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Posts Tagged ‘solar power systems’
Taking Self Sufficiency to a New Level
After becoming disenchanted with the monotony of suburban life, I’ve decided to quit my desk job, sell my possessions and build my own abode in a remote location in the Cascade Mountains. I like to think of it as my 21st century Walden. Admittedly, I’ve become quite accustomed to some of the niceties of city life, which certainly conflicts with my plans. Employing the services of a utility company is out of the question for myriad reasons, so I’ve decided to build my own solar power generator. My energy needs will be modest, so the generator will provide ample power.
You’re probably wondering how I will get money, and the simple answer is that I won’t need any. The money I get from selling my belongings will help me set up my dwelling and the generator, and once I’ve settled in, I’m going to plant a garden and grow my own food—not to mention the profusion of lakes and streams in the area for catching fresh fish
Solar Powered Factories
With the environment and the economic climate being two top concerns amongst factory owners, several factories across the United States are making the switch to solar power. Many factories are setting up solar panels in fields near their factories, or even adorning the entire roof with solar panels to absorb the sun’s energy. The best part of solar power is it’s free. In areas of the United States where sun is a guaranteed, these solar powered factories can reduce their operating costs by a huge amount with an investment in solar power. Whether it’s a solar hot water heater, machines, or transportation; solar power saves a lot of money, and helps the environment.
In the future, it’s quite possible that all factories and major industrial locations will be powered in part or in full through solar panels. It’s impossible for business owners to ignore solar power as a means to cut cost. Provided the initial installation isn’t too expensive, the potential cost reduction over time is amazing.
Solar Power System Component #7
The next component we can talk about is simply the AC Breaker Panel and the Inverter AC Disconnect ( Breaker Box ). The AC breaker panel is the point at which all of a home’s electrical wiring meets with your power company that provides the electricity to your home, and also if you have a Solar Power-electric system. This wall mounted panel box is usually installed in a utility room, garage or basement. It contains a number of circuit breakers, that should be labeled, and is routed to each room in the house to provide electricity through out the house. These breakers allow disconnect of electricity for servicing, and also protect the building against the wiring to prevent electrical fires.
Just like electrical circuits in your home or office, an inverters electrical output needs to be routed through an AC circuit breaker. This breaker is usually mounted inside the buildings main panel which allows the inverter to be disconnected from either the grid or from electrical loads if servicing is necessary, and also safeguards the circuits electrical wiring. In addition to that, utility company’s usually require an AC disconnect between the inverter and the grid that is for their use. And this is usually located near the utility KWH meter on the outside of the building. With the right setup your Solar Power System
can be safe and secure for servicing and maintenance.
Solar Power Systems Component #2
Charge Controller
The next step in building a Solar Power System
- after the Solar Panel, after the Array DC Disconnect, the “Charge Controller”.
The Charge Controller blocks reverse current and prevents battery overcharge. Some controllers also prevents the battery from over discharging, protects from electrical overload and displays battery status and the flow of power. The Charge controller’s primary function is to protect your battery bank from overcharging. It does this by monitoring the batteries. when the batteries is fully charged, the controller interrupts the flow of electricity from the solar panels.
Batteries are expensive and particular about how they are treated. To get the maximum life span out of your batteries you don’t want to overcharge or undercharge them. Most charge controllers have incorporated a maximum power point tracker (MPPT), which optimizes the solar array’s output, and increases the energy that it produces. Some battery based charge controllers include a low-voltage disconnect that prevents over discharge. That can permanently damage the batteries.Solar Power Systems Component #1
Array DC Disconnect
If you are building a Solar Power System and after you build or buy some solar panels, is the next component we’ll talk about. The next component that you will need is called Array DC disconnect.
The Array DC Disconnect is an important part of any Solar Power System
. The use is for shutting off the electrical power supply coming in from the solar panels, you will need to do this at any time that you may do cleaning or maintenance or connect more panels.
The Array DC disconnect is a easy and safe way to cut off the power.
Safety is first and foremost when working with or around electrical components.
Think Smart, Safety First.
Solar Thermal Collector
A solar thermal collector is essentially a directed magnifying glass pointed at a specific liquid container. Water, oil, and anti-freeze have traditionally been used to store this solar energy for household use. They are great for storing solar energy because they each have a high boiling point, making long term energy storage possible.
There are many uses for this stored energy, such as heating an entire house, proving hot water, and heat for cooking. With a solar thermal collector, you add green energy to your daily consumption and lower your impact on the earth.