We are glad we have the opportunity to distribute Victron. Providing this reliable solution for Riley and Courtney has made our hearts warm. We are very glad they can share their experience with the world!
@@CurrentConnected Victron is robust quality, and the nice thing with the warranty I found is: if anything does go wrong it was a no cost replace and you are up and running in a day. Victron installers tend to know their stuff, and there are many good choices how to configure a good system. And the remote monitoring has given me peace of mind however far I am away
So glad you have your grid system installed and charging. Always good to have professional help to install the system. Glad you have a electric grid that works in your shop and home
We're so excited for you! How nice of Dexter and (forgot the other one's name 😐) to help and guide you. We laughed out loud when Riley went out the next morning like you said he would. Watching you brings us joy 🥰
Amazingly well designed system! I have been working on a very low budget building up my solar off grid system for over a year now and mine is piece meal. I have 13k of panels, almost 40k of battery and too many inverters to count (over 14) for a total of 46.5k of 120v and 6k of 240v. Your system is HUGE and you will need it. We are now very close to not using propane or gas. We still need more panels and batteries for the very hot 105f+ days due to clouds etc. We do have enough to heat in winter because we don't get much clouds here in winter. I know you have plenty of wood to heat but to be able to use inductive cooking, blender, Instant Pot etc is so amazing. You can literally eliminate propane completely. You can even use on demand elec water heating no problem. Yours is the best designed system I have seen online. Some out there are bigger, but very expensive and wasteful due to power usage of their system units. Great work!
I gotta say guys, this is absolutely mind-boggling and has seriously inspired me to look into something like this for myself. I absolutely LOVE what you guys have done for yourselves, and I hope you're proud. This is amazing!!!
Nice. I highly recommend you add some steel cross bracing though, or your panels in wind / snow will deform the shipping container. As for geothermal, you will not gain anything from heat; being built partially in the hill will just add some shade and stability. Also, adding wood and foam sheets is just adding kindling to a high risk fire area. You should have added rock wool and waterproof sheetrock.
Very interested in the costs involved, so looking forward to the next videos in the series. Very tidy installation of all components. Glad to see the ventilation system
@@wickedmuffin76 Easily. In my area, the power company charges $120 per foot to run electric service, and you are not allowed to do any of it yourself.
Wow! I am blown away by the attention to detail, overall build quality and the ridiculously awesome capacity of this beastly system. That's a ton of solar gear guys, congrats!
Cool setup. The nice thing is that you don’t need to worry about saving electricity. You can use all you want. The sun will provide it whether you use it or not.
I really like the dual use for the shipping container: 1) housing the support equipment and 2) acts as the support for the panels. My wife used to complain about our electric bills until I bought a solar power system. We've had it for about a year and just got our first bill last month: $3.00 (That's right: Three Dollars), all of the other subsequent months since installation, we owed zero dollars. We were elated. I also got a 10KW backup battery for the system. Good luck with your system.
Great setup, everything is so neat and professional in the container. I like how honest you guys are (getting help with with batteries etc.).Great to see your new video. I have been catching up with all your projects! Great team work!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Blessings, Laura
With the amount of money they left to this solar power company, getting the installation with it is normal. It is also free advertisement for the company.
As an ancient old guy I first thought that these two are gonna be total dorks but you know you are actually my kinda dorks. I am a dork too so that is not a bad thing to say! I have argued back and forth with solar installers on RU-vid about QUANTITY and QUALITY both of which are needed in a solar install and you did both. I need about 460 KWh a month and this system would completely power my home without any issues (issues being rainy or cloudy consecutive days) but I just can't justify it as I pay 60 bucks a month for power here in Thailand. I want to thank you for the way you changed my mind about you guys, you both are pretty sharp cookies and I appreciate your abilities, your drive and envy somewhat your situation. Thanks for the ride along, the time it takes to create this content, edit it and UL it for me to enjoy!
