Solar Penny - High Voltage Solar Systems

[Kiwi3]

Yup I'm looking at his panels. I already have a 50AMP MPPT Charge controller. So I really just need the panels, mounts, wires, fuses. Thinking that I might get them to mount it while I'm there since I don't have a helper and the 300W panels are kinda big to handle by yourself. Just thinking though that his prices are $280 for a 305W, where the same wattage panel is $169 from AltE but unless I want to drive to MA shipping puts them $150 higher than Solar Penny. So probably going Solar Penny since I'll be there in 3 weeks anyhow. Just wonder if they can fit that all up there with my storage box too?

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by Clueless

At the end of 2018 (which is also the end of the full 30ish % tax credit)

I thought the full tax credit was still going until the end of 2019?

Thanks to the spending bill that Congress passed in late December 2015, the tax credit is now available to homeowners in some form through 2021.

2016 – 2019: The tax credit remains at 30 percent of the cost of the system. This means that in 2017, you can still get a major discounted price for your solar panel system.
2020: Owners of new residential and commercial solar can deduct 26 percent of the cost of the system from their taxes.
2021: Owners of new residential and commercial solar can deduct 22 percent of the cost of the system from their taxes.
2022 onwards: Owners of new commercial solar energy systems can deduct 10 percent of the cost of the system from their taxes. There is no federal credit for residential solar energy systems.

Congress Extends Solar Tax Credit

[badandy]

You could get some of these panels like I did. They are 200 watts and cost $185/ea delivered and are made in Michigan City, IN (!) and are as good as any panel on the market. They are built very well and perform perfectly. They are a 36 cell panel, but they are higher power density than the 305 watt panels.

[Kiwi3]

I was doing the math for the Charge Controller AMPs and decided that I'm going to do the battery packs as phase 1, then I'll look at adding more panels. I currently have a 40W controller which would allow me to use about 400-450 W of solar before needing a second charge controller or a larger one. Just one of those 12v vs 24v problems.

My thinking is swapping to Lithium will allow me to have more Watt Hours for less weight and I can recharge them much faster (less time on the gen). All wins for any situation. Then later I can deal with building the roof racks and put about 900-1200W of panels and a Midnite charge controller in as an alternative charging method. That would leave my old system to become the engine starting battery trickle charger.

[Kiwi3]

Just wanted to share this with the community. This youngling is pretty good at describing electrical systems. This is a video on Battery manufacturers and understanding the ratings. He is a big solar/lithium proponent though but with reason.
How Battery Manufacturers Rating Standards Mislead Consumers - Will Prowse


*note: I would have just embeded the video, but apparently the [ yt ] tag doesn't work anymore. So go to YouTube.

[badandy]

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

Just wanted to share this with the community. This youngling is pretty good at describing electrical systems. This is a video on Battery manufacturers and understanding the ratings. He is a big solar/lithium proponent though but with reason.
How Battery Manufacturers Rating Standards Mislead Consumers - Will Prowse


*note: I would have just embeded the video, but apparently the [ yt ] tag doesn't work anymore. So go to YouTube.

In the first 30 seconds of this video he's already wrong. You cannot use 100% depth of discharge of a lithium battery.

I like the first comment on the video - cheap beer also uses a different pukehard effect. lol.

[Kiwi3]

Must be my end that is causing videos to not display.. Weird...
Yeah, his opening comment is along the line that "anything is air droppable - once"