My Solar Energy Project

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As I took a break from HHO experiments, I have been working on a solar project.

Currently Solar panel are still too expensive for my wallet, so I started to work on the other end..

Got a 5000 watt inverter, a transfer switch, a charge controller, some batteries and built a cabinet for these items.

Just finished setting them up and it works great, I now have a power backup system.

Will post some pics.

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How much did the setup cost you? You do not have the panels yet?

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  How much did the setup cost you? You do not have the panels yet?
 

   
  yeah no panels yet. waiting for price to drop. 
   
  so I estimate that I spent between $1000  and $1500
   
 

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Now I'm working on a DC-DC converter.

I can't put solar panels on the roof of my house, to much shade due to a lot of large trees and I don't want to cut them down. so I have to place the panels about 150 feet away from the house.

The inverter I'm using runs at 12 volts. so if I get 1000 watts solar panels at 15 volts that is about 67AMPS, and to deliver 67 AMPS at 150 feet distance, I would need very expensive cables.

so the other option is to configure the panels at higher voltage and then use a step down DC-DC converter.

If I setup the panels at 60 volts, then the cables only need to handle 16 Amps.


now one of the most efficient step down converter is the Buck converter, it can reach over 95% efficiency.

here is a calculator:

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Now I'm working on a DC-DC converter.

I can't put solar panels on the roof of my house, to much shade due to a lot of large trees and I don't want to cut them down. so I have to place the panels about 150 feet away from the house.

The inverter I'm using runs at 12 volts. so if I get 1000 watts solar panels at 15 volts that is about 67AMPS, and to deliver 67 AMPS at 150 feet distance, I would need very expensive cables.

so the other option is to configure the panels at higher voltage and then use a step down DC-DC converter.

If I setup the panels at 60 volts, then the cables only need to handle 16 Amps.


now one of the most efficient step down converter is the Buck converter, it can reach over 95% efficiency.

here is a calculator:

Why not convert it to AC directly and transport the AC to your house? Easier and better than DC at that volt-ranges.