# Expansion #4.....



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

My original 2.1kw, now at 5.95kw, is about to grow to 8.4kw. Stuff gets any cheaper, and they'll be putting them in Cracker Jack boxes.

Got a Carolina buddy getting ready to pull the trigger on a 20 panel system ( 245watt SolarWorld panels) with Enphase micro inverters (M215).......so I said "see what you can get me another 10 with Enphase for".......

$4920 FOB fairly local distributor ( 60 miles away ).

4920 bucks.

I gave almost 7 grand for JUST THE FREAKING the 10--245w panels I put up last fall.....and this year I can get the exact same panel *+ the inverters + the cabling + grid tie info hub *for......get this....... 

*4920 bucks.*


That is 2 bucks a watt.......with everything but the racking.

Sigh.....yep.....I gotta do it......it's calling me.......the power company is gonna come out here one day and say "WT/heck ??.....you keep this up, and we'll have to put in a substation just for you....."........ahahahahaaaaaa


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Just wait till you see what they will charge you for the 'substation'. . . . . . .LOL


----------



## Tarheel (Jan 24, 2010)

You sure you got enough mountain side for one more set & tracker ? :grin:

Is this going to be a winter project or next summer ?

Congrats !


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

I'd hope to get it up this fall. Trying to decide whether to build another tracker, or simply fix mount them on some kind of wood trellis affair.

Guy I met few months ago put up a 7kw system at his house here locally, and he built a real nice gazebo/trellis kinda thing in the yard off his back deck. Handy in that he could install the panels from the underside, and plug up the inverters and all, and any future maintenance would be easy.

He uses the Enphase inverters, so he has a web page ( thru Enphase ) showing the daily and for-the-month production of his system. If you look at the "wallpaper" background, you can see a pic of his setup.

His angle is pretty low.....would get a bit more in summer, and quite a bit less in winter.

https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/public/systems/CyHD97985


----------



## Tarheel (Jan 24, 2010)

One more question, knowing what you and Jim-mi know today about batteries what type would either of you use if you were starting from scratch ? (not including the super deal you got last time) would it be the same type or something different ?


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

I'd go with the Trojan or Exide, or Deka L-16's. I think they are good value for the money ( about 250 bucks/battery for a 400amp/hr, 6v, 112lb battery ). 

I put a bank of 8 ( 2 strings of 4....24v system, 800amp/hrs ) in my buddy's off grid cabin, and he is well pleased with them. Told him to keep them watered religiously, and don't discharge below about 75% ( flip his generator on if he does ), and I think they'll last 10 years or more. That ain't bad for the money. Also recommended he put a battery desulfanator, such as this:

Battery Desulfanation











Now the stuff I'm talking about above ( the micro inverters ) can't be used with a battery based system ( to my knowledge )....they are for grid tie only.....so you'd have to set up a system something like my original one with battery based inverters. ( the one in the pic above is an Outback pre-built power panel.....which is SWEET.....you hang it on the wall, plug in your PV panel wires, battery wires, and 120v out wires, and you're done ! It's really "plug and play" !! )


----------



## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi Andy,
You might like Dougs's racking system: 
Doug's New 4.6 KW micro inverter DIY Grid Tied PV Array

Gary


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Thanks Gary......great job Doug did, and the write up is awesome.

For those that haven't visited Gary's website, there are hours and hours of surfing to be done there on solar projects. Truly one of the best sites out there for this kind of thing.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

I would go with Shurrette L16's
But better yet the Shurrette KS33 2 volt bats

TnAndy if you haven't bought the Enphase yet consider a SunnyBoy . . . .
That way you can AC couple to your existing Outback system . . . .should the grid go down.

Endphase is low on the totem pole compaired to a SunnyBoy AC coupled system.

"Doug's" system is neat . . But too low to the ground for a snow area like I am in.
Also I would be concerned about his nice simple racking system could well suffer nasty damage from the wind in my area.


----------



## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Time to talk my wife into a huge system


----------

