How To Make A Solar Generator For Your Grow OP

Maccabee

Maccabee

Well-Known Member
There are forums for alternate power aficionados at Welcome to OTHERPOWER.COM . Kinda cool stuff.

I want to run my grow off this mean looking bastard. Steampunk grow op!

Note the beer can. Good times! That thing puts out 2 kW!
 
southfloridasean

southfloridasean

Well-Known Member
I just checked out the site. Its very interesting but the work involved to just install & have that running seems to be quite intensive upon having to deal with a grow op. Good info none the less. :peace:
 
Maccabee

Maccabee

Well-Known Member
southfloridasean said:
That looks interesting. Do you know the decibel rating it puts out Maccabee
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I'm guessing somewhere in the range between Totally Unacceptable and Probably Illegal, for city-dwellers at least. Hold on, I'll go have a look.

EDIT: Actually, it's not that frightening. Kind of like a loud model train.

YouTube - Otherpower.com: Steam Powered Generator

The article:
Steam powered Generator

Another one that might be useful:
Designing a Tiny Solar Power System for a Pop-up Camping Trailer
Remote grow trailer in the backwoods, maybe?
 
FilthyFletch

FilthyFletch

Mr I Can Do That For Half
The issue here is this small of a setup will run maybe 3 cfls bulbs for a few hours maybe 3 on a full charge so you just paid 3000 to run 3 bulbs you could have run for 3 years for less. I have looked into offgrid and on grid solar setups.The cost to be able to run needed hid lights is just outrageous in the area of $10000 to $65000.To run a 1000 watt light your at the 10 grand line assuming you run nothing else in your home.I basicaly wanted a setup that could handle 3000 watts of usage so I could run 2 sets of lights and my basic home needs and if I install myself it was right at $65000 for the need supplies.Thats was off grid now you can do smaller on grid setups that feed electric back to your home in partial thewn if there is extra not used the electric companyt buys it back right from your line as the meter runs backwards and they pay you that days real time value or will deduct it from the actual bill as they are required by federal law to buy it back at fair market value which is the rate they charge for thier electric.To run a small 400 watt light by itself is over $7000 so the idea of solar is grand but is so far from any reality its not even worth the cost as of this decade.
 
Maccabee

Maccabee

Well-Known Member
Yeah, that sounds right. On the other hand, I keep meaning to get my building's board to look into covering our roof with panels, purely to sell power back to the utility and try and cover some of our operating costs, maybe even cut fees a little. But they're mostly old people and it scares them. They think it's some kind of scam.
 
specialkayme

specialkayme

Well-Known Member
FilthyFletch said:
The issue here is this small of a setup will run maybe 3 cfls bulbs for a few hours maybe 3 on a full charge so you just paid 3000 to run 3 bulbs you could have run for 3 years for less. I have looked into offgrid and on grid solar setups.The cost to be able to run needed hid lights is just outrageous in the area of $10000 to $65000.To run a 1000 watt light your at the 10 grand line assuming you run nothing else in your home.I basicaly wanted a setup that could handle 3000 watts of usage so I could run 2 sets of lights and my basic home needs and if I install myself it was right at $65000 for the need supplies.Thats was off grid now you can do smaller on grid setups that feed electric back to your home in partial thewn if there is extra not used the electric companyt buys it back right from your line as the meter runs backwards and they pay you that days real time value or will deduct it from the actual bill as they are required by federal law to buy it back at fair market value which is the rate they charge for thier electric.To run a small 400 watt light by itself is over $7000 so the idea of solar is grand but is so far from any reality its not even worth the cost as of this decade.
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$65,000 for free electricity for LIFE? Doesn't sound bad to me. This is assuming your highest estimate to have all of the electricity you would ever need. Assume you pay $250 a month in electricity a month right now. That's $3,000 a year. So every 22 years you pay that much over again. I'm probably planning on living for over 40 years, so it would make sense for me to invest now in one of those solar systems and save over $60,000 over the course of my life. Also, this is all asuming that electricity bills don't go up in cost over the next 22 years, which they most certainly will. So if you pay $250 a month now, in 20 years you'll probaby pay over $500 a month. So in 22 years if I bout that solar system I would be getting free electricity. If you didn't, you would have paid $65,000 anyway in electricity bills, plus paying an additional $6,000 a year. You save money in the long run any way that you cut it. And that example is the worst possible case scenereo.
 
southfloridasean

southfloridasean

Well-Known Member
specialkayme said:
$65,000 for free electricity for LIFE? Doesn't sound bad to me. This is assuming your highest estimate to have all of the electricity you would ever need. Assume you pay $250 a month in electricity a month right now. That's $3,000 a year. So every 22 years you pay that much over again. I'm probably planning on living for over 40 years, so it would make sense for me to invest now in one of those solar systems and save over $60,000 over the course of my life. Also, this is all asuming that electricity bills don't go up in cost over the next 22 years, which they most certainly will. So if you pay $250 a month now, in 20 years you'll probaby pay over $500 a month. So in 22 years if I bout that solar system I would be getting free electricity. If you didn't, you would have paid $65,000 anyway in electricity bills, plus paying an additional $6,000 a year. You save money in the long run any way that you cut it. And that example is the worst possible case scenereo.
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Yeah your absolutely right. I think Filthy was over exaggerating a lil bit with the figures though. Solar has gone down in price since they first came out. Sourcing & research is the key. Im sure some companies also offer financing. After all it is a lucrative business & with any lucrative business the demand is high & suppliers want to get rid of their merchandise. :leaf:
 
Maccabee

Maccabee

Well-Known Member
Yeah, but some of them will subsidize the actual installation of the equipment. Rebates, discounts, etc.
 
ultranyte

ultranyte

New Member
You guys are missing one fact,
It's not free energy for life after you buy the system. Things break!
solar dies, batteries die... cables fail
The cost to maintain the system is on going...

Careful what your planning... there are hidden costs
 
W

willygoat

Active Member
My state subsides about 50% of the cost which makes this really appealing. Remember, most ROI projections in the threads are based upon rather stable and abundant energy supplies. I do not think either is in most of our futures.
 
W

willygoat

Active Member
ultranyte said:
You guys are missing one fact,
It's not free energy for life after you buy the system. Things break!
solar dies, batteries die... cables fail
The cost to maintain the system is on going...

Careful what your planning... there are hidden costs
Click to expand...
I agree but one should accurately plan for battery life, maintenance and other issues anyway if you do not want any financial surprises. If you add about 20% for cost overruns like contractors normally do, you should be OK.
 
Maccabee

Maccabee

Well-Known Member
That's ROI. RIO dances on the sand (just like a river twisting through a dusty land.)

Good point, though.

I want that steam generator, purely because it is bad-ass.
 
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