More Solar!

Hi BFL13,

https://www.steepandcheap.com/rinsekit-hot-rod-water-heater?CMP_ID=PLA_GOc005BR&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&k_clickid=_k_Cj0KCQiApbzhBRDKARIsAIvZue_lWRBIsuiGH4zLMs4AHTG6QqRe0OXCWPRogFKS7fMlpWMXXcpg4i4aAhNpEALw_wcB_k_&rmatt=tsid:1042825|cid:795052476|agid:41682917992|tid:pla-293966472400|crid:189285713027|nw:g|rnd:17599328273413014909|dvc:c|adp:1o4|mt:|loc:9011738&gclid=Cj0KCQiApbzhBRDKARIsAIvZue_lWRBIsuiGH4zLMs4AHTG6QqRe0OXCWPRogFKS7fMlpWMXXcpg4i4aAhNpEALw_wcB $52 bucks--still a premium price imo.

BFL13 wrote:
For $197 US, I know where they can stick it. :( That would buy a lot of propane.

Somebody who spends a lot of time off grid where there is sunshine would be able to figure out if he would ever come out ahead financially.

That "worth it" aspect changes for somebody who does not have easy access to propane while off grid.

For $197 US, I know where they can stick it. :( That would buy a lot of propane.

Somebody who spends a lot of time off grid where there is sunshine would be able to figure out if he would ever come out ahead financially.

That "worth it" aspect changes for somebody who does not have easy access to propane while off grid.

Hi BFl13,

They can be used only in the plastic drain plug, as those units don't need an anode rod. There is a unit called a "hot rod" which is 120 volts @ 400 watts and intended to replace the plug.

I'm not sure the 12 or 24 volt units will fit the drain plug hole.

Interesting idea to use the inverter a lot more to save on propane when you have enough solar. Do some of that now in a small way, eg can use either the electric kettle or the stove top to boil some water.

It does depend on how long you are off grid to matter any. Also need a water heater that has electric heating. (Ours is propane only)

Do those 12v heaters you can stick in the water heater work with an Atwood with its plastic drain plug, or only with a Suburban with its metal anode plug? The plastic plug in ours is sort of behind the gas fittings, not a straight-in to get at it either.

Not too sure where they stick in:

https://www.solar-electric.com/diversion-load-water-heating-element-24-48-volts.html

Hi BFL13,

My water heater testing showed that time between cycles was about 4 hours, and that cycle time was 15 minutes if no water was drawn. That was with a 1400 watt element in a 10 gallon US water heater with the ambient temperature at 18 C.

With 810 watts of solar, I'd have no qualms with running the water heater at night via the inverter. Worst case it would draw about 1 kwh. That should yield a nice moderate cycling of the battery bank.

During the day I'd move the fridge to electric, too.

The usual thing is that if you have enough solar in the summer, it is not enough for the winter months. If you manage to have enough for the winter, then you will have too much for the summer.

The problem is, once you have enough to get by whenever, wherever, what do you do with the rest if you have more?

Your batteries are so shallow-cycled they go bad from never being deep-cycled, perhaps (unless you arrange for such episodes especially).

Heating water is useless all day if you want it to shave next morning, by which time it has gone cold. Do you change your ways and shave in the evening? Not me.

A full -timer could organize a scenario that needs lots of solar, but if not a full-timer, you can way over-do it. (As I have!)

Met a couple two years ago in south Florida with the setup below. 12 - 265 watt panels for a total of 3180 watts. Batteries, charge controller, and inverter were in the pickup. They had recently sold their home and kept the solar system.

There is a guy at the La Posa South LTVA here in Quartzsite that has a trailer with 4000 watts of solar, so you need to keep going!

I'm getting set up to have one of those electric cars as my toad.

Entices BFL13 with thoughts of running a "hot rod" for water heating. VEG. After all 810 watts of crazy quilt solar should not be allowed to be "wasting sun".

BFL13 wrote:
Just got one of these 255w panels for $177 Can ( about $131 US). I am a hopeless solar addict now, no thanks to PT and the rest. :(

So that will bring my total solar to 810 watts flat on the roof.