Post #2527102
2026-05-12 23:22 UTC
Replies (23)
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@Anne_Delong@musician.social 2026-05-13 00:26
@brianb@fosstodon.org Hi Brian. Are you planning to hook your solar panels to the grid, or connect them to a battery-based power station?
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@brianvastag@mas.to 2026-05-13 01:06
@brianb@fosstodon.org For a grid-tied system, you're probably going to need your plans approved by your local utility before you start building.
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@Lstn2urmama@mstdn.ca 2026-05-13 01:21
@brianb@fosstodon.org Maybe call a company that does solar work and ask for a demonstration to see for your self what is needed and ask questions or where site is that you may go to and do so without saying too much about your intentions...
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@Beachbum@mastodon.sdf.org 2026-05-13 01:31
@brianb@fosstodon.org You can check Costco
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@glitch@klatch.club 2026-05-13 01:37
@brianb@fosstodon.org Call your fire department and ask what they need. They will typically require a bunch of cutoffs so they don't have to deal with a live electrical system.
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@Virginicus@universeodon.com 2026-05-13 01:46
@brianb@fosstodon.org My barn is old, so the solar company told me I’d have to replace the roof and sister the rafters before they’d install panels. Nothing wrecks a benefit/cost analysis faster than that.
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@KevinHuigens@genealysis.social 2026-05-13 01:51
@brianb@fosstodon.org Are there other farmers in your area who have done what you want to do?
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@tryst@fedi.imu.li 2026-05-13 02:10
@brianb@fosstodon.org it sounds like you’re doing grid-tie, so you have twoish options for your overall configuration: strings of panels in series adding up to a few hundered volts open circuit. run each of those to your inverters (in metal conduit for code compliance). this version is easier to add batteries to (get an inverter that also has battery options).one microinverter per panel, all in parallel. code compliance is easier (if your utility requires inspection by an electrician before an interconnection agreement, you’ll have more options for an electrician). if you’re putting the panels on the barn roof, and your barn roof has multiple slopes, any string of panels in series should be at the same slope. https://solarpaneltilt.com/ is a nice resource for tilt angles if you’re building a standalone rack. on a roof for grid tie it’s probably not worth worrying about the angle.
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@djg@toad.social 2026-05-13 02:20
@brianb@fosstodon.org Start with how big of a system you want, this gives you a scale for all of the components. The gotchas tend to be around selecting too small inverters relative to the total panel output. Enphase iQ microinverters match well to the biggest single panels in a one-to-one format. The outputs parallel together in their “combiner” box. And they have a DIY-friendly gateway for monitoring each microinverter productivity. And decide on line-side or load-side grid tie. https://www.solar-electric.com/naz-enphase-gtk-003.html
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@eviljackcarver@meow.social 2026-05-13 03:42
@brianb@fosstodon.org the only thing I know is that there's a bit of a market for false wattage numbers on panels. I've got a post bookmarked that might help you figure out whether a wattage claim is plausible - https://social.v.st/@quixoticgeek/116551112004633318
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@GorillaGaertner@dresden.network 2026-05-13 04:33
@brianb@fosstodon.org This has a good general introduction without too much fuss and it is very pragmatic in my opinion https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/12/how-to-build-a-small-solar-power-system/
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@aarbrk@mstdn.mx 2026-05-13 04:56
@brianb@fosstodon.org One datapoint that you may already have gathered, is the panel angle most appropriate for your latitude.
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@futuresprog@mastodon.nzoss.nz 2026-05-13 05:04
You say "barn" but you don't say how far it is from the existing power supply. Is this going to be off grid? Two things I've heard are ... how much wind do you get (in regards to fixing them down) and in my experience you always want more than you end up installing. @brianb@fosstodon.org
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@UkeleleEric@mstdn.social 2026-05-13 05:22
@brianb@fosstodon.org Some things are different due to being in a different country, but, if you can bear going to YouTube (via NouTube to avoid the ads and tracking?), then there are several good channels like GaryDoesSolar, that will answer many questions. Broadly, you want to work out what level of electricity you usually use, minus a little bit (since you'll still use the grid as effectively a big backup battery, mainly in winter), and then see if that amount of power and panels is possible/affordable.
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@horsedreamer@thicc.horse 2026-05-13 06:50
@brianb@fosstodon.org consider the right balance of series vs parallel connection. Just like batteries, series increases voltage and parallel increases current. caveat re: series, a single shaded panel can significantly reduce output in a series run. (1/3)
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@simon_brooke@mastodon.scot 2026-05-13 07:14
@brianb@fosstodon.org I don't think you need to learn much, my installation is pretty simple. Make sure that rain water flow is not interrupted, but apart from that... I'm told that solar panels degrade faster when in partial shade, but mine are in partial shade and ten years old and they're fine so probably not a problem.
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@deborahh@cosocial.ca 2026-05-13 09:29
@brianb@fosstodon.org @ShaulaEvans@zirk.us oh: "barn'? I read "brain" and was quite intrigued … 😂 #dyslexic
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@chocobo13@mastodon.social 2026-05-13 10:23
@brianb@fosstodon.org I believe @ifixcoinops@retro.social has a lot of DIY experience with this sort of thing that he'd be willing to share lessons learned regarding
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@wronglang@bayes.club 2026-05-13 10:42
@brianb@fosstodon.org is it going to generate DC only or also AC?
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@donburi@universeodon.com 2026-05-13 14:29
@brianb@fosstodon.org diysolarforum
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@DoomsdaysCW@kolektiva.social 2026-05-13 22:55
@brianb@fosstodon.org Tagging for #SolarPunkSunday and #DIYSolar ! I'm sure someone here has the answers you need.
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@chewie@mammut.gogreenit.net 2026-05-14 10:22
@brianb@fosstodon.org another thing to be weary of - "remote control" systems for inverters. Most seem to have an rj12 port for rs-485/modbus access, but so far solutions for my inverter have been crap. The WiFi dongle only does "own AP + local app" or "join existing WiFi ssid and use cloud interface" - there's no way to join it to your WiFi SSID AND use the local app. I bought a "better" official wired dongle which does modbus, but there are no instructions for how to use it locally, so I might have wasted £200 on it :( If anyone finds a good wired LAN, locally controllable 48v inverter, I would be interested! I bought a MorningStar one, which is the least bad one so far, but that is still flaky and difficult to set up if you have no idea about Modbus (like me 😥)
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@The_Sun@solarcene.community 2026-05-16 03:58
@brianb@fosstodon.org So one thing to keep in mind is you are dealing with DC voltage. DC voltage does not like to be connected and disconnected. It will ionize the air and create and sustain big arcs. DC switches have really heavy duty contacts and much bigger distances between poles, compared to ac switches. AC goes through zero 50 times a second, so less arcs. Do not disconnect connectors under load. With high voltages from combining panels, high currents, it is like welding. Will melt metal.