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Anyone use solar power?
- Thread starter rr14
- Start date
Solar power is not feasible for a grow rooms sole source of power. The amount of panels needed would be rediculous and way out of anyone other than someone like Oprah's price range. I said Oprah because I just seen her on TV this morning lol. But you get the idea. Solar power is not quite ther yet.
TGT
TGT
To be close to feasible you'd need a large, expensive array in the Southwest USA with a large battery backup system for when the sun isn't out. But don't despair, soon come. Solar energies are growing by over 50% each year so it's just a matter of time 
Here is something to blow your mind a tiny bit harder than some good acid. The amount of solar energy that hits this planet in a 24 hr period is enough energy to power the planet for an entire year. The only problem is harvesting and storing it....
-Funk
Here is something to blow your mind a tiny bit harder than some good acid. The amount of solar energy that hits this planet in a 24 hr period is enough energy to power the planet for an entire year. The only problem is harvesting and storing it....
-Funk
what i've heard is that the stuff is stored during the day and fed into the grid. The needle on the meter goes backward(credit). When it is used then it reverts to going the normal way(debit).
In CA, I guess 5kw and 7 kw systems are pretty common. I know that they are only collecting when the sun is strong, but that's still like about 6 hours.
In CA, I guess 5kw and 7 kw systems are pretty common. I know that they are only collecting when the sun is strong, but that's still like about 6 hours.
A
alegoblin
Nano technology has advanced to the point of solar collecting nanopaint.The paint has nano solar collectors in it,you paint your house with it and connect some apparatus to the paint skin and walla your entire house becomes a solar collector.Now that would power a grow room I'll bet.
Mr Celsius said:
I don't think anyone is saying it is impossible, but to do it within a reasonable budget is just not going to happen - not yet anyways. Okay, may be a 100 or 200 watt grow is possible for cheap, but anything bigger than that ain't going to happen in a residential area - for cheap anyways. If so, please post some pics or links to prices for solar panel set ups that will run 600 watt bulbs 12 hours a day consistantly. Not saying your wrong, but it goes against everything I have researched in the past. Although I have not looked into it for a couple years now, so who knows - may be the technology has come far since then.
TGT
sounds like it would.... and if your like me and need another tax break....rr14 said:
makes your 10k look like a 6400W in the billing dept. sounds worth it.
FrankRizzo
Listen to me jerky
The efficiency of solar panels is only going to get better over the years. While the technology for the average consumer is a ways off here's an article on one of the new efficiency records that was broken. This website has lots of info on renewable energy technology from many different sources.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/428_efficiency.php
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/428_efficiency.php
1love1earth
Member
I'd say that by the time we're looking at highly efficient solar power, we'll have moved away from typical HPS/Halid HID lighting, and there will be something far more efficient everyone is using.
I've often thought solar power would be a great way to grow indoors and stay off of the radar, but honestly, if you really want to grow at those lengths, and are prepared to invest in a house/solar panels, why not just buy some land "somewhere safe and friendly(er)" and grow on the land. Free light, no buying medium anymore, lots of space, I mean outdoors in a safe/friendly area on land you own is really the way to go, having a med permit wouldn't hurt either, just don't draw too much attention.
Now if it's all about making money, no ethics, no morals, just cold hard cash, buy some land in a remote area, and plant a bunch of opium poppies. I bet it'd take a looooong time for anyone to figure out what you were really doing, the thought that someone would be manufacturing heroin within the united states is so far off anyone's radar, by the time you got busted, you just might have johnny depp play you in the movie.
On a more serious note though, all these folks that are running AC units to keep their grow rooms cool, has anyone thought of watercooling a light before? In my "perfect" system, the reflector would contain drilled channels for water to pass through, which would then be routed to a large radiator mounted with a fan somewhere, or just buried in the backyard where the earth will function as a huge chiller, in a large op you could even use the heat to heat your water. I guess having water near your lights would scare most folks, and even if the original product worked great, someone would rip it off, make a cheaper one with a high failure rate, and we'd have a number of house fires.
