solar panels? grid tie system or battery system?

[extreegrowerrr]

thinking about getting solar panels so i can run lights without any damn problems. but i have a choice to do battery stored system which stores all the power into numerous batteries...completely off grid. or a grid tie system which is ran into my power meter and spins the meter backwards. i like the grid tie system because then when im not running lights the electric company pays me for the power i gave them.
but im still on the grid technically. battery system i like also and im completely off the grid. but when im not running lights i just have batteries with alot of juice stored.
what do you guys think?

 

[bobcat1963]

Batteries are expensive,and have to be replaced every so often,plus I would love to see my meter run backwards.

 

[extreegrowerrr]

solar is expensive but man its the shittt.

 

[extreegrowerrr]

in the skunk magazine last year guy was running 20k in lights straight off solar panels in northern cali. shit in temecula costco is getting 60,000 watt solar gig installed on there roof. def. possible. expensive yes! i wouldnt do solar for 1k thats pointless. im talking large grows man.

 

[jm420]

Now that growing GREEN

 

[boroboro]

20k watts on 100% solar power? That's crazy! Or maybe it's just a good example of the ridiculously high subsidies on solar installs in California.

At 11.66 watts per square foot (the first decent power rating that google showed me), that would be about a 40 foot x 40 foot solar cell array, assuming the cells run at max power. You would probably want to double that size to make sure you have enough power for non-optimal days.

Hope you have a big roof, a big budget, and a good reason why your property looks like one of those space station solar cell arrays just landed.

Oh, and I hope you have a better reason than "run lights without any damn problems". Even if the real reason is only "Man, wouldn't it be cool to cover the entire warehouse roof in solar cells? Besides, what else are we going to do with this $100k sitting here?"

 

[Humboldtkush]

Solar panels are a great idea but you can't store the energy in any efficient way. The whole point of solar panels is that when your not using the energy it goes back into the grid so someone else can use it, thus no lose of energy. If you plan to use the energy as soon as the panels produce it then go for it, if your thinking of storing it then good luck.

 

[extreegrowerrr]

im gonna use it all up! lol no storing it! GO GREEN shit it will pay for its self in the long run...MAYBE! lol Who Knows?

 

[extreegrowerrr]

ill get a Prius as well!

 

[Jaybird2203]

I'd talk to the power authority where you live to see what kind of price they will give you for putting back into the grid, I've heard in Ontario Canada that the hydro companies give 80 cents/Kwh for 20 year contracts. Best part is you buy it back from them at 10 cents/Kwh (current rates)

 

[DeRail640]

Solar is not cost effective for a grow operation. I am a electrician and certified solar installer I have a 7KW Outback power system with a battery bank of 12 Surrette Rolls 4-KS-25PS 4V DC, 1,900AH @ 100HR Deep Cycle Solar Batteries on a 48V system the battery bank itself cost almost 17K then add another 7-8K for inverters and battery chargers. then you still need to add the solar panels and they cost anywhere between 1 -4 dollars a watt solar is not cheap at all, my system will power a decent size room but it is still not cost effective it takes a long time for the payback