A good project for a first time solar experience.

SolaRevolution
SolaRevolution Solar Expert Posts: 410 ✭✭
If you want to get some practical experience with a battery/PV system here is a small but useful project.

http://villagetech.org/MiniPVSystem.aspx

There are some pictures and a diagram. The diagram got a bit mangled by different software along the way but it seems mostly intact.

It can often be built using existing parts you may already have. I've helped a couple of Solar Living Institute interns build these for their own use for under $500 and some scavenged parts. They are more powerful than you may think. I know a family with 2 small kids who use theirs for lights, computer and phone charging. (They have a propane fridge.) Another guy uses his for lighting a vending cart for festivals at night.

It can be maintained by one 75 watt panel but for more regular use 3 seem to do the job quite well.

To buy all the parts new:
$ 250 Battery
$ 80 Inverter
$ 65 charge controller
$ 50 misc wire and fuses (12v auto parts)
$ 25 box

$ 100-600 for PV modules
You can also use a 120 input 12v automotive type battery charger (with sealed settings) for charginf from the grid or a generator.

To add better monitoring, the next one I build will have one of these little meters:
http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/electrical-test-equipment.html
(Thanks BB)

Good luck.

Comments

  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.

    don't forget the mounts. something like this can be added to or subtracted from as much as one would like.
  • SolaRevolution
    SolaRevolution Solar Expert Posts: 410 ✭✭
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.
    niel wrote: »
    don't forget the mounts.

    Yea. The "A" frame PV mounts in the pics are unistrut. Two 10' x 1 7/8'" sticks cut in half. Stainless steel 1/4-20 bolts with 1" fender washers and nuts. +/- $ 50.


    BTW: The panels in the pics were salvaged from a resort in Belize that got hit by a Hurricane back around 2000. Many were ripped off their mounts and thrown into the ocean. Real Goods worked a deal to buy them back and sold them at a very reduced price to the off-grid market here in Mendocino county. I see a lot of small systems (some not so small) with these SP75s still doing their job. Some had their J-boxes ripped off. Careful soldering and silicon calking have made many still useful. I would not use them for multiple parallel or series strings but many do still operate close to the original specs and are now used for direct water pumping or green house fans.:cool:
  • SolaRevolution
    SolaRevolution Solar Expert Posts: 410 ✭✭
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.

    Attachment not found.

    Here is a sheet with suggestions of how to use Unistrut or B-Line for a variety of basic mounting configurations.
    You have to get more creative if your PV modules do not have rigid frames and mounting holes.

    Attachment not found.
  • SolaRevolution
    SolaRevolution Solar Expert Posts: 410 ✭✭
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.

    Attachment not found.
    Here some temporary strut racks. This array is much larger than the "MiniPV" system would require. I just wanted to show how you can make some fairly substantial, quick, cheap racks from locally available parts. Each of these racks can fit three of these 240 watt panels. The racking materials cost a little more than $ .10/watt.

    (The ones in the pictures will be replaced when funds are available for more PV and possibly a tracker.)
    Attachment not found.Attachment not found.

    Alex Aragon
  • mattbatson
    mattbatson Registered Users Posts: 22
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.
    If you want to get some practical experience with a battery/PV system here is a small but useful project.

    http://villagetech.org/MiniPVSystem.aspx

    There are some pictures and a diagram. The diagram got a bit mangled by different software along the way but it seems mostly intact.

    It can often be built using existing parts you may already have. I've helped a couple of Solar Living Institute interns build these for their own use for under $500 and some scavenged parts. They are more powerful than you may think. I know a family with 2 small kids who use theirs for lights, computer and phone charging. (They have a propane fridge.) Another guy uses his for lighting a vending cart for festivals at night.

    It can be maintained by one 75 watt panel but for more regular use 3 seem to do the job quite well.

    To buy all the parts new:
    $ 250 Battery
    $ 80 Inverter
    $ 65 charge controller
    $ 50 misc wire and fuses (12v auto parts)
    $ 25 box

    $ 100-600 for PV modules
    You can also use a 120 input 12v automotive type battery charger (with sealed settings) for charginf from the grid or a generator.

    To add better monitoring, the next one I build will have one of these little meters:
    http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/electrical-test-equipment.html
    (Thanks BB)

    Good luck.

    hey, the link is coming back code 404 link not found.
    Is there another one for this that you can post?
    thx for the effort to educate us just starting out
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.

    i'm not getting a code 404. it's a pdf file.
  • mattbatson
    mattbatson Registered Users Posts: 22
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.
    niel wrote: »
    i'm not getting a code 404. it's a pdf file.


    for this link? http://villagetech.org/MiniPVSystem.aspx
    it is coming back webpage not found for me
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: A good project for a first time solar experience.

    no i was not referring to that one and the one you cite does 404 on me.