Newbie considers alternate energy sources - Page 6

 

Here are a list of links I found useful when making my solar/ hydro setup
http://www.jeffersonfreestate.org/hh/links.html

I don't know about grid tie -- read about it but never tried, but my
system uses solar panels and a hydroelectric generator hooked into a bank
of batteries.

My solar has its own charge controller and the hydro is wired directly
into the battery bank.  Then a second xantrex charge controller monitors
the charge and diverts the load when the batteries are fully charged (if
you don't do this you can over charge your batteries and cause all kinds
of problems).

The wiring and setup is well described in the xanxtrex user manual --
which you could use as a basic guide even if you don't use thier
controller.. it should be pretty much what you want to do.  I followed
those directions and yup.. it worked!

The PDFs are here
http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/72/p/docs/pt/5/product.asp

Now I don't know how the grid tie would work.  Maybe you could take the
diverter load and send that into a grid tie controller, so when your
batteries are full the extra power would simply dump into the grid.  This
would keep your battery bank happy while you are gone from the cabin.

But then again i'd worry about letting things run when you aren't there
for a long time.  The batteries need looking after and with hydro you'd
typically need to keep the intake clean  or whatnot once in a while.

Maybe you'd want a switch so you could dump all the juice into the grid
when you leave and only charge the batteries with the diverter load going
to the grid when you are using the cabin.

You'll need to contact the power company and have them approve the grid
part of things, and you might get some help from them on the kind of
equipment they'd like you to use.  They might even give you a break on
parts .. also check your state energy department.  I know in Oregon we
can get a 1/2 tax rebate on equipment if you grid tie.  I'm no where near
the grid so I couldn't cash in on that, but its something well worth
investigating.

best of luck and keep us informed on your progress!

-zachary

 

legal.  Others say, concerning the burearcracy, "it's been to beg for
figiveness than ask for permission" but that way you may end up with a bunch
of hydro stuff you can't use.



I'm also off the grid but you may want to look at OutBack inverters etc
(www.outbackpower.com).  Some models (GVFX etc) can be grid-tied and I think
you can even use the grid to charge your batteries if the sun doesn't shine
and the creek dries up.  From what I've read the trick is to set the voltage
a little higher on somethingorother to get it to feed to the grid after your
batteries are charged.  In any case they have very good customer support,
good instruction manuals, and a good forum.  And their products seem to be
very reliable.  You can ask questions of other users in their "Grid-Tie"
forum before you buy anything so you'll be sure you get what you need.

Zachary, if you are reading this--how many psi (how high is your hill) are
you getting down at your hydro setup?  I tried fiddling around with a couple
of impellers attached to the good 'ol eu2000 alternator but only got about
.1 amps.  I only have about 42 psi which is delivered via 1 1/4" pipe into
3/4" pipe and then a garden hose and pressure sprayer.  And the impellers
were not as nice as your pelton wheel of course.

 

I still haven't put in my pressure gauge.  I know I know.. its on the
list.  But i'm using the damn thing almost 24-7 so I don't want to break
it down and add the gauge :)

Got a re-design in mind for when summer gets here and i'll put in the
gauge then.  While it keeps raining and I've got all this water I can't
see stopping it.

also paying work has been uber heavy.. no free time whatsoever.

some day i'll have some hard numbers on teh PSI front !!!

 

Heh.. I'm the only one around here not bitching about the rain.  It can
keep on like this no problemo.. water = power!!

 

Bob F wrote:


It is always good to have a perspective that actually WORKS.

Graham