Solar power – help/advice needed please

Your last point about keeping the 12V DC wiring as short as possible gives the hint for most of your other questions. Shifting from the 220V mains to direct DC is going to be lossier. Power loss in a cable or wire is a linear function of current flow in amps. Generally one of the small inverters running around 80% loaded can reach conversion values above 90% efficiency. Your wiring losses could be much greater. Connect your charger controller to battery terminal and take your 12V feed from the battery. You need the presence of the battery in order for the charge controller to work effectively. since this is a 12V system adding extra batteries must be connected in parallel. Given your location in Greece adding extra panel capacity if you are not increasing your load may simply result in the charge controller disconnecting earlier due to lots of sunshine. You may be better off using the area to install a solar hot water collector.

Reading up on solar power installation is a must. I first read the Solar Living Source Book, then the Independent Home. That was back in the late 90s, and there are more current books like here;

https://www.amazon.com/Photovoltaic-Installation-Dummies-Lifestyles-Paperback/dp/047059893X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307118235&sr=1-3

I wish I had known about using thick aluminum foil underneath the sheet rock between the inverters and phone lines and stereos, amps, etc. separating the inverter locale from these things. The prolific EMI/RFI does cause problems.

Hi, elnav, My main house system is twin DR2424s com linked for my well pump and in a special split shed add on vented with a separate compartment for 8-L16Ss below, also vented and weather sealed. The exterior wall is uninsulated to warm the insulated attached shed, and has 5/8″ fire rock on the outside of the wall in the compartments. On the inside is the 220 standard 100 amp circuit breaker box and 1/2″ drywall. I used two 5/8 x 96″ ground rods, one for the box and one for the batteries, then used a 6 gauge wire to link them for potential equalization. They are just over 4′ apart and should have been at least 6′ apart. The phone line comes in 2′ away. Originally I had regular dial up and the computer right under the circuit breaker box. It slowed the computer down and put a buzz in the phone. I got an EMI meter and it read unhealthful 1′ and closer. I moved the computer across the room, went to DSL and the filters keep the buzz out from my phone line and the phone line to the satellite TV. Originally, I stapled thick aluminum foil to the wall, which was really tacky. If I would have known, I would have put the thick foil on the wall under the rock!!! THAT wasn’t in the Independent Home or the Solar Living Source Book!

When I added on another system in the garage I used a Puresine 1000 for my guitars and a selectable MSW for use with the Staber washer and power tools and lights. I still lined the inside of its cab with thick Al foil. However, the MSW, when on, still interferes with my amps, with both inverters on, because of gaps at the hinges and under and over the compartment. The EMI/RFI escapes easily through any gap.

In my Earthship I use a Puresine 180 which gives no noise to my smaller amps and guitars out there unless I am using the CFLs and a single coil guitar, which I don’t do, even in the garage with its CFLs. If I’m playing with the lights on I only use humbucker guitars.

If I would have known, and the prices were like today, the original system would have been an SW2440 with step up transformer. Back then the two DR2424s w/o cover piece were 2K. The price of the SW2440 w/transformer was close to 5K. Now, it is down to around 3K while the new designation 2424s are about 2.5K a pair.

Idle current usage was also a concern. The Trace/Xantrec with the search mode is low power use at idle (.1A) and so is the original MSW inverter I had in the garage. A UPG1300/6000 mounted vertically, which wore it out after 8 years, now replaced with an 800/2500 w/remote switch (higher idle than the UPG’s .09A). I had left the UPG1300 on all the time because of its low idle, it was $100, now up to $300, and mount the inverters with cooling fans horizontally!!!

Yes, at the time, the twin DR2424 approach was much cheaper than a large sine wave inverter with step up transformer. It was for the huge power surge and use of the 470 ft. deep well pump (220VAC, 1 HP), 120 feet away. Half of the original house system was just for that!! I also used the house power for the addition and Earthship tools like Skilsaw, table saw, cement mixer, big router for trim and cabs, and 22.5 lb. Bosch Demolition Hammer with 5″ compactor face for tire and ground compaction.

I turn off the MSW for the addition with the remote switch when not in use. The Prosine 1000 is used without that MSW on for buzz free amp sound. However my little Puresine 180 does put out some buzz in my Earthship on its Marshall MG15MSZW. I’ll have to refoil its area, but it still hits the lead wire to the three outlets and lights. It was only $80, and the requirements out there do not justify the huge expense of a Prosine. I just play loud, instead.

Thanks elnav, I had forgotten about them. I used to have a couple on my extension cords to the amps, and lost them when everything was taken out for painting. I just bought 5-10mm, 2-12mm, & 2-9mm ones for $13.05 total on ebay.