On 12/21/2014 03:24 PM, Ben Goren via EV wrote:
So, I have my roof covered with solar panels. And Salt River Project,
my utility, is threatening to at least triple monthly "basic
connection fees" for solar "customers."
I've decided that's not an option for me. Before I pay such Danegeld,
I'll get a bunch of batteries and drop off the grid entirely. (And I
wrote as much in a letter to SRP's CEO.) The rate increase is still
in the proposal stage and there'd be a period of some years before
it'd go into place for existing "customers"...but, still, now is the
time to start planning.
You should write to your local representatives as well since rate
increases from power companies usually have to be approved by the local
Public Utilities Commission. Get the newspapers involved. Find out what
the company's justifications for the increase are and see if you can
counter them.
So...can anybody offer any suggestions? For example, what to expect
to pay for EV batteries that're no good for use in an EV but still
hold enough charge to be worth putting at the back of a closet?
With a couple hundred thousand EVs now on the roads there are now a
measurable number involved in accidents. As such, used--but not worn
out--battery packs are now available through salvage yards and on eBay.
And some vendors are selling (and supporting) used modules. EVWest
(evwest.com), for example, is selling some used modules from (I believe)
Smart EDs.
I'm assuming the battery output will go into the DC input on the
inverter I already have for the PV panels, and that, in turn, means
that I don't have to worry about matching voltages from different
batteries. That, for example, I should be just fine getting a surplus
Leaf battery from here and a Tesla battery from a wrecking yard there
and so on until I've got enough amp-hour capacity for my needs, and
that I can add and remove batteries later as the fancy tickles me. Is
that a valid assumption?
As others have said, you really need to look at the documentation for
your inverter. Also, don't forget you need some way to charge those
batteries and charging a mis-matched set can be problematic.
--Rick
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