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This system has allowed me to live off grid 99% of the time for eight months of the year (March to October). For the remaining months (November to February), I operate off grid during the day and switch to the grid at night. Basically with little light and tons of snow, daytime production is minimal. I plan to add a 2.5 K wind generator primarily to improve winter performance. The original idea was to discover whether or not one could survive off grid in southern Ontario, if the need arose.
Spring, summer and fall allows virtually normal living including heating hot water, 2 tanks 100 gallons, a/c in the summer, dishwasher, clothes washer etc. Note: solar systems don't do welders. I also operate a mill, lathe and various other machines in my shop.
Now to the 1%.
i do switch to the grid to operate my clothes dryer as it draws 6000 watts. While the system can do it, I just don't like the whine from one of the inverters. A note on the a/c. It's old (20 years) and shut down the system when turned on. I had a choice, replace it or source a soft start add-on. Fortunately, a US firm sells such a device and it works.
SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS:
10k of panels (32- 310,330 w) , 8- 6 volt rolls surrette series 5000 820ah batteries, 2- Trace 4048 inverters, 2- Midnite Classic 200 Controllers. The inverters and batteries were purchased used two years ago and are 17 years old. Can't say enough about the batteries.
Spring, summer and fall allows virtually normal living including heating hot water, 2 tanks 100 gallons, a/c in the summer, dishwasher, clothes washer etc. Note: solar systems don't do welders. I also operate a mill, lathe and various other machines in my shop.
Now to the 1%.
i do switch to the grid to operate my clothes dryer as it draws 6000 watts. While the system can do it, I just don't like the whine from one of the inverters. A note on the a/c. It's old (20 years) and shut down the system when turned on. I had a choice, replace it or source a soft start add-on. Fortunately, a US firm sells such a device and it works.
SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS:
10k of panels (32- 310,330 w) , 8- 6 volt rolls surrette series 5000 820ah batteries, 2- Trace 4048 inverters, 2- Midnite Classic 200 Controllers. The inverters and batteries were purchased used two years ago and are 17 years old. Can't say enough about the batteries.
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