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Forum Index : Solar : Silicon Chip poor advice on off grid.
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| M Del Senior Member  Joined: 09/04/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 155 |
Lots of 250w panels for $180 or so, pass on them ones. Looking around and asking local, I will get them in the end. If only I could drive a lot more, but life is what it is. Trailer idea is an old longish yacht trailer, chassis in good cond. Batteries in a mounted enclosure, build a frame for panels, 2 rows for about 3kw. Inverter for 240 power and a FPDS to the house to begin running freezers, A/C etc. I have a 12m shed roof for 6kw and an area that will take a 7m pergola/carport for another 4kw. This will be done once wife is fully convinced the panels and battery/inverter etc will run more than just Internet for a day. I might actually stop at 6kw if that kills my bill. Depending on taste/permission, some panels may be used as a NW window shading arrangement. This added to my current 1kw grid connect which will remain connected for the moment, or permanently as may be, will see me free and clear. Depending on where regulations etc end up will determine final composition. I am guessing some one will investigate once my power usage drops to nothing from an average 15/18kwhr a day over last 15 years or so. Mark |
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| George65 Guru  Joined: 18/09/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 308 |
I doubt it very much. I have heard LOTS of talk of this but so far not heard any first hand accounts of it here. What I have also heard repeatedly from people in the know is they are not looking at low usage, they are looking at high usage. Indoor " farming" is frowned upon if you know what I mean. I can't see how or why they would look at low usage. Take whee I am. there are people running their businesses from home and paying $1600 quarter. The next door neighbors have just retired, bought a van and are never home. Guy told me couple of weeks back his supply charges on his last bill were higher than the amount of power he used and they forgot to turn off the hot water while they were away. They have no way of knowing if you are home or not, no way of knowing how many people are in the house, what you are going or running or anything else. I'd be more worried about being checked up on by the cops if the bill suddenly skyrocketed. I know for a fact they only ever check 1 in 10 new homes if that to make sure their wiring is compliant. There are too many customers with too many bigger concerns than to be sending people out to check why useage dropped. It is why they want to fit smart meters though, to spy on you without having to pay someone to come out and read your meter. I went at my last house from $800 quarter to $150 when I started doing runs with my veg fueled generator and back feeding. Never heard a peep. Only thing they wanted to do just before I left was fit a smart meter and I told them to shove it. they insisted so I told them they couldn't access the meter without me being home and I was never going to be home when they were in the area and wanted to do it. They surprised me how quick they gave up. I am back feeding here and already way less than half the previous owners bill and the next one will be less still. They may come out, I may get inspected and I may get a slap on the wrist. I wish I could be as confident of winning next weeks lotto as I am that nothing will happen and I won't have any problems at all. |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
Actually you quoted the post yourself Whats with this leftist and rightist crap anyway? afaik that tends to be a yank way of describing politics, I hardly ever hear anyone here talking that way, its libs and labor- which confuses the hell out of yanks when ozzies start talking about how conservative the liberals are LOL |
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Madness Guru Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498 |
Aaron AKA Revlac has had an inspector come out to check why they were not using power and pulled the fuse on the pole for safety reasons. Those growing stuff under lights get caught out as they bypass the meter, as the totals don't tally up with what power is going into an transformer they come looking to see why. There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't. |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
George65, If I may ask, how is your generator hooked up to the mains? do you have anti islanding disconnections in place? |
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renewableMark Guru Joined: 09/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1678 |
Getting it done properly and legal costs big time, I want a change over switch so I can use inverter/solar off grid power to the house, and then flick back over to mains when I don't have enough power either solar or stored battery to run the inverter. Just a bloody changeover switch with a breaker on the gen feed line and a safety inspection is going to be over $1000. OUCH But it will comply to all the regs and will be nice and legal. Cheers Caveman Mark Off grid eastern Melb |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
Stupid isnt it- changeover switch- about 60 bucks, c/b about 8 bucks, housing about 8 bucks, cable to genny- be generous and say a hundred, 2pe in conduit to genny housing 800 for a quick- yeah thats a cable with a plug on the end, 5 mins work wish I got paid at those rates lol |
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| bristan8 Newbie  Joined: 13/11/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 16 |
[Quote=Boppa] What is this BS about 'lefties' being the only ones that use solar etc ????? No didn't say that nor would I say that. I have panels myself. Also Gizmo introduced this topic by refering to ' right wing editor....delusional? |
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| George65 Guru Joined: 18/09/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 308 |
I bought a couple this week to go between generator and mains and what phase I feed the solar back into. Mine will be well beyond what the regs require but it won't be legal because I won't be having it inspected. I'll do most of it, get sparky mate to make sure it's right and do the connections and that's it. If they come inspect it will pass easily ( although I'll guarantee they will look for something to fail it) but I'll still be in trouble for not paying their fees and keeping someone shining a seat with their arse. |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