Excellent video, thanks. The solar system is impressive. I suspect that a some point you will need to add a backup generator. We have a grid tied solar system that was installed in March. It is amazing how well it works, our power bill has dropped from $250.00 per month to $10.00. We also get internet monitoring and it is amazing how much a few clouds effect the power production. Thanks for taking the time record and share your lives with us.
You two are awesome. Just discovered your channel a few days ago and its already my favorite. And now I'm thinking about where to place a solar shipping container on my property. I've been thinking about solar for years and this build makes so much sense. Thanks...
If your property is anything like my Aunt and Uncles that they had in Colorado, a small wind turbine might be a good addition. Every time it was cloudy at their place it was quite windy. While it might not provide nearly as much power as your solar on a good day, it may be that it keeps you from firing up the generator while your waiting for the sun during a winter storm.
Excellent job guys, very professional work, there are some potential concerns as many have pointed out re; wind sheer on that beautiful big PV sail u have there, i would like to at least see some more bracing on that structure. In Australia we have a number of different useable techniques when it comes to burying a container, there are a number of different forces at work here with the pressure exerted from the earth to moisture issues. Ur friend is not a dummy when he showed u that arc in the late afternoon, absolutely do not try this in peak production times as you could have an arc 1-2feet long that could vaporise a foot of that wire instantly and generally do great harm. Beautiful setup, Victron is great gear, this is a beast of a setup, also I believe ur SOK batteries actually have surge resistors pre-built into them. Ur a lovely couple doing some great stuff, living the dream & are making some great vids here. Thanks for ur efforts & look forward to bingeing on ur vids. Hope it all works out for ya’s. Cheers from Australia
ANOTHER OUTSTANDING VIDEO. This series is something I've wondered about and you guys seemed to have covered all the nuts, bolts and washers for me! Terrific! I'm almost as excited as you are!
☀ It feels surreal to have this much power at our property and the possibilities feel endless! What power hungry tool should we add to the shop next? 😉 🔋 Shop Our Power System: www.currentconnected.com/product/sk48v100/?ref=as
An electric gate for when you have to leave home plus some camera security as far down as the beginning of the road. You've got some priceless items now. A good security system throughout the property.
Hard wired motion cameras so you know your neighbors (wildlife) and can keep eyes n each other whilst working in different areas Incase things go pear shaped. Cameras are your best bet up your drive so you know who's coming for dinner! I like LED nightlights all over because I don't have to switch on lights at night if I need something.
One thing you can do with the canned spray foam is to use it as an adhesive. You can use it to glue your panels to the wall, not just seal the edges. You just have to apply pressure to the panels until it gets done expanding and sets up. (~30min) You can also glue two panels together to make a thicker panel.
Totally excellent. Looks like it will do what you need. Cant wait to see how you do your cabling from the power house to your living house and workshop. It really does look like your having a blast of a time. Well done.
I love this. I just started designing solar systems at work and this build is a great setup. The adjustable tilt idea was a smart move. You two have some serious power now. 40,000W!! Also the electrical setup is great. Easy connections, 450V per string so more panels on each string, and room for expansion. Well done! I don't know your current setup obviously, but electrifying your property and getting rid of propane and other fuel powered devices may be possible (except for emergency situations obviously). Looking forward to future updates!
I talked to Dexter and Jerad before buying my SOK batter for a teardrop camper build. I can definitely say that they were supper helpful in my purchase and answered all my questions. Very great guys.
This is SO exciting!! I'm stoked for you both. That's incredible to have that much off grid power, especially via solar. I feel like the feasibility of living completely off clean energy is way more possible than before. Thanks for opening my mind to the possibilities! :)
Panels fail of course, and winter shortens your daylight. Net zero dirty energy is still on the horizon, but setups like this are possible anywhere, and if there were more of them then the impact would be tremendous!
