Solar electric system-Return to sustainability. menu

 

Solar cells to produce electricity are fairly easy but there are some things to understand. First if you put the solar cells on the roof of a home having a rack like mine it will a few more problems as wind then becomes a factor. I watch the weather carefully and if there is a wind above 40 kph ( about 25 mph) I adjust the panels flat. Infact just lately I have added ropes to help stabilize the panels. Then you must deal with the Electrical Safety Authority.

 

 

 

Feburary 9,2010

Its snowing again!! For Mat that means clearing off the solar cells and the other solar things too.This is just a light snow fall, but it still effects amount of enegy coming big time!!!

Updated by Clare

 

 

January 26 2010

Here is Sean wiring in the attic.

 

Sean busy replacing old plugs and wiring on the second floor

 

January 12,2010

Well,the solar panels are all covered in snow. Not producing much electric ity now!!!Mat get busy and clean those soolar cells!!

Updated by Clare

 

November 24 2009

 

Mat put up eight more Solar Panels, the total is now twenty

Heres a different veiw of the solar panels

Updated by Clare

 

 

Nov 3 2009
Mat working on electrics in the new solar cells.

All of Mats Solar cells.

 


Updated by Clare
Oct 28 2009 OK lots of wires and that panel is getting too crowded!!! Here I am wiring up the new 80 amp controller. This is a a long tedious job that requires a lot of planning.
This little hatch I designed has really proven its worth many times over as I run up and down adjusting solar cells for better sunlight or for putting the new hole in the roof to run some electrical cords from the new solar panels.
Drilling a new hole for the new sets of solar panels I have received. This past summer there where many days when I could have used more power to make biodiesel. I am adding about 1000 watts... but they will only work if there is adequate sunshine! While I'm thinking of it I will soon be on to a hew windmill design. A if there wasn't enough to do .... then consider there is nothing more frustrating than dealing with the Bayham Council on issues such as my yard maintenance!!!!

 

 

 

 

 May 2009 Now why do I Have a forklift in my electrics site?? Well if you look closely it has the same battery as my electric solar/ wind system. It is also a backup for my system and I can charge it with my solar system... so in essence my forklift works on sunshine!!
The early morning chore to clean off the solar cells Jan 16, 2009
Sept 29, 2008 I built another stator for the windmill which as of Oct 2, 2008 is a great success. In doing my bimonthly inspection I decided that I needed a new stator... and the furling needed some adjustment. Getting the furling correct took quite some time over the summer months but the last change seems to have it just fine. I notice too that the windmill puts out a lot more amps with the new stator.

Getting the entire system fine tuned has been a chore too. I think I have it pretty good now. Getting just the correct setting on the diversion controller has made all the difference in the hot water... it is hotter as I lowered the setting for full charge to about 26.5 volts. The new battery normally rests about 25.4 volts but now that the new stator has been installed I seldom see it lower than 25.8.
The new panel! So this should be it for the next year or so.Note a new forklift battery too!
The new battery installed... seems to work fine and it holds a much higer charge.
August 17th 2008. The new battery has arrived!
All of them are put on... but they are wrong way round so tomorrow I'll redo them!! Then on to the electrics!
August 27, 2008 putting up another set of solar cells on the newly designed solar cell rack.
The Brake for the windmill I made from a switch. Note that when turned on all the three phase wires contact each other effectively stopping the blades even in high winds.
the recitifer (150 amp) and heat sink.
The rather crowded panel!
A closeup of the solar cell rack.
The windmill in the background, the solar cells and the newly made hatch for easy access from the inside of the barn.
Her is the crowded panel. I 'm just installing the diversion load controller.
The wiring at the Barn just outside the battery and controllers... getting a little crowded?
These where the rectifiers that I was going to use but I decided to use ones that used screws so I got a better contact. So I have ordered new ones .
The solar cell controller
Jan 15, 2008. The trench is finally filled in... and to think the ground was not frozen! A good example of working with the weather.
Jan 15, 2008 Jean helping fill in the trench after helping me pull the lines through the conduit. Here is a case of community helping each other.
Jan 15, 2008 The trench being dug for the water heater line

Dec 16, 2007

This is how Mat monitors the 120 volt usage (with the plug in meter) the electrical output will not be very consistent until he gets the windmill operational. So far the controller takes varying amounts of electricity from the solar cells depending on the sunshine and converts it to 24 volts for the battery and then converts that to 120 volts.
Dec 16, 2007 -The solar Cell controller showing about 137 watts on a very overcast day.
Dec 5, 2007-I was worried about the battery being cold as the barn has no heat so I put some two inch foam around the battery.
Solar cells, four 123 watt units, mounted on the roof of the large barn/sailplane shop. Below the solar cells is my rain water collection system which proved very useful in the very dry summer of 2007
Roof top view of the solar cells
Close up of the solar cell stand I designed.
The electric panel, including the biodiesel generator, the inverter, charger and controllers. Part of the oil expeller is on the left. The large black object on the right is the fork lift battery.