Solar power in the real world

[papaof2]

Forecast for the next two weeks or why solar power needs a battery bank that can provide power for two weeks or a backup generator:

WED MAR 11 Mostly Cloudy

THU MAR 12 Scattered Thunderstorms

FRI MAR 13 Showers

SAT MAR 14 AM Showers

SUN MAR 15 Showers

MON MAR 16 Showers

TUE MAR 17 Showers

WED MAR 18 Showers

THU MAR 19 Partly Cloudy

FRI MAR 20 Scattered Thunderstorms

SAT MAR 21 Showers

SUN MAR 22 Showers

MON MAR 23 Showers

TUE MAR 24 Showers

[9idrr]

At least you won't have to wash your solar panels. :^)

[papaof2]

Limited afternoon sun on the 14th and 15th did bring the battery bank back to its float voltage. If we didn't have grid power, the solar would only cover 10-15% of the needed power so we'd be running the inverter gen or emptying out the freezer to the fridge/freezer and them maybe the fridge/freezer to the little counter height fridge. Big difference in the total power needs of a device that uses 76 watts every hour of a 24 hour day (fridge/freezer) and one that uses 55 watts for 5.5 hours out of 24 (little fridge). And I could insulate the little fridge more to make it more efficient.