That is beyond awesome. Can't wait for the costs video - id love to get an idea of what it all took. Planning on doing the same thing in the next 5 years. great work guys
shoutout to current connected for coming out and helping out, I will definitely be ordering the SOK batteries for my truck camper through them now! very jealous of your system
Good video. I've just built a teeny tiny version of this with 1.5kw of old nissan leaf cells and 4 x 400w panels and a multiplus 3000 and it's working good. Wanted to learn more so why not build it! Can see me adding more panels and more batteries. It's great to see someone using the RS450 charge controller as really there are no videos or info around on that unit and I think the dual input version would be perfect for what I need later in the year. Looking forward to seeing more vids on the RS450s when their both hooked up.
Awesome. We just bought 40 acres NW of Spokane and like you, a large off-grid system is what we'll need after the workshop is built! Cool to see that Current Connected is just an hour and a half away from our place.
Yes, Riley you nailed it about the thermal break with the studs completely inside the insulation. That means NO thermal transfer through the studs themselves… “Law of Thermodynamics”.
A very nice clean setup, you will need more ventilation though because those Quattro's output quite a lot of heat when under full load. I have 3 of them for a 3 phase power setup and I am modifying the ventilation to suck up the hot air directly from the top of the Quattro's instead of letting the hot air rise and mix with the rest of the air in the container before venting it out. And don't forget that if you suck out air, you need an inlet for cool, clean air somewhere too, otherwise you get negative pressure :-) You can get nice graphs from the 'Advanced' tab in the web interface, once the system is running for a week or so you could post one with PV Yield, Battery SOC and AC consumption. The only downside of the Quattro's is that they consume about 150 Watts even when idle. If you have 2 of them that is 300 Watts of idle power, it runs up to 7 kWh per day. Not a problem if the sun is out but if you get 3 days of rain; that means quite some power drain from your battery bank... Anyways, a very nice system from Victron Energy and it has proved it's functionallity and durability in the past, I am sure you will enjoy it.
I am so glad Riley is still alive and from what I can see, not injured. I was a little concerned after that Porta Potty Prank. LOL I will dig around and see how many 4/0 boots I have laying around.
Super cool, beautiful setup!! You have so much more room in a 20ft container than the 8ft I went with. One thing I noticed is that you didn't insulate the floor, just curious why? On my 8ft it's a thick piece of steel for the floor but yours appears to be wood (probably on steel)?
The wooden floor will give you some insulation. Depending on how cold winters get you may need a small heater because if the uninsulated floor. You could also drills some holes and introduce some open cell insulation that is very liquid. Test it for one winter first
Fantastic! I am so excited to see the entire creative power of you two unleashed by this electric al power system. Plasma table, here they come! Bailey must have been worn out by all the excitement and preoccupation with the power house install, so she invented recumbent eating. ;-)
Okay, I am still all about exterior framing a shipping container to mitigate the "beer can effect". You can 2x6 exterior frame, plenty of space for wire and plumbing chase and enough cavity to insulate it all any possible way you want to. This leaves more room inside (nail frame for interior wall finishes) so you'll have maximized floor space. I want to park containers side by side then on top of each other, exterior framed, full roof truss. All the strength is really in the containers, framing outside allows for traditional finishes of every type, 2x6 is minimal framing for plumbing and electrical to run through and services outside and in. 2x8 framing might work better in extreme climates that get either really cold or hot, but would make insulation work so much better and easier to run your services with less of a headache and more protection. I love your set up, you know your budget, and your methodology allows for repairs or upgrades while staying efficient and thrifty AF.
All of your people did a lot excellent job I know absolutely nothing about what you did but I did too I am watching it and keep up the good work and I will keep watching you God bless
That is an amazingly massive system, congrats to you both I have been off-grid in a single 40' container that is still in-progress, but I have a single 48v rack battery and an all-in-one inverter, only 1000w of solar so I still need to charge with a generator 4-5 hours every evening to keep the AC running in the FL heat.
