off-grid solar charging

[bribarn]

I'm looking into off-grid solar charging for my FFE, and I'd like to know if anyone has experience with that. I live in a condo complex and would need to trench 150 feet to run the electricity from my electrical panel to the Level 2 charging station at my carport. There isn't a closer location I can tie in to, so this is the best bet for a traditional installation. It's an expensive proposition and one that would be permanent, even if I were to sell the condo one day.

So, I'm looking into whether off-grid solar would be viable. I could put the PV panels on the carport roof, and I live in Palm Springs, CA, where there's plenty of sun. Because I'm away during the day, I'd have to be charging a battery from the PV panels and then charge the car from the battery.

Any thoughts and experience on this scenario will be most appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[jeffand]

I have a battery based PV system, and grid tied systems. The problem with battery based PV is once the battery is charged any additional energy generated is losed. While a grid tied system the entire power grid is your battery. Just make sure that the electric meter is bydirectional. The old style meters with the dial readouts usally are. The digital ones in most cases are not. SMA does make a battery less grid tide inverter that will broduce power during an power outage from the solar panels. Adding a battery pack to the system reduces the efficiancy of the entire system. Plus you will need a really big battery pack to store the 23kwh of power you will need to charge the car.

 

[EVA]

Ironic, you'd need a big battery pack for the 23kWh to capture solar during the day. Hmmm, sounds like the job for a second FFE pack. Sorry you don't live in Chicago - there is a totaled FFE up for auction soon. The battery pack only has 900 miles on it.