Topic: Crazydane's 32 kw solar array build feeding 16 kw worth of miners (Read 6513 times)

Here's an updated video tour of Peter aka CrazyDane's solar powered crypto mining farm!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrQ3-q2K03Q



ask and you shall receive hope you enjoy it, much better quality than the original as well

I guess he is on a 3 phase 10mm 220v, 50 x 220 = 11 kwh per phase x 3 = 33 kwh. Wind power is so much better if wind speed is greater than 30mph but the upfront cost is just mind blogging.

Status Report,,,,

It would be awesome if you could update your current solar array/mining status..

... even better would be another collaboration with video update between you and Vosk.

I think there actually is a lot more interest in this topic that people should/could benefit for their self supporting and reducing cost on mining.

Cheers,

I'm very impressed by the work you've done Dane.

I'm curious, how are your solar powered mining farm doing now?

And btw, do you have a blog elsewhere where I can follow you?

I just installed solar early this year 6.8kw self install. How are you able to go beyond 10kw? Pg&e has a 10kw limit on single phase power. Are you on 3 phase?

all of the images are broken!!

Sorry about the pics guys.  My server has been down for a bit.  I'm trying to decide if I want to host it (physical server) somewhere else, or just get a VM stood up somewhere in the cloud.  I do have all the pics.

Over the winter I'll likely add another 24 panels, bringing my total to 152, which would be capable of producing about 43 kW during the middle of the day with clear skies.

My regular cost is $0.11/kWh.  When I produce more than I consume, my meter runs "backwards" and I'm credited for the excess I produce at the exact same rate as what I pay. i.e. $0.11/kWh.  This is called Net Metering, and is something not offered everywhere, but in areas where it is available, that's definitely the way to go.  If I consistently produce more than I consume, I build up a "bank" of kWh with the POCO that I can then drain back down when my consumption exceeds my production.  My bank of kWh never expires.  Net Metering does require quite a bit of paper work up front with the POCO and they and the city/county, will need to inspect your facility before they will switch your account over to Net Metering.

Unfortunately some states are starting to pass legislation to eliminate Net Metering since some POCOs feel it is unfair that they have to credit consumers at retail rates vs. the wholesale rates they pay.

With Net Metering, there is no advantage at all to storing power generated in on-site batteries.  The grid is basically your battery, and there is no up-front cost or on-going maintenance cost to you.  I do have a large diesel generator that will run my entire operation in the case of a power outage, but at current profit levels, it cost more in fuel cost relative to the earnings, so I only run the house stuff during outages these days.

All that aside, I have shut down my S9 and L3+ ASIC rigs, but continue to run my Z9's and GPU rigs.  I'm getting ready to move some GPU rigs to the house for heat over the winter like I did last year.

I don’t understand why you need so many panels, you cant store that much power and grid buy back programs pay low rates like 1 to 2 cents per kw , so you would still have to but some from the grid , you have to check what your local utility pays and if there is a cap.

Thanks for the tips! It was interesting to look up and study all of them as I do enjoy learning new things.
But I do not have accessibility regarding space, or legal permits to run a water or wind turbine in my location due to city ruling.
The only option for me is to use solar panels for mass production of 5kwh 24/7.  Just looking to see if my math from the previous post about how many solar panels I need is right before I go out and buy the equipment.

google this:
Nikola Tesla's inventions

and
Gerard Morin

and
skeleton ultracapacitor

and
maxwell ultracapacitor

and
15kw water turbine

and
super silent wind turbine

and
solar water heating

and
modern steam engine generator

and
produce methane gas at home

and
gas generator

and
heat exchanger

+
Energy can be stored with pumping water to a pond or something!

+ your solar panels

+ your batteries

Right combination will surly give a 24/7 solution !