Wow I am so excited for you guys you guys have come along way as I been watching you for a long time now congratulations on everything that you’re doing I feel the energy from you guys it in it’s very very good I feel your energy all the time keep up the good work with what you’re doing ring a good thing is it your property is looking really good can’t wait to see more
I have been watching RU-vid videos for the past few months now, and for the amount of people who come up with their own ideas for making life easier for themselves, this thing called DIY,,, the possible power of the idea, then you have research your thoughts but it never really hurts to put things down on paper, I do that every once in a while just to keep track of possible dreams, but having good money resources always helps,
when Riley opened the steel door on the container i saw the black power cable from the solar panels hit the door. Lucky it did not catch on this heavy steel door. i am sure you fixed this the same day. Love the design, that you can tilt the solar array for lower angle in winter! 8% increase.
Hello🙋♂️ from the Netherlands 🇳🇱. that looks like a nice and extensive system . I hope it's all you need for what you want to do, especially considering the time and energy and commitment you've had to put into getting everything ready. thanks for another nice video AS. Sincerely, Hollandduck
I had 3× 40'L connex boxes with that same HEAVY SQUEAKY DOORS ALL 3 of them just hearing Riley open those box doors brought back EVERYTHING. Been there DONE THAT !! But I had DC 9 Dozer Hahaaaa
On a safety note it would be worth covering the terminals on the batteries; something as simple as sheets of plexiglass across the front of the racks. 🤓
@@MichaelDeeringMHC Yes it is, but there is no electric shock risk here, not with batteries connected in parallel at 48V DC. The risk is around some body shorting them out, either deliberately , or accidentally whilst wheeling some metal items into the container
Have you thought about running an anchor over into the hillside? That array is really a big sail, and it looks like it would have a lot of leverage on the container. Maybe you did before backfilling and I didn't catch it.
Awesome job! You guys are the best at showing how to do challenging projects while still having fun! Very inspiring! Also did you do a comparison of the cost of the solar system and the average cost of paying for the power if you could have been on the grid? It would be interesting to see since in theory you electricity is free now.
One panel not 100% out of all of them does stink, but it is still great work and a little view of possible major failure early on. Preparing for those things helps and having less major problems accelerates he learning curve!
I was sent by Martin Johnson and I must say you guys have a good solar build here,I could see many are curious to know how much it cost you guys likewise me . . . .
That custom-built setup looks amazing, I hate to think how much it all cost... One thing for sure... you'll have plenty of electricity to go around... :)
Dear Riley & Courtney. I don’t know if you would even see my comment. Tonight, while browsing YT, I discovered your channel and I watched a few of your videos. Saw this latest one and the one called “Are we rich??”, and when I finished watching I was stirred inside and my eyes a little watery. You two are a wonderful couple, an inspiration, a great example of positivity, openness, intellect, talent, integrity, humility, loyalty, hope, faith, caring and perseverance. Such a rare combination to witness on this planet, and I felt ashamed of my own shortcomings. Respect. Thank you.
12 batteries x $1800 each = $21,600 Plus inverters cables etc. That’s a hella investment. I can see value transforming an off grid site where connected to grid is expensive. Everywhere else, it’s going to be hard to justify economically
Sweet looking system! I see some trenching in your future to get that hooked up permanently to the barndominium. I'm super curious to see how that system performs in the winter -- especially with the number of trees you have nearby.
I love watching your content. Living off grid as a dream of mine. I don’t think I’ll ever do it but you never know. I’m older I’m 53 still have young kids to take care of but years ago I got I believe it’s 9.5 K of solar panels on my roof I have a total of 28 panels. I have no battery so this helps me decide what kind of battery to consider if I wanted to upgrade to a battery.
Wow...I can't imagine what that system cost you. Looking forward to finding that out as we're trying to decide whether to go completely off grid or to hook our system into the grid!
You would be around $34k. That doesn't include the solar panels, ac panels or the wiring. I'm just going off of the Victron components and the batteries.
Keep your system completely separate from the grid. There are devices which can run your house on your system and then switch back to grid if your batteries get low, but don't require permits or permission from the power company because you are not feeding power to them. Maybe run part of your needs off your system and reduce grid usage without them seeing that you are not using any at all for times which might trigger them.
