Posts by solartech

Here is another useful document shedding some light on definitions and requirements to install LIFEPO Energy Storage Systems in dwellings. Anyone with an electrical background please help me to develop a flow chart that is easy to understand on how to proceed to get approval for ESS installations. Please feel free to add your suggetions.…

There are a lot of considerations to think about and do if one is thinking of utilizing LIFEPO Energy Storage Systems in a dwelling. These ESS need to have three very important certifications: UL 1973, Ul 9540A and UL 9540 UL1973 (the Standard for Batteries for Use in Stationary, Vehicle Auxiliary Power and Light Electric…

Have a professional help you identify the electrical loads you would like to run in your home and workshop. The first step is often the most difficult. Get help from someone you trust and can show you a solid track record of well working off grid systems. Do not be shy to ask for references.…

Do Here is a link to the ESA website to show you all the acceptable certification marks.https://esasafe.com/electrical-products/recognized-certification-marks/

The 2023 Budget includes the following measures to ensure Canada can accelerate the deployment of wind, solar, energy storage and other clean-energy technologies:

Is your home heated by oil? Is your household at or below the median household after-tax income? Canadian homeowners who answer “yes” may qualify to receive an upfront payment of up to $5,000 under the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program to switch from oil heating to new, energy efficient heat pumps. The Oil to…

Key Highlights In an effort to establish a competitive tax environment with the United States, making it more attractive for businesses to invest in Canada, the Government of Canada has announced two new tax credits: These are intended to further incentivize the adoption of clean energy technology to assist in achieving Canada’s goal of a…

It is useful to learn a bit of the lingo pertaining battery operated systems. Charge stages such as Bulk, Absorption and Float are a MUST to understand for battery health. In your instruction manuals you will find acronyms such as SOC (State of charge), LVD (Low Voltage Disconnect) and many more. Before commissioning your new…

Here is a link to a webinar about LIFEPO batteries I don’t expect you to watch it all. Just fast forward to the section about thermal runaway. Just seing that will keep me away from any other chemical composition battery.

A long time ago the only way to measure an electrical current was to open a circuit and patch in an amp meter. That in itself was often times impractical and also dangerous on live circuits. Most multi meters were limited to a maximum of 10 A current. So now, that we are dealing with…

The Canadian Greener Homes Grant has been streamlined. The application process is now done on the Enbridge portal.

The Canada Greener Homes Loan helps Canadians make their homes more energy efficient and comfortable. It offers interest-free financing in addition to the Canada Greener Homes Grant to help you complete some of the more major retrofits recommended by your energy advisor. Loan details Maximum: $40,000Minimum: $5,000Repayment term: 10 years, interest-freeLoan type: Unsecured personal loan on approved credit The…

The Canada Greener Homes Loan helps Canadians make their homes more energy efficient and comfortable. It offers interest-free financing in addition to the Canada Greener Homes Grant to help you complete some of the more major retrofits recommended by your energy advisor. Maximum: $40,000Minimum: $5,000Repayment term: 10 years, interest-freeLoan type: Unsecured personal loan on approved credit The maximum eligible…

Half-cut cells provide several benefits over traditional solar cells. Most importantly, half-cut PV cells offer improved performance and durability. Performance-wise, half-cut cells can increase module efficiencies by a few percentage points. And in addition to better production numbers, half-cut cells are more physically durable than their traditional counterparts; because they are smaller in size, they’re…

What an idyllic idea. We have some land. We build and sell tiny homes and lease some land to folks who want to be away from the city life. While it is true, you don’t need a building permit and you do not have to follow the building code, but when it comes to electrical…

As most of us understand that the outdated resources for electricity generation are the major culprits for slowly changing and eventually killing our planet. Voices can be heard from oil producing or coal mining camps that are outright in denial, claiming that renewables are not green technologies. I am not disputing that whatever generators are…

There is the potential for massive failure of an entire battery bank when certain conditions meet. One of my customers lost an entire battery bank of 16 X S6-460 AGM batteries due to a combination of issues. The issues that lead to this failure were threefold and are not listed by importance to each other,…

There are pros and cons for both, roof, and ground mounted PV modules. ROOF MOUNT PROS: Depending on the distance to shade creating objects it may be advantageous to mount PV modules (Solar panels) on the roof of a building as you are naturally gaining height for better sun exposure. In most cases the roof…

To all of you living off grid. Yes, this grant is for you as well. Upgrade your PV array and get up to $ 5000 plus an additional $ 600 for the pre and post audits. See below. Here is the link to the NRCAN website to create your application https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/homes/canada-greener-homes-grant/23441?utm_campaign=eccc-eccc-ourenvironmentsem-22-23&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=ggl&utm_content=ad-text-en&utm_term=greener%20homes%20grant&adv=2223-243400&id_campaign=16978261620&id_source=135321591509&id_content=593938646599&gclid=Cj0KCQjw37iTBhCWARIsACBt1IxxaJl7PaXpie0FccuxaTJnnfPyGN-i1ZO0CyMdF-pKB14wmMx94kAaAmbNEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Here is another high end LIFEPO battery that has all necessary certifications to be used in residential applications. Developed with our own LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cell to ensure the highest safety Self-designed BMS protects the cell in all angels such as abnormal temperature, current,voltage, SoC, SoH Vertical industry integration ensures more than 6000 cycles…

