Utilizing solar energy?

Is there any RIU members that know about using a solar panel unit to run a grow room? I'm thinking a good unit is going to run 8-10k but I don't know exactly how it all works. Does the electricity company get cut out completly or do they still monitor your electricity even if you're not owing them money? In other words if I had a large amount of electricity that was being stored and used by my solar panel unit is anybody other then me going to know?

most of the cost is the saftey stuff you need to hook it up with real power then any excess you sell to the power company they have to buy it.

solar panals dont store electricity

humble learner said:

Is there any RIU members that know about using a solar panel unit to run a grow room? I'm thinking a good unit is going to run 8-10k but I don't know exactly how it all works. Does the electricity company get cut out completly or do they still monitor your electricity even if you're not owing them money? In other words if I had a large amount of electricity that was being stored and used by my solar panel unit is anybody other then me going to know?

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No they will not be able to monitor the usage from the panel, bu if you use more than the panel then you they will monitor just that usage. Also like the guy above posted if you generate more electricity than you use then the EC company actually pays you money.

Thanks for the answers guys. So I need to do some research then find out how big of a system I need.

if you live in california, SCE made it illegal to to sell back energy from solar or other alternative power sources they just give you a Kw for Kw credit for the excess you feed back into the grid. if you want to store power from you solar array you can use the large 2watt balleries in series then use a
DC to AC invertor (or is it convertor) if you have enough batteries you could continue using your power all night long, but if you do run out of juice you just pull it back from the grid.

if you are in a location where there is enough sun to power a large solar system (say, 10KW...) you are better off building a greenhouse or just growing outside. the most efficient panels run at about 14% of the suns energy converted to electrical power, and that is strictly DC. you need to invert the power to AC to use your lights (unless you have DC lights) also, you will need to have a large battery bank which is capable of holding enough electrical power to run your grow at night, or when there is no sun.

chances are you are going to spend 20-30K large to buy and install your system. it is a great idea, but why not just let photosynthesis do its job?

I used to be in the business of renewable energy, but mostly photovoltaics. Getting off the grid is always a welcome move, but don't think for a minute you're doing anything "green". The amount of BTU's it takes to make and install the PV units will never be made up for in recouped energy production. The previous poster was correct. You would need a VERY sizable array, and even with the massive subsidies the state of CA provides, it's still not cheap. Most people that sought out solar were just sick of getting bent over by the energy companies and wanted to just give the finger to the man. Like the other poster said, in addition to the power inverter, the only way to store any excess power created during the day for use at night is with a battery bank, and obviously, they've got limitations, and are unsightly and cumbersome as well. As far as it goes regarding the sale of electricity back to the energy companies, I'm not sure what the regulations are these days. Back when I was still in that business, you had to produce a good deal of power to get reimbursed whatsoever, and had to get a permit that stated you were a "power producer". Believe me, CA leads the nation in every conceivable means of red tape. One of the main reasons I got the fuck out of it- that and county inspectors.

If you can afford solar panels enough to run a grow room you're concerned about power consumption in, then you can afford to buy a space-station where you could grow without any convern of LEOs knocking on the hatch..
There are more cost and space effective ways to grow with solar power..