What Preps are you doing this week? Part 4

[roddas]

I've spent the weekend boosting my solar power up a bit with some new solar panels and ordered some new parts to improve the wind turbine output, looking forward to fitting new hub and blades next week

[Deeps]

I've spent the weekend boosting my solar power up a bit with some new solar panels and ordered some new parts to improve the wind turbine output, looking forward to fitting new hub and blades next week

If you can be bothered, can you give us a run through of your system ? I've been dragging arse on setting up a small scale semi permanent solar system (got panels on the house and camping panels) and I'm interested in a small wind turbine. I've done a bit of online research but it would be great to hear from someone who's already in the know.

[peejay]

I've had a growing fascination with solar for a while now, even though my current home isn't overly suited to it (shady trees, lack of goos battery storage location) but am researching it for when I am ready, plus potentially for my parents.

I've just finished reading a very informative book on the subject: "Solar Electricity Handbook: 2017 Edition" https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/190 ... UTF8&psc=1 & would recommend it.

[Deeps]

I've had a growing fascination with solar for a while now, even though my current home isn't overly suited to it (shady trees, lack of goos battery storage location) but am researching it for when I am ready, plus potentially for my parents.

I've just finished reading a very informative book on the subject: "Solar Electricity Handbook: 2017 Edition" https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/190 ... UTF8&psc=1 & would recommend it.

Cheers, I'll have a look. I'm keen on the batteries too but its down the line for us, we have the space but not the cash and certainly on the missus's side, the willingness.

[roddas]

I've spent the weekend boosting my solar power up a bit with some new solar panels and ordered some new parts to improve the wind turbine output, looking forward to fitting new hub and blades next week

If you can be bothered, can you give us a run through of your system ? I've been dragging arse on setting up a small scale semi permanent solar system (got panels on the house and camping panels) and I'm interested in a small wind turbine. I've done a bit of online research but it would be great to hear from someone who's already in the know.

Yeah sure it's nothing to excessive and is designed purely to run important items like lights, fridge and freezer and the microwave if needed, all excess power generated is used to supply extra heat in winter, I have a total charging power of 1.5kw into the batteries coming from a 700w turbine and 800w of solar, of cause the batteries are the most important part of the set up, I was going to use the standard lead acid batteries but soon found out they just don't last long maybe 3 to 5 years it your lucky so I managed to find some wet cell nicads and these have been known to last well over 50 years, in fact the ones I have are already nearly 15 years old and are still running at 100% capacity

[roddas]

Also forgot to mention there is 1000ah capacity in the batteries and that all charging power is dependent on the weather so batteries sized to give me at least 3 days running on all the important stuff, however I have found that solar is pretty useless without a wind turbine to back up the solar when it comes to charging batteries in grid down scenarios, I run 3 power inverters there's two modified sine wave and 1 pure sine for the more sensitive electrics, all of it apart from the solar panels need a fair bit of looking after and maintenance.

[Deeps]

Thanks mate, much appreciated. One of my concerns for a shed setup is the excess wigglies once batteries are full. I'm planning on using this Christmas's Amazon vouchers to start the ball rolling, looking at a yacht wind turbine although I've not looked into it as much.

[roddas]

Thanks mate, much appreciated. One of my concerns for a shed setup is the excess wigglies once batteries are full. I'm planning on using this Christmas's Amazon vouchers to start the ball rolling, looking at a yacht wind turbine although I've not looked into it as much.

You could just use a standard turbine controller which would just put the brakes on when the batteries are full however I found this to be a waste of power so I use a dump load controller to divert excess power into another inverter connected to a heater in the house in the winter and to a standard dump load resistor setup in the summer, this works well.

[Deeps]

Thanks mate, much appreciated. One of my concerns for a shed setup is the excess wigglies once batteries are full. I'm planning on using this Christmas's Amazon vouchers to start the ball rolling, looking at a yacht wind turbine although I've not looked into it as much.

You could just use a standard turbine controller which would just put the brakes on when the batteries are full however I found this to be a waste of power so I use a dump load controller to divert excess power into another inverter connected to a heater in the house in the winter and to a standard dump load resistor setup in the summer, this works well.

All good stuff, thanks, I'm looking at charging a couple of leisure batteries from a semi permanent panel and it will be independent from the house. I've got the 'standard' panels which will shut down if the lecky goes off, this will be a standalone for charging laptops and batteries etc.

[roddas]

Thanks mate, much appreciated. One of my concerns for a shed setup is the excess wigglies once batteries are full. I'm planning on using this Christmas's Amazon vouchers to start the ball rolling, looking at a yacht wind turbine although I've not looked into it as much.

You could just use a standard turbine controller which would just put the brakes on when the batteries are full however I found this to be a waste of power so I use a dump load controller to divert excess power into another inverter connected to a heater in the house in the winter and to a standard dump load resistor setup in the summer, this works well.

All good stuff, thanks, I'm looking at charging a couple of leisure batteries from a semi permanent panel and it will be independent from the house. I've got the 'standard' panels which will shut down if the lecky goes off, this will be a standalone for charging laptops and batteries etc.

In that case any standard solar charge controller will do just fine, when the batteries are full it will just put them into float charge and if you do get a turbine as well you could just use a hybrid solar wind controller that will float the batteries when full and brake the turbine at the same time so no chance of over charging the batteries at all with either set up, also not very expensive to set up