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Is there a good place to ask about independent (non-grid-connected) solar for an otherwise grid-connected structure? I'd love to set something like this up, but can't find any systems which don't require wiring into the gird.
I've set up an off grid solar system out of necessity. Used to be an electrician so I know a good bit (but not everything by any means). What are your questions I can maybe point you in the right direction.
Based on your initial question, it depends on local zoning. You can likely legally grid tie a set up and have a battery backup. I think if you want to be legal I'd go that route.
If you want I think you could set up a completely separate system in a more sneaky fashion that is completely isolated from the grid / your existing house circuitry. But when grid tying (including into your house circuitry) you have to be pretty safe because that power can go upstream and feed the grid or the house when workers think the power is off, which is obviously very dangerous and could get you in a lot of trouble if it went wrong.
Engineer here, so I'm aware of the fundamentals of "how not to kill yourself with electricity". Anything tying into the grid I'm definitely calling a professional for.
But no, I'm not in a financial or property situation to install a grid-connected system, so I was imagining a "balcony solar" kit that'd just charge a small battery bank I could run some lights, a fan, or some similar low-load devices off of. I don't know if such a thing exists (or if it's a smart idea), but I'd like to look into it and find out.
Yeah for sure. You could get an all in one inverter battery bank, but I prefer piecemeal systems because of repairability/replacing parts/upgrading parts.
Basically you'd get a battery, when I was shopping around I found eg4 or gyll batteries to be the cheapest. Small Texas company. That could have changed. Some ppl make their own or use them from a car, but soldering plus making a management system seemed like more than I wanted to deal with.
You need a way to charge the battery (panels etc) and also a way to get the power into the battery safely and efficiently (charge controller).
And then you need a way to get energy out of the battery to your apploances. You can get DC appliances that match your battery voltage or get an inverter.
For all of those parts you need to run some simple calculations for efficiency and compatibility and use case (how big of a system etc), as well as some fuses and possibly lightning arrestors and grounding.
Totally doable and a good bit of fun
Why would you pass up on the free money of selling the power? You're probably looking for a hybrid system if you just want to keep the lights on during a service outage. Or I guess you can just build an off grid system and wire it to a generator transfer switch if you want to power your house circuits but only during an outage.
Most half decent solar installers can help either way.
Mostly because I am not in a place, financially or home-wise, to install a full grid-connected system. I'm just looking for something that I can use to charge enough battery to run a lamp, fan, charge devices, or other such similar light loads on a daily basis. It won't bring my power bill to zero, but it will chip away at it.
Oh so not really even your home circuits then. Just get something like a jackery, ecoflow, or bluetti. I've had a bluetti and ecoflow and recommend an ecoflow product. If you really really wanted to you could power an in wall circuit with one but it would be pretty jank.
I bet the Solarpunk and homesteading / permaculture communities might have some ideas on this!
Best ask in a more specialized forum. Personally I rent so I have to take what I'm given.