Off grid solar power

FCH - this posting is for you :)

Our new 5 X 135 watt solar panels were installed a week or so ago.  It was a work in progress over a period of 3 weeks.

Firstly, we had to wait for the building of the garage to be completed.

Then, RMan had to gear himself up for what he dreaded doing - a second time.

Making the frame for the solar panels - thank
goodness we had the patio to lay it all
out on

He started by preparing the frame for the panels - drilling holes in the square aluminium tubes.

RMan painstakingly fixed the panels
to the aluminium frame

Then, using the holes to secure the panels, he fixed each panel to the aluminium tube.

Solar panels ready to be hoisted onto the
roof.  Connected in series to increase the
voltage and Amp

He connected the panels in series, to increase the volts/ Amps being fed into the batteries.

Would you perch on a ladder which is propped
on scaffolding and leaning on a roof to pick up something heavy? I wouldn't.
But, bless them, the workers felt no fear...

The ever helpful builders climbed into the picture at this stage - literally.  Precariously balancing ladders on top of scaffolding...

5 X 72kgs per panel - 360 kgs in total = 4 guys
to move them :)

 ...they schlepped the ready made solar panel frame to the required spot...

Carefully lining up the solar panel structure to
facilitate it's journey up onto the roof

 ... where they carefully (actually not so carefully - I couldn't watch all the time as I was convinced that they would drop / knock the lot)...

Pushing the solar panels up from the front

 ... pushed from the front...

Pulling the solar panel array up from behind the garage

 ... and pulled from the rear...

One of the helpful workers perched on top
of a ladder, drilling holes through the roof tiles

... while another guy climbed inside the garage roof so that he could drill through the roof tiles in order to accommodate the threadbar and bolts which fix the panels onto the roof.

So, now we have 5 X 135 watt panels feeding 6 X 1188 Ah 2 volt batteries.

They generate more than enough to power our big(ger) fridge, lights and the TV with MNet decoder (and laptop and PC and printer during the daylight hours), and still charge our batteries.  It's all about spreading the load / demand.  Not everything can run at the same time, (e.g. the fridge, TV lights and decoder are run at night, and the fridge, PC and printer or laptop are run during the day), but if you plan your usage, then you'll have no worries.

Happy days :)

And the old 3 X 75 watt panels that our neighbour lent us when we had the burglary and had to install an alarm system.  We offered, and actually purchased him 3 X brand new 85 watt panels, but he declined our offer - they didn't match his existing (and remaining) two 75 watt panels.  He wanted his old ones back.

Again, the builders came to the fore - removing the old ones for RMan.  He seriously couldn't have done it by himself - or even with me helping...


Thanks Guys - we couldn't have done it without you :)

Reverse push and pull to get the old panels off
the roof

So - we have returned the new 3 X 85 watt panels to the supplier, and swapped them for another 135 watt one.  That one RMan plans to install on the roof, and use it to run a small water pump - to move the water from the rain-water tanks to the larger water storage tanks further up the property.

Damn - I feel privileged.

Now we are self-sufficient regarding our electric power, and in time, and given a few good rainfalls, we will have 37 000 litres  (just over 8 000 gallons) of rain water - more than enough to keep us going should our supply line fail, and more than enough to water our crops with.  Not to mention a permanent supply of rain water for making soap... :)

 "Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows everywhere, it's wonderful, so wonderful..."