Remote Cabin Power System

[Dockhead]

An old friend of mine, a well-known artist with works in MOMA and the Tate, is building a tiny cabin in the Appalachians for writing. As an academic with summers off, he often has time to go cruising with me, and just spent a month on board. He has asked me for help with the power system for his cabin, since it will so much resemble the system on my boat, which he enjoys operating.


I asked him to start off with preparing a power budget. I think his needs are very small indeed; I'm not even sure he will have running water. Just some LED lighting, computers, small fridge, as far as I know.


For that I would think that we would want it to be as KISS as possible -- solar panels, a good mppt regulator, some golf cart batts, and run everything off DC, with a small inverter to run any occasional 110v device.


He is intrigued by LiFePo batteries, but in this application it seems to me this would be overkill -- better spend his money on a relatively large solar array so that he is hardly working the batteries, and there lead-acid will give better cost/benefit.


I would be glad if someone could point me towards some reading materials which could help in this for best practices, design parameters, etc.

[Stu Jackson]

Wouldn't Maine Sail's website be enough?


I agree with the KISS. FLA would do just fine.


Unlike boats, who strive to keep everything going 24/7, it could be that his use of the cabin is either irregular or just for certain periods of the year. For example, would he winter over there?


If not, then a complete shut down of the system for extended periods would seem to be an important feature to document.


Ah, just thought of this: HandyBob
https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/...ging-puzzle-2/

[Dockhead]

Thanks!