Off the grid part time

[Lightning Performance]

This seems like a good subject to cover in one thread.

I'm wondering where most people start cobling parts together like a jobsite generator for outages and something more permanent. A back up power sorce such as common batteries with a charger maintainer power by the grid or PV or other sorces. PV cells will be in our future we have a good existing roof angle to use. No problems here hooking stuff up... I'm wondering more about the next step. A quality charge controller and long term batteries. High maintenance is not an issue for me. Having a quiet muffler is or buying a used propane or lp genset to run for welding and high load short term runs.

This 5000 10hp old pull start Craftsmen gen is getting a better muffler to shut it up. My neighbors just scored 9000 watt gens in DE for 750 new. Not bad.

Have to go find an extention cord for the old three prong 220 outlet on it. I can always find batteries and sometimes deals just show up for commercial types around here and batteries of all sorts. Sea, land or stationary big boys. Some large equipment batts also become available.


Anyone have a good recommendation for a smaller charger controller to keep up maybe six 12 or 24V batteries?

I'd like power to the 3k run 6k surge inverter for 8 hours. The duty cycle will be to pull 30% tops from them batteries, maybe less overnight, to run my fridge and elctronics chargers. Ten amps an hour for the 120 volts should cover it. R600 fridge unit.
I don't know if more or less is better for a small system or buy deeper cycling batteries like agm, nickle or dry cells like nickle metal and lithium or lithium ion. Weight is not an issue here so this is new for me on cell density issues.

 

[Ford3000]

There are so many options out there for charge controllers, inverters,
budget will probably indicate which models suit, best to do an online
search and read the reviews.

But when the shtf keeping invisible silent protected and stocked up
on provisions and ammo will be what matters, people will be looking out
for places with solar panels wind turbines lights when everyone else is in
darkness smoke from fires and engine noise.

So I guess only you will know what you are trying to achieve, just saying.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Not the response I eggspected but hey, ok.
Consider in considering

 

[ucm931]

This seems like a good subject to cover in one thread.

I'm wondering where most people start cobling parts together like a jobsite generator for outages and something more permanent. A back up power sorce such as common batteries with a charger maintainer power by the grid or PV or other sorces. PV cells will be in our future we have a good existing roof angle to use. No problems here hooking stuff up... I'm wondering more about the next step. A quality charge controller and long term batteries. High maintenance is not an issue for me. Having a quiet muffler is or buying a used propane or lp genset to run for welding and high load short term runs.

This 5000 10hp old pull start Craftsmen gen is getting a better muffler to shut it up. My neighbors just scored 9000 watt gens in DE for 750 new. Not bad.

Have to go find an extention cord for the old three prong 220 outlet on it. I can always find batteries and sometimes deals just show up for commercial types around here and batteries of all sorts. Sea, land or stationary big boys. Some large equipment batts also become available.


Anyone have a good recommendation for a smaller charger controller to keep up maybe six 12 or 24V batteries?

I'd like power to the 3k run 6k surge inverter for 8 hours. The duty cycle will be to pull 30% tops from them batteries, maybe less overnight, to run my fridge and elctronics chargers. Ten amps an hour for the 120 volts should cover it. R600 fridge unit.
I don't know if more or less is better for a small system or buy deeper cycling batteries like agm, nickle or dry cells like nickle metal and lithium or lithium ion. Weight is not an issue here so this is new for me on cell density issues.

Just a thought on the genset noise issue, a good portion of the noise isn't just the exhaust, but also mechanical noise from the engine. To really quiet it down, you need an enclosure. A lot of issues come up with enclosing a genny such as heat buildup, air intake, etc. Look up Zombie box. Not saying to buy one, they're stoopid expensive, but you can get some ideas on quieting that sucker down.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Just a thought on the genset noise issue, a good portion of the noise isn't just the exhaust, but also mechanical noise from the engine. To really quiet it down, you need an enclosure. A lot of issues come up with enclosing a genny such as heat buildup, air intake, etc. Look up Zombie box. Not saying to buy one, they're stoopid expensive, but you can get some ideas on quieting that sucker down.

Some people told me to build a column of pallets or ply with a bottom air gap and it will flow up. You need a small tower like eight to ten feet tall should do it. This sends the heat and left over noise up.
Building quiet mufflers seems like a good thing for me. I'm currently doing my big saws for the mill. Headers with add on silencers. A two inch car exhaust muffler with flex pipe and a collar welded the factory gen muffler should do it. I can just use used stuff in SS I get for nothing from repair and auto body shops. McMaster Carr sells the flex pipe in many types and sizes. That will be the easy part. My chipper is quieter than the wife's car until you engage the clutch. SS muffler straight up off the manifold. It has one one hundred eighty degree bend and a short pipe to the muffler. The top has a stub to cover up. Best system ever on a chipper.

 

[Ford3000]

Get a real slow running water cooled engine, that should be quieter to begin with, then as others mentioned, put a soundproof housing around it, a big refrigerated container would be a good start, put exhaust through a water tank,
buy a thermal imaging gun and teat your set under full load after every mod
to ensure it will not overheat.