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RayG
16th Nov 2015, 08:07 PM
I seem to mostly work at night these days, but even during the day, I have all the lights on. With the miserable solar rebates for feeding power to the grid, and 30c per kw/hr for what I take from the grid, I've been planning to go off-grid with the workshop lighting for a year or two.

Slowly accumulating batteries and solar panels, I've finally made a start on getting it all together.

One missing component was the enclosure, but I lucked out on a Grays' Auction and got a decent size enclosure for a reasonable price.

http://www.graysonline.com/lot/0032-3009832/manufacturing/eldon-powder-coated-cabinet-1600mm-w-x-2000mm-h-x-410mm-l?redirect=0

The last few days Josh and I have welded up a battery frame to take the 120AH deep cycle batteries, I got them from a job where they are cycled out of use after 4 years, but they should still have another 5 or 6 years of life, if looked after.

The inverter, takes 50V solar in, 240V AC in, 24V DC in and provides 240V AC out, and charges the batteries from either Solar or mains, so in the event of insufficient solar the batteries are maintained from the mains input. A bit like a big UPS. Maximum power out is 2.4kW, Workshop and outside lighting are less than that, and I will run 240V power to the server rack and NBN cabinet so that servers and lighting stay up over a power outage.

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The Solar come from 3 x 250 W 50V panels, not yet connected. ( or mounted for that matter :) )

The lighting is a mix of LED tubes and 100W led modules.

More updates when I get some panels hooked in and the proper circuit breakers and isolation switches arrive.

Ray

KBs PensNmore
16th Nov 2015, 08:22 PM
Good idea any way of keeping the cost down the better, thanks for this. :2tsup:
May be if we ask nicely, we could get section for "shed" gear, such as this, storage ideas etc, that way there would be no off thread discussions, PLEASE :D
Kryn

RayG
16th Nov 2015, 09:21 PM
Good idea any way of keeping the cost down the better, thanks for this. :2tsup:
May be if we ask nicely, we could get section for "shed" gear, such as this, storage ideas etc, that way there would be no off thread discussions, PLEASE :D
Kryn

Please don't. That would become just one more sub-forum that becomes another dead end. Just a simple OT in the subject does it much better.

DSEL74
20th Nov 2015, 11:14 AM
Ray,

Is that enclosure special in any way, I see it used to be for powder coating and looks like it may have a fan built in, or could any steel cabinet do the trick?

RayG
20th Nov 2015, 06:45 PM
Ray,

Is that enclosure special in any way, I see it used to be for powder coating and looks like it may have a fan built in, or could any steel cabinet do the trick?

It's powder coated, but I doubt it was used for powder coating? Not sure what you mean exactly?

I an installing a 12" fan for cooling and to stop accumulation of any gases from the batteries, ( shouldn't be any hydrogen from a fully sealed AGM battery should there? )

There is a 12x12 vent on the bottom corner diagonally opposite the 12x12 vent at the top right. I think the best plan is to install vermin proof screens and louvre vents and have the fan at the top right exhausting air so that air is drawn in from bottom left through the filter, and exhausted top right by the fan.

I've got one of these coming

ONE 12" Pull Push Radiator Slim Electirc Thermo FAN Mounting Universal AUS | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/171540637640?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3)

Ray