Solar Shed: Running a Cheap Air Conditioner
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 เม.ย. 2020
- Part 2: • Cheap Solar Powered Ai...
Equipment in video (sponsored links):
Air conditioner: Not available! This was last years model (RAC-WK0612CRRU), and yes it's loud. Use any 6,000 BTU air conditioner with energy star certification (they are all pretty similar), like this one: amzn.to/2JY9qcV
2kW 24V Giandel Inverter: amzn.to/2RPpJdY
Other inverters by giandel: www.mobile-solarpower.com/inv...
Bluetti: amzn.to/361KZUq
Does off-grid solar confuse you?
Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com
Join our DIY solar community!
#1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike:
www.diysolarforum.com
Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link):
amzn.to/2Aj4dX4
If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out EnergyPal! They will price out a system and get your house offgrid: energypal.com/diysolar/
My Solar Equipment Recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):
12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/sol...
Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/sol...
Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v...
Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/ful...
Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/com...
DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/sol...
My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:
Signature Solar
Offgrid One-Stop-Shop. Best Value 48V LiFePO4, Victron and Offgrid Specific Heat Pumps:
www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h...
Current Connected
SOK, Victron, Mr.Cool Heatpumps and High Quality Components:
currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
Ecoflow Delta
My favorite plug-n-play solar generator:
us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7
AmpereTime
Cheapest 12V batteries around:
amperetime.com/products/amper...
Renogy
A classic 12V solar store that has been around for ages!
renogy.sjv.io/n1VjXx
Rich Solar
Renogy's biggest competitor! Similar products, but at a better price:
richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
Battery Hookup
Cheap cell deals
bit.ly/2mIxSqt
5% off code: diysolar
Contact Information:
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:
Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :)
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Quick corrections and response to comments for this video:
-Standby consumption of Giandel 2000W 24V Inverter actually fluctuates between 6-24 watts. I calibrated my meter and tested .62A at 24V. Some viewers stated .8-1A. Lowest I have measured was .28A.
-If you click on my product links and the product is not present, it is out of stock. This happens a lot.
-No, I am not using the bluetti indefinitely to power the air conditioner. It was for energy audit reasons only (as mentioned in the video), and because I did not want to add a LVD (giandel lvd is too low for lifepo4). I understand the efficiency losses of this setup, and that's ok. I have multiple videos showing how to use buck/boost converters for directly powering AC supplied appliances, and I understand converter efficiency very well. When I was 15 I soldered my DIY power supplies direct to the rectifier diodes of various products after I discovered the voltage they operated at. This was 15 years ago. This is not "new" to me.
I think people forget that I lived off-grid w/ solar for 9.5 years, and before that I was building circuits from scratch for my robotics projects. I did BEAM robotics and servo control for animatronics mainly. Some robotic arms with linear actuators. Also, long range sailplanes/race drones. I may look young, but I have built a lot of stuff. I don't think people realize that sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does off-grid solar confuse you? Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com
Join our DIY solar community! #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com
Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link):
amzn.to/2Aj4dX4
If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Solar. Low prices and great warranty, and they can take your entire house offgrid with their new Powerwalls: ts.la/william57509
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My solar equipment recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):
12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html
Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html
Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html
Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html
DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html
Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar and Coupon Codes:
-Current Connected: SOK, Victron and High Quality Components. Best prices and warranty around: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
-Signature Solar: Cheap Server Rack Batteries and Large Solar Panels:
www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Ecoflow Delta Official Site: My favorite plug-n-play solar generator:
us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7
-AmpereTime: Cheapest 12V batteries around:
amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Rich Solar: Mega site and cheaper prices than renogy! Check them out:
richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Shop Solar Kits: Huge site with every solar kit you can imagine! Check it out:
shopsolarkits.com/?ref=will-p
-Battery Hookup: Cheap cell deals
bit.ly/2mIxSqt
10% off code: diysolar
-Watts 24/7: Best deals on all-in-one solar power systems, with customer support and distribution here in the USA:
watts247.com/?wpam_id=3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact Information:
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:
Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :)
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Don't let anybody look down upon you just because of your youth! Great job, young man.
