Above is the finished battery bank box. Ventilation is with a 12 volt computer fan that runs when the panels supply charging power.

This is the original plastic Fed-Ex box that I kept the batteries in when we first started messing with alternative energy in 2005. Originally, we had all six batteries in two strings installed. Now the strings are broken up with one installed on-site and the other designed as a portable supply.

Here's a photo of the solar panels during my test in January of 2006. I just plopped them on the picnic table.

This our Xantrex C-12 charge controller.

This is our Schumacher "SmartCharger", 6/10/20 amp output.

This generator (2.2 kw - a fancy way of saying 2,200 watts) has a Chinese knockoff of a Honda 5.5 hp gasoline engine. The generator currently has 400+ hours on it with minimal maintenance. Video of the generator is in the generator episode of "This Old Shack".

Detail shot of the assembly.

The posts are 6 feet long and sunk in concrete for 40 pounds of solar panels. Oh, well.

A look into the secret world behind the bank. Yes, yes I didn't use the upper part of the mounting frames for the Harbor Freight panels. See, I need them at 45 degrees. This is perfect.

Here's the grounding for the panels. The ground is hooked from the chassis on the charge controller, the neg. of the panels and the panel frames. Did the proper tests, all is good.

Here's what the final installation looks like.

Another shot of the install. The mounts are wobbly until you get the panels mounted and bolt the things down.

You can see in this photo that I've mounted the 2 sets of panels at a 3 degree offset to capture the sun as it passes by on it's merry way across the sky.

Oh, the newsgroup mavens will love this one. This is my reflector experiment. This reflects the light in the mid-afternoon when the sun isn't directly on the panels. See my diary for more.