In some remote areas, sometimes you’re only choice, short of a noisy generator, but to install a big off-grid solar and battery kit because power is not available to you. Up until now, off-grid solar kits have amounted to less than 3% of the solar systems installed primarily because the payback was generally not considered a good investment.
That is changing. Public utility rates in most parts of the country are high and going higher. If you feel you have no control over where a big chunk of your monthly expenditures is going you are right, and not alone. Uncontrolled utility price escalation is not even the scariest part of the future of power; it is the possibilities of rolling blackouts.
Another key reason for using an off-grid solar kit is the cost of a utility run from the street to your actual house or workshop. I have seen PGE hookup charges in these circumstances go as high as $10,000. Add a utility bill of $300 – $600 per month on top of that and it does not take long to payback the 26 panel solar kit in the picture above.
The solar kit in this picture uses 26 Schüco 225 watt solar panels with a combination of a ground pole mount and roof mount solar rack. The 26 Schüco solar panels in this solar kit are tied into 16 Trojan L16RE-B RE 410 aH, 6V batteries specifically designed for solar. This 120 volt AC power will run your off-grid home and give you enough power to also run a table saw, drill and well pump.
The 26 panel Schüco solar kit will deliver full power to 120 volts and produce up to 878 kWh (STC) of pure sine wave AC electricity each month.
Here is what you get in the Off-grid solar kit:
26 Schüco 225 Watt Solar Panels with roof or ground mount rack
16 Trojan L16RE-B RE 410 aH, 6V Battery Cables Trojan Battery Bank 48VDC 820 Ah
2 Dual Inverters set up on a prewired power center with solar battery controller (need that to regulate charge in your solar batteries)
2 Outback FM60 Breakers installed on board
2 4/0 – 120″ UL Cable, Battery to Inverter (black)
2 4/0 – 120″ UL Cable, Battery to Inverter (red)
2 MidNite MNPV-6, 6 Position Combiner Box 150V
12 MNEPV-15 15 amp DC Breaker 150VDC DIN, 13mm
12 MC4 10 AWG – 30′ cable extension
12 1/2″ Strain Relief w/ 2 Holes for #10 0r #12 wire
You will need to supply the pole, concrete footings and some muscle to install the off-grid solar kit. We recommend you also have a licensed local electrician to help you run the wire system. We will provide a line drawing.
The off-grid 5850 Watt solar kit shown in the picture with the equipment shown sells for $28,660 plus freight plus California sales tax. (If you live in California, otherwise the sales tax is -0-) With a little power management on your part, this off-grid solar kit will keep you from having to listen to the engine of a noisy generator while you enjoy your home.