Belly,
As well as charging your batteries from solar cells, you are
charging them from off peak power, is that correct ?

What is the difference between your off peak rate and your daytime rate ?
It could be possible that the losses in the batteries and charger might
actually be less than the difference in price, hmmm.

I'll bet Terry is right into that scheme, hi !
Pity I can't hear your repeater here.
Give him my 73s.

Belly, "I however run new car battery,s"

Which are cranking batteries and are totally unsuitable for the purpose.

I will let the rest slide.

While on the farm we set up deep cell 32volt in sequence and parrallel on solar pannels to create 240 volt power to three houses boosted by a deisel generator at peak times. Howevver I left the farm about four years later and never knew how long the batteries and generator lasted. The system was in the vicinity of $14,000 to set up in 1994 without underground wiring to the houses.

For us to link to the electricity grid was over over $70,000 so we opted for self generation. On cloudy days the generator would cut in more. This system required a lot of maintenance and ongoing cost especially for the generator. So the costs, time and convienence I would think it burdonsome.

We now live in a windy area, we do have solar heated hot water so I think solar plus a small wind generator on the roof would be a profitable way.

onthebeach do you know what a ham radio operator is.
Do you understand the degree of technical knowledge needed to get the full call license?
Have you seen us trudge to the top of a hill even 4x4 can not climb loaded down with gear.
And test our solar powered battery driven radio repeater on the way down.
How come my system still works 3 years after it went in.
Are you aware of deep cycle battery,s.
onthebeach here this truth, *you are far too self confident*
And it is wasted on you.
My club has for *decades* installed and run the local community radio station.
Our current leader looked after Sat-alight communications here in this country for Americas moon trips.
No more than ten of us, we
Place radio gear in the scrub and use them for whole events reporting from positions of competitors to medical emergency.
I stand by my claim knowing 50 or more years ago, and today, many homes use deep cycle car battery,s.
We, in our group, could put together a pile exceeding 4 tonn,s of solar battery,s, I rejected mine to use thefar more flexible ones told of here.

Josephus yes you understand how it can work and in fact does.
My stand alone system would take mean hour to put in place bar the needed wiring of the control board.
It is minimal, 2x40watt panels.
Feeding in to a power inverter.
Tow battery,s 12 volt.
I can take 240 from the inverter.
And do, running lights in 3 rooms.
During a black out run TV TOO.
Similar systems are run in caravans all over this country.
Tec, is moving so far I can not keep up with it always.
As time passes have no doubt, todays usful system will be seen as like a kero lantern compared toa torch.

Belly,

You initially said car batteries which are cranking batteries. You have now corrected that to say deep cycle.

If you are technically minded you should have referred to deep cycle in the first place instead of your reference to "car batterys".