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Listening off grid with batteries

Finished the design phase for my new home which will be in a remote off grid location. The design and modeling process has taken over a year. Absolutely amazing what can be done by a talented architect, computer modeling, shading,virtual tour etc. Now it's down to the music room details before we start.

Electric Power will come from solar and micro hydro. Gen set for back up, but only as a last resort.
Does anyone here on Agon have any first hand experience with this kind of set up.
Thinking of a split electrical system where one grid is for the hifi and the other is for the home. Some say it's a waste of time and money but I want to get it right the first time.
Is this necessary when using a solar set up ?
Building homes for 25 years but this will be my first off grid home.
rugyboogie
peter_s
1,313 posts
 
Rugyboogie - I'll have to keep my ears open next time I get up that way kayaking! Maybe I'll be able to hear your system from the water! I've not been up in your parts exactly, but nearby off of Vancouver Island. Looks beautiful up there.
bjesien
1,239 posts
 
What are the spec's of your inverter and do you have any battery backup? Having two "grids" makes no sense. The inverter makes two grids one.
rugyboogie OP
199 posts
 
T bone
Interesting reading. Thank you.
All new single family homes Vancouver BC , must have an electrical monitoring system/display on the main floor.
This is in order for the occupant to monitor their usage. In theory they will see a direct readout and should learn to become more frugal with their usage.

Peter
Have three kajak waiting for you.......... should you come up.
Anytime you should get up here your welcome to stop by.

Bjesien
House plans are completed, next phase is structural, heatloss calculation,
then comes the electrical. Based on the heat loss, this will determine the amount of power that I will require for the geothermal. This is what will draw the most amount of electrical energy in the home.

The plan is to have have photovoltaic panels on the roof structure and to have some micro hydro from the creek.
A generator is presently being used for the construction of the house.
Once the home is completed it will be then used for topping up the batteries.
Not sure on the size of the battery bank that I will need at this time.
Have allowed for a space that is L 14'x W 6'x H 10' for the batteries.

The inverter makes two grids one.
Sorry, but I do not understand. Could you please explain to me what you mean.
What I was thinking of is have two completely different electrical systems set up.
One for the domestic use, and one for my room.

Thanks for the help,
magfan
1,583 posts
 
Don't current solar panels each come with a small inverter? Isn't it easier to move the AC around as opposed to DC? Won't there be less loss this way? You can re-rectifiy it at point of use....for battery charging.
All the listening room needs is a sub panel, right?

How are you handling lightning / surges?
magfan
1,583 posts
 
http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-11128_3-20006619-54.html?tag=mncol;posts

link to microinvertor article
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