Anyone here play with solar power?

[Gamble]

Been thinking of getting into this and starting small and seeing where it goes.
I'd love to be able to get my laptop with external GPU or desktop on solar for mining some coin (ideally) but I'm sure that's a long road

Anywho was just curious if anyone else here is into it. How do you know how many batteries to use, kits to stay away from etc.



EDIT: Fans, laptop, ryobi or Milwaukee 18v chargers. Smaller devices. Nothing like an AC unit or fridge.
Just want to play with the tech and see what can be done with it. Keeping it say under a few hundred $$ to start.

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[Kensington]

Someone just did it at their house...can't remember who

 

[Mook]

[MENTION=236]Stink Star Productions[/MENTION]

 

[Mook]

[MENTION=10289]Nccstud[/MENTION]

 

[Kensington]

There you go

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Laptop with external GPU for mining

Dude it's a waste doing that.

Depending on what you are mining, spend the money on dedicated ASICs.

 

[Stink Star]

Not to mention your solar production is limited to your last years usage. ComEd won’t allow a solar array over 110% of your last usage so unless you’re already using a shit ton of energy it won’t help you

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Not to mention your solar production is limited to your last years usage. ComEd won’t allow a solar array over 110% of your last usage so unless you’re already using a shit ton of energy it won’t help you

No shit...that is kind of bullshit.

What about a solar array not hooked up to a grid?

 

[Stink Star]

Then you can do anything you want I suppose, but then you’d need to have massive amounts of batteries

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Then you can do anything you want I suppose, but then you’d need to have massive amounts of batteries

Of course. Good to know they haven't limited that too.

I've been interested in building my own power wall/solar array with 18650s but don't have the free cash to burn on a hobby lol

 

[Gamble]

Laptop with external GPU for mining

Dude it's a waste doing that.

Depending on what you are mining, spend the money on dedicated ASICs.

I know a pipe dream lol but my desktop is too much of a power hog.
Saw one guy on my FB running his small cnc mill 100% solar.

But in all seriousness if I can run my 3 season room off solar that would be great. Fan, lights and a tv that gets maybe 2 hours of use each summer
Maybe a laptop in the garage and some LED lights. Small simple things.
I really want to get a solar powered attic fan. I feel like that thing jacks up the electric bill a decent amount. Those kits are less than $500 which seems reasonable to me.

Not to mention your solar production is limited to your last years usage. ComEd won’t allow a solar array over 110% of your last usage so unless you’re already using a shit ton of energy it won’t help you

I wanted to keep it as a standalone. I'm wanting to put a shed up this year or next and if I can run lights, small fan and charge some batteries off solar I'd be more than happy with that.

 

[Stink Star]

Well full panels are about 300-360watts each and are about 5.5x 3.25 feet so about 18 sq/feet each. You’d have to first calculate if you can even fit enough panels to make it worth your while. Then find optimal direction and azimuth and subtract from that total watt number if your panels aren’t perfectly aligned. For example my house has 23 panels at 360 watts each so 8280 watts. But of course my angle and direction aren’t perfect and coupled with losses during dc/ac inversion I only make about 7200 watts total max.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

I know a pipe dream lol but my desktop is too much of a power hog.
Saw one guy on my FB running his small cnc mill 100% solar.

But in all seriousness if I can run my 3 season room off solar that would be great. Fan, lights and a tv that gets maybe 2 hours of use each summer
Maybe a laptop in the garage and some LED lights. Small simple things.
I really want to get a solar powered attic fan. I feel like that thing jacks up the electric bill a decent amount. Those kits are less than $500 which seems reasonable to me.




I wanted to keep it as a standalone. I'm wanting to put a shed up this year or next and if I can run lights, small fan and charge some batteries off solar I'd be more than happy with that.

How is your desktop too much of a power hog? I have my gaming PC with a 1080 mining Ethereum when I'm not using it. Only uses like 180-200w with monitors powered off. I also run a mining profile on the 1080 to use less power while still maintaining top mining speed.

 

[Gamble]

How is your desktop too much of a power hog? I have my gaming PC with a 1080 mining Ethereum when I'm not using it. Only uses like 180-200w with monitors powered off. I also run a mining profile on the 1080 to use less power while still maintaining top mining speed.

Mine is the AMD Vega 64, water cooled AMD Ryzen 7, and a few 120mm fans. The GPU gets up to 180*F easily. I have it turned down a little right now. But don't quote me on that completely, I have to double check the temp and power setting. It's a giant space heater at the desk. Says it's mining 80cents a day and 0 on the cpu but I don't feel it's that high.

EDIT: Also running 2 mechanical drives with nothing on them so I have been needing to go unplug them. And PSU is Seasonic 750w 80+ titanium

 

[Fish]

That shouldnt see anything over 300w IMO.

Actually, checking and someone is saying the Vega 64 is almost 300w by itself.

k

LOL.

Still, I dont know why you would be mining. People are selling off mining stuff not trying to start.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

That shouldnt see anything over 300w IMO.

Actually, checking and someone is saying the Vega 64 is almost 300w by itself.

k

LOL.

Still, I dont know why you would be mining. People are selling off mining stuff not trying to start.

That's not the power it uses all the time.

 

[DEEZUZ]

[MENTION=4895]gnxs[/MENTION]

 

[Fish]

That's not the power it uses all the time.

True, you usually try to match your PSU to possible power output, but even still. I wouldnt think even a 650W would be needed, but ZOMG PAH HUNGRY!!

 

[Yaj Yak]

"play with solar"



tcg goes whole house setups love it

 

[Nccstud]

"play with solar"



tcg goes whole house setups love it

Can't help it! Although I'm still waiting for all the permits for mine to go through. Fucking 100ft array of solar panels, lmao

 

[Yaj Yak]

so awesome

 

[Gamble]

lol I was thinking more small scale haha

 

[Yaj Yak]

lol I was thinking more small scale haha

yeah im with you on what you were talking about

it interests me for things like my truck to charge accessories/keep shit charged... run my fridge whatever.

a shed a ways away from my house without trenching to it/running dedicated power to it to have simple lights/chargers...

a lot of boat lifts run solar panels/battery setups to not run power to the water/dock

that's all shit that interests me...

 

[Fish]

yeah im with you on what you were talking about

it interests me for things like my truck to charge accessories/keep shit charged... run my fridge whatever.

a shed a ways away from my house without trenching to it/running dedicated power to it to have simple lights/chargers...

a lot of boat lifts run solar panels/battery setups to not run power to the water/dock

that's all shit that interests me...

I see lots of #vanlife and enclosed trailers turned into mini campers with lots of different solar options. Those are what would interest me.

 

[Yaj Yak]

I see lots of #vanlife and enclosed trailers turned into mini campers with lots of different solar options. Those are what would interest me.

yeeeepppp that's what i loosely meant in my second bullet.


i think some rv companies have models that don't have dedicated generators but instead beefy alternators and lithium/solar setups... like this etrek from roadtrek.



https://www.roadtrek.com/models/e-trek/