Wonder here got ppl scrap the hybrid car or not. The lithium battery is valuable.

Haha, its also one of the problem in hybrid car. Friend repaired his pirusC, inverter board problem. Almost 20k. Lucky still got few months warranty.

Lexus hybrid battery >20k

Yes.

Yup. In parallel, the Amp is add more. In series, the voltage is add more.

Why you brought a panel but don't no what to use? What size and what your plan?

Bought a 50w panel to understand more on solar. I'm more of a practical person. I find theories alone a little too dry for me. So now I would like to know how to fully use power from my panel. So far i have 50w panel connect to a 10A charge controller with a car battery.

Would like to learn more without using more capital.

Wonder here got ppl scrap the hybrid car or not. The lithium battery is valuable.

Well, I have a few car batteries lying around. Was wondering if I can connect them in parallel to get more run time out of them but as I read online it's not advisable to connect batteries of different sizes, brand, age. How true is this? I understand the theory that the discharge/charge rate would be different from different batteries but will it really kill the batteries? Mine are all past 3years so I don't really mind if they die soon.

Solar is only produce the power/energy. So now you have the power. The next stage is, what are you going to use from the free power.

The thinking is just same like TNB supply the power to you. So what are you going to plug into the wall socket to use the power.

But solar supply have the limited power (your panel). So you need some calculation before able to use for your thing.

In my case, at the moment I m in lazy mode,   So just plug into the wall socket and supply back to TNB. (Do some charity)

I have others project in my planning. Some are halfway.
1) Wall socket for 5V usb charging for room. Parts already have and been test the result.
2) DC pump and filter for bathroom. Plan design already. Waiting to get parts. (No fund at the moment  )
3) Some auto LED light.
4) My automation controller. Parts already have.
5) DC fan ventilation. Can run 24hr since it free energy.

Most hybrid cars use NiMH battery, not Lithium
Normal car battery is not deep cycle lead acid battery, if you use the battery to power AC/fridge/wash machine, it will die soon, and if you mix the new battery with old one, the new battery will die soon too, all UPS battery is deep cycle battery, no need to test otherwise UPS company is idiot to use more expensive battery.

And don't forget inverter, the inverter will convert DC to AC, good inverter is also not cheap.

In summary, if you really want to save money, forget using battery, FIT is the feasible way. if just for fun to power up garden lights, Fan, LED decorative lights, go ahead.

I like your projects. So far all my USB powered devices is charged through solar but that's just not enough consumption I feel. I've got 5 phones 2 tablets and a few power banks.

The problem with solar I feel is the source of power. My whole house is wired to TNB so turning on a switch is easy. If I were to reroute certain lights from my house, I would need to rewire my place?

Also, if I were to use my washing machine during the day with a ups hook up to a car battery and the panel charging, will my battery die? How to calculate whether this is feasible?

It is already a good start.

You cannot just "feel". You have to calculate out and do some checking to know it enough or not. Get some watt meter to track the actual consumption. By using some instrument to check, you can understand much more about the correct way to setup.

Depend the place and which area need to rewire. But largely require to rewire. Need carefully planning and design.

Depend what kind of battery. But your UPS also will die. WM running higher watt. Is your UPS enough capacity?

I like your projects. So far all my USB powered devices is charged through solar but that's just not enough consumption I feel. I've got 5 phones 2 tablets and a few power banks.

The problem with solar I feel is the source of power. My whole house is wired to TNB so turning on a switch is easy. If I were to reroute certain lights from my house, I would need to rewire my place?

Also, if I were to use my washing machine during the day with a ups hook up to a car battery and the panel charging, will my battery die? How to calculate whether this is feasible?

Year 1
 
Date                  Total KWp Amount (RM)
9/5/13~1/7/13    630          863.60
1/7/13~1/9/13    1050          1,439.34
1/9/13~1/10/13    431          590.82
1/10/13~1/11/13 443                  607.27
1/11/13~1/12/13 359            492.12
1/12/13~2/1/14    331          453.74
2/1/14~1/2/14    349          478.41
1/2/14~1/3/14    424          581.22
1/3/14~2/4/14    500          685.40
2/4/14~1/5/14    374          512.68
                    4891          6,704.60
Year 2
 
Date                  Total KWp Amount (RM)
1/5/14~2/6/14    459          629.90
2/6/14~2/7/14    453          620.97
2/7/14~2/8/14    466          638.79
2/8/14~2/9/14    418          572.99
2/9/14~2/10/14    442          605.89
2/10/14~1/11/14 402                  551.06
1/11/14~2/12/14 371            508.57
2/12/14~2/1/15  292                  400.28
2/1/15 ~2/2/15  401                  549.69
2/2/15~1/3/15  423          579.85
3/3/15~2/4/15  476                  652.49
2/4/15~2/5/15  448                  614.12
                  5051          6924.60
2 yrs commissioned and so far surplus every year from my Projection

Year 44,000.00  Forecast Yield Degradation Actual Yield Surplus/Deficit
1 50,605.89  RM6,605.89 0%                RM6,704.60 RM98.71
2 57,112.68  RM6,506.80 98.5%        RM6,924.60 RM417.80

I intend to coat my panel with Nano Coating in few months time to boost the Yield as Nano Coating will prevent dust, Sand, Particles for sticking on the panel and affecting the yield. So far for 2 years I did not do any cleaning on my solar system 4 KW

If you are using personal home grade UPS, normally is around 800VA to 1500VA, hardly go up to 3000VA.

