Author Topic: Off grid / Grid tie Solar +safeties & SOP's+ user's feedback  (Read 1199 times)

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Frank S

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Off grid / Grid tie Solar +safeties & SOP's+ user's feedback
« on: August 29, 2014, 01:56:14 AM »
Avoiding the risk of further Hijacking a thread I am starting this one
 
Bruce S
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Re: 100% off grid shed with Ebay stuff.
« Reply #17 on: Today at 07:38:21 AM »
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Frank S ;
It is a perfect time to have said so too!
I am in the midst of looking (window shopping at this time  ;) ) into having our house retro-fitted with about 6Kw of panels.
MO is a state that isn't so nice about giving incentives (we're only at 92/100 rating for sol ) but is actually open to listening. Heck even the mayor is open to suggestions.
We have in place specific SOPs for both types of systems, but as the number of homes and businesses that have solar continue to increase; even those SOPs will need revisiting.
Chicago's SOPs dwarf ours by several 100 pages :-).
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You can educate out ignorance, you can work out of poverty, BUT you cannot fix "stupid".
author "Bruce S"

Bruce S; and all. We live in very troubling times relating to the subject of RE. Be It grid tie PV, off Grid PV, wind hydro Alternative energy production of any kind.
 This thread unless the Mods place it somewhere else is primarily aimed towards PV and users local municipalities  SOP's both friendly & restrictive legislation.
  For my personal installation is somewhat of an enigma to the city. Since I live on industrial property and am listed by the city as a care taker while we demolish the shop and clean up the property as per a city court mandate they look the other way when it comes to my motor coach Que Buss conversion.
 It was going to cost us several $1000's to have the electric provider install a temporary service. So last year I decided that I would do my thing totally off grid. Not wanting to run my generator 24/7 for obvious economic reasons. It is a 23 HP 14 KW Kubota diesel designed to be run as a prime power unit very lightly loaded it uses .23 GPH up to .56GPH loaded with the Duel AC units the entire coach's electrical load & my 210 amp Miller Mig welder. Not uneconomical when Diesel prices were $1.00 a gallon But @ 3.45+ its a different story.
 Anyway to my PV and the enigma for the city. AS stated we are under court order to demo this shop building  because of storm damage from several years ago.
  The city could not legally demand that I connect to the grid without first demoing the building this wouldhave caused a financial hardship as well.
  I already had my Solar PV off grid set up connected and had been in use for over 1 year prior to the CO
 The city inspector was fascinated with my use of PV , and our ability to live in reasonable comfort 80% of the time with no other source energy.
 the inspector is actually RE sympathetic. Now one thing my system is not a strictly code compliant one. I personally feel that I should make many changes to it. However it being a temporary set up only the minimal safeties are required by the city.
  Other cities or inspectors probably would not be so forgiving.

  Now for anyone who is or would like to construct their off grid system, (I'll let someone with grid tie experience tell about those systems)
 First and foremost IMHO the mounting of the panels is of top importance.
  If there is room to locate the array remote from any structure by constructing a structure for it this is the best way to mount an array. For several reasons,  the panels stay cooler due to circulation they can be mounted for tracking either manual or automatic. A lightening strike would not be carried directly into a building
  Next is the cabling from the array Use larger ga than required. For instance is the array needs 10 ga for the given distance use 8 or 6 ga or larger, the pay off will be evident later should you add more panels
 Lightening rod grounding is a very important topic for all RE. others will share with this as well I'm sure
 Primary disconnects; When an Array reaches a certain size it can produce deadly large amounts of energy.An way to safely interrupt that energy is a must even for small installations Not only for the user's safety but for emergency crews and others as well.
 where best to locate and secure they storage bank is another important topic that needs addressing.
 I live in a climate where most months it is pleasant to HOT! so my bank is situated more for protection against heat than cold, also my house if you will is made out of mostly stainless steel and other metals but there is still the matter of insulation, wood & fabrics inside the coach.
  My bank is mounted in an open to the outside compartment but there was still the possibility of hydrogen & sulfuric gas infusion into the floor of the coach that I had to deal with Nothing works better than Rubber plastic or stainless steel to prevent this
 for the rest of anyone's system ( the electronics  components) 2 things effect these more than anything HEAT and resistance. In one retrospect both add up to the same thing a possibility for a disastrous failure.
 More discussions I hope will be added for safeties use code compliance's and users feedback     
   BTW I am no expert I make no claims to having ever been one and have never payed one on TV   
I live so far outside of the box, when I die they will stretch my carcass over the coffin