North Central Texas Setup Just about to turn a year old!

Well I now have another "issue" Dust, Dirt & Humidity. Arrrrrgggggggg

Posted in the general inverters forum and nobody wanted to go down that road. SEE Original Post HERE

There is a layer of dust all over everything.  That is easy to get rid of with a air blower and shop vac.  What concerns me is the ultra fine stuff i found.  My concern is that this dust is collecting on the boards and parts inside.  Being in Texas that is "usually" not a big deal until you throw in a high humidity day(s).  That in turns into a hot, wet blanket covering all of the boards and advancing heat damage and degradation.

I put foam tape on all of the doors and that helped but just.  I figured out that South wind that is almost non-stop was driving the dust and dirt past the doors and into the shed.  My solution was to put walk-in freezer hanging door. 

I also added a professional grade wood shop dust vacuum to try and filter out the as much dust & dirt as possible. 

 I am planning on making extensive use of the humidifier feature on the EG4 24k mini-split I am using to keep the humidity in check while we get through this hot Texas summer.  

After two weeks of observations I have noticed a lot less dust.   The first week I blew/wiped down all of the surfaces then closed and locked the doors with the curtain in place, and left it for a week straight and there was barely any dust visible on the black surfaces, including the filter case.  The filters were just a bit brown tinged.(if forgot to take photos).  The hanging plastic is a bit cheesy, however i'll cut them with a straight-edge and I'll glue 2" washers to the bottom of each strip (my neighbor has a paint bucket full of them) to act as weight to make them hang straight.

I am still hoping to get some answers from folks on this board,  on what they think the best way to clean inside the inverter.  I wouldn't think it would need to be done more than once a year.  My thought was to power everything down, take off the covers and blow it out with air.  Not up close but close enough to get the dust airborne and into the vac and filter.

TTFN

Here is the Spring update on the insulation project.  I'm running out of time... first 100 degree day is this Wednesday/Thursday.  I am about 30% completed.   I still need the three 12 beams to span the open section in the middle so I don't have to cool the barn roof section, just the lower 7 feet.

Good Evening to all of the good folks on this board!

Someone asked me to describe my solar panels and the ground mount system I used.

Both come by way of the folks at RPS Solar Pumps Start Here ==> https://shop.rpssolarpumps.com/products/scalable-solar-panel-ground-mounting?_pos=2&_sid=ff9a26146&_ss=r

They not only sell the ground mount but the panels as well.  Well pumps and the like until you head hurts.  Then pickup the phone and call.  They are very nice people and easy to talk to.

Check out the Scalable Ground Mounting Manual

WARNING:  PIPES ARE NOT INCLUDED!!   They sell you kits with all of the parts and pieces you need (down to the screws and allen wrench) except the fore mentioned posts.  

I purchased the VC5 HR4  which gives me a thirty foot wide array of 5 columns of 4 panels for a total of 20 @ 375w panels.  total of 7500W. 

I constructed mine from 10ft x 2" galvanized pipe threaded on both ends (Home Depot & Lowes will cut AND thread for free -- if the machine is working 😀 ) .   I started with each post 2.5 feet in the ground with 2.5 bags of concrete and 2.5 above (remember the threads?).  Also remember that if you did get the cut pieces threaded, then put the cut end in the ground.  The reason is so that the post end sticking out has threads for a coupler once you figure out your final height.

Be prepared to pay someone to dig the holes.  I am used to hard work but after the second hole I went looking...

Another tip.  buy they 10 lengths for your post, even if you have to cut them yourself.  If you buy them already cut and threaded you will pay more!  Even from HD & Lowes.   OH, AND wear gloves the threaded ends will shred you bare hands.... experience the hard way here 🙁

Lots of Sunshine and Good Luck to ya!

Today is baptism day!   

I continue to be blown away by this EG4 24K Mini-Split. 

 The temps here in the DFW area are to reach the 100's for the first time this year.  This thing is a BEAST.  The 10x16x15 foot (mostly uninsulated) is being maintained at 69F and the "shade temp" is 97F.   I have not touched any settings in over a week.

 The consumption blips in the afternoon, are the well pump running (approx 2k) to fill the tank along with the mini-split.   

 I am now seriously considering a 12k for my home office, which is built within my garage.  It can get very warm in the summer when the sun is beating on the metal garage door.  The office wall is fully insulated but it gets bad enough to out pace a 7000 btu Honeywell stand-alone.

Howdy Sports Fans!

It's time for the June update on the Pumphouse insulation project.  We are at approx. 50% complete.  We still have to install the 3 2x6c10ft cross beams to level out the ceiling so I'm not cooling the entire shed, just the lower 7ft.

The Ceiling goes up!

That should help the A/C be a "bit" more efficient.  Insulation is next.