DREAMHILL DOME PROJECT

Power Generation

 

Solar Array Constructed 1999

 

50 Solar Panels Mounted on a custom made rack

 

 

Main Trailer is housed under Solar Array and Smaller Trailer Houses all Power Equipment

 

Wind and Propane Generators supplement the 24V Battery Bank charging

 

 

 

PANEL REWIRING FOR MPPT CONTROLLER

 

 

 

INSIDE POWER TRAILER

 

INVERTER AND CHARGE CONTROLLERS

 

BATTERY BANK

 

PROPANE GENERATOR

To be replaced with a new technology Quantum Magnetic Flux Gate Generator

Maintenance: 2 qts Mobile One Synthetic 5/30w - oil filter - air filter - plug - Valve adjustment .002-.004 TDC

 

MANUALS

Trace SW4024 Inverter Manual

Outback FlexMax MX80 MPPT Charge Controller Manual

Rolls Surrette s530 Battery Spec Sheet and Manual

Generac 5501 8kw Generator Operating Manual

Uni-Solar Solar Modules Sheet

 

 

SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Component Manufacturer Description
Solar Panels Unisolar

50 US42 - 20 US21

Panels Total 2520 Watts
Charge Controllers Outback 2 - MX80 80 Amp MPPT
Batteries Rolls Surrette 8 - s530 6V Deep Cycle 400AH Connected for 24VDC 800AH Output
Inverter Trace SW4024 4000 Watt 120VAC 60Hz Sinewave Output
Wind Generator Southwest Windpower AIR403 400 Watt 24 Volt
Generator Guardian Model 5501 8,000 Watt Propane

 

SOLAR MODULE SPECIFICATIONS

Unisolar Solar Module US-42
Rated Power 42 watts
Operating Voltage 16.5 volts
Operating Current 2.54 amps
Open Circuit Voltage 23.8 volts
Open Circuit Voltage @ -10 deg C 14 deg F 27.1 volts
Short Circuit Current 3.17 amps
Short Circuit Current @ 75 deg C 4.2 amps
Series Fuse Rating 6 amps
Minimum blocking diode 6 amps

 

 

BATTERY MEASUREMENT HISTORY

8 Rolls Surrette s530 Batteries Measured upon installation on 10-18-2009 total voltage 27.2 VDC

BATTERY
 1 2 3 4
Volts
6.80
6.79
6.79
6.82
SG Cell 1
1.225
1.180
1.218
1.218
SG Cell 2
1.218
1.218
1.210
1.225
SG Cell 3
1.225
1.180
1.180
1.225
BATTERY
 5 6 7 8
Volts
6.72
6.83
6.82
6.84
SG Cell 1
1.180
1.218
1.225
1.238
SG Cell 2
1.180
1.218
1.225
1.238
SG Cell 3
1.218
1.210
1.225
1.238

Measured 12-02-2009 using quick 1-8 SG number references

BATTERY
 1 2 3 4
Volts
6.80
6.79
6.79
6.82
SG Cell 1
6
4
6
5
SG Cell 2
5
6
5
7
SG Cell 3
6
6
5
6
BATTERY
 5 6 7 8
Volts
6.72
6.83
6.82
6.84
SG Cell 1
5
7
6
5
SG Cell 2
5
6
6
6
SG Cell 3
7
8
6
6

 

SPECIFIC GRAVITY REFERENCE

Level Specific Gravity State of Charge Volts
8 - Good
1.275
 100%  
7 - Good
1.275
 100% 1.265 - 1.275 25.2
Fair
1.263
    
6 - Fair
1.250
    
Fair
1.238
    
5 - Fair
1.225
 75% 1.225 - 1.235 24.12
4 - Fair
1.218
    
3 - Fair
1.210
 50% 1.190 - 1.200 23.16
2 - Fair
1.180
    
1 - Recharge
1.150
 25% 1.155 - 1.165 22.08
Recharge
1.150
 0% 1.120 - 1.130 21.00

 

 