Your true followers already understands this.. don’t worry about the others
Hi Will, Can we expect another livestream or upload soon? I promise to moderate more heavily but last time I had just woken up & was really tired. Hope to hear from you soon buddy!
Could this set up work on a boat using a 5k-6k wall ac unit?
I am not looking down on you but your viewers watching this will not be sufficiently reminded of a air conditioner being a heat pump and pumping Heat is inefficient unless you have some place cool to pump it. In fact some places are too hot to pump the Heat when do you need to pump at the most. But it's very routine for people to ignore the efficiency boost if pumping prior to the hottest hours. Many many businesses run their air conditioners during those hours even though they use extremely expensive electricity and do not provide any cooling beyond the draft. That is the coils are dry on the indoor evaporator coil. That coil is too warm to condense any of the humidity and it often is warmer than the air.
This situation should be address by the electric utilities but they make lots of money running air conditioners continuously despite them having an illegal efficiency level.
There are many solutions to this problem as you are well aware of. I think the main thing here is that you're using the air conditioner as a token load to demonstrate your off-grid solar system. I don't know if you agree but saying it that way might help us better understand what's going on here.
What lots of insulation does is it allows you to precool and then when electricity gets very expensive and the btu of the air conditioner is at its lowest level you can just turn it off. The buffer that you created will let you Coast until the btu to Watts consumed gets back to a respectable level. One of the ways of helping the insulation is the add lots of thermal Mass. Right now I'm trying to keep some peas alive. Peas are very sensitive to heat so I'm growing them in an ice chest and open top ice chest filled with water below the bottom of the pot so that the evaporation chose the water and the insulated sides prevent heat from getting in that way it's amazing how cold the water stays play it's going to be in the mid-90s today so we'll see if the pea plants continue to flower!
What's so great about you Will is your humility, intelligence, thirst for knowledge and most of all you've kept your inner child, it shines through in your excitement when you explain things. You're a great guy! Thanks for explaining everything so well. 🏴🇸🇪
I third this full heartedly. In my 55 years on this earth I have met only a handful of people who possess a similar class of positive character traits as Will.
whole heartedly concur your honesty and integrity is very sophisticated!!!
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
I also second this
Will's famous last words..." I'll just add more Solar Panels" LOL
Hahaha
@@WillProwse I just picked up ( 2 ) used Sharp 175 watt Panels for $50.00 ea. Tested @ 44.3volts. Now just waiting for the clouds and rain to go away. This 350 watts will be added to the 275 watts I currently have in my Truck Camper powering ( 2 ) 200Ah AGM Batteries. Next up is adding 1 more 200Ah AGM Battery. Is 625 watts of Solar a good match for 600Ah of Battery only using a 1000 watt Sine Wave inverter for just a laptop, 32"HDTV, and DVD Player , 3 LED lights, and Phone charging.?
Crazy thing I actually just got done adding another panel to my small solar array and re-building the rails.
Gerald you've got more Ah than you need for the little 1000watt inverter, but less panels than you could use to recharge those big 600Ah, if you pulled heavier loads. Maybe you could build a hot-tub or kick amplified sound system, or start crunching bitcoin to generate some load.
What could go wrong - Smoky Stover... (how old are you if you got that?)
i dont know why but every time you upload a video like this its just brings joy that someone is actually doing what they are passionate in life, keep up the good work
and keep sharing the education... and thanks.
I am never gonna get sick of watching you geek out and get so happy over "little" things Will. Don't change. Give me Liberty, and Solar Happiness with Will.
Hey my friend. I've watched you for about a year now.
You are by far the BEST informed, educated, down to earth, REAL personality on TH-cam with regards of everything Solar. On behalf of myself, Thanks!
The kid inside you got excited and I saw you raising in the closing of your video. You are such a great teacher and inspiring person.
