Wanted : solar panel setup

[HANNIE2002]

hi everyone im building a log cabin and looking to for a solar panel setup to run all the electric if anyone has one for sale or knows of where to get a good setup im willing for your answers cheeers

Location: newcastle upon tyne
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[banners]

What are you intending to run from this 'solar setup' ?

[HANNIE2002]

im intending to run normal sockets and lighting for a 3 bedroom bungalow combi boiler , tv your normal stuff really but not everything will be used at once thanks richie

[albriscoe]

Sorry can`t help with the solar setup but if you need a backup cable I`ve got some armoured cable for you

http://www.avforums.com/forums/elect...red-cable.html

cheers Al

[AndyMoody]

I'd contact a renewable energy company and be prepared to be told what you are trying to do is impossible and you would need lots of money to buy the PV panels, batteries etc. You'll never generate enough to be self sufficient, you'd need a massive array to generate any decent amount of power and you'd be looking into a 5 figure sum to get any decent output.

[Pajo]

as per Andys post above, you are wasting your time, with solar power given your requirements.

[banners]

I'm afraid it's going to cost you an arm and a leg. Will you be totally away from the grid? It can supplement you're requirements but not replace it.

[mikes]

Not sure I'd dismiss the idea out of hand. In yesterday's Sunday Times there was an article about trying to do something similar.

There are £2.5K government grants to help you set the thing up. From memory it was about £11K (minus the grant). You'd sell any excess power back to the National Grid.

You might get away with running a boiler and LCD from a solar array , but for total self sufficiency you'd need to cover your roof with panels, have storage batteries, and probably a backup generator with fancy electronics.

You'd also need to be connected to the Grid to cater for heavy demand and night, overcast days etc.

Probably achievable, but not sure it's practical with current technology.

[Magic Beans]

I'd wait for efficiency and lifespan of the panels to improve before considering it TBH. I did look in to it myself and given the current technology available to the average consumer (with average consumer budgets) they just aren't good enough.

Reading up on the technology though, there are much more efficient panels coming in "the future", but when that is is anybody's guess.

It also depends when the energy companies will allow these technologies to become truely mainstrem, as do you think they really want to lose their revenues to "free" energy? (Consipracy? )

[Begonia]

Here's a link to a Maplin web site page, which has several solar power unit items which will get you on the right track:

Solar Power Stations : Maplin Electronics

I noted that Maplin sell a 150 watt power unit for £1500. It sits on an aluminium stand which can be optimally positioned and delivers through its charger to a high performance battery. The supply from this would then enter the building and be connected to a power inverter so that you can run several items simultaneously. It can deliver 750 watt hours per day and can be used to power quite a lot of stuff from say, a multigang extension cable arrangement. You can also use it for 12V.

You can add extension units to it too.

From the the Maplin link I would suggest you move on to the Google Shopping link, which is a tab you can see on the main Google.co.uk search page. Here you can start doing your more serious shopping searches, viz:

Google Product Search

This shopping tool is independent and will even throw up second hand items in its search results.

I hope that helps.
Good Luck.
PS. Don't forget to click my 'Thanks' button.

[Begonia]

Here's a link to some DIY stuff on YouTube: