Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
Hi Brian. Are you planning to hook your solar panels to the grid, or connect them to a battery-based power station?
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Hi Brian. Are you planning to hook your solar panels to the grid, or connect them to a battery-based power station?
@Anne_Delong will still stay connected to the grid for now. Looking to supplement coolers for the farm more than become independent.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb For a grid-tied system, you're probably going to need your plans approved by your local utility before you start building.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb Maybe call a company that does solar work and ask for a demonstration to see for your self what is needed and ask questions or where site is that you may go to and do so without saying too much about your intentions...
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@brianb For a grid-tied system, you're probably going to need your plans approved by your local utility before you start building.
@brianvastag yeah I know the electrical inspector, so not too worried about that part of it. The local utility engineer is also really responsive.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb You can check Costco
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The first big decision is what type of inverter to use. The link below is a good explainer. Basically the simplest is a string inverter but for this to be optimal all panels in the string need to all have the same sun exposure. ie unshaded. Its also easiest from A DIY perspective.
@sleepy62 @brianb If you’re in US, there are still federal credits. They are for companies, not individuals. Companies have stepped in to help pay for your system, giving you a discount, and then holding ownership for six years, after which they give you the system. For this, they collect the corporate tax credits. The company we’re using is called HDM. They will get credits for our panels and our batteries. I don’t know how they work with DIY, but we’re saving about 30% of the total cost.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb My barn is old, so the solar company told me I’d have to replace the roof and sister the rafters before they’d install panels. Nothing wrecks a benefit/cost analysis faster than that.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
Are there other farmers in your area who have done what you want to do?
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb Look at batteries first.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb@fosstodon.org it sounds like you’re doing grid-tie, so you have twoish options for your overall configuration:
- strings of panels in series adding up to a few hundered volts open circuit. run each of those to your inverters (in metal conduit for code compliance). this version is easier to add batteries to (get an inverter that also has battery options).
- one microinverter per panel, all in parallel. code compliance is easier (if your utility requires inspection by an electrician before an interconnection agreement, you’ll have more options for an electrician).
if you’re putting the panels on the barn roof, and your barn roof has multiple slopes, any string of panels in series should be at the same slope.
https://solarpaneltilt.com/ is a nice resource for tilt angles if you’re building a standalone rack. on a roof for grid tie it’s probably not worth worrying about the angle.
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Are there other farmers in your area who have done what you want to do?
@KevinHuigens not really. My brother in law and I have gone back and forth on options (he's around the corner from me) but we had another project come in under budget, so I'm considering this upgrade now.
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@brianb My barn is old, so the solar company told me I’d have to replace the roof and sister the rafters before they’d install panels. Nothing wrecks a benefit/cost analysis faster than that.
@Virginicus this is a new barn (less than four years) and we actually overbuilt the roof a little anticipating this. But yeah...been there...
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
Start with how big of a system you want, this gives you a scale for all of the components. The gotchas tend to be around selecting too small inverters relative to the total panel output. Enphase iQ microinverters match well to the biggest single panels in a one-to-one format. The outputs parallel together in their “combiner” box. And they have a DIY-friendly gateway for monitoring each microinverter productivity.
And decide on line-side or load-side grid tie.
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb the only thing I know is that there's a bit of a market for false wattage numbers on panels.
I've got a post bookmarked that might help you figure out whether a wattage claim is plausible - https://social.v.st/@quixoticgeek/116551112004633318
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb This has a good general introduction without too much fuss and it is very pragmatic in my opinion
https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/12/how-to-build-a-small-solar-power-system/
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Ok Fedi, I'm starting the process of researching solar panels for my barn. I'm a DIY person, so not looking for install recommendations, more interested in what I need to learn in order to do this wisely. Hardware, unexpected gotchas, other things DIY people need to know.
I can build and I am comfortable with electrical work.
@brianb One datapoint that you may already have gathered, is the panel angle most appropriate for your latitude.
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