Your the king of off grid solar on you tube. Your videos are straight forward and edited to get most out of our viewing time. Thank you
I see you got the temperature at a nice crisp 67 F in April, in Vegas. That's a great result from a $209 AC. Love all your videos. I've seen dozens of your breakdown and reviews but not till recently started looking into to how you got to where you are now - and just watched your "Why I live in an RV" Vid. YOur life is an unbelievable story of survival. You did a lot better than I did, from shockingly hard circumstances. You are an inspiration.
Just got your book! Thanks for your consistent, thorough and hard work Will!
Thank you for showing us this system, many have wanted to see a video like this for a long time.
Great job!
Its rare to find someone who can talk and explain so well, while looking so good...
I love your enthusiasm and your knowledge of all these electronics. I don’t fully understand it all, but you’re fun to watch.
This is PERFECT info for what I've been looking for. So many have built out a cargo style trailer for overlanding or camping. But the trailers (dedicated production or home built) have varying degrees of insulation. I"ve been hesitant to buy even a small camper without figuring out how to run some type of small AC on either 12 or 120 volts. this vid along with a full time nomad camper that runs a 120v 5K BTU AC on about 1K of PV. Excellent info!
Great video and update Will. Once insulated you'll probably have an abundance of power! Keep the great videos coming, very helpful!
This is SO COOL. How many people have a solar shed?! Looking forward to all the solar shed results. You are awesome, Will! Thank you!
Rock on buddy!
We have a project right up your alley...
And are going to be headed that way next week in our RV headed to L.A. THEN back through again headed back to FL...
I've never listened to someone for so long and have absolutely no idea what your saying..
I try very hard to follow and learn. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. But either way, Will's genuine interest in and excitement about his work is inspiring!
Lol, I followed for about 2 seconds before his super genius level left me ion the dudt
Same here, I made it almost half way through. his intelligence level makes me feel like a cave man.
Go back one year and look at his video for beginners. I worked in construction for year from the 80's till the crash of the economy in 07. Never had a problem wiring homes but never used solar and all that will be needed with it. In a few months this kid has taugh a old man alot. Now I find myself sounding like I know any of this.
Hey Pops Old Boats. Do you build boats? Because I do and it would be cool to meet others that do? I want to run my boats on solar power. I have a 21 ft. tunnel hull that will go over 100 mph with ease with a 260 h.p Mercury 2 stroke outboard motor. I wonder what it could do with electric power. The boat was built for speed. I designed and built it and it is a solid performer outperforming some of the best boats out there. Because I took all the best attributes from the top boats and added them together to make this boat. It was originally a Champ boat in Italy at 17 ft 6 inches that ran 130 mph untill Al Mourno flipped it at 130 mph and it landed upside down pushing the motor, and cutting the boat in half almost gutting poor Al. " He said the boat split in half and the motor pushed him out! " Al Mourno. A guy named Sid Bass lived down the road from us and built his own complete motors and cut down legs to race form. My dad worked for George Barris Custom Rods and we started Hurricane Performance Tunnel Hulls in the 80's because he was an expert fiberglass dude. He fixed Corvettes, and eventually owned his own Custom Auto Body shop. Ormiston Motors in Bremerton Washington. We then build custom rods, chopped tops, channels cars etc. Then we got into boats deeper lol. Made our own designs and nailed it! They outperformed almost every boat on the market at the time. No one knew what they were. It was like selling a Lamborghini without a test drive. We were 20+ years ahead of the game. Now today they are the most fuel efficient boats on the market with the fastest top speeds available. Now pops has passed on and it's just me and my Covid mask. Lol I. I have the knowledge, the skill, the desire, I even have a 2800 sq.ft shop. But not anyone that speaks my language lol.
From all the electric training and enthusiast level of interest I have…..I come to this channel to reinforce all the information. This is like music to my ears
I'm sure someone has already said it but many window AC now have WiFi built in so you can check it anytime from anywhere. You can also configure schedules and have it set to turn on and off depending on temperature. You can even check the temperature when it is off to determine if you want to turn it on or not. Keep up the great work. I'm looking at possibly adding solar and backup battery to my house and an RV one of these years. Just starting my research into everything and your knowledge helps a lot.
You are a rock star in your own right. I learn a lot with what you are sharing. Watching your video is time well spent.
I follow a lot of cruising yachts and catamaran sites. One of their biggest problems is cooling the boat at sea or at anchor without running their engines to generate power. I've always thought that there must be some way you can generate enough power from solar to do that. It looks like you are on the right track Will. Good for you, and if you do happen to perfect what you are trying to do, please make sure you take out a patent on it to protect your future life. Well done young man.
I just took a portable AC out of the boat and replaced with the same window AC. Its great! Also using the 3KW Giandel inverter with a 2KW as backup. I also have LiFePo4 batteries and a need to keep them cool. Looking forward to a follow up video about maintaining temp within limits of batteries automatically. Also thanks for warning about no low volt cutoff on Giandel. Must have missed that when I didn't read manual. Will copy your low voltage protect and temp management when you post about it. Very helpful stuff thanks!
Love it! My wife was laughing saying that’s totally you 👀😂 with the camera and the thermometer
like your honesty and integrity bro building a house and your knowledge and insights will help me set up off grid
Great setup. Yes high and sealed insulation is key. Glad you are having fun:)
If you watch these videos at 1.75X, you can actually SEE the passion. It cracks me up.
Awesome! AC for the shed Will! Waiting for Amazon to ship the rest of my first solar project along with a copy of your book. Enjoy your straight talking style of videos. Thanks for sharing.
What a super fellow. Who cannot get excited when he seems to be so excited about his "stuff"! G R E A T vids!
Dam I’m so impressed with your knowledge on electronics, well solar and battery power. You rock bud. 🖐🏼😊
1-minute 11 seconds into the video I could tell this guy knows his stuff.
You are talking so sweet explaining all those things. Thanks for sharing with us.
Turns out i need to run a small AC unit (same size as yours) on solar. Glad you make videos so I have someone to learn from.
I recently bought a 12 volt ac unit and hope it works on Bluetti AC200. Plan on using it in truck bed topper. Thanks for "The Shed" ac video.
Nice video Will. It would be interesting to compare the power consumption before and after insulating your shed. Ambient temperature would have to be factored into the analysis.
1-minute into the video I could tell this guy knows his stuff so I subscribe!.
Will.... I'm twice your age and considered talented by a few people, ( my Mom), Ha. Anyway, I am very glad I get to watch your videos and see a young man pushing himself to his potential and the enjoyment you get from it. I was so encumbered by life issues at your age by my bad choices(poor choice of a marriage partner). I squandered and wasted time in my youth trying to fix an unfixable situation.
I say all that to say this ....follow your dreams ... cut your losses and go for the gold! May God bless you . Thanks for all you do!
We haven't heard from you in a while - hope you are safe and healthy!
I have lived off grid for 36 months now and we have a system that could power a AC unit but never thought about setting one up. Great video.
@Manny Fragoza We live in western Colorado.
@@colfaxschuyler3675 Our internet is not the best, but with a weBoost we are able to keep good LTE connection. We can only get Huges Net out here and it is not grand.
I love this young man's brilliant videos! Am learning so dang much about solar. Thank you!
Nice. Thats one thing i was planning to do now that i have my Lifepo4 battery built. Ive had enough solar to run a/c for a few years, but, i was always afraid that clouds would ruin my old lead batteries. Also, i like my Cotek 48v 1200 watt inventer. Very low power consumption, has lasted 5 years, now. Keep up the good work.
Good afternoon. I have casually thought "maybe solar would be helpful for me" but now, thanks to your channel, I am giving it far more serious consideration these days.
Keep up the good and informative work.
And so far it's working! It was 87 degrees 2 days ago, and 2.1kWh powered it just fine. I am going to continue doing my energy audit in the following weeks, but this little ac cools down the shed and my batteries in minutes.
