a shovel for the trenching and see what happens.

                  Comment

                  • Seminutjob
                    Junior Member
                    • Oct 2018
                    • 4

                    #10
                    Originally posted by J.P.M.

                    Those who believe solar energy applications can solve all their needs effortlessly and cheaply tend to temper their optimism quite a bit with education. Suggest to your wife that she do that while handing her a shovel for the trenching and see what happens.
                    LMAO, that's a great way for that shovel to meet my face. No thank you, I'll do it. Lol

                    Seminutjob

                    Comment

                    • J.P.M.
                      Solar Fanatic
                      • Aug 2013
                      • 14939

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Seminutjob

                      LMAO, that's a great way for that shovel to meet my face. No thank you, I'll do it. Lol

                      Seminutjob
                      On corporal persuasion: When I was being used as a poster child for the Peter Principle, I had a sign (among several axioms) hanging on the back of the door of my office: "The beatings will continue until morale improves".

                      Perhaps your wife is of a similar mind/inclination.

                      Comment

                      • Sunking
                        Solar Fanatic
                        • Feb 2010
                        • 23301

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Seminutjob
                        Would like to thank you for your input. Digging a trench would be cheap and the wife was wondering as to what is involved with solar power.
                        Say goodby to $10,000 or get on a shovel. Take your pick. Even a heavy duty $50 extension cord will run circles around $10,000 of solar equipment and $6000 of that is in batteries you replace every few years.

                        What more do you need to know?
                        MSEE, PE

                        Comment

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