I've often thought solar power would be a great way to grow indoors and stay off of the radar, but honestly, if you really want to grow at those lengths, and are prepared to invest in a house/solar panels, why not just buy some land "somewhere safe and friendly(er)" and grow on the land. Free light, no buying medium anymore, lots of space, I mean outdoors in a safe/friendly area on land you own is really the way to go, having a med permit wouldn't hurt either, just don't draw too much attention.
Now if it's all about making money, no ethics, no morals, just cold hard cash, buy some land in a remote area, and plant a bunch of opium poppies. I bet it'd take a looooong time for anyone to figure out what you were really doing, the thought that someone would be manufacturing heroin within the united states is so far off anyone's radar, by the time you got busted, you just might have johnny depp play you in the movie.
On a more serious note though, all these folks that are running AC units to keep their grow rooms cool, has anyone thought of watercooling a light before? In my "perfect" system, the reflector would contain drilled channels for water to pass through, which would then be routed to a large radiator mounted with a fan somewhere, or just buried in the backyard where the earth will function as a huge chiller, in a large op you could even use the heat to heat your water. I guess having water near your lights would scare most folks, and even if the original product worked great, someone would rip it off, make a cheaper one with a high failure rate, and we'd have a number of house fires.
Solar power isn't too bad. Many people are starting to switch over in Cali. It may run you about $40,000 around here for a great setup. But saving on paying a couple of hundred dollars a month along with rebates makes it worthwhile. And if you are growing weed, you can't even complain about that. You can make it back in no time. As for cooling, i've never been a fan of water cooling. I like the earth cooling idea though. Yet, since you are going renewable, why not use a windmill that kicks back a little energy on a small scale.
O
ogatec
solar lol, why not grow outdoor. using "natural" solar panels.....leaves....
B
bagseed77
drbudgreengenes is 28 miles from the closest power line, and he pumps out bud with the exact shit your talking about, its all greek to me but send him a pm or check out his thread
JWP
Active member
I use solar for veg in the shed. 2x18w grolux flurosLike this but my setup isnt as neat n tidy
I'v never seen hps run from solar but im sure it can be done. Mine is just a dodgy electonices project that i happend to find a good use for. Works well
Edit: I also run computer fans from the battery
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JWP I'm slow so help me out here. You have a solar panel which collects power from the sun and puts out dc voltage to charge a battery ?
Is this like a marine deep cycle battery or what ?
Then that contraption pictured above is an inverter to give you 120vac ?
The start up amps available would be dependent on battery size and the inverter ?
What keeps the battery from overcharging ?
DO all panels work pretty much the same or is there a zillion ways to do it ?
Its been 20 years since electronics could you please just explain a bit how the flow of that inverter (I think) works.
Is this like a marine deep cycle battery or what ?
Then that contraption pictured above is an inverter to give you 120vac ?
The start up amps available would be dependent on battery size and the inverter ?
What keeps the battery from overcharging ?
DO all panels work pretty much the same or is there a zillion ways to do it ?
Its been 20 years since electronics could you please just explain a bit how the flow of that inverter (I think) works.
1love1earth
Member
not sure if/how much this helps, but there are several kinds of solar panels, some just heat water, and replace your water heater, some heat water, and that is used to produce power, some like the one above, convert the energy more directly into power. On top of that, there are all kinds of panels nowadays, and more are coming.
ogatec has it... using solar cells to power your grow is RETARDED.... any time you change the form of energy, you are loosing some from teh converting process...
why go sun -> electrical -> batteries -> HID light -> plant
when you could just go gun -> plant ?
Yes if you live in a house, and you are a green man and put some solar panels on your house, you will help save money, but is it worth it in the long run?
The average solar setup usually takes anywhere from 5-10 years to before the savings finally pay off the initial investment and can actually start saving you money.
EDIT: I don't mean to come off as an asshole here :/
why go sun -> electrical -> batteries -> HID light -> plant
when you could just go gun -> plant ?
Yes if you live in a house, and you are a green man and put some solar panels on your house, you will help save money, but is it worth it in the long run?
The average solar setup usually takes anywhere from 5-10 years to before the savings finally pay off the initial investment and can actually start saving you money.
EDIT: I don't mean to come off as an asshole here :/
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