And no, I will not keep the bluetti connected indefinitely. Absolutely not! It was an easy way to avoid adding LVD for the giandel while doing energy audit.
This AC is very loud and there are more efficient options. But I have a TON of solar, and I am never in the shed, so this works perfect! If you want low standby consumption, buy an energy star ac. You can go to any local store and buy a 6000 btu air conditioner and it will have nearly the same efficiency as this one. I bought mine on sale because it is last years model.
I just bought more insulation and will add it today. The roof is covered in panels which shade the shed. Also, the shed is surrounded by natural shade, so it should stay pretty cool. I probably need to insulate the floor and roof a lot to save energy.
Just buy Sonoff TH16 (16A) if u want to monitor temp in ur shed. its very easy to use. btw not to mention then u can sync ur smart plug.
Will- no one cares about how loud the AC is, but- glad you are doing an energy audit to determine what it takes to cool the place during those 110 degree days! I'm interested in the Giandel Inverters- so, I'll be reading those pages next. Insulating the floor will be a PITA, but- blocking off acess to the floor should be relatively easy. Walls- are you going to use the Pink Panther stuff, or rigid foam insulation? Just curious- let us know what you come up with!
Thanks for keeping us up to date with the solar shed.
@@DCGULL01 he can just turn it of if he is recording fore 15 min
Here we use metric system specifically celcius.😁
thoes little 6000 btu ACs work well on low cool fan setting as well. I used always use my sailboat one on low for less noise and it would still freeze me out at night in Florida summers .
Excellent video Will, to many folks throw cost aside when doing solar or HVAC
Yay! Looking forward to updates in the heat of summer!
Your shed isn’t moving and it small like you said so cutting a hole in the wall is a good route to go and using a window unit as a permanent solution is perfect 👌🏻
A cheap and efficient way to cool a shed is to shade it with a tarp. Set off of the shed by 8 to 10 inches on the southern side with a 6 inch air gap on the bottom. You can also use a shade tarp sold at garden supply warehouses with the same air gap on the bottom.
You must live in the North. In Texas, even in the shade that shed would be burning up inside.
Too much wind in summer storms here.....for tarping
@@alrgman yep, it's completely impractical any part of the country. I tarp setup is always a temporary use thing.
To be honest, all electrical terminologies flew away from my head, but your voice retained😁😁😁
That seems to be the same AC unit I got for my van. Also has a soft-start built in. Love it.
really that's good,, how much would it take to start then?
Options options options
Most of the time I need to press rewind and figure out what options is for what. It’s amazing how much math Will can spite out at any one time. Trying to keep up is a full time job!
Thanks Will for your “COOL” subject matter today!
Hello from Korea. Please repeat this statement every time a student asks why they need to learn math that they'll supposedly never use.
USA to ROK Man, I did that with Spanish and 45 years later I’m still kicking myself. Went full stupid. Never pass an opportunity to get educated.
Getting ready for the hot weather, hopefully that works for you.
I cant understand what you're saying. But i understand that magical box in the wall makes cool... that's awesome!
I build shipping container cabins and i add a second roof ontop to shade the containers. It makes a massive difference in keeping them cool. A large solar array might do the same or you may want to make a shade roof overtop to put the panels on.
really cool video!! I'm doing a van setup for it to run one of those ac units 24/7 so this was very useful!! keep it up!!!
I have a little AC like that in my bedroom at night and put the central up. I did the math and actually save about $35.00 a month during the HOT season! Alabama Coast! (Winter & Hot) are our seasons! Lol. Hope you had a nice Easter!
I used window a/c for 10 years in Houston with whole house HVAC .
I worked nights slept days . My room was 72 house was 76 till i got up and others got home . Our Balanced billing hasn't gone over 80$ monthly in 2000 sq ft 30 yr old house .
That unit can make most moderately insulated Vans Cool to sleep in .
Love that you are thrifty and practical.
