Turquoise Energy Off-Grid Solar Price List - June 2019

Canadian $

Solar Panels

* 100 W - 100.00 $
* 208 W (54 cells, used - 2012) - 180.00
* 305 W monocrystalline - 335.00; qty. 2+ - 330.00; 4+ - 325.00; 6+ - 320.00; 8+ 315.00

Charge Controllers

* 12/24 V with LED Numeric display, USB sockets, 20 amps - 35.00
* MPT7210A - 10 amps boost totally programmable voltages (for lithiums, NiMHs) - 55$
* PowMr - 60A buck, auto-programmable voltages - 100 $

   A boost converter takes lower voltage (eg, 30 volt solar panels) and converts it to higher voltage (eg, 42 volts to charge a 36 volt battery.) A buck converter converts higher voltage (eg, 60 volts from two solar panels in series) and converts it to a lower voltage (eg, 42 volts to charge a 36 volt battery. Or, eg, 30 volts to 14 volts to charge a 12 volt battery.) Regrettably there are presently no higher current boost converters available (that I have found).

LED Lights

* DC Light Bulbs, omni voltage 12 to 50 volts 3 W - 2.50 5 W - 2.75 7 W - 3.00 9 W - 3.25 15 W - 3.50
* 12" x 24" flat ceiling panel, 24 W, neutral white ~36 VDC (with current resistor), 120-240 VAC adapter - 45.00
* Assorted 12 volt Automotive Bulbs

Surface Mount DC Circuit Breakers

* 20A, 50A, 100A - 12.50$

   Do your wiring out in the open where it is easily traced by eye. It is protected and is easily switched on or off. Wire ends are enclosed - no bare ends. (20A is the smallest rating presently available.)

Voltage and Current meters
* Mini LED Voltmeter 3-36 V - 3.00$

DC House Power Plugs & Sockets

* CAT12V Socket - 2.00
* CAT12V Plug - 2.00
* CAT12V "Click-Lock" Plug or Socket - 2.50
* CAT Cover Plate for electrical box - Duplex or 4-plex (insert sockets) - 5.00

* HAT36V Plug (0-15A) - 3.00
* HAT36V Socket - 3.00
* HAT36V Duplex Wall Plate for electrical box (built-in sockets) - 7.00

* HAT36V-50A Plug - TBA
* HAT36V-50A Ceramic Socket - TBA

   CAT12V and HAT36V are my very own attempt to make "standard" types of plugs and sockets for low voltage DC wiring, which no one else ever seems to have designed. So far, the shells are printed on a 3D printer from ABS or PLA plastic.
   The "CAT Standard" or "CAT12V" ("Connectors based on AT fuses" - 12V) were designed about 5 years ago.
   "HAT36V" ("Higher voltage cAT" - 36V) is a 2019 design. Needless to say, they have been designed so the polarity can't be reversed when plugging in, and so that 12V plugs won't fit in 36V sockets and vise versa. (Some day I would like to start making them injection molded, out of the higher temperature plastics usually used for electrical plugs and sockets.)

Advantages of 36 volts (nominal) as a DC/solar/off-grid house wiring voltage:

1) It is the highest voltage that's usually safe to touch. Electrocutions from this and lower voltages are vanishingly rare. I haven't had a shock or any feeling from it yet. (Wet conditions might well result in shocks.) Note that "12 volt" lead-acid batteries may be charged at up to 15 volts, so 36 volts nominal can reach 45 actual volts. 12 lithium-ion cells will rest at about 40 volts and must also be charged at well over 40 volts. By the same token 48 volts nominal can reach 60 volts and is in dangerous territory.

2) The cross-sectional wire sizes needed for 36 volts are 1/3 of those needed for 12 volts.

3) Voltage drop incurs lower line losses than with 12 volts. For example, a 1.2 volt drop through a wire when running a higher power device is a 10% power loss at 12 volts, but only 3.3% at 36 volts.

4) Appliances made to run at lower voltages, eg 12 volts, are easily accommodated with small, cheap, adjustable DC to DC converters. So except for very heavy loads, anything 12 volts can run, so can 36. And all of these converters will fry with a 48 volt input so 36 is their limit, too.

DC to DC Down Converters - "Universal Power Adapters" for 36 volt and 24 volt off-grid wiring

* Light Duty Converters - 3.50 (for LED lights, etc.)
* Heavy Duty Converters - 7.50 (These ones have good heat sinks for higher power use. Have constant current mode.)

These converters are 'as-made', without HAT36V plug and (eg) CAT12V socket.

   The converter output is adjusted by screw (10 turn "trimmer potentiometer", with a voltmeter) to any common (or uncommon) voltage from 3 to 30: 5V, 12V, 19V (laptop), 24V... Furthermore, since the output is regulated, one might run delicate equipment such a 12 volt computer that might be endangered by plugging it into a "nominal" 12 volt battery voltage. Some types may be set for a maximum current or to to "constant current" instead of constant voltage, again with a trimpot. Eg: constant current is ideal for "raw" LED light emitters.

DC Hot Water Heater Elements (Dernord)

* 1" threads, 36V, 300, 600, 1200 W
* 1.25" threads, 36V, 200, 400, 800, 1200 W


Craig Carmichael
 craig@saers.com
 TurquoiseEnergy.com
 250 532 8574 / 250 559 7735
 19996 Hwy 16 (please call)
 @ Lawnhill, near 80 Km post, between Skidegate & Tlell