Installing and initial testing of Dave’s 3kW home solar power system. With Sunnyboy SMA inverter, 250W LG Mono-X solar panels, and net metering. Live data is…
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Feb
25
EEVblog #484 – Home Solar Power System Installation
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elmin2323 says:
February 25, 2014 at 5:23 am (UTC 0)
Can you do a video on how a fuse box works and how it’s wired up to the
house? Always wanted to know
photovoltaikbuero Rüsselsheim says:
February 25, 2014 at 6:13 am (UTC 0)
You should try reverse current at night. Gives you images like that and
shows all the mikrocracks in your cells 😉
https://plus.google.com/+photovoltaikbueroR%C3%BCsselsheim/posts/SYFT57Kykwc
I like your videos …
Valueless Dollar says:
February 25, 2014 at 6:49 am (UTC 0)
I would suggest taking that extra power your panels are creating and pipe
it into a battery bank that would also power a hydro cell that would
produce hydrogen gas for your gas water heater. But I would suggest you
have a valve to switch back to the natural gas when you don’t have the
extra power to donate to the cell or upgrading the cell.
icurnet says:
February 25, 2014 at 7:13 am (UTC 0)
thanks mate, nice system! good details in your video
brian hilligoss says:
February 25, 2014 at 7:23 am (UTC 0)
Here in Iowa our meter spins in reverse when we supply to the grid. When we
built the house we covered both east west roofs with panels. Cost was high
but we almost have no power bill. RI is 7 years at our current figure. Then
a 1kw wind turbine will go up.
ReadTheShrill says:
February 25, 2014 at 8:16 am (UTC 0)
04:58 I’m curious: does Australia not use modular fuse panels? All the
circuit breakers look like they’re mounted by drilling into the backing
plate. Does that mean you have to drill holes in the backing plate if you
want to add a new circuit?
In the US, we have bus bars into which you plug the circuit breakers*, and
I guess I just figured they were common everywhere.
*There are many different types because the manufacturers didn’t agree on
the best form factor until recently, which makes finding the right breaker
a bit of a pain, but that’s a different story.
philstuffs says:
February 25, 2014 at 9:03 am (UTC 0)
Looks absolutely amazing and seems to be working great. I’m very jealous !
michael phillips says:
February 25, 2014 at 9:50 am (UTC 0)
that old hot water meter you should take off and do a video of it!
Kevin Loughin says:
February 25, 2014 at 10:19 am (UTC 0)
Here’s my question. Your electric bill the month before and the month
after the panels were installed?
By the way, I have a tiny system with 3 15W panels and a 200Ahr deep cycle
battery. I use a 12V CFL camping light for reading, run my ham radios,
and charge my cell phone/tablet off the system. It was very handy when a
winter storm knocked out power for 4 days once.
Roman Mami says:
February 25, 2014 at 10:33 am (UTC 0)
Nice looking house.
turboslag says:
February 25, 2014 at 11:13 am (UTC 0)
There was a massive surge in PV installation here in the UK about 2 or 3
years ago, due to a government subsidy on the install price and a special
deal on the feed in tariff back to the grid. When I investigated the
viability of the deal it fell down pretty quickly. Depending on how many
KWH a system fed back into the grid it was going to take 10 -15 years to
pay for the system. Now, given that system prices would fall substantially
in that time and the life of todays PV panels will probably only be about
20 – 25 years the numbers just didn’t make good sense. And further, to
qualify for the deal it was mandatory for the system to be installed by an
‘approved’ installer who would issue the necessary certificate in order
that the owner could register for the feed in tariff payments. So it was
all a bit of a gravy train for the manufacturers really. And of course, in
the UK, the hours of sunlight are far less than down there in Oz, so the
rate of KWH production is way less.
PV panels prices have already fallen massively in the last 2 years, so
those mugs that paid £10-20K for their ‘subsidised’ systems will be feeling
a bit pissed off I would imagine! I’ll wait another 2 years when a whole
system can be had for maybe a thou or two, then I’ll buy and fit myself.
k1mgy says:
February 25, 2014 at 11:30 am (UTC 0)
Appears as documented a rather well done installation. As panels get hot,
and work more efficiently when cooler, you might consider a hydronic loop
which will cool panels and pre-heat (or heat) your domestic water. Why
waste that heat, mate!
craigybus1 says:
February 25, 2014 at 12:16 pm (UTC 0)
Itron meters used to be made about 5 miles from where I live here in
England, and now they’ve shipped all production overseas. Itron is owned by
a religious organisation, and at the Felixstowe plant, there is a large
church on the side of the factory
Brian Brown says:
February 25, 2014 at 12:26 pm (UTC 0)
Here in Florida, the power company pays the same amount for purchased power
and I pay them for my power. It varies by state here and some pay a lot
more, some pay wholesale, just depends.
sudarshan131 says:
February 25, 2014 at 1:16 pm (UTC 0)
thanks…..very comprehensive and to the point explanation..
Callum Robertson says:
February 25, 2014 at 1:28 pm (UTC 0)
Does he know you’re poking through his bag ;)?
Glen Robinson says:
February 25, 2014 at 2:25 pm (UTC 0)
Greets from Rayonger: finishing up a 3 kW (stage 1) of of a 10 kW 3 phase
grid connected system. This one will move 3 times a year to gather the
seasonal changes at 12 degrees north. Great video, man :>) cheers, BTW, we
DIY everything here.
mauriziodellera says:
February 25, 2014 at 3:15 pm (UTC 0)
In Australia there is not the current limiting device, istalled by the
electrical operator? I watched two measuring absorbed power, is not
sufficent one?
Congratulations for movies, are very interesting. Regards from Italy.
Justyna Borowska says:
February 25, 2014 at 3:45 pm (UTC 0)
How many years until you break even?
De Cook says:
February 25, 2014 at 4:41 pm (UTC 0)
Commercial Solar Panels are Expensive.
If you want to power your house cheaply
Simply Go to *Google* and *Search* for:
*Top DIY Solar Panels Research By John Sommer*
Choose the first result.
It has the plans and explanation there.
De Cook says:
February 25, 2014 at 5:30 pm (UTC 0)
Commercial Solar Panels are too Expensive !! If you want a Good solution to
Power your Home, You have to Learn to Build your Own Solar Panels Go to
Google and search for: “Top DIY Solar Panels Research” Choose the First
Result (Skip the advertisement on top) It is a Blog that Explains it in
Details….
shahbaz sarik says:
February 25, 2014 at 5:59 pm (UTC 0)
I have a 12v – 0.5Amp solar panel but i need 4.2v – 1Amp to carge may
battery . Is there any way to meet the requirement using this panel? Is any
any converter that can do the work?
Elandriel Ethoa says:
February 25, 2014 at 6:49 pm (UTC 0)
#solar #solarpower
firoxlion says:
February 25, 2014 at 6:51 pm (UTC 0)
Hm, I heard of some tricks to disable those mechanic meters, yes 😉
Interesting to hear all these different types of infrastructures btw!
Macka007 says:
February 25, 2014 at 7:27 pm (UTC 0)
I think a fairly large portion goes to the distributor to pay for
infrastructure. The generator is probably making only 6 cents out of that
26 cents for feed in.