Off-Grid: ROBUST Expandable 10,000 Watt, 80 Amp Solar Power System for AZ Ranch

This system is expandable to 10,000W and Chad is in the process of getting this to its full capacity.

[trex]

Dryers, yep I got one of those fancy solar-powered clothes dryer systems in my back yard. I went and put me up a "5 stringer array" years ago. I can dry my sheets and 7 days of clothes for me and the misses all in one day if'n it's sunny enough. On cloudy days I use the back-up array in the garage, but it's a "1 stringer", and not for sheets, it only has a "one load" capacity wire. Been in operation for 15 years with no degradation in capacity whatsoever. Every couple of years I do have to replace a few of the attachment clips to the system to account for the occasional broken clothes attachment pins. The only maintenance required is the random tightening of the turnbuckle at the anchor end of the wire to remove any slack in the horizontal suspension unit wire. I think it cost me a total of $150, I used stainless hardware for longevity and a few bags of QuickCrete to anchor it in. I do recommend using 3" galvanized pipe since the wooden vertical support units are susceptible to decay and fail due to our high moisture content in the soil base.

[rongray]

It's 2024!! Happy New Year! How's the system working this morning?!? My wife and I are about to go off grid this year... looking forward to seeing more of your videos for good information! We will be operating a smaller system to begin Schneider Conext 4048 w/159CL made by altE. We will be powering our 40'Jayco Jayflight LOFT with the system while we build a modified Earthship style home in Northern Nevada.

[maxs]

SINCERE THANKS, GOD BLESS, I WAS IN COLORADO AND IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!

[livingdreamtrading]

I have a 23, 300 watt system and it consists of 70 of the 96 cell Panasonic 330 Watt panels. I have two Sol-Ark 12K inverters and two Fortress Power E-Vault batteries. I get between 70 kw to over 100 kw on an average day and run an entire house with 5 ton Highly efficient Heat Pump all electric home, Heat Pump water heater, five freezers, two refrigerators, electric dryer and plenty of others, but my cost was not $10, 000.00, it was over $80, 000. The batteries alone were $25, 000.00 for two. If you want to run a good sized home, you cannot do it with 9 panels, but if you want off the grid you get what you pay for.

[WayneRigley]

The hots, the grounds and the negative lol thank God it was a kit and someone installed it for him

[jordanhazen]

Depending on how you use one, Microwaves can actually be a good way to conserve energy off-grid, if you're cooking with electricity to begin with rather than propane or other fuel. Although high in power draw when running (far less than a dryer though), the typically short operating time compared to a normal oven or cooktop can more than make up for that. A switched outlet (with heavy duty snap-action switch) would be good to eliminate its phantom load for the clock, etc. when not in use. Best to get a Kill-a-Watt and check *everything* for phantom draw, if you haven't already... even 2-3 watts running 24/7 can really add up, and some of the offenders can be surprising.

[k.kapper]

Batteries can be charged with approximately 2000 Watts being the highest power from those 9 panels. Now it is winter, but when summer is coming, during 6 to 8 hours, a charge of roughly 10.000 watt-hours can be collected in those batteries.

[PostalRedneck]

Best video you have done in a long time.

[bobbailey]

Good idea getting a calculator, might want to check your total wattage. if you use a MPPT charge controller you can exceed 48 volts and you have one. Wrong about the battery’s you can jump start a vehicle just have to pull the desired amount you’ll need. No reason you can’t use a microwave or any other modern conveniences just have to have a battery bank that can support it and you have it. Good luck

[edsmith]

10, 000 watts....either in panels or in output. Only 9 panels, maybe 2, 000w....single inverter, largest one Outback makes in that series is 3, 500w.

[LAPGOCHINSTRUCTOR]

He should have used the title "1 billion volts and 200, 000 amperes Solar System"
That's what you get if it's struck by lightning :)
FYI I would also have inline lightning protection fuses for the ac and dc as the outer cable protection when its struck by lightning doesn't give much protection even when grounded
Same goes for any external antennas, telephone cables and city electricity supply
You will be surprised how lightning finds it's way in.

[LawrenceRhodes]

We just have 2.4kw but during the day we can either charge the car or run any of our appliances. Not both. If we run the dishwasher and the car since we are grid tied we will have power delivered. If we are thrifty and do just one the grid receives from us. Microwave is power thrifty as well as induction and convection cooking. Doing the math and looking at the meter solves most problems. Good luck.

[armandosanchez]

How 9 panels can produce 10, 000 Watts?

[kelvynfurniel]

Geeat video just the explanation i needed ..
Im building a house in Fort Mayer Naples FL. And i will like to run it completely with solar panels my budget will be arround $15K hopefully its enough.
I'm considering having regular electric power just in case... i guess who ever i hire to build this for me will enlighten me a bit more thank you for your very well explained video ....

[WildDragon]

Microwave is the most efficient cooking device you can use. even a 1200 watt microwave uses less power in 1-3 minutes than any electric oven for 45 min.

[av]

next ground mount id suggest putting the vertical pipes closer together. There is no need to have them at the very end and create a bow in the unistrut.

[jordanhazen]

Is your Flexnet DC battery monitor (black module up top between Hub and AC enclosure) broken, or not completely hooked up? I don't see any state-of-charge LEDs lit on the front as it should have. That needs its own separate connection to the battery bank (small gauge wires, white negative / black positive, strangely enough), but is quite useful to have - it logs amp-hours in and out of the battery from all sources, gives a 0-100% percentage reading and other good data on the Mate panel (or sent to a PC), and can control the charging phases more accurately. They cost >$250, so you might as well put it to good use.

[khysor]

10, 000 watts? This man should work for Tesla.

[peters]

Seems like the shed would have been perfect to put the panels on, or make a shed under the panel structure. Thanks

[owenaquilina]

what does actually happen to your bill if you consume less then then the PV on the grid generates when you have a smart DU meter? would be charged for that extra units you have generated, when you have a SMART AC DIGITAL meter (DU). would you been charged for the exported units?