# Solar



## Notes (Feb 2, 2012)

Trying to get info on some solar powered outdoor lighting for off grid cabin. Anybody have any ideas. I have been reading about solar on Arizona wind and sun forum. I would like to power multiple low voltage lights outdoors, maybe with a few panels and batteries. Any help would be great.
Andy


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## 1mainiac (Nov 23, 2008)

It is all math and for me I still can't make the numbers add up for solar and wind power. I know most of my number are old because I have not done a recent cost study but I can't see it yet. One thing I have learned in MI is on avg we get around 1/3 of the solar that Arizona gets due to Climate and Latitude. That does not mean it won't work it does however mean the cost is going to be higher.


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Interesting discussion going on here about LED lighting.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=495685
Seems to be very efficient when going to batteries, and if you consider integrating solar charging it might not be a bad idea.


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## da new guy (Mar 6, 2010)

Not trying to be a smart alec or anything but a lot of it depends on how many Kilowatt hours you are going to need. Going totally off grid isn't really cheap or efficient but it can be done in Michigan. It is necessary to have a generator to have in order to charge your batteries during the winter when we have a lot of cloud cover. It is actually more cost effective to be what some call intertidal, which basically means that you are still connected to the grid but you still have power at night or for times with extended cloud cover. I am going to be doing this myself when it warms up and I can get the footings poured. Let me know if I can help...


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## Notes (Feb 2, 2012)

I am totally off grid. No grid for miles. I am currently on generator, propane frig and stove. Starting process now for battery bank to run camp for a few days and charge batteries with generator, inverter with gen support and charger. Just experimenting with some low voltage led lighting for outdoors.


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## Murphy (Aug 10, 2005)

You'd be surprised at how bright those little led buggers are for the power they use.. 

A 10 watt Led Floodlight is probably about the equivalent of a 75 to 100 watt incandescent bulb.. You can get them in different colors too so you could use a RED bulb where you don't want your night vision to be damaged.. Or a bulb with a high kelvin number (6500K?) to light up the back yard or something.

I've been really impressed with them.. The only thing is, since high power leds are a relatively new tech, buying pre-made units is expensive.. If you want to save money and get the most bang for your buck, build them yourself.


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## 1mainiac (Nov 23, 2008)

I have a friend who has lived totally off the grid full time for the last 10 years but my only contact with him other than a 90 mile round trip is Ham radio and I don't have my radio setup right now. My ideal off the grid plans require a solid river or stream flow for my power source. As I have a water wheel planned and want to use it to run a couple car alternators for power. Use that as a main source of power add some solar and wind for boost and a large battery bank with the inverters I already have and I can live pretty good.


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## Murphy (Aug 10, 2005)

1mainiac said:


> I have a friend who has lived totally off the grid full time for the last 10 years but my only contact with him other than a 90 mile round trip is Ham radio and I don't have my radio setup right now. My ideal off the grid plans require a solid river or stream flow for my power source. As I have a water wheel planned and want to use it to run a couple car alternators for power. Use that as a main source of power add some solar and wind for boost and a large battery bank with the inverters I already have and I can live pretty good.


Ever see them use a vehicle's rear end differential for the water wheel gears? They attach the water wheel to the hub, the power goes through the differential box, rotates the drive shaft, which then rotates another gear box that drives a generator head.

I remember them talking about using regenerative braking to control the speed of the wheel... 
They didn't even bother to separate the axle assembly from the vehicles frame rails.. 

They were getting 480 volts at something like 40 to 60 amps..


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## Billycole (Dec 25, 2013)

i currently have a small barn on my property set up with a single 15 watt solar panel, deep cycle battery and a 12 volt cfl bulb on a motion sensor flood light. I have had the setup for probably 5 years with no issues. the total cost was probably $100. Using 12 volt bulbs makes it easy. I also have an inverter there and the barn is wired for 110v. If you're just looking for an outside light check out the harbor frieght kits.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

I have a two camps, one for hunting and another for fishing: both are off the grid. I live at my fishing camp from April Through Sept. and run it mostly off solar energy. The only time I have to run my generator is when I want to use my air-conditioning or run some of my power tools. I have four deep cycle batteries that are fed juice from a charge controller wired to 200 watts or solar panels. All my lights are LED 3 watt bulbs. I also have a TV, PC, DVD VCR, phone charger and frig that are wired to an inverter. My radio, fan and lights are 12v straight to the batteries. I have gravity fed water tanks for shower and kitchen, which is pumped full when needed with a 12v pump. The key is to keep the electrical needs low. My TV is LCD and small. Lights are very efficient, but the LEDs are bright. I used to have 25w 12v lights and the new 3w ones are twice as bright. For a frig, I use a chest freezer modified with a better thermostat that can be set it at 38 degrees. It only runs once an hour for a few minutes.

At my hunting camp, the only electrical needs I have are a radio and lighting, which are all the same 3w LEDs. I have two battery there powered through a charge controller with a 25 watt solar panel and it works fine all fall.


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## Tripleclean (Oct 25, 2011)

Cool

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## ajs8000 (Apr 9, 2013)

I wish i had some suggestions/solutions to offer you but unfortunately i have never gone as far in my research. What i do know is that solar panels are getting increasingly more affordable and the potential to be cost competitive with DTE etc is very real. I have a brother in law who is the head of Morgan Solar in Canada and they are developing some really cool CPV solar systems that have been called "game changers". 

If all you're trying to do is maintain an outdoor light(s) for the cabin; i have to think that it's very do-able by just going to Radio Shack, Northern Tool, or Harbor Freight and putting something together. 

Please think about keeping this board updated as i'm sure lots of us would consider going 100% off grid if we see more people do it as a leader.

Thanks.


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## M.Schmitz87 (Mar 12, 2013)

The biggest problem right now is to store the energy your solar panels are producing. 
When do you need your lights? When its dark outside! Theres not much usage for a solar panel at night. 
For just some LEDs, a TV and another small appliance, batteries will do the trick. But when you dont wanna miss your luxuries, you need something more efficient. 
Right now we are able to produce so much energy with new photovoltaic panels to run your house and your polebarn and your hot tub. 
Unfotunately all that energy is produced in the brighter months, when we dont need it. As soon we can store enough electricity from the summer minth into the winter, there will be a huge change in our branche.

Right now im working on a project that combines different systems to be completely independet and "off the grid".
My photovoltaic solar panels are producing enough electricity to convert water into hydrogen. Hydrogen a highly flammable gas is used as fuel for a sterling motor. Wich produces enough heat to heat your house and a hot water tank. And it also produces up to 1 Kilowatt of electricity. The only exhaust fumes left will be: steam!

Im working on that system right now with a german tech school. It will still be a while till the system is ready for mass production, but we are on a god way. 

Thanks for reading.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

M.Schmitz87 said:


> The biggest problem right now is to store the energy your solar panels are producing.
> When do you need your lights? When its dark outside! Theres not much usage for a solar panel at night.
> For just some LEDs, a TV and another small appliance, batteries will do the trick. But when you dont wanna miss your luxuries, you need something more efficient.
> Right now we are able to produce so much energy with new photovoltaic panels to run your house and your polebarn and your hot tub.
> ...


interesting


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