You should install a door stopper to prevent the container door from hitting the solar panels. Cheap door stopper or expensive solar panel damage (or fire)
What a nerdfest! I cannot wait to see what added trinkets you all will add to the system. The possibilities are endless...Are you sure you're not planning world domination? I am curious though, will you be adding cable to the container for further stabilization? I mean, will you make a kickstand or something just to keep the whole thing from tipping over in some of those monster winds that happen? Congratulations on the whole build.
This was the first of your videos that I watched. I am up to 10 now!! I really do enjoy watching you guys! Thank you for telling the story of how you got here. And, thanks again, you really do feel like friends now.
What gauge underground electrical cable are y’all planning to use and how long a run will it be? Also I was wondering if painting the container white would net you more watts since the panels are bi-facial… I love it so far and can’t wait to see the plasma table in action again 👍
What a beast of a system, smashing job guys. Im not sure if Victron All-in-ones vent upward or not, many of these systems fans blow downward, which seems rather counter intuitive to how ventilation should work normally for dispelling heat. The point I am getting at is, that if it is possible to reasonably duct the exhausts of ur inverters to a plenum area around ur exhaust fan so it also sucks a bit extra from the battery area, this could help heating issues. Someone suggested a small A/Con that maybe comes on automatically if air temp/humidity hit preset levels, you could build another internal insulated wall to make the area smaller for A/Con efficiency purposes and maybe have half the wall as a sliding door section for maintenance etc, with another sliding type filtered air inlet and u would still have a nice little storage area in the front section. Lovely setup. Cheers
I'm anxious to find out the total cost of the solar panels, the inverters, controllers and the batteries. Then the total cost including the installation. And, looking forward to how well the whole system works when running power hungry shop tools, etc. But it is a very nice looking job so far!!
Hi guys recent subscriber here. Just wanted to say I love your setup. It's ingenious. The only problem I could come up with is the intermittent nature of solar and the shelf life of current generation batteries. I have come across a solution though. Sand batteries! Patented in 1979 it uses an insulated silo filled with pipework and sand. It stores heat that can be used directly to heat you home as well as other applications. If you're interested there are lots of information on the web. Best wishes.
Good morning. We would just like to say that the 2 of you are doing a great job and it looks great! Congrats. I have one thing as a new viewer to share with you. I would hate to see heavy winds and rain come from the backside of the solar Container and flip the container forward due to the weight of the heavy-duty panel mount on the front. If I may suggest digging a hole on each front corner of the container next to the container about 12 inches in diameter and three feet deep, Stand an I beam in the hole, like the I-beams you used for your panel support, and weld it to the container, and then fill it with concrete. Finally, I would find out the height of my tallest tree behind or on the side of the container and use that distance to cut back all the trees around the back and the sides of the container. Even the house. Not only are you cutting a fire break, but you are insuring a lifetime investment. NOTE: The largest pine only grows up to 206 ft . Food for thought.:) Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please don't take this personally for I'm only trying to help.
I thing stacked stone the generate can do on the other side eventually, that would help. As far as where the sit at the moment,up and running is where it needs to be, they can evaluate as nature attempts to thwart their inginuity and the billions of research dollars in all these materials at human disposal in 2022.
Great channel, enjoying watching your adventures and look forward to the start of some fabrication in the workshop! I've been living off grid for years and just love it. With your solar, be aware that any shading on a string, will drop the output of the whole string. Even something small like a cable shadow over one panel will affect all the panels in that string. You won't notice it much in sommer, but in winter when you hunt for every Watt, it comes into play. Have fun and enjoy the amazing Solar Life.
The best component weve gotten so far as for as being off grid was our 38 seer minisplit. Our solar made it possible but our minisplit was the part of the system that made us know we was gonna be qble to do this. If yall do the minisplits its well worth ot to get the better units the 38 seer uses about half the power of the popular 20 seer pioneer. Love yalls videos and thanks for the inspiration yall gave us
