Re: (ET) et/solar

["Jeremy" <nagidog starband net>]

I live off grid with a solar/wind/diesel generator system that I built
cheaply (comparatively) and is very robust.  I assume you are interested in
a house system, and not just a system to charge and elec trak.  The 
standard
solar system would include at the heart of the system either a DR series or
SW series Trace inverter (I have a PS 2524, a stripped down version of the
pure sine wave sw2524), a Trace charge controller or a Solar boost charge
controller (which I use) that has maximum power point tracking (MPPT).
Charge controller meters the solar input so batteries don't overcharge.
MPPT charge controller take advantage of voltage differences between the
batteries (about 12 volts) and the solar panel (around 19 volts) to add 
even
more efficiency to the system.  This difference is greatest at cold temps,
so an MPPT controller will give more power when it is needed most, the
winter.  My solar boost charge controller (MPPT) serves one other purpose,
it allows me to wire my 12 80 watt solar panels into 3 strings of 48 volts
allowing for a much greater distance between panels and batteries.  The
charge controller then bumps it down to 24 volts, which is the voltage of 
my
system, and the recommended voltage for most modern solar systems.  I would
also recommend a trace t-250 (i think) that houses all the fuses necessary
in the system including a fuse to shut down the solar input, a very large
fuse separating the battery bank from the inverter, and fuses for any 24
volt powered appliances (in my case a 24V surflow deep well pump and a 24
volt Sunfrost fridge).  The battery bank needs to be in a location where it
will not freeze, and if located in any living space needs to be vented
(hydrogen off gassing).  I have 12- L-16 Trojan batteries in a root cellar
that are connected to the system via 4/0 cables to the t-250.  I also have 
a
Bergey 1kw. wind gennie that I have yet to get up.  All solar system need a
charging system from a generator during times of low energy production.  I
have a old 3kw onan single cylinder diesel generator that charges the
batteries at a max. 70 amps (24V) using the battery charger in the trace
inverter.  On a sunny day I can produce about 5 kw., and I use about 3 kw. 
a
day, the rest is saved for a rainy day.  That usage includes this computer
and satellite internet, running about 120 watts/hour for at least 4 hours a
day= 480 watt/hr.  A 12 cu. ft. freezer/fridge that uses only 40 watts 
while
running and runs about 1/2 time= 480 watts/hrs a day.  I run a well pump
that uses 60 watts and runs quite a bit when watering the lawn (500 
watt/hrs
a day).  So that is about 1500 watts/day, another 500 watt/hrs get used
listening to the radio or watching tv, using lights, tools, and when there
is excess power i pump water from my lake with a 1/2 hp shallow pump to
water the lawn some more.  Ahh. and don't forget the elec trak, which can 
be
a hog when it needs a charge.  It takes at least 10kw. to charge an e-12,
which is twice as much as I can produce on my best day.  I tend to charge 
it
when the gennie is running to charge the solar system.  My latest addition
is to go off fossil fuels, and have started to build a processor to process
grease into biofuel to run the generator and my diesel rabbit.  This is the
system at its current greatness, and was built a step at a time.  The
original system used a Prosine 1800 watt inverter (800$) with no charger, a
c40 charge controller ($150), a generator I built which includes a 6.5  hp
koehler turning a 120 amp alternator ($500) to produce 24 volt power
striaght to the batteries (a controller with a rheostat controls how much
power goes to the batteries and was turned down as the batteries got full.
My battery bank was 4 t-105 trojans at 24 volts.  Of course before any of
that I just had the batteries, a couple of panels, and a bunch of 12 volt
appliances (lights, radio, tv).  So there it is, at least 15k into it to
date, but I love it.

Jeremy
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Oasis654 aol com>
To: <winfield100 yahoo com>; <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2004 3:40 AM
Subject: (ET) et/solar


> hi folks, i think there are several people on this list particularly
> interested in solar/electrak technology.  would any of you care to talk
more about a
> package of solar gizzmos we could use to get started? a standardized,
entry
> level solar package, easily replicated?  thanks jon k albany ny, where
there is a
> solar house tour coming up soon.
>
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