off grid electricity

mikek420

mikek420

Well-Known Member
I am not sure where exactly this post would fit, I was kinda looking around and saw nothing that really fit, so here goes.

I am buying some land in colorado so I can grow legally, however it is kind of far from civilization so I'd like to make use of a generator for my lights so I can stay on site. I'm planning to dig an underground house with a few separate rooms for growing, and I will not be using much of anything in the way of electronics. I have a 300 watt led light, and I will be using a small heater to help regulate the temperature. I also have a 1400 watt flower led which I would love to use, but is it going to be cost effective to get a generator big enough? What components do I need other than the generator? I was looking at wind and solar combos, and I found a couple that I was going to get.
155$ wind generator 400w
255 wind + solar 400w + 200w
When I look at ways to connect it and when I contacted the supplier, they told me I needed batteries. What are the batteries for?
I have a budget of around 1500. I did find a 2000w generator for 1350 whic fits in the budget but what else is needed to plug my lights in and grow?
 

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New Age United

New Age United

Well-Known Member
If you could go wind/solar that would be sweet but that sounds kinda cheap you don't wanta buy garbage don't cheap out get something that's actually gonna last you. The batteries are for storing the power bc either wind or solar is not going to produce constant 400w output so you may have to get a couple units to provide 18 hours light. If you're going to go with a generator don't go with a big one there pigs on gas and you don't need that much. Better off going with a couple of 1000W Honda generators.
 
mikek420

mikek420

Well-Known Member
I'm buying straight from the manufacturer. The one I have chosen is a pretty big Chinese manufacturer of solar and wind generators. That is the wholesale price. Thanks for the input. So what I need something to connect the battery to my lights? A car battery inverter?
And I was thinking of getting a couple of the wind generators and then a bunch of solar panels. Then would a 2k watt inverter work to line up the solar and wind power?
 
GOLDBERG71

GOLDBERG71

Well-Known Member
Your going to dig an underground house and cheap out on power? No need to grow. Plant out side and grow naturally. Going solar for anything other than outdoors (normal sunlight) sounds silly to me. If I was going to Colorado to grow I'd be doing it right. MH/HPS 600/1000 watts. No messing with LED. With all the legal weed swag isn't going to sell. I surely wouldn't be buying a house in another state to be using a 300/1400 watt LED light. I'd just use my second bathroom. Put a piece of ply over the tub about 4x4 and hang the light and put a little oscillating fan on it and call it good. Surely not worth the price of property
 
MrStickyScissors

MrStickyScissors

Well-Known Member
GOLDBERG71 said:
Your going to dig an underground house and cheap out on power? No need to grow. Plant out side and grow naturally. Going solar for anything other than outdoors (normal sunlight) sounds silly to me. If I was going to Colorado to grow I'd be doing it right. MH/HPS 600/1000 watts. No messing with LED. With all the legal weed swag isn't going to sell. I surely wouldn't be buying a house in another state to be using a 300/1400 watt LED light. I'd just use my second bathroom. Put a piece of ply over the tub about 4x4 and hang the light and put a little oscillating fan on it and call it good. Surely not worth the price of property
Click to expand...
wtf bud is that in your avatar. is that a bigbud cross?
 
mikek420

mikek420

Well-Known Member
I really want to just get a grow in under my belt over winter and then have a little extra cash to do everything right come spring time
 
GOLDBERG71

GOLDBERG71

Well-Known Member
a mongo frog said:
You could always go with one of these. Propane and super quiet. Around 8-10 grand i believe. You'd be able to power a lot.
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Propane isn't cheap. I have stock in a propane company because I know this from experience. I rented a house that used it for heating. Needless to say I was using the hell out of the wood burning stove! It might be quiet but how long will a grill propane tank last? Get a big tank and it needs to be delivered. With gas at least there's competition. Or you can buy it like heating oil and have it delivered cheaper than at the local gas station. I have a 6500 Honda ready and waiting for the next storm. All I have to do is pull it out plug it in and switch the breaker. Then all that's left is turn the key. It's an inverter so it's quiet and the electric is clean for the digital ballasts. With 20 gallons of gas sitting next to it. We get hurricanes and nor'easters around here. So I'm prepared for anything but a tidal wave. Some generators aren't good to use ballasts on. I've read they may not work or might wear them out faster than usual. I'm not sure if this is true for LED but you want to find out before spending a penny.
 
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mikek420

mikek420

Well-Known Member
And I have a few thousand I can put on parts I just don't want to over spend but I don't want to be cheap about it either. I have pulled 1 pound a grow from just one of those lights so I know they can produce. I would like to stick to led as well I've been using it for 5 years haha I am thinking of adding a hps just to increase heat since I am moving over winter.
 
GOLDBERG71

GOLDBERG71

Well-Known Member
mikek420 said:
I really want to just get a grow in under my belt over winter and then have a little extra cash to do everything right come spring time
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I understand but think wisely so you're buying things you need. NOT UPGRADE what you already purchased.
 
mikek420

mikek420

Well-Known Member
I was planning on replacing it all next year actually not even upgrading just selling the equipment and buying a whole New system
 
mikek420

mikek420

Well-Known Member
Or replacing select parts, if a couple of the 400 w wind generators will work with the proper inverter and stuff then it will suffice for now, but what other things do I need to be looking at to buy?
 
a mongo frog

a mongo frog

Well-Known Member
GOLDBERG71 said:
Propane isn't cheap. I have stock in a propane company because I know this from experience. I rented a house that used it for heating. Needless to say I was using the hell out of the wood burning stove! It might be quiet but how long will a grill propane tank last? Get a big tank and it needs to be delivered. With gas at least there's competition. Or you can buy it like heating oil and have it delivered cheaper than at the local gas station. I have a 6500 Honda ready and waiting for the next storm. All I have to do is pull it out plug it in and switch the breaker. Then all that's left is turn the key. It's an inverter so it's quiet and the electric is clean for the digital ballasts. With 20 gallons of gas sitting next to it. We get hurricanes and nor'easters around here. So I'm prepared for anything but a tidal wave. Some generators aren't good to use ballasts on. I've read they may not work or might wear them out faster than usual. I'm not sure if this is true for LED but you want to find out before spending a penny.
Click to expand...
Ok Ok. I know what your saying. I just thought we were talking off the grid type shit. Was only trying to help. Ill try again. Op get one of these. Ive put 8 dollars of gas in it and I've owned it for a little over 4 months. The saving on gas really starts to add up, then you can buy all the new shit you want!!!!!!!
 

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MarWan

MarWan

Well-Known Member
LEDs as I understand run on DC power (LED drivers convert AC to DC)
if the solar/wind generates DC power can't you just ditch the led driver and probably the Inverter too.

just a stoner's thought :) , I could be terribly wrong though :)
 
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