To all of you who are in the market to purchase electrical off grid components, please talk to someone who knows what is required to provide you with a well functioning, safe and expandabe system. The so called “Complete System Kits” are most often incomplete. The most common shortcomings are: Undersized or oversized PV arrays…

This is awesome, you can actually apply for energy efficiency grants form the Canadian Federal Government and also from the Enbridge program as well as long it is your primary residence. Easy access, easy process and for us Off Gridders, less generator time.

Corrective Equalization & Instructions  The frequency of corrective equalizations will vary by system due to factors such as operating temperature, frequency of cycling and depth of discharge. Loss of capacity, imbalance and low specific gravity readings are indicators. Running frequent equalizations on batteries that do not require balancing or desulfation will overcharge and deteriorate the…

In my opinion, the Sol Ark inverters are currently the best North American made all in one inverters. They include everything an Off Gridder can wish for: Features include: Two Built-In 500V Charge Controllers 1 – 4 PV Strings Battery Disconnect 48V Battery Input Auto-Generator Start Rapid Shutdown Signal Built in Arc Fault and Ground…

EQUALIZATION: Individual cell readings will vary slightly in specific gravity after a charging cycle. Equalization, or a “controlled overcharge”, is required to bring each battery plate to a fully charged condition. This reduces stratification and buildup of sulphation on the plates; two circumstances that shorten battery life. One of the most commonly asked questions is…

Finally a federal grant that allows off grid home owners to access as well. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/homes/canada-greener-homes-grant/start-your-energy-efficient-retrofits/learn-about-the-initiative/23476#s1

Batteries designed to be used in off grid applications need the proper charge current and maximum discharge current to achieve the longest possible battery life. This charge rate is being referred to as C-rate and is a percentage of the AH rating. Most battery manufacturers recommend a minimum C-rate of C 5 to a maximum…

There is a big difference between the actual energy harvest and the possible energy harvest when relying on PV modules (Solar panels). An off grid system if designed correctly, has a large PV array to insure a decent energy harvest even on overcast days. On sunny days there will be a surplus of energy available.…

In the off grid world AC Coupling may be a wonderful addition to expand your systems capabilities by integrating a less expensive grid tie inverter instead of adding an expensive off grid inverter charger. If designed right you can also ease up on your batteries, prolonging the battery lifespan. How it works: A typical DC…

There are a good many good off grid suppliers out there here in Canada, but it appears there are more and more sales people that have got very little to no knowledge about the products they are selling and even less knowledge about electrical safety or what is required for ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) inspections…

To all of you who are hesitating to invest into a Lithium Ferro Phosphate, I would like to take some of the uncertainty out of the decision making. Let’s start with the sizing of a battery bank. AGM or flooded lead acid batteries are a proven technology. The LIFEPO batteries are a much newer technology…

PV module price index: Prices set to rise back to 2019 levels Here are the bad news: PV modules will be caught up in the global wave of inflation. After a very brief reprieve, prices are picking up again for almost all module technologies. But the changes recorded for early October are insignificant compared to…

Xplornet and StarLink in an off grid situation. For most folks getting away from the city it is still very important to stay connected to the internet. May that be for working from home, online shopping of streaming video content.  Especially the younger generation is very hungry to devour lots of data. The choices are…

No Batteries. Use solar power directly for domestic water heating. ELWA is a 2 kW photovoltaic water heating device. Direct current from photovoltaic modules is transferred directly to the built-in heating element and immediately converted into heat without loss. The built-in MPP Tracker ensures that the PV generator is always operated at the optimum operating…

This is to all the folks who are doing their online shopping for off grid equipment from sites that have nothing but their profit in mind. Your safety is not in their interest at all. Have you ever wondered that most electrical equipment feels solid and quiet heavy for its size? Well, there is most…

Used Solar Panels, Buyer Beware There seems to be a lot of used solar panels on the market right now. Prices range from 35 Cents per watt to as much as 70 Cents. I am certain there are modules that are perfectly fine and legitimate. However, there are reasons why a lot of these solar…

Working Construction With Reduced Generator Time With quality renewable energy products at pricing as low as they have become it might be time to look at silencing your construction site a bit and use the energy of the sun. With a well-designed small off grid system you can retire your gasoline generator as long the…

Another myth debunked SOLAR PANELS ARE NOT THAT ‘GREEN’? This myth gets stirred up every now and then, but is not backed up by any tangible data.  What the data does show is that the emissions of solar panels are far less than the emissions relating to coal or natural gas energy. The overall emissions seem greater…

