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Hi folks, found this forum after looking online for navitron - I never posted on there, but every so often would go on for a browse and a read.

Maybe this forum is more for household size installations, but that's not something I'm looking at yet!


Already have a couple of small solar systems using 2nd hand batteries. One is running various lights in an outbuilding, and an ex council streetlamp that I changed over to 12v. Think that is a 100w panel, from ebay/amazon.


A recent visit to the scrappies picked up 4x 220ah 12v lead acid batteries, over 200kg in total.
I have another couple of outbuildings it might be handy to have more 12v lights in, as they currently have a 'temporary' 240v extension lead running to them.

I haven't really decided what I'm doing yet, but what sort of size of panel(s) would be good to charge 2x 220ah battery parallel?

Welcome!

To answer your question about solar panel: Bigger is better!

2x 220Ah batteries would give you 1325Wh at 50% DoD. On a sunny day in August you’d easily get that from a 250W panel. In January you’d struggle to get that much from a 1500W array most days.

I’d suggest setting the batteries up as 24V. Even in a small “few hundred W” system it makes the cable sizes more sensible and makes it easier to get power to the other side of the room with sensible voltage drop.

Thanks, I'd not thought about doing it as 24v. Initially I would've said no as it's easier to get 12v lights etc. But when you look through aliexpress etc a lot of stuff is multivolt like 12-85v dc

Are there any good suppliers to look at for buying a small quantity of large panels? Most of what I've found so far would come on a pallet, so the delivery price to the Highlands is a killer for just a few panels.

Off course you're using LED lighting to maximise efficiency ?
George

scbk wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:04 pm Are there any good suppliers to look at for buying a small quantity of large panels? Most of what I've found so far would come on a pallet, so the delivery price to the Highlands is a killer for just a few panels.

Small quantities are always difficult because they’re just too big and too fragile to go with a standard courier. Have a look at ITS and Bimble for good value / small quantities. Highlands is always going to be difficult, the companies cannot tie enough drops into a single run to make it work at £50 per drop.

You can:
A. over order, get the best discount, suck the pallet delivery fit everything & luxuriate in a job well done & extra electrons in shoulder months.
B. as above but flog on the excess from some slick local advertising & make a few bob back over time having ensured you have a few spares panels set aside "just in case"

C. group buy within your area, shared costs, would still recommend a few spare panels bought & stored for failures.

We all understand the pain, its pricey any day of the week, but sometimes easier than never!

Easter ross (Hiss) or Wester ross ..incidentally?