I'm on the 5th year with a 5400 watt system. Array has twenty-seven 200 watt panels hooked in series-parallel. I built a special barn with one roof pointing south as the desired angle 600 feet from house. Besides housing solar equipment we also use it for farm equipment. I.e. dual-use.
Solar panels are hooked up to twin 3600 watt Outback inverters and twin Outback MX80 charge- controllers. Battery bank has eight Rolls-Surrette 6-volt deep- cycle batteries. S-460 rated at 350 amp-hours, cost $310 each, and estimated life is 7-10 years.
Also needed - is a way to charge the batteries if run down - like during a long power outage when the sun doesn't shine. That required getting a large 48 volt Iota battery charger that I can hook to the 13 KW PTO generator on my tractor to charge the batteries. If someone has no back-up system to charge - a they get severely run down - they could get ruined.
Note that all the equipment except the panels themselves only has a 5 year warrantee. After that - anything fails and I pay for it. And yes,stuff fails. I've had to fix the Outback inverters twice already under warranty.
We make, on average, 320 KWh per month every year. Even though we use slightly less - we still pay $17.35 per month hook-up fee to the power company.
I paid - out of pocket - around $8000 cash (that is no longer getting any interest on). In reality the total system was 40-something thousand bucks. This system - in theory - would pay me back for only my out-of-pocket cost . . in 10-11 years IF nothing ever broke or wore-out. I find that doubtful but we'll see. I doubt I'll be around to find out anyway.
Note that I am in central NY. People in better sun areas can use less solar panels.
Also note that last year we were away for 8 months. Made a lot of extra power that the power- company has. We will not get it back not will we get paid for it. National Grid runs a credit for one year and then wipes it out. I.e. they pocket it.
Also - solar panels are half the cost now then when I installed. But the electronics cost more.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - A Cautionary Tale - by Ian Minshull. In the early 1950s my father bought an Allis Chalmers B and I used it for all the row crop work with the mangolds and potatoes, rolling and the haymaking on our farm. The farm and the Allis were sold and I have spent a lifetime working on farms throughout the country. I promised myself that one day I would own an Allis. That time event
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
