Oracle wrote:georgios100 wrote:apc2010 wrote:georgios100 wrote:Oracle wrote:georgios100 wrote:Oracle wrote:Does anyone have any practical experience or general know-how or even just good advice about using any electricity generating devices?
Ideally such device would power an average house and be usable in a remote location -- Oh, and not present a fire-hazard!
I own a renewable energy company in the Dominican Republic. I can advise you after you answer these questions;
1. Is the house to be occupied all year round or just on weekends?
2. List all the "heavy loads" (pool pump, AC, fridge, stove etc)
3. Do you need to incorporate renewable sources or not?
Regards,
Georgios100
Hello, Georgios100
Let's assume weekend-only occupation, for the moment. Minimal requirements: a laptop. Radio will be wind-up or solar. Some lighting (outside will all be solar powered), hot-water; all solar powered, and so any additional can come from wind or solar and do away with diesel generators. Feasible, huh?
Do you have any info on hydro-electric generation to make use of a river (9 months of the year)?
Sounds like a stand alone application. If the grid is far away, or too costly to bring in then you can attempt what you describe.
Basically, stand alone systems consist of:
1. Power generating sources (generator, solar panels, wind turbine and hydro mini turbine).
2. Energy storage (battery bank).
3. Power conversion to household current.
4. Misc equipment (wiring, fuses, transfer switches, voltage meters etc).
1. Power generation.
Any or all of the above can be used. Remember, you can consume as much power as the one you produced. Reduce your needs as much as possible by utilizing energy efficient appliances & lighting. When designing the system, energy conservation is paramount. You can use multiple energy producing equipment (see item 1) and store all of it into your battery bank for later use.
2. Energy storage.
Unlike most people think, the battery bank is a must. Solar panels are nice but don't produce any power during the night. Therefor, your night lighting needs must come from the battery bank. Usually, the battery bank is a set of deep cycle batteries connected together in series or parallel to equal 24 VDC. The battery bank is the most costly item due to it's lifetime (3-4 years). The replacement cost is high.
3. Power conversion.
The battery bank stores electricity at 24 VDC, similar to a car battery but with much more "punch". You will need an "inverter" to convert 24 VDC to 220 VAC (household current). Inverters are common, widely available but not cheap. This item is a must as well.
4. Misc equipment.
The whole system must be connected using wiring, fuses & meters. This is a job of a specialized electrician - do not attempt this yourself.
Note. Hydro turbines (small) are available in the market. They are not suitable for a river but rather for a high level water reservoir due to the "head" requirement for the turbine to work. Exclude this option for now.
A short description of systems I install in the Dom Republic.
The systems consist of a generator (12-20 kw), a battery bank and an inverter. People run the generator in the morning hours for approx 5-6 hours. During the morning, all heavy loads are working (pool pump, AC, stove, iron, washing machine, dryer, vacuum etc). During these 5-6 hours, the battery bank is being charged to capacity. By the afternoon, the generator is switched off & the house goes on battery power till the next morning without any further use of heavy loads to avoid rapid depletion of the battery bank. Solar panels & wind turbines can be added to compliment the genset resulting is reduced genset hours, saving fuel.
I don't live in Cyprus and don't sell or install systems in Cyprus. I am sure there are renewable energy companies there that provide the service. They can help with the paperwork to obtain the Government subsidies as well.
These systems may sound complicated but, really, they are not. Tested for many years, they work very well indeed. Maintenance of the system is essential to success. Another very important thing to remember - install a good "ground" to support the electrical system of the house. Usually a 10 foot copper rod is driven into the ground c/w a heavy gauge wire connection to your main electrical panel. Homes without "ground" are fair game to lighting which can "fry" the house wiring and appliances in a split second...
Hope this helps.
Georgios100
But she does not want to use a genny, is there no way are storing solar better ?
The genset is optional...
Storing electricity is a major obstacle. For now, only batteries can be used.
Of course, you can use the solar production to pump water into an elevated reservoir and use it to power a hydro turbine later but cost too much not to mention the energy losses...
Hello Georgios100
Thank you very much for all the information. It'll take me a while to take it on board and evaluate it with what we need with our options -- so, I may well tap you further.
I really won't be using washing machines and superfluous "labour-saving" devices like that. Quite happy to scrub sheets down by the river on rocks!So, it really would be minimal ussage and electrovoltaic cells should suffice. But, I hadn't banked on the batteries. A little more thought there.
You have alarmed me about the earthing rod and lightning strikes, though. Would a lightning conductor set some distance away help?
Lighting strikes may "hit" 3-4 kms away, looking to ground themselves. If the local ground is gravel or rocky they can "travel" to discharge... you will need good grounding rod/s at your immediate location to make sure.
I would suggest this minimal system for you (since no heavy loads are used)
1. 1 kw inverter/charger, 230VAC output, 24VDC input, 50HZ, non grid.
2. 4 deep cycle batteries, 6V, 220 AH, connected in series to 24VDC (match inverter input).
3. Fuse/breaker box 20A
4. 4 solar panels totaling 200 watts
5. Misc wiring
This small system can support night lighting inside/outside the home, a TV, laptop and perhaps a small fridge.
A good idea would be to build a generation hub at the far end of the plot (back yard). Typical construction would be cement blocks, wood roof & iron lockable door. The roof should be at 33 degrees angled, pointing south, south west to mount the solar panels on to it. Inside this 6ft x 6ft room, you can install the batteries & inverter, having enough room for a future genset. This hub is ideal for keeping harmful lead acid fumes from the batteries entering your home. The future genset produces noise and exhaust fumes, best to be kept away as well.
Stand alone systems are based on numbers, as you know, numbers don't lie. You must produce enough to make it thru the night... no free lunch here.
Georgios100
