Hey folks! I joined this forum because I heard it's a great place for practical advice. My dad has been trying to set up an off-grid solar system, but I'm worried about how well it's going. He's got two 200Ah lead batteries from Renogy, a 3000W power converter, and two 650W RV solar panels, but he's aiming to cover his daily energy needs of 20-25 kWh. I've done some math, and I think he's totally under-equipped, especially since he can only mount the panels on the side of the house instead of on the roof. Could anyone help me figure out how bad the situation really is, how much it might cost to upgrade, and what essentials he should consider buying to get by comfortably? Thanks a ton in advance!
3 Answers
I managed to set up a system with 1 kW of panels and 6.8 kWh of battery, which works for me except during super cloudy winter days. You might want to focus on getting some energy-efficient appliances too, like a DC fridge, since inverters use power as well. The more you can run on DC, the better!
Yeah, I think you’re spot on. Your dad’s setup is pretty low on power. I’d recommend checking out the PV Watts website to estimate solar power production. He might need at least 8 kW of solar panels and around 15 kWh of batteries to be viable, especially with winter storms. You’ll want a good generator for those cloudy days too!
It sounds like your dad’s system is more for hobbies than for actual living. For a daily usage of 20-25 kWh, you're looking at a budget of around $15-20k at least. If he wants stable off-grid power, a backup generator is definitely a must for the rainy days. I’d also suggest researching thoroughly as there’s tons of info out there.