
Show HN: 1800W Balcony Solar/Battery Microgrid that can power your fridge - nikodunk
https://sunboxlabs.com/solar-xantrex-kit-apartment/
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sparrish
I think the 25 year payback quoted is way off. Those batteries are going to
last 25 years? I doubt it. They'll have to be replaced at least a couple of
times and that will increase the payback substantially.

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LinuxBender
Agreed. I would add that the inverter will not likely last 25 years with a
high surge motor like a refrigerator attached to it, for most people anyway. I
have not seen any step-start fridges.

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nikodunk
Hi! OP here. This was a user-submitted kit – so just calculating as is.

I'm constructing another kit based off this one which optimizes for payback
period here
[https://sunboxlabs.com/shortest_payback/](https://sunboxlabs.com/shortest_payback/)

But yes the battery payback is a problem. The discussion of the original
article
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14821478](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14821478)
and the follow-up
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15425324](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15425324)
predicted this correctly: the original system with an undersized deep cycle
lead-acid battery pooped out after a year. The Xantrex system above has way
more extra energy storage, so it shouldn't get discharged completely as often
(or ever). This should extend the life of the system, though 25 years is a
stretch, yes.

