not generating
wordave
Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭
we have a 400 watt wind generator and a 200 watt solar panel on a bank of 4 batteries and they are running cctv and not coping as wind generator is not kicking in we have the dual control panel .The solar is working but cant cope , thanks for any advice .
Comments
And what is "cctv"?
CCTV=Closed Circuit TV (security cameras)?
To help you here--Details matter.
What is your daily energy usage? Amp*Hour at XX Amp*Hours or XXX Watt*Hours per day?
What is your battery bank type and size (Lead Acid / Li Ion / XX Volts and YYY Amp*hours)?
Location... I guess you are somewhere in Great Britain... So not a lot of sun, on average.
What is the "dual control panel"? (one Solar and one Wind controller?)
My suggestion... Define your power needs. Design the battery bank to support those loads (typically 2 days of storage and 50% max discharge). And design the solar array to both power your loads (based on minimum sun such as December to both charge the battery bank and support your loads--And if you want to have minimum genset/backup power--The solar array should support 2x your daily loads at minimum predicted sun for December.
The wind turbine would, hopefully, supply energy during cloudy/windy conditions---Personally, I am not a fan of small wind systems. They tend to not perform very well (at least most of the units you can purchase) and they require maintenance (need to tilt tower down and/or a lift truck to access turbine).
Like to get the solar working first.
So, working backwards, what could a 200 Watt solar panel support battery and load wise?
The battery bank should be charged at 5% to 10% to 13% rate of charge--And 10% minimum for a full time off grid system suggested (usually for deep cycle lead acid storage batteries--10% to 13% is a good rate of charge for battery life).
- 200 Watt array * 0.77 derating * 1/14.5 volts charging = 10.6 Amps nominal (average best case charging current)
- 10.6 Amps * 1/0.13 rate of charge = 82 AH @ 12 volts minimum battery bank
- 10.6 Amps * 1/0.10 rate of charge = 106 AH @ 12 volts nominal battery bank
- 10.6 amps * 1/0.05 rate of charge = 212 AH @ 12 volts "max suggested" battery bank
- 26.5 AH / 25 hours per day = 1.1 Amp average load (for CCTV system @ 24 hours per day)--Example
If you design for 2 days storage @ 50% discharge support of your loads by the battery bank... Using the 10% rate of charge "nominal" battery bank, that would be:- 106 AH * 1/2 days of storage * 0.50 max discharge (for long battery life) = 26.5 AH per day @ 12 volts suggested load
- 26.5 AH * 12 volts = 318 Watt*Hours per day suggested battery load
And how much energy can the solar panels output on an average Midlands day:http://www.solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-irradiance.html
Newcastle upon Tyne
Measured in kWh/m2/day onto a solar panel set at a 20° angle from vertical:Average Solar Insolation figures
(Optimal winter settings)
- 200 Watts * 0.61 DC off grid system eff * 0.98 hours of sun per day (December) = 120 WH per day
- 120 Watts * 0.5 solar fudge factor "base load" derating = 60 Watts suggested average base load support with 200 Watt panel in December in Newcastle upon Tyne (I really like the city names in the UK)
At this point, we probably have a mismatch between major components (solar array, battery bank, and your daily loads). But without your details... I really cannot give any accurate estimates for "your" system and energy needs.The idea would be to upgrade your solar panels (more panels) at least, to get the system were it works "most of the time"--Then look at wind for stormy weather backup (if that is your only other option).
Your thoughts/corrections/updates?
-Bill