Hi Big Al,

Very impressive setup and nice greenhouse! Your plants look beautiful. Where did you buy the perch and what did they cost?

I also have a few comments/advice/questions about your PV solar kit and the fan. Hope you don't mind. Unlike aquaponics, PV solar is something I have some experience with.

I found the 45w kit available from Harbor Freight currently on sale for $150 at their web store. Seems like an okay buy for low-end PV. This is definitely not a high quality system, but is an inexpensive way to try out PV solar. Not much of a warranty (30 days.) How has this kit worked so far? Is it producing enough power for the fan on cloudy days?

The pulse width modulated (PWM) charge controller is not adjustable for various types of batteries and may be the weakest link in this system. It uses a constant voltage output (and cuttoff) of 14.5VDC, unregulated for temperature, and does not appear to trickle charge as the battery tops off, which could cause outgassing. I would keep a close eye on electrolyte levels. The low power shutoff is non-adjustable and set to 11VDC, which seems too low, IMO, for long battery life. Don't know that I would use it in any power critical application without some kind of backup. An inexpensive replacement might be something like a Mornigstar SunSaver PWM charge controller, or something along that line, for around $50 or less.

Not trying to be critical, but your wooden mounting seems a little flimsy in your first set of pics. Will this be okay for winter wind storms? You may want to consider building a mounting system that would allow you to tilt the array to different angles depending on the season. The proper angle for the PV panels is to set them to your latitude for spring and fall, then raise them 15 degrees for winter, lower them 15 degrees for summer.

Is your fan 12VDC or are you using an inverter with an AC fan? How many watts does the fan draw? If it doesn't have wattage on the nameplate, how many volts and amps? Does the fan run 24/7?

Again, excellent job on a wonderful system. Enjoyed the pics.

G