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New 48v system (YAY!!)


By electronbaby, Section Wind
Posted on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 03:22:36 AM MST
I had to do it...




Heres what it looked like before @ 24v. A mess.



This is what it looks like now @48v. I put this in the wind section because it will be part of the new wind system. I will be taking down the Bergey because I sold it. I was never really happy with the low wind performance anyway. It will get installed upstate NY in the spring. I finally moved up to 48v and this system should be fun. I will build a new 12' dual rotor axial soon and thats what will feed this system. As for right now, im solely on PV with 840aH of battery capacity. I haven't wired the listeroid in yet, but will soon. I basically ripped out everything and started over. It took me about a week, but i finally have electricity again haha. The increase in efficiency at the higher voltage is noticeable.



The batteries that feed the inverters. This is an old pic before they got rewired. Everything is much neater, safer and more efficient now.
Just figured I'd share. :-)
New 48v system (YAY!!) | 15 comments (15 topical)

Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by TomW on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 09:31:08 PM MST

Pretty sweet and a great setup.

Thanks for sharing.

TomW

Ignarus can exsisto rememdium. Sardus est forever




Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by donald77777 on Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 11:58:20 PM MST

Nice looking setup, very professional, now I just have to get around to wiring mine up.


Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Volvo farmer on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 05:38:50 AM MST

Wow, what a huge install. Nice work.

So four MX60s at 48V? You got a 10KW+ solar array?

/RE envy

Volvo Farmer



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by electronbaby on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:02:23 AM MST

there is just under 13kW of PV. 8kW is grid tie on a separate ground mounted array. 2.5kW is mounted to power my place, and there is 2.5kW piled up in my shop that I havent gotten up yet (thinking of selling some but not sure yet, Siemens SP-150). The outback system is set up as an off grid system. They are the GVFX's and they will grid tie, if I decide to go that route, but i built my place with off grid power (even though a grid connection is really close by) and I have been off grid for the last 8 years. The MX's are for separate and sometimes different orientated PV arrays. Where the MPP would differ. Say for instance the tracking array will be different from the ground array and the roof array (different pitch). The fourth MX is for the listeroid DC backup. I posted that a while ago here:
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/12/30/15943/946
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/12/30/21440/810
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/1/2/231538/0408
The listeroid is the only thing I havent brought into the new equipment yet. I will soon and i think I have to finish some testing on that generator.
Have Fun!! RoyR KB2UHF
[ Parent ]


Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by ghurd on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:42:15 AM MST

Just under 13kW, and a lister for backup?  Yikes!

Ever consider grid tie?  That kind of power might be worth it.  Curious what you came up with.
G-


[ Parent ]



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by DanB on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:52:34 AM MST

Yikes... if picture #1 is a 'mess' I'm not even sure what to call my system!

Very nice new system -congrats!



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by electronbaby on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:30:15 AM MST

We've all come a long way. I guess I get spoiled having a lot of fun and doing a lot of code compliant PV installs. We have 160+ installs with the majority being grid intertie at this point. I kinda wanted my system to reflect the things Ive been doing lately. Its been busy lately and I do about a 5kW-6kW PV system every week with the occasional small wind system. Its a little much, but im having a blast. Ive been meaning to get my personal site up and include many pics of the systems Ive designed and installed as well as the many personal projects. One of these days i guess :-)

Great job down in Nicaragua by the way! I wish I was more involved in "work vacations" haha
Have Fun!! RoyR KB2UHF
[ Parent ]



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by behoof on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 01:04:08 PM MST

Thanks for the great posts.

I pretty much use my Lister for making my biodiesel. But you sure did get my wheels spinning in another direction. I've got a 3500w gen on it now but yours looks like much more fun than my blue Chinese gen LOL

I really do appreciate seeing the great work you're doing and look forward to more posts in the future.

behoof



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by brianschanafelt on Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 08:18:15 PM MST

Nice setup what kind of batteries are those? and cost? Must be nice. keep bringing those pictures love to see them. Keep up the great work.
"something free is money well spent"


Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by electronbaby on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 07:39:33 AM MST

The batteries are C+D technologies 840aH 4 volt cells (two 2 volt cells per case). They are lead calcium and therefore have certain advantages in float service. Ive been using them off grid. They wont last as long this way, but I feel I have enough capacity to not draw them down so much between charges. I only take out 100aH/day and the PV is enough to keep them up if we're careful. With wind this is not an issue.

They were given to me for free. I just had to move them. They also came with the rack. Everything is bolted into the concrete floor. They are heavy. The forklift almost tipped putting them in the back of my truck (all batteries on one pallet). Kinda scary. I had to place them in the room through the door one by one with a bobcat and the sling, and position them on the rack with quite a large engine hoist. It was interesting. :-)
Have Fun!! RoyR KB2UHF



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by Volvo farmer on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 08:32:23 AM MST

RE: 100 Ahr/day. I use about half that overnight, but my solar array is 1/10 the size of yours. You must be into float by about 9:30AM on a sunny day. :-) Will a Trimetric even measure 250+ charging amps at 48V? The size of that system continues to blow my mind.

Volvo Farmer


[ Parent ]



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by electronbaby on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 09:08:09 AM MST

not sure about the trimetric, but I do have a pentametric and it works fine. Like I said, I only have 2.5kW of PV on this system. The rest is grid tied on a separate system. I normally charge @ about 30A @ 48vdc with the current off grid PV. So its no problem for the pentametric to monitor. I do believe they only can accurately display current up to roughly 100A (thats what the shunt is rated for).

I do have 2.5kW additional PV that I would like to add to the off grid system, but thats a springtime project possibly. I have 240v to my service panel now and that makes me happy. I can run a decent welder now, so that PV might be added soon :-)
Have Fun!! RoyR KB2UHF
[ Parent ]



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by kitestrings on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 10:17:34 AM MST

RoyR,

Great looking setup.  Very tidy Thanks for sharing.

We similarly just converted to 48V (from 12V) last summer.  Also went with OB inverter.  We've been very happy with it.  I'd be curious how it compares to the Xantrex you took out.  Our previous inverter was a old Trace that had served us well.

Best of luck, and please continue to update.  Kindly, ~kitestrings



Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by richhagen on Thu Mar 13, 2008 at 04:58:36 PM MST

Your old system looks more neatly organized than mine.  (gulp)  Now I will be embarrassed to post pictures of my new 48V setup until I straighten it up a bit.  Seriously though, it looks great.  Rich
'A Joule saved is a Joule made'


Re: New 48v system (YAY!!) (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by dynaman on Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 08:07:10 PM MST

That is truly a beautiful system. Much bigger than I would ever need, but very impressive.


New 48v system (YAY!!) | 15 comments (15 topical)
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