How much energy do you need

Yeah true. So from my understanding if I wanted 10kwh I would need 33.3 (can't have a third of a solar panel) so 34 panels each doing 300w to pull in 10200w every hour.
I see 10-12 hours of sunlight but guessing I only have 5-7 hours of peak sunlight to draw in that much electric power, so I'm going to go with 5 hours just to be on the low side and make sure I get enough panels. Which would mean with 34 panels 300w each for 5 hours I can produce 10200w per hour and 51000w in 5 hours which would be per day. But I am looking for run my entire farm on solar 24h every single day, so from my understanding I would need 120000w per day, using 5000w every hour for 24h. So I would need 80 panels each doing 300w which would produce 24000w every hour, for 5 hours which would come out to 120000w per day. With 80 panels producing 120000w per day I should be able to run my 5000w farm for 24h a day? Or do y'all think I would need the 111 panels which this calculator suggests that I would need? https://www.renogy.com/calculators/#tab_size-ongrid

My question to anybody out there that has a solar system or has the knowledge.  Is my math correct, would I only need 80 panels each producing 300w or would I need 111 panels like the calculator suggests to produce the 120kwh I would need to run my 5kwh farm for 24h a day. Or would I only need the 34 panels to produce 10.2kwh to run my 5kwh farm for 24h a day? 
Also do y'all know of some better panels that can produce more watts therefore I would need to put up less panels and use less space? Currently looking at the Renogy 300w panels.

+1

all the pics unavailable and they were an awesome reference

The pictures

is it possible to upload somewhere else ?

111 300 watt panels is way more power than 27 gpus will use, in the day at least lol, thats like a 30kw power system.

a 10kwh system is like 20 to 30 panels , thats more in your power range

Would love to see an update on your farm and how things are going!
For some reason the pictures on the original first post aren't showing.  But I appreciate you letting out all of this information and how you set everything up.

I do have some questions as I am looking to bring my farm onto a solar system.
Currently running 27 1080's and 8 1070's pulling roughly 4800kwh depending on the algorithm to be safe lets just say 5000w.  I live in Texas where we get lots of sunlight throughout the days. While running the farm for 24h on 240v pulling 5000kwh, how big of a solar system do I need? I've found a solar calculator here: https://www.renogy.com/calculators/#tab_size-ongrid that says I would need at least a 33.3k solar system which would come out to 111 - 300w solar panels. Is this calculator right? Or would I only need a 5000w solar system since that is all the power I am wanting to consume?
I also am debating between on-grid and off-grid systems. I only really need the system for the mining farm and not focused on providing electricity for the house though if possible it would be nice, the house is using between 1000-2000kwh. What are the benefits of both on-grid and off-grid for a mining farm?
I have the power lines running into the house breaker box then wire running into the garage where I have another breaker box with multiple 120v plugs and one 240v plug. Where would you set up the solar system? Directly to the 240v mining plugs or into the garage breaker box? Where does the solar system plug into? Also say your solar system doesn't provide enough power that day, how would you go about swapping between solar and using the electricity companies energy to insure the farm stays up and running 24/7?
Lastly is there certain panels or a company you can suggest?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope to hear back from you!
- Badoggy.

@crayzdane

 
hey im in the process  of specing out a 100 panel 300 watt solar array and also installing
the panels myself, I am debating on doing it using microinverters for each panel to supply full ac power rather than dc and then connect that to my sub panel.  

any thoughts on this ? I got a qoute from alibaba for 100 290 watt mono panels with mounting stuff and the micorinverts already drilled and connected to the solar panel mounts underside for $10k or so( that
exculdes the ac connectors since i have to send measurements of my garage roof first) any

i am in the us so i suppose I can basically do most of my stuff like yours, only issue is i live in the city and i need permits and stuff.  I like the idea of having a separate sub panel for the solar but i have huge panels and alot of room in them so probably no need?

one question I have is why 20 amp instead of 30 amp  breakers to fees into your main panels

I have three 200 amp panels myself but my goal is no have everthing run off the solar array if it can so
how can I connect all the panels to the mains instead of direct to brreakers?  That way I dont have to pick and choose what gear runs off solar attached brrakers or am I totally wrong in my thinking?

basically all i want is during the day my pannels power as much as my eqipment as they can basically max load from solar load balanced with grid power if the solar ia insufficient, as solar powet wanes more load it covered by the grid.  All this is independant of what outlets i am using

thoughts ?

Awesome setup! Really cool to have the ability to drill down to see individual panel power generation and power usage of components.

How efficient are the panels?

Anything you'd change if you had to do it all over again but with the knowledge from this project?

I was all ready to compliment you on your wiring until i saw the last picture 

So what is ROI now?

incredible!! will you mind share some cost details? I am selling my condo in bay area and expecting to receive hefty sum and looking around to offset the grid cost and carbon footprint with something like this. I currently rented a warehouse in nevada where electricity cheap but it is still not cost effective at today's rate. Thanks!