INVERTER MENU SETTINGS

GEN AUTO START SETUP (Menu 12) DEFAULTS SETTING
SET LOAD START AMPS 20 20
SET LOAD START DELAY MIN 5 5
SET LOAD START DELAYS AMP 5 5
SET 24 HR START 24.6 24.5
SET 2 HR START 23.6 24.3
SET 15 MIN START 22.6 23.9
READ 30 SEC LBCO 22.0 22.0
SET EXERCISE PERIOD DAYS 30 30
SET MAXIMUM RUN TIME H:M 08:00 01:00

 

BATTERY CHARGING
(Menu 10)

 DEFAULTS SETTING
SET BULK VOLTS DC 28.8 28.8
SET ABSORPTION TIME H:M 02:00 01:00
SET FLOAT VOLTS DC 26.8 26.6
SET EQUALIZE VOLTS DC 28.8 31.0
SET EQUALIZE TIME H:M 02:00 02:00
SET MAX CHARGE AMPS AC 30 19
SET TEMP COMP LEADACID LEADACID

 

 

AC INPUTS (Menu 11) SETTING
SET GRID (AC1) AMPS AC 60
SET GEN (AC2) AMPS AC 19
SET INPUT LOWER LIMIT VAC 108
SET INPUT UPPER LIMIT VAC 132

 

GEN STARTING DETAILS (Menu 13) SETTING
SET RY7 FUNCTION Run
SET GEN WARMUP SECONDS 60
SET PRE CRANK SECONDS 10
SET MAX CRANKING SECONDS 10
SET POST CRANK SECONDS 30

 

 

Charging Stage Volts Range
BULK / Absorption 2 hours
28.9
28.4 - 29.4
FLOAT
26.6
26.4 - 26.8
EQUALIZING / Overcharge
31.0
31.0 - 32.0

 

 

Notes

Don't discharge below 85-50% (50% 1.190 - 1.200 23.16V)

Remove Hydro caps before Equalization

Set GEN to EQ and next time GEN runs it will EQ and then reset to AUTO

Bulk/Absorption time is 2 hours

Fill cells with distilled water 1/4 to 1/2 inch below vent well tube

If DC power is removed from inverter all factory defaults are reset and will need to be reprogrammed

Press RED and Green buttons once to enter SETUP MENU

SET MAX CHARGE AMPS AC to 40 Amps (800AH / 5 = 160AH DC / 4 = 40AH AC - 40A X 120VAC = 4800W) or 33 Amps = 4000W

Generator auto start is controlled by the setting in the GEN AUTO START SETUP Menu 12 by inverter Relay RY7 NC contact which supplies 120VAC to 240VAC xfmr to generator contacts N1 & N2. When relay is activated it removes the 240VAC and the generator starts.

ABSORPTION TIME PERIOD determines how long to run the generator and is set by SET BULK VOLTS DC which is the max voltage to charge the batteries i.e. 28.8 and is temperature compensated and the SET ABSORPTION TIME H:M i.e. 02:00 which is the time that the batteries will be held at the BULK VOLTS DC level

 

 

 

 

WATTAGE CONSUMPTION LOADS

Use Continually

 

55 - Wood boiler electronics i.e. solonoid damper (Note pump only consumes 4 watts of this) (switch off when fire is out and heat has been transferred during winter months)

5 - Applegate Broadband Repeater
9 - IPEVO 4 Desktop Skype Phones 2 watts each
9 - Circulating Pump Controller (switch off breaker when not in use)
5 - Packet8 Willys Phone
4 - Linksys WRT-54G Router
4 - Linksys 5 port hub (switch off with timer for phone during sleep cycle 11pm-8am)
1 - Phillips Sonic Toothbrush (6 watts during 5 min UV sterilization cycle)