A 1500VA UPS used for washing machine, assuming the power factor is 60%, you only get 900W output for 5 minutes? so it is impossible!

If you plan to reduce the power usage to save money, it is definitely not worth it, the cost of investment is definitely higher than 35 cents per KWH.

For fun or some outdoor places that doesn't have electricity power, then solar power with battery may be useful.

Year 1
 
Date                  Total KWp Amount (RM)
9/5/13~1/7/13    630          863.60
1/7/13~1/9/13    1050          1,439.34
1/9/13~1/10/13    431          590.82
1/10/13~1/11/13 443                  607.27
1/11/13~1/12/13 359            492.12
1/12/13~2/1/14    331          453.74
2/1/14~1/2/14    349          478.41
1/2/14~1/3/14    424          581.22
1/3/14~2/4/14    500          685.40
2/4/14~1/5/14    374          512.68
                    4891          6,704.60
Year 2
 
Date                  Total KWp Amount (RM)
1/5/14~2/6/14    459          629.90
2/6/14~2/7/14    453          620.97
2/7/14~2/8/14    466          638.79
2/8/14~2/9/14    418          572.99
2/9/14~2/10/14    442          605.89
2/10/14~1/11/14 402                  551.06
1/11/14~2/12/14 371            508.57
2/12/14~2/1/15  292                  400.28
2/1/15 ~2/2/15  401                  549.69
2/2/15~1/3/15  423          579.85
3/3/15~2/4/15  476                  652.49
2/4/15~2/5/15  448                  614.12
                  5051          6924.60
2 yrs commissioned and so far surplus every year from my Projection

Year 44,000.00  Forecast Yield Degradation Actual Yield Surplus/Deficit
1 50,605.89  RM6,605.89 0%                RM6,704.60 RM98.71
2 57,112.68  RM6,506.80 98.5%        RM6,924.60 RM417.80

I intend to coat my panel with Nano Coating in few months time to boost the Yield as Nano Coating will prevent dust, Sand, Particles for sticking on the panel and affecting the yield. So far for 2 years I did not do any cleaning on my solar system 4 KW

Year 1
 
Date                   Total KWp Amount (RM)
9/5/13~1/7/13    630          863.60
1/7/13~1/9/13    1050          1,439.34
1/9/13~1/10/13    431          590.82
first time i heard of nano coating.... can you share more.... where to buy / who can do etc?

thanks.....




1/10/13~1/11/13 443                  607.27
1/11/13~1/12/13 359             492.12
1/12/13~2/1/14    331          453.74
2/1/14~1/2/14    349          478.41
1/2/14~1/3/14    424          581.22
1/3/14~2/4/14    500          685.40
2/4/14~1/5/14    374          512.68
                    4891          6,704.60
Year 2
 
Date                   Total KWp Amount (RM)
1/5/14~2/6/14    459          629.90
2/6/14~2/7/14    453          620.97
2/7/14~2/8/14    466          638.79
2/8/14~2/9/14    418          572.99
2/9/14~2/10/14    442          605.89
2/10/14~1/11/14 402                  551.06
1/11/14~2/12/14 371            508.57
2/12/14~2/1/15   292                  400.28
2/1/15 ~2/2/15   401                  549.69
2/2/15~1/3/15   423           579.85
3/3/15~2/4/15   476                  652.49
2/4/15~2/5/15   448                  614.12
                   5051          6924.60
2 yrs commissioned and so far surplus every year from my Projection

Year 44,000.00  Forecast Yield Degradation Actual Yield Surplus/Deficit
1 50,605.89  RM6,605.89 0%                 RM6,704.60 RM98.71
2 57,112.68  RM6,506.80 98.5%         RM6,924.60 RM417.80

I intend to coat my panel with Nano Coating in few months time to boost the Yield as Nano Coating will prevent dust, Sand, Particles for sticking on the panel and affecting the yield. So far for 2 years I did not do any cleaning on my solar system 4 KW

Is all watt meter the same? Or is there a requirement that I should look out for?

I think integrating both off and on grid would be better done during a house renovation with proper planning. If do now need a lot of exposed wires

I don't know how to see my ups capacity. Considering that I hook it up to a few car batteries, the capacity depends on how much the car batteries can power, correct?

first time i heard of nano coating.... 

can you share more....

where to buy / who can do etc? 

thanks.....

You can use this watt meter. It is for DC circuit. It show watt, kwh, A, voltage, peak volt/watt/A. A very usefull to monitor the uasage. Specially for solar.



Another usefull instrument is this multimeter. A must for electrical.



UPS have capacity size. Depend your requirement usage. It actually is the inverter size. Battery size in the UPS is for how long it can backup.

Where to buy the watt meter and how much?

I already have a multimeter

Either ebay or aliexpress. Compare the price.