Insulation gives you the biggest bang for the buck in return of energy savings. It will help you a great deal. Especially after you insulated the 'attic space' you will build. It is amazing the amount of radiant heat that comes through a roof space on a sunny day.
I agree! Mini splits are great for many applications, but not all😎
Awesome video will, yeah I have a window AC unit in my van, I can run it off my solar , shore power or generator. Keep up the good work...
Will, look into Home Assistant Automation, I have dived really deep into this software the last few years, I installed ac relay boards with temp sensors on my window units, so they smart control the a/c via my setting, I have it setup to come on only at set critical temperatures, then turn on when I'm home to "at home" settings based on geoloaction detection of my cell phone. I also use this automation system for my hydroponics garden in my greenhouse, I have probes detecting the water ph, calcium, magnesium and such levels and autocorrects to keep them within a set range of variables I have programmed by adding specific ingredients as required, also reduced my fertilizer expense by detecting how little of ingredients is actually needed to keep plants happily growing. It has been a game-changer on taking a lot of the hard work out of getting my stuff to function perfectly. It just works so well... I feel you could implement this into your solar shed and automate things.
Very nice, looking forward to the power consumption update🤓
Thanks, you always have good information about new products or products I previously did not know about.
Thanks a lot Will. I had no idea you could get a air conditioner that would draw such a small load.
I love this for a bedroom off-grid, supplemental. Add a small electric heater for winter.
Nice videos! I now realize I need to pay you to help me with my campers solar! It is above my head! Your videos are the best I always tel people about your Chanel
Smart young man, listening to you my IQ rose 10 points. . I subscribed. I want to learn more about your set up. I have a storage shed I want to do the same thing to. Thanks
you are a great teacher and you know what you are talking about .thanks
Thanks for your vids dude. Recently I was studying marine electronics over at Pacific Yacht Systems and I learned that my 2 6v interstate lead acids should be charged at a rate of 50 amps. That's why my rv came with a 50 amp charger. That's a lot less than the maybe 20 amps I get from my solar. That is hard on my batteries because they need the 50 amps to de sulfate. I don't think that many of us small time folks understand this. I'm currently going to upgrade to a 100/50 Victron and am looking for 700 watts of 72 cell panels. There are some used ones on ebay and I thought that could be a good review from you on those panels. Sadly they have to have a pallet so shipping is expensive. I'm thinking of just getting 10 and reselling what I don't need. Used panels vs new is a good subject. If somebody out there in the north bay area of Ca wants to split a pallet of ten or needed 3 or 4 that could be cool.
I have a 10’x12’ shed. I may put an air conditioner in that, or a heat pump, and you’re getting me to think I might try powering it off of solar 👍🏻
Good luck with that A/C unit. I bought a 8,000BTU model built in Dec. 2018. They were on sale and I was interested because it had WiFi and remote control unit. The first one I brought home and installed sounded fine, but it was a cool day and I thought it was working. As soon as we had a warm day I realized it wasn't cooling. The compressor was running, but no cooling? I took it back and gambled on another of the same model. Checked it before installing and it worked. Put in my window and thought everything was okay. Next day I tried the remote control and it only works if it wants too! Checked battery and watched the remote light with my phone camera and it is sending signals, but not getting consistent control. Next I went through the steps in the instructions and tried the phone app and WiFI. Should have known from the reviews for the phone app that I was screwed. Only thing I haven't tried to get the WiFi to connect is moving my router. Think the A/C module only works on 2.4Ghz? The thermostat isn't very smart either. It's almost like it just works off a random timer and doesn't care what the temp is. Last time I will buy this brand.
I didn't hear you say how many watts in panels you have but it's a help thank you keep learning.
Hi, Im your new subscriber from Philippines. Thank you for the new learnings
I use a home made swamp cooler to cool my trailer. I used two window screens, and pulled apart one of those wadded up netting things people use in the shower, and sandwiched it between the two screens, and hung it outside one window and aimed a mister valve at it connected to a hose. in a window in the opposite end of the trailer, I use a fan blowing outward. It took some fine tuning, but it works GREAT and only uses a tiny amount of power!