Use Regularly

70 - Willy watching TV
63 - Samsung 32 inch LCD TV
60 - XC-Cube Pentium M Rebeccas Computer (3 watts standby switch off when not in use)
38 - Sony Audio Amplifier (split audio to TV when power saving)
28 - IBM 17inch Dan’s monitor (1 watt standby switch off when not in use)
28 - IBM 17inch Rebecca’s monitor (1 watt standby switch off when not in use)
20 - Dual core Atom ION Dan’s computer

12 - Kitchen CFL lighting controlled by IR motion switch with timer
11 - Satellite Receiver Sonicview (switch off in back when not in use)
7 - Satellite Receiver Coolsat (switch off in back when not in use)
7 - LEDs White and Blue lighting on walkway edge
4 - Radiant Floor Circulation Pump new Grundfos Alpha
4 - Air Purifier Sharper Image Si724 Hybrid GP (Watts = 4-Quiet 5-Low 7-Med 9-High)
1 - LED Red Bulb Bedroom Torch Lamp
1 - LED Red Bulb Bedroom Nightstand Lamp

 


Radio repeater and autopatch (switch off when not in use)

21 - Radio with autopatch switched on (19 with autopatch off)
        Remote Switch X10 Power Flash with Appliance Module (2 watts)
        Astron RS-12A 12VDC Radios Power Supply
        Autopatch CS900
        TM-D700 Xcvr Repeater in receive mode

Use Seldomly

560 Hair Dryer LOW (never use HIGH)
70/35 Massage Chair
65 Air Vaporizer
40 Leg Massager
40 2-Flood Lamps for Great Room
17 Desklamp Ott Light
8 Sony DVD Player
7 Speakers Computer Altec Lansing
6 Kitchen Light
5 Elliptical Exerciser
4 HP Printer/Scanner
2 VX-5 Xcvr Charger
2 Office Torch Lamp
1 Stairway Spotlight
1 Braun Shaver
1 Beard Trimmer
1 Dewalt Battery Charger


Security System (Not fully in use at moment)
40 Viewera 17 inch monitor (5 watts standby switch off when not in use)
35 Echovue 8 ch DVR (5 watts standby switch off when not in use)
10 PTZ cam inside dome
3 RS232 to RS485 Adapter (replace with self powering unit)
3 Camera power (Willy)
3 Front door cam (15w+ night IR LEDs this cam is a pig - replace)


Summation Totals

200 Wood Boiler Pump and Circulation Pump 114+84
(switch off when fire is out and heat has been transferred)
88 Rebecca's Computer 60+28 (use power strip - saves 4 watts)
118 Dan's Computer 90+28 (use power strip - saves 4 watts)
75 Watching sat TV 63+12 (switch Sat Receiver off in back)
70 Willy watching sat TV
31 Constant Power 15+5+4+4+1+1+1+1

Replaced with energy efficient system

90 - Pentium-M Dan’s computer (3 watts standby switch off when not in use)

Energy Saving Routines

9 AM-ON  6 PM-OFF    Timer
80 watt Wood Boiler Pump (once heat has transferred to tank) Monitor that panels are above 24.30 VDC otherwise use generator to bring power level up

8 AM-ON  9 PM-OFF     Timer
84 watt Radiant Floor Circulation Pump

830 AM-ON  11 PM-OFF     Timer
4 watt Internet Linksys 5 port hub which controls Skype telephone to not disturb sleeping at night

11 AM-ON  2 PM-OFF     Timer
Toothbrush charger 1 watt and 1 watt shaver charger for charging during mid day sun

Switch off manually 11 watt Satellite Receiver when not in use

Switch off manually 4 watt standby loads on both Rebecca and Dan’s computer and monitors

 

Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Replaced Dan's computer with Dual-Core Atom with ION graphics net top 20 watts

Replaced Wood Boiler Pump and Radiant Floor Pump with Grundfos Alpha 5 watt pumps

Replaced Occupancy sensor for kitchen with new Leviton OSS10-IDW

Replacing Rebecca's computer with net book

Replace Jet Pump with Flowlight or Lorentz 24VDC pump

Future pump replacement greenhouse (Solar pump is ok as it is in use when sunny only)

 

 

 

 

 

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