Off-grid solar power

[omicron1792]

For me, the grid is the answer......and I don't need no stinking converters and array of solar equipment to weld or refrigerate my beer. Carry on. (grin) (I do appreciate solar folks for their persistence. Fun to READ about your escapades in power.....but for me the grid is king.)

EDIT: I do find it "odd" that nobody offers an "all in one" package of solar, inverters, and storage power that you can simply install at your site and plug stuff in.

They do make that my man. The leader is this one. But can buy much cheaper.

Haven 10 Ecosystem - Reliable Home Battery Backup Power

Our new Haven 10 Ecosystem can power electronic devices, run your refrigerator, keep you connected to the Wi-Fi, power lights throughout your home, and more. This home battery backup system makes it easier for you to go on with your day worry-free.

goalzero.com

 

[SD51555]

I just did the quick math on my system since I installed it. I'm at about $29/mo now if you amortize my costs over the years they've been in place. Grid would have been about $70/mo.

I had to replace my battery bank because I put some used batteries in there and they took down the whole bank. So I've got about $1500 into a new bank. If you expense those all the way up front, I'm at about $47/mo. But I've got at least 4+ years to go in those new batteries. Some solar guys have told me they have gotten out to 15+ years on batteries.

I will say, this year would have been the year to have grid and AC because it's been awful up there for a month or better. So when those conditions present, I just don't go. Even if it's cool and fine inside, its still hot, buggy, and miserable outside.

 

[buckdeer1]

My bid from electric company was 15,000.00.I just need lights.I have everything else cordless from home and only live 10 minutes away.I know a guy that has drilled several of his own wells.What he did was take 5ft of auger for his 3pt and make up pipe joints so when you screw another on and go 5 ft deeper unscrew and add another then just reverse the process when pulling out.I believe he drills inside a well pipe.I know you have to put gravel on outside of pipe if sandy.I have 2 wells I use and a windmill.In fact I took my pump down to one tonight and screwed the pipe joints that have the foot valve on to the low level pump that I power off generator.I did learn something last year when i bought a 2500 champion generator that it won't run my pump but a 2000 Honda will.

 

[Foggy47]

My bid from electric company was 15,000.00.I just need lights.I have everything else cordless from home and only live 10 minutes away.I know a guy that has drilled several of his own wells.What he did was take 5ft of auger for his 3pt and make up pipe joints so when you screw another on and go 5 ft deeper unscrew and add another then just reverse the process when pulling out.I believe he drills inside a well pipe.I know you have to put gravel on outside of pipe if sandy.I have 2 wells I use and a windmill.In fact I took my pump down to one tonight and screwed the pipe joints that have the foot valve on to the low level pump that I power off generator.I did learn something last year when i bought a 2500 champion generator that it won't run my pump but a 2000 Honda will.

How deep is your well?

 

[buckdeer1]

I really thought about installing a smaller generac generator with a 100 gal propane and turn on when I wanted things like a fan or charger

 

[buckdeer1]

When I did my windmill they had min of 25 ft, the last couple they had 100 ft min.The guy I know I think was going 25-40ft

 

[Foggy47]

When I did my windmill they had min of 25 ft, the last couple they had 100 ft min.The guy I know I think was going 25-40ft

OK. I just have a sand point well. Drove the point to 25 feet about 15 years ago. Getting a bit slow.....but I do not have a big water requirement. Mostly just sprayer use. I rented an electric jack hammer to drive the point.....and hooked the jack hammer up to my generator at the time.....as I still did not have grid power then. Worked pretty slick. The pump primes each year on about the third water fill. A deeper well would take a different approach.

 

[Catscratch]

I've got to say... this is one of my favorite threads! Great projects and info!

 

[ksJoe]

I know a guy that has drilled several of his own wells.What he did was take 5ft of auger for his 3pt and make up pipe joints so when you screw another on and go 5 ft deeper unscrew and add another then just reverse the process when pulling out.I believe he drills inside a well pipe.

That's similar to my plans, except I'm putting the auger on the front loader so I can do 10' extensions. Preparing for well drilling has been a background project for a while. Here's a thread on another site for how I converted an old PTO auger to hydraulic with skid steer quick attach.

Since its hydraulic, I can reverse if it gets hung up on something. And I'll have power down pressure (3 point hitch is just gravity down). I've just got a compact tractor, so the hydraulics are low power. Around 8 gpm at 2,000 PSI relief pressure. That's good for this project because if I push the auger too hard, it just quits spinning. So I have no need of sheer pins and don't need to worry about breaking a pin deep underground.

I've got 60 feet of oilfield pipe cut into 10' pieces with holes drilled for pins to link them. I need to cut up some 3" round bar stock and put it on the lathe to make adapters between the auger's size (2.55/2.65") to the pipe (2").

The water table is very high on half the property. I've got 4 or 5 spots that slowly weep water. So I can easily hit water. Its just a question of whether or not I can get drilled deep enough the compensate for the draw down when I start pumping. There's a lot of shale rock, but that usually crumbles without too much work, so I'm hoping to drlll through it.

 

[buckdeer1]

I tried sand points but I drove mine in the front bucket of tractor while being lower.I used a 70lb driver like a post driver.That sucked.heres my low level pump