I have bought some property in the highlands of boquete panama central america and I want to build a small weekend home there.I have been looking into solar power here but have no faith in getting the right material.I want to do the work myself.I will buy all material from the states.I only need to run a T.V,Small Ref.,Energy saving flor.lights,and a small washing machine.Any help on package units that are very reliable (since it will be hard to get any parts)I was thinking about ones for R.Vs any help will be greatly appreciated.Thank You.
P.S great site

Donnoc welcome to the forum.

A kit should work well for you, but be aware they can be pricey, and some of the components quality can be iffy like the batteries.

Panama is an excellent location. Before you spend 1-dime you really need to narrow down your daily power requirements in kilo watt hours otherwise you will likely either under size or over size the system. So take some time, examine each thing you want to power each day, for how long, and how many watts it uses.

For example you have a TV, let's say it uses 100 watts, and you want to use it 3 hours per day. The TV will use 100 watts x 3 hours = 300 watt hours. Repeat for all items, add it all up, and report back.

Also understand a off-grid battery system requires the batteries to be replace on average every 5 years if given tender loving care, and using batteries make the electricity very expensive as compared to buying it from a electric utility.

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Dereck, PE, MSEE
Moderator

Thank you for the quick reply.I will go into town and start looking at the appliances I will put in the house and do my math.I will be returning to the states next month do you have any sites you recomend to buy a package unit.I need to buy it and have it sent to my home in florida before I leave here.And will Deep Cycle marine batt.work I can get them here.Thank you for the help.

All you need is in Florida. Golf cart dealer for batteries or better yet a distributor ( I think they play golf in Florida and have a golf cart dealer. I also think they get some sun and have solar biz there too. ). Expense will be shipping. You just need to do a lot of homework, and figure out what you need and can get in Panama to avoid shipping, taxes, and duty fees.

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Dereck, PE, MSEE
Moderator

Just thinking out loud. Isn't Panama warmer and more humid than Florida being closer to the equator and surrounded by ocean and water? How are you going to keep cool? I hear the state bird is a Mosquito, and aroma is Mary Jane Red?

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Dereck, PE, MSEE
Moderator

Your right it gets a little warm but where i am building this house is in the mountians it never gets above 72 in the day and down to 40s at night.I only get mosquitos down where I keep my boat and Jane sure does have some sweet perfume(thats my next solar project)I have an old golf cart I use around the house in florida but the weight is too much to send do you think the deep cycle marine batteries will work I think i can get the panles on the plane with me.Just have to pay like 100.00 extra thats how I get all my electronics and other fishing gear here.

I went to town and did my math for every thing except the fridge I seen a site to convert a chest freezer into a fridge and it uses about 200amphours per day so my total amp hours are 1,790 per 24 hours what size panles and how many batteries do you recomend.If you ever want to do some GREAT fishing come on down I will take you out for a few trips.Thanks for the help.

I sure hope you made and error in your calculations, because you are about to receive severe sticker shock.

Based on what you provide you need about 6000 pounds of batteries at a cost of around $25K USD and that does not include any shipping, and will need replaced in about 5 years. Add another $35K worth of solar panels and materials. You will be paying about $3 per Kwh using off-grid solar compared to 13-cents buying from FPL in the USA.

Sure this is what you want to do?

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Dereck, PE, MSEE
Moderator

Sunking im trying to improve my knowledge. surrounded by ocean and water? in your part of the world what is ocean made from??

This is what I have.
1)T.V.65watts at 4 hours per day
2)Lights 5 at 23 watts each(maxlite) at 3 hours per day(not all on at same time and not 3 hrs straight)
3)Washing machine 350 watts every other day for 1 hour
4)Fridge they say 200 watt hrs per 24 hrs
Thats all that will be there like I said its just a get away place the most I would be there is 3 or 4 days at a time so I do hope my math was way off sorry for the brain fart.