Panels and Hurricanes

Re: Panels and Hurricanes

Aloha, the 24 panels are mounted on steel corrugated steel roof that is screwed into very strong purlins, welded to VERY strong steel trusses, welded to stationary posts. Posts are actually steel 4 40' containers (so each wall is 16' high by 80' long) so I see no problems with wind getting underneath the roof, BUT will be setting more screws into the corrugation to the purlins. The panels are mounted along the entire 5 foot edge by 16 gauge angle joining panel to the corrugated. This is the Warehouse system.

The office is the one with the panels mounted at an angle to the sun off 1 1/2' from the solid steel roof and NO support in the center only along the 3' edges. (but the framework on the 3' ends is very strong 4" square tube steel welded to the roof.
This is one I need to beef up I think
Frank

Re: Panels and Hurricanes

Aloha Bill, well it has been 18 months on the Dead/revived forklift batteries. The 4x24v 875a/h or so ones have just needed monthly water and one time a good cleaning/hose down and grease/WD40 on the tops.

The office system has 4 x 36v batteries that I had to jumper with homemade connectors from copper water pipe. These jumpers cross over dead cells so I can still add up to 24v. (easy to jumper as there are lead exposed connectors joining the cells. I need to check each cell again as I am down to 24.4 full charge, but still have 5x2volt cells to use. I check the cells not in use and keep them over 1.85v in case I need them. But both battery system seem to have the energizer bunny seal of approval on them! But I just picked up another 36v 875a/h forklift near new battery from a salvage yard for $100.00 just in case.

I installed a jacuzzi and pool and now the system is running a 11amp pump all day and a 2 amp pump at nite. Plus I use quite a lot of power in the office and kitchen. Inverter is great and no appliances have died. But I am thinking about installing another pallet of 30 210amp blems for the office. Real Mcgiverized. BTW quite the system on the Unirac PDF u sent.


frank

Re: Panels and Hurricanes

Aloha, Bill. I gave up on the Aims. I had issues with the place where I bot them and I did not like the units performance. On Craigslist I found some company selling some new-old-stock inverters. 3600 watts, MSW so I bot all 9 of them for $3000.00 total. They perform almost like a Sine wave in tests comparing with the AIMS. 90% effecient and about 80# in weight with a humongous transformer. I trip the 2 GFI's once in a while when there is a heavy rain, but having a GFI in the 110v outputs is maybe asking too much, especially with wiring, conduit going to several buildings, and underground etc. Office has not tripped off or has been shut off in almost a year though.

I grounded every recipticle, light, etc. and just let it be and really have not messed with the system for 8 or more months. I bootleg 12 panel output from the warehouse at 100v running 200 feet underground on number 8 wire and put it into a spare FX60 for the office on weekends when the warehouse system is not used. I also bootleg off another 12 panels directly into charging 2 electric forklifts with 24v batteries. I think it is nicely done but there are McGivered panels with circuit breakers everywhere, not a typical home system that is for sure!!
frank

BTW Hawaiian Electric just raised rates another 15% . I figure I save $450.00 a month. I have a friend with an electronics store that has put together a grid tie system and produces almost 1 meg a month and reduced his electrical from $1300 a month to $50.00, the minimum. His payoff time is 3 years after tax credits. He has a Very very nicely done system. (he's German)