# Generators and Whole house Battery Backups.



## Current (Jul 4, 2011)

A standby generator will certainly power your house for far longer. A small battery system will allow you to run some small items without having the generator on. A full size battery system will be very expensive.


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## Tonynose188 (Jul 4, 2011)

Current said:


> A small battery system will allow you to run some small items without having the generator on. A full size battery system will be very expensive.



How much would a small battery system be? Also I like that the battery system is completely silent when it performs a transfer but you still require a small generator to recharge if it is a long blackout.


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## Current (Jul 4, 2011)

Tonynose188 said:


> How much would a small battery system be? Also I like that the battery system is completely silent when it performs a transfer but you still require a small generator to recharge if it is a long blackout.


It really depends on the type and size of the system. It can start with a couple of deep cell batteries and an inverter for pretty cheap.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

We have a whole lot of off grid houses on one or two of the islands where it is just too far up the road for the poco with not enough customers to pay for it all. They seem to get along just fine with most of the usual stuff running just like any other house. Its just all 12 volts is all.


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## Tonynose188 (Jul 4, 2011)

Do you install generators if so, are you certified in any specific one.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I do em once in a great while, now happens to be one of the great whiles....


I used to get to wire highrise buildings way long ago and that is when I got to wire generator systems most.


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## Tonynose188 (Jul 4, 2011)

macmikeman said:


> Its just all 12 volts is all.


Do you use solar to charge batteries. Do they use 120v items( hairdryers etc)


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Tonynose188 said:


> Do you use solar to charge batteries. Do they use 120v items( hairdryers etc)


Yes and yes and to set the record straight, I haven't done any of the boonies houses up there in lava land myself. To far away to be a money venture for me.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

You can run on battery system but the biggest drawback is battery sizing to see how long it can hold the charge before it cut off from too low a voltage.

And you can not run many high power appalice for long peroid unless you crank up the generator to give addtional load at the same time it will recharge the batteries during bad weather or dark days { where the sun is weak or short sun peroid time }

I have see few off grids set up and they intend to use solar panel , batteries with inverter to run some of the AC appalice or others items as need to plus generator to use on very high loads.

Merci,
Marc


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## woodchuck2 (Sep 18, 2009)

I just started working on one of these off grid battery systems last yr. The owner and an electrician friend of his installed it on their own. He runs 8 6v batteries that operate at 24v to the inverter/charger. He opted for a guardian 8k generator to recharge the batteries. Almost everything in the camp is propane so he does not have a large electric load. He is able to run for weeks off just the batteries. Right now he is having trouble with the inverter/charger communicating with the generator. According to the manufacturer of the inverter/charger the HO was suppose to go with at least a 10k model. I got the inverter/charger to trigger a relay to break line sense and start the generator but the trigger only last about one minute and the generator shuts off. I posted this problem on another board and a fella mentioned an on demand timer. So far this job is on hold until the HO gets the timer i specd for. Once installed i am curious to see how everything works. The HO also wants me to install 4 6v batteries at another camp of his along with a solar panel for recharging. This will be a 1st for me but i look forward to working on it.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I run my house with batteries and solar. System is as follows:

(1) 4000 watt inverter
(3000) watts of solar panels
(2) charge controllers
(16) 6 volt golf cart batteries
(0) DC loads

Everything is 120 volt ac, no 12 volt stuff. After 17 years I have a good handel on what works and DC appliances is not the way to go.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

backstay said:


> I run my house with batteries and solar. System is as follows:
> 
> (1) 4000 watt inverter
> (3000) watts of solar panels
> ...


 
Did you spend a fortune to do all that ? Seems like the payback would take years.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

dronai said:


> Did you spend a fortune to do all that ? Seems like the payback would take years.


 
Poco was $20,000 away.

(1) 4000 watt inverter --------$2000
(3000) watts of solar panels--$9000
(2) charge controllers----------$1000
(16) 6 volt golf cart batteries--$1280 every 5 to 6 years, sometimes longer


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

backstay said:


> Poco was $20,000 away.
> 
> (1) 4000 watt inverter --------$2000
> (3000) watts of solar panels--$9000
> ...


That's not bad, and it beats the alternative. Did you get a federal, or state rebate ?

The few houses i've worked on, providing power to the inverters, The solar contractors prices were about $40K, and I was told that 20K was reimbursed.

The Solar contractor told me, the most expensive item, was the inverters. But by your numbers, the panels are by a longshot.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

dronai said:


> That's not bad, and it beats the alternative. Did you get a federal, or state rebate ?
> 
> The few houses i've worked on, providing power to the inverters, The solar contractors prices were about $40K, and I was told that 20K was reimbursed.
> 
> The Solar contractor told me, the most expensive item, was the inverters. But by your numbers, the panels are by a longshot.


Panels are around $2.50 a watt now, my first 10 were $4.55 many years ago. On a grid tie, if they had a 2000 watt inverter and 2000 watts of panels the inverter would be $1200 and panels would be $5000 plus racks. 

There are no rebates for off-grid systems. Here's a picture of my panels.


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