Hey everyone! I live in a condo in San Francisco with a large flat roof (80x40 ft) that gets full sun all year round. Unfortunately, my landlord isn't on board with making modifications to the power system, so the only options I have are plug-in solar or balcony-mounted systems. My power needs are about 20KW per day, mostly during the hours of 8 AM to midnight, thanks to my server setups and my wife's work-from-home situation.
I've done some research and it seems I get around 5 hours of full sun on average. I've considered a max output of 1200W, which might not completely offset my grid usage, but I'm okay with that as it can help charge a battery for nighttime use. Ideally, I'd like a system that provides at least 15 minutes of backup power for an outage and can keep my Wi-Fi running for 24 hours on a consumption of 50W, plus some LED lighting.
I'm also curious about having a system that can draw from the grid during cheap nighttime rates. Right now, I'm on a flat rate with PG&E, which benefits my heavy daytime usage, but I'm open to switching plans if it helps me save.
I'm considering three types of systems:
1. The Bright Saver kit with 4x400W panels and an inverter—this can isolate itself for safety measures but currently doesn't have battery options.
2. The EcoFlow Stream Ultra kit which comes with 4 panels and can handle 1.92KW per battery. I'd like to know if I can expand this setup to 3200W and how they communicate with each other.
3. A DIY kit using Anker products since I already own some of their devices. I do worry about compatibility and lacking a default inverter.
I've seen videos of successful DIY setups with used commercial panels but I'm hesitant to dive that way. What do you all think?
4 Answers
I’ve got my eye on BrightSaver too! Just keep in mind that they've hit some deployment snags lately, so it might take a while before you can get your hands on their systems. They seem pretty responsive on their YouTube channel if you're looking for updates. Also, my Anker Solix C1000 is pretty handy for backup and can act as a UPS. You might want to consider it as a reliable option while you explore other setups.
You might want to check out Eg4 and Eco Worthy for off-grid inverters that could work with your setup. They can accept grid input and get configured to charge your batteries at specific times. It sounds like you’ll need some basic wiring skills, but there are plenty of tutorials to guide you along the way. That could be a good route to start with solar without full modification to your condo.
Using something like EcoFlow would definitely simplify things despite being a bit pricier. They offer a solid solution that meets your needs while saving you some of the hassle of DIY setups. It's the most straightforward option if you're looking for ease of use and reliable performance without too much customization.
Thanks for the suggestion! EcoFlow sounds like the way to go for me.
That's interesting! I’ve looked into some products from them but wasn't sure if they connect to just any standard outlet. Do they definitely need 240V connections?