????? No didn't say that nor would I say that. I have panels myself. Also Gizmo introduced this topic by refering to ' right wing editor....delusional? Oh sorry, I must have been mistaken about the comment quoted- you must have talking about leftists being catholics or something then- quite understandable- my mistake |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Settle down guys. Leon Simpson made his disdain for the labor government well known on more than one occasion, as well as his dislike of wind power, battery storage, renewable energy, etc, etc. You just need to read back through his editorials and replies to letters to see that. I've been reading his editorials for decades. Yes they have published articles about home made wind power, solar chargers, etc, but Silicon Chip like any magazine are forever looking for content and cant be too fussy. That's why I say he used the magazine as a soap box, and leans to the right. And that's one reason people like myself and others no longer buy the magazine. This thread was a about the misleading information provided by Silicon Chip about going off grid, and most of us would agree the figures they used are way off the mark. I've seen this before, where someone was quoted $80,000 plus to go off grid, so they go away thinking its too expensive. But fact is, if they changed a few light bulbs, updated their fridge, replaced the plasma TV with a LCD, used a more efficient pool pump, and looked at all the options, they could go off grid for much much less. $150,000 for the average house to go off grid is a ridiculous figure, and would scare most people off the idea very quickly! It was a mistake of me to mention the right wing stance of the magazine editors. Its not relevant to the post. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
Sorry Glenn, I'll drop it too, should have known better |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
To get back to the thread topic, I checked with a friend who has 3 kids at his place, two being teenagers, they have a pool with pump, ducted aircons- 2 of, solar HWS with electric boost, electric cooking and 4 tv's- of which 2 are on whenever the kids are home, and according to their last bill are using an average of 24.2kwrs per day IF he had the spare cash, and put on a system like we got, 5.5kw, $4200 that gets currently 35-37kwhr a day, he could reduce his bills markedly. By my calcs, he would need roughly 10kw of panels to go offgrid, but that doesnt allow much margin for bad weather, 15 would be better, with 5 days of battery reserve would need around 100kwhrs of batts, at 48v would be near enough to 2000ahr worth of batterys for liions, or 6000ahr of LA expensive yes, but nothing like the figures quoted by S.C.- and that would be one hell of an off grid system as well |
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Ralph2k6 Senior Member Joined: 24/09/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 129 |
We're averaging about 40kwhr. A day.. All electric here, split home, working in-laws have downstairs us family of 3 upstairs. Almost half of our bill is HWC. Lights get left on etc. Thinking 10kw would cover usage pretty well here given the chance, and maybe heat pump hot water too. Going to get some quotes soon as I can't find time with ill wife and autistic son, but I have contact with wholesalers so will be interesting to see how much fat margin gets added in.. Ralph |
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| Madness Guru Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498 |
Heat pump HWS can be troublesome, can you fit solar HWS? There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't. |
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| Ralph2k6 Senior Member Joined: 24/09/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 129 |
Yes mad there's a whole east west roof to use, but PV just seems so straight forward. Of course the govt offers rebates for solar HWC systems too.. Might have to look into it. I managed to get the bosses at work have evac solar installed for our work cafe and that's been very efficient. Sorry this is getting off topic fellas. Ralph |
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| bristan8 Newbie Joined: 13/11/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 16 |
[Quote=Gizmo] This thread was a about the misleading information provided by Silicon Chip about going off grid, and most of us would agree the figures they used are way off the mark. I've seen this before, where someone was quoted $80,000 plus to go off grid, so they go away thinking its too expensive. But fact is, if they changed a few light bulbs, updated their fridge, replaced the plasma TV with a LCD, used a more efficient pool pump, and looked at all the options, they could go off grid for much much less. $150,000 for the average house to go off grid is a ridiculous figure, and would scare most people off the idea very quickly! Well why don't you write in to Silicon chip to see what their response is? they publish plenty of dissenting letters. I would be interested to see their reply. I am surprised at your attitude to silicon chip as they are strong supporters of the micromite and Geof Graham. |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
I had planned to write to SC, but decided to express my views here instead. Here I can get feedback from different people with different views, and I, as do all of us, have the opportunity to reply and continue the discussion. If I write to SC I dont get that opportunity. The projects in SC are contributed by various people, including several forum members. I support those projects, doesn't matter where they are published. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| bristan8 Newbie Joined: 13/11/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 16 |
Well you are hardly going to get different views on this forum which is a bit of an echo chamber (metaphor warning).That is a pity because it would be good to get their side of the story and you have a point, tho I don't think the community would accept as lean as you propose. You can write in to the editor on line as many times as you like. It is very simple. I have done it quite a few times |
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| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Why wouldn't we get different views. Seam to me we are getting just that. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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