Lead Acid Battery Maintenance Hints Off-grid solar energy systems are not as low maintenance as grid-tied solar power systems.  The use of batteries in off-grid or grid-interactive (grid connected with a battery backup) systems does require regular maintenance.  The maintenance for off-grid solar systems is not too difficult but should be done with the proper knowledge and…

Hey folks, how much does it cost to start a small off grid system? Maybe less than you think! There is no universal answer to this question as every single system needs to be tailored to the requirements of the individual situation. However, today I want to show you how affordable it can be to…

OTTAWA, ON, MAY 30, 2019 – The Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced this morning the launch of the Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF) to create jobs, grow the economy, help businesses save money, and fight climate change. ​Under the CAIF program, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New…

Complete Cottage Systems? Buyer beware! In general I would like to mention that there is no universal kit. Each situation and requirement needs to be taken into consideration individually. Most often, the outcome is very different from one location to another. Different sunshine hours, roof orientation, roof pitch, shading issues, year round or seasonal use…

What is the best angle and orientation for solar panels? That is a question that I am being asked over and over. As a general answer I will make a bold statement and I can prove it to you. Any array orientatiom is a good one for solar power. Obviously on a north facing array…

Fishing Enthusiasts, Listen Up. Power Your Trolling Motor With Solar Power To the many of you who are thinking of electric trolling motors or even have one already.  It’s really a pain in the neck to take out your battery every Sunday evening to bring it to the shop for charging. There is an easy…

Cutting Down On Generator Time Most “Off-gridders” are very much concerned about the state of charge of their batteries and consequently expected battery life. Out with your Camper or at your cottage, there comes a time where after 4 days of clouds your batteries are running a bit low.  No sunshine in the forecast you…

Are You Ready For Camp? Right now is the best time of the year to prepare for the upcoming season of fishing hunting and camp life. Maybe try to remember the plans you had made last fall before closing up? Oh, I need new batteries because the old ones are not holding their charge. Or,…

Myths and Truths About Solar Panels. Myths debunked There is a myth that PV Modules (Solar Panels) act like a micro wave. Modules mounted on your roof will eventually cook your brains and cause cancer.                    This sounds like a conspiracy theory.  (Sorry, I have to laugh.) There is no scientific evidence to support any of…

Electricity. The Very Basics Explained. First and foremost, this post by no means will prepare you to do electrical work safely. Leave that to the professionals please. This post is just to clarify 4 terms that some folks are throwing around and not really understand what they mean. The most basic terms are: Volt, Ohm,…

There are a few different charge controllers you can use to regulate the charge to your batteries. Regulators PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) Regulators are the most simple charge control devices. They allow the battery voltage to rise up to a pre-set level and then simply shut off until the battery…

https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/funding/5147 On March 19th of 2019 the Government of Canada is set to announce the new budget for the federal government. While what is in that document will have a major impact on many people, I would like to remind people about a tax write off which was put on the books during the fiscal…

Off Grid, And Back Up Generators Most anyone who lives off the grid or has a remote cabin with an off grid power system will need a back-up generator sooner or later. There are good reasons why you should have a generator. When we encounter a cloudy stretch your PV (Solar) panels likely will not…

Electricity Use On-Grid Versus Off- Grid The vast majority of people live in dwellings that are connected to the grid. And all these folks have been well trained to use their electricity wisely. Especially once the smart meters made a huge difference. Electricity cost in the Off-Peak hours is vastly less expensive than at Mid-Peak…

AC or DC? 12V or 120V If you own a camp and there is no electricity in sight and you would like some of the conveniences of lights without flames, cold beer without constantly buying ice at the store, charging your tablet or phone and so many more things that use electricity. There are decisions…

Tesla Powerwall A lot of folks are wondering about the Tesla Powerwall. It is certainly a good looking product. Seems like reliable and proven technology. Good life cycle performance. BUT!!!! There are big environmental issues extracting the lithium.  The process uses a lot of water and leaves that water highly toxic. The cost of the…

How Does Solar Pay for Itself? Net-Metering is a very effective way to reduce your electricity bills. When you install a solar system, you buy 25 to 30+ years of electricity in advance as you make the investment. Since electrical rates are not static, but increasing, the value of the electricity increases every year. Rates…

Designing an off grid system is not just buying a 50W panel, throwing it on top of a trailer and expect to run your microwave. For sure, that won’t work. To make a small off grid system work we need to look at many factors. Sunlight hours available? Shading and partial shading issues? Mounting angle…

Polycrystalline versus monocrystalline and other types of solar panels If you’re considering installing solar photovoltaics (PV) the biggest factor affecting the final price, and the return on investment you will receive, is which type of solar panels to choose. PV panels can be split into a couple of categories, most are either polycrystalline or monocrystalline,…