Great Solar System Set Up From Ultraghostrider

Checking out the current set up from HF Solar Kit member Ultraghostrider. He shows a great example of how the do it yourselfer can combine different panels, controllers and grid tie inverters to have the best of both worlds. Keeping your batteries charged and selling your power back to the utility company.





Sundance 80 Watt Do It Yourself Solar Energy Kit

Everything You Need to Produce Your Own Solar Energy.....Check Out New World Solar Power!Share

Product Review, Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit

From Goathollow.....Just a little project I've been working on.



Check out the "Harbor Freight 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit Community Forum"

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Can You Measure Your Battery Voltage to Determine How Charged They Are?

So, you can measure your battery Voltage to determine how charged they are. And you can measure the Current the see the rate of charge or discharge (how fast the batteries are gaining or losing power). Use the chart below to interpret your battery voltage readings.

This chart will allow you to get a pretty good idea of how charged the batteries are. They must not be charging or discharging for these voltages to be correct. Also, it should be at least 1 or 2 hours since they were. A good time to check is early in the morning before charging starts or any appliances are turned on. This will tell you the SOC (state of charge) or simply put, how full they are.

Battery Voltage Chart

% of Full Charge__________ Voltage
100 % charged_____________12.7 volts
90 % charged______________12.6 volts
80 % charged______________12.5 volts
70 % charged______________12.3 volts
60 % charged______________12.2 volts
50 % charged______________12.1 volts
40 % charged______________12.0 volts
30 % charged______________11.9 volts
20 % charged______________11.8 volts
10 % charged______________11.7 volts
completely discharged_____11.6 volts or less

Remember, this measurement is most accurate after the batteries have been at rest at least 1 hour, and neither charging nor discharging.



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Solar Power System Sizing Estimator

Here is a great tool if you are just getting started with creating your own solar energy. The Solar power system sizing estimator. Use this estimator to get a pretty good idea of how many Solar Panels you will need to generate electricity and how many Storage Batteries you will need to store that electricity. The estimator lets you make simple choices and then calculates the WattHour usage based on typical configurations.

After you see how the estimator works, you can figure your own system size much more accurately by determining the wattage needed for each of your appliances and then manually calculating the required WattHours. This procedure is explained under the details of the Estimator's Calculations below.

Select closest Size and Use factor for each Item. Just click the 'Calculate' button below to see the pre-selected default settings which approximate the typical usage for a small household of 2 persons. Or, select the choices that apply to you from the drop down lists then click the 'Calculate' button below.

Just Click Here to go to the solar sizing estimator now!

Find solar training in your area!

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How to Hook up Solar Panels to Charge Controller and Batteries

How to wire solar panels or a wind turbine to charge contoller,batteries and dc to ac inverter. A great example of how to set up a clean, organized control board.




The "Super Cycle" in Gold and How It Will Affect Your Pocketbook in 2010


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The Angle of Your Panels????

We all know that when installing our solar panels it's important to have them at the proper angle to take advantage of the best possible direct average sunlight that we get throughout the year. Here is a link where you can to find what your latitude is. When you've located your city using the zoom controls, click on it to find what your latitude, and from there it is quite simple. The latitude is equal to the best angle for your solar panels to be set at. What a coincidence.

Solar Energy Home Guide

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DIY 12 Volt DC Solar Panel System

This is a popular video that shows a better example then most of how to use breaker boxes etc. on even our smallest systems. repairguy000 combining 2 sets of Harbor Freight 45 Watt Solar Panel Kits.



Solar Energy Home Guide

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Enviergys Home Solar Setup

First video of my batteries, inverter and regulator setup.



Save Money, Build Your Own Solar Panels

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