From our Customer DIY Installation Files
In the far Eastern hills of Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border, is an off-grid cabin that this client has owned for a long time. He had an existing system that was installed by a local installer who was no longer in business, and that equipment had begun to fail. He had a floor full of lead-acid batteries and a single, 120V inverter. The customer wanted to add air conditioning to the cabin and wanted something reliable that he could monitor and manage remotely.
The solutions was relatively simple. In the end, he doubled his available power and more than doubled his battery storage. He chose to work with Off-Grid Power Systems because of our experience and willingness to design a suitable system, draw up detailed wiring diagrams, and remotely commission his system. He wanted to do the work himself so he would understand it enough to maintain it himself.
As is typical, we advised the client on energy efficiency first before then recommending a suitable system. He chose a Mr Cool DIY installable ductless mini-split system. This will maintain a comfortable temperature inside the cabin while using less electricity than standard air conditioning systems. We utilized his existing solar panels, solar disconnects, and PV wiring and added to it:
- Two Victron Energy MultiPlus-II 48/5000 inverters for 10kVA or 8kW of continuous 240V/120V power to have plenty of power for upgrades to the cabin
- Four Pytes V5° lithium batteries for 20kWh of energy storage. These batteries are internally heated so cold weather will be no concern
- One Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 450/200 solar charge controller connected to his existing solar panels
- A Victron Cerbo GX and Touch 50 GX touchscreen communication center
The customer installed this system about four months ago and hasn't had any issues. He's thrilled that he can now monitor the interior temperature of the cabin, solar production, battery storage, and hundreds of other parameters remotely from his primary home, or anywhere in the world. This adds a a sense of confidence such that his extended family can stay in the cabin and not have to worry about doing anything special. It's just like owning a grid-connected home. After a while, you just walk in and you know the HVAC, lights, well pump, TV, and Internet connection just work.
If you are technically inclined, handy with tools, and have extra time on your hands, look to Off-Grid Power Systems to walk you through the process from start to finish, support you along the way if you questions during your installation. Call us at 740.234.3434 or visit us at https://offgridps.com.