Hey everyone, I need a couple of sanity checks on my solar setup calculations and whether my system choice is reasonable. My usage in January was about 600 kWh, which breaks down to roughly 18 kWh per day, given that I don't have air conditioning. I get about 2.78 peak solar hours per day here by Lake Erie. If I want my batteries to sustain 18 kWh, I need a system that can charge them fully in those 2.78 hours, which leads me to about a 6 kW system (6 kW x 3 hours = 18 kWh). This seems low compared to what I've seen elsewhere. Am I missing something? Also, I stumbled upon this solar kit from Sungold Power. If my calculations are correct, does this kit seem overkill? Has anyone used products from this brand and is it reasonably priced?
2 Answers
Your math seems a bit off, especially since you should consider having 3-5 days of battery storage for cloudy weather. You might want a bigger battery setup. A generator is also a good backup to have. Just a suggestion!
Sungold Power might have some red flags. I've heard their gear isn't always UL certified, which can complicate getting work approved by an electrician and might affect insurance. Just something to keep in mind!
Great insight! I was planning to keep it all in a shed, but I see your point about fire safety. I’ll check out shopsolarkits.com as someone suggested. I want to avoid piecing a system together myself since I'm really busy with other plans, like starting a homestead.
Thanks for the tip! I do have a generator just for emergencies to run my furnace. So you're suggesting I should aim for around 60 kWh for the batteries? That makes sense.