Those work very well in the dry desert air where Will lives.
The air conditioner he has is good as a demonstration of what would work in humid areas.
It is definitely not required in Las Vegas.
I live in vegas also and have a 8300w system on my flat roof . It’s exiting to learn about solar
Insulate the shed and paint the outside white to reflect the sun! Great video!
Do we think he should add REFLECTIX to the outside walls?
Hi Will . I use a wifi plug for my air conditioner . It has both timer and countdown programs, built into the smart plug app. . I use the timer to turn a/c on and off.
0 watts stand by (plugged into ac outlet. 12:00 on ,1:00 off etc...
If you use a countdown you have to create many on / off times ...ie... 30 min. On , 60 min. off ,90 min. on etc
The problem is you need to restart each timer, everytime that you want it to go through the cycle. If you dont , it won't go on or off .
I like your passion.. i am not googling how to wire solar set.. i look at utube.. after one video.. already subcribe to you
Thanks for this. I've been looking for a cheap-but-not-crap inverter for my van conversion (as opposed to the overpriced-crap-to-look-like-cbnc). Looks like the Giandel is the way to go.
Mr. Prowse, I am in complete awe of your technical prowess, finding your knowledge of solar unparalleled. As an afishionado of all things solar power I'm prayerfully hoping to beg your knowledgeable assistance, I am trying to formulate an installation plan for a sailboat. I have devoured data on the subject provided by you and other contributors, albeit I humbly confess that I am not comprehending the information. It being far to steep a learning curve for my meager understanding, in order to glean a practical sense of the subject I must defer to those like yourself. Might there be off the shelf pre-designed kits available, a sort of modularized plug-and-play system needing only to be assembled. I have attempted to find answers through internet queries, yet without having an intuitive knowledge of the subject it is oftentimes difficult to identify search terms. I do understand that you're a very busy man without the luxury of time, but if you could at least steer me in the right direction I would be in your debt. I am hoping to have a self sustaining system, coupling a wind generator' solar panels as well as a 5KW diesel generator. A lot of my confusion lies in the configuration, be it a 12/24/48 volt assembly for the most desirable efficiency. I simply lack the ability to even visualize these concepts. At any rate I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy request, I would be wholly without a doubt indebted to you for any assistance in this matter.
Will, some quick feedback. The only thing stopping me from taking the plunge is I haven't seen any material yet on how not to electrocute myself. Seriously this is the only thing stopping me. Figured I am not alone. Maybe a quick video on solar panel safety and best practices can put those fears to rest. I can't be the only one held back by this simple fear. You have laid out the technicals perfectly....maybe one video on how not to kill ourselves. Thanks Will.
Cool! I'm cooling my RV now with a swamp cooler run from solar, here in Idaho in the summer it gets up to around 90-110 degrees F and soon my well pump will be running of solar to. The well pump controller uses 120W!!! CONSTANTLY so I need to take that out and just put in a cutout, the well pump can run on 35vac/dc-250vdc/ac too, oh so meany cool things to do with solar!
Have you looked into a RAM PUMP?
@@georgefenrich4119 Yes I have, but it won't work for the well (it's 280ft deep) but we have a sessional creek that I want to make a ram pump at some point for watering. And I'll make a video about it when I do get to building it.
Can you do a video about refrigerators on solar
I did a bit of a test on a Hisense HR6BF121S 120L 240v fridge Because some say yes some say no. I set to just over half scale on the thermostat and rated at 225Kw per year on Product Review. on 2 *old 105Ah lead acid batteries with no power input as a test. in a 24Hr period with no external power input it used around 50AH or around 25pc of capacity. I've been running it on my solar setup in NSW OZ now for about 3 months no problems. but they do have about 500w surge current. Hisense have a 157L now rated at 185/190Kwpy Cheers
Yeah, I’d add some more insulation in walls and ceiling. Huge difference be it hot weather or cold weather to keep your temp even and energy used to a minimum. Question...you mounted AC unit over an electrical box. I know AC units are suppose to not sweat or leak especially in low humidity like Vegas, but seems to be some risk or not? Love how you use your electrical knowledge to use components specific to an end purpose. It’s kinda complicated and overwhelming to the uninitiated, especially when given the many applications and hardware sources to use. I’m still learning, but you’ve helped a lot to refine my possibilities to being off grid. Batteries have become my biggest surprise...how many needed, cost per, ah needed, volts coming and going, lithium agm lead acid, oh and wiring? It’s a lot to wrap your head around!
These are the kinds of applications I like to see. Also, throwing those numbers out there helps me to understand them better. Any idea on the cost of equipment to run the AC? This was really neat. Thank you.
That's right, thinking it thru and picking the appropriate technology. 👍
Looking at the light emanating from the A/C vents, I’m guessing you have it set to bring in outside air, maybe accidentally. Obviously more efficient to recirculate cool air rather than have to cool hot outside air. Just an observation, not criticism! I’ve got about 1KW of solar on my garage. Runs most of my shop gear. But no A/C yet. It was 90 in my garage here in central Florida today. I’m definitely going to have to do something soon. Keep up the good work!
Answer to all electrical issues: "...add another solar panel". Lol. When are you going to go underground and pour a concrete bunker? Just kidding..maybe? Keep up the great work. You are very factual and objective. Love that in a youtuber.
Do you know anything about the sungoldpower inverter charger that is almost exactly like the aims?
Looking forward to a tour of your shed!
To improve energy efficiency, you can also improve the insulation in the shed!!
i was looking into a set up so i could keep my refrigerator running during a power outage. 4 hours on 4 hours off. any suggestions?
The best deal in thermostats is Sensor Push on Amazon. $99 for the hub and $50 per wireless thermostat. The Sensor Push hub uploads temp and humidity to the cloud once per minute and will alarm you with custom set points. I have 5 in my RV. 2 for the Norcold refer/freezer. 2 for 2 chest freezers and one for my battery bank. The cloud achieves all the data.
I added a 220 mini split to my new addition to my home. The room is 15 x 25. It was the right choice. You would have just waisted your money on a mini spit for your shed. You bought the correct unit for your needs. A cheap rotating fan would help as well.
Great stuff, How many 300+ watt solar panels would you recommend to feed a bluetti that would then run this air conditioner?
Would additional batteries be necessary? What size Giandel Inverter would be necessary?
thanks
great work man,,your shed is so envious my solar is only 800watts and can only power a n electric fan haha..thanks for this..
Cool !...literally... always have been interested in running an AC on solar...
This is my new favorite channel.
I have intermittently run an AC unit from a Trace SW4048 inverter for years in the summer. I use a relay to turn on the power to the AC as a dump load when I have excess power. I think that if you have adequate space for panels, solar AC is smart. You basically need it most when you have excess power. Panels remain very cheap if you know how to do the wiring. I do not have batteries on that system, it is about a kilowatt hour of ultracapacitor storage which basically acts as a buffer with loads switching from mains to inverter or turning on and off other loads such as supplemental water pre-heating, space heating or AC simply based upon the banks voltage. Has worked reliably for years.
If it is a small stand alone shed, might consider covering it with a cheap tarp (spacers for airflow, don't want it touching the shed to much) to keep the sun off it. Makes a big difference for temp.
Great video, Will! We’re designing our system for our skoolie based on your book instructions & are wondering how you calculate short time loads for inverter size? We have a 1800 watt induction cooktop we’re going to use for 1hr or less per day. Do we just add up the anticipated total watt consumption x2 to determine the inverter size? We plan on going 12V (unless you think 24V would be better for inductive loads?) Our total anticipated watt usage is 7860wh, but some of the appliances are only run for 10-30 min. Also would the Giandel be a better option than Krieger?
Thanks so much for doing what you do!
-Brian + Erin
Thanks for another brilliant and informative video.