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===Instructions=== | ===Instructions=== | ||
*When nobody is here, make sure switch is flipped to the right. | |||
*When solar power is needed, flip switch to the left. | |||
*During times of no sun, minimize energy consumption, and only use solar system when absolutely needed. Otherwise have switch flipped to the right. | |||
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== |
Revision as of 19:02, 13 July 2014
Abstract
Background
During the months of May through July in 2014, students from Humboldt State University in the Practivistas Dominicana Program are working in collaboration with Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Collectivo RevArk, and Ghetto2Garden. A group of five students consisting of Noah Coor, Jackson Ingram, Emily Klee, and Jeff Mosbacher are designing a project to provide solar energy that will power the electricity needs for Ghetto2Garden. Ghetto2Garden needs power for lighting, outlets, and a waterpump.
Problem statement
The objective of this project is to design and implement an alternative energy system that can produce power for Ghetto2Garden.
Criteria
The following table designates the criteria for completing our project weighted on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being of little importance and 10 being of the highest importance.
Criteria | Weight | Constraint |
---|---|---|
Durability | 9 | The system must be able to withstand the various weather conditions of the Dominican Republic |
Functionality | 10 | Must be able to power the clients needs and store excess electricity |
Cost | 8 | Must not exceed the project budget |
Material Locality | 6.5 | Materials must be locally available |
Security & Safety | 9 | Must be a well protected and hidden system from theft as well as any possible physical harm to people and animals near by |
Ease of Maintenance | 8.5 | System must require little maintenance and be easy to understand and work with |
Aesthetics | 5 | System constructed in a visually pleasing way |
Literature Review
Here is a link to a review of the literature pertinent to the 2014 alternative energy project.
Construction
Listed below is a timeline of the events of the Renewable energy team and the objectives that were completed. This section includes a cost analysis of the project and its required materials, as well as a "How-To" table for the steps needed to size and assemble a Photovoltaic System.
Timeline
The following table outlines the tasks and dates for the project.
Date Proposed | Task | Photos | Date Completed |
---|---|---|---|
June 10th | Met with one of the coordinators, Ivan Tarrazo, for Ghetto2Garden to discuss the energy needs of the company and the projects details. The director wants to power a refrigerator, a water pump, lights and fans for each shipping container. Gave the coordinator a Kill-A-Watt meter in order to gather information about the refrigerators energy usage. Talked briefly about system security and location. | June 10th | |
June 13th | Worked on sizing the Ghetto2Garden PV system. | June 15th | |
June 14th | Went to the Ghetto2Garden site to take photos and gather information needed to size up their PV system. Spoke to Tomas about specific energy needs. | June 14th | |
June 27th | Purchase required materials. | June 27th | |
June 28th | Install PV system. | June 29th | |
July 1st | Final checks and testing, added labels. | Picture needed | July 1st |
July 3rd | Presentations | July 3rd |
Costs
This is a cost budget for this project, which includes the quantity, and Dominican peso and US dollar price for each item.
Material | Quantity | Unit Price (RD$) | Total (RD$) | Total (US$) |
---|---|---|---|---|
255 Watt Yingli Panda Solar Panel | 2 | 12,200.00 | 24,400.00 | 561.18 |
Charge Controller | 1 | 5,400.00 | 5,400.00 | 124.20 |
6V Battery | 4 | 5,200.00 | 20,800.00 | 478.38 |
Inverter 1.5Kw / 24V | 1 | DONATED | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Ground Fault Protection 63Amp | 1 | 3,300.00 | 3,300.00 | 75.90 |
Lightning Protection 63Amp | 1 | 3,550.00 | 3,550.00 | 81.65 |
63Amp Breaker | 1 | 625.00 | 625.00 | 14.37 |
30Amp Breaker | 1 | 625.00 | 625.00 | 14.37 |
Ground Wire | 1 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 2.30 |
Terminal Connectors | 4 | