is there a home power setup like this?

[ConanWolf]

I'm looking into doing some solar solutions for one of my setups to reduce power consumption, however, because I know that if I want to go full solar I would need to pay upwards of 800 USD for just my computer setup I was just thinking to start small but I run into the issue of applying a low amount of power. long story short is there any form of power setup that can support 2 inputs with one being prioritized over the other. the idea would be that it attempts to accept as much power as the solar panel gives but takes the general power outlet when the solar panel does not give enough to meet demand.

[tkitch]

I've never seen anything like that, as that's actually a /really/ complicated setup.

 

Solar doesn't translate directly to AC well, it's better going into a battery.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Well I have kinda diyed this setup for my servers. 

 

I have 4 solar panels, about 1200w peak. That goes to a solar charge controller that charges a lifepo4 battery. Then I also have a wall psu that can provide DC power. The wall power will only give power when the voltage is fairly low, or a near dead battery. Then that DC power goes to a inverter to power devices.

[Heats with Nvidia]

7 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Well I have kinda diyed this setup for my servers. 

 

I have 4 solar panels, about 1200w peak. That goes to a solar charge controller that charges a lifepo4 battery. Then I also have a wall psu that can provide DC power. The wall power will only give power when the voltage is fairly low, or a near dead battery. Then that DC power goes to a inverter to power devices.

I am planning to build a similar setup, but with used lead acid batteries, that i can get for free, that still have some life in them.

But i want to power almost everything directly from DC, including the small server, that i want to build.

 

In case the batteries run too low, i want to install a DC power supply that everything switches to, until the batteries are charged to a certain point again.

[Electronics Wizardy]

4 hours ago, Heats with Nvidia said:

I am planning to build a similar setup, but with used lead acid batteries, that i can get for free, that still have some life in them.

But i want to power almost everything directly from DC, including the small server, that i want to build.

 

In case the batteries run too low, i want to install a DC power supply that everything switches to, until the batteries are charged to a certain point again.

I used lead acids for a while until I got the lifepo4 battery for free. Lithum is much better, but lead acids will work. If you keep them mostly full and don't cycle them hard you will get a few years our of them.

 

 

[Heats with Nvidia]

1 hour ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I used lead acids for a while until I got the lifepo4 battery for free. Lithum is much better, but lead acids will work. If you keep them mostly full and don't cycle them hard you will get a few years our of them.

 

 

I would love to get a big enough LiFePO4 for free, but lead acid is what i have and get.

I already occasionally use them as mobile energy sources, for example to power a couple of PA loudspeakers mounted on a cargo bicycle. And so far they worked reasonably well, although a couple of them already died, because i didn`t charge them for too long and i sometimes get battery packs where most of them are already worn out. But properly disposing of those, until a certain weight limit, is free over here so over all this is still a good deal.

[Kilrah]

The main drawback with lead is that you won't want to discharge them much, so they'll be a buffer rather than storage. With LiFe you can set the mains charger close to full discharge (assuming it's powerful enough to power the load) and actually use the excess you stored during the day.

[LOTR]

On 10/23/2023 at 11:08 PM, ConanWolf said:

I'm looking into doing some solar solutions for one of my setups to reduce power consumption, however, because I know that if I want to go full solar I would need to pay upwards of 800 USD for just my computer setup I was just thinking to start small but I run into the issue of applying a low amount of power. long story short is there any form of power setup that can support 2 inputs with one being prioritized over the other. the idea would be that it attempts to accept as much power as the solar panel gives but takes the general power outlet when the solar panel does not give enough to meet demand.

I live full time in a RV and have a setup like that almost.

 

And the device you're looking for is an inverter/charger. Victron,aims, renogy etc all sell them.

 

I currently have an offgrid set-up with 5kwh of storage and 2400w of solar powering a 3kw pure sine Wave inverter.  Batteries are charged by solar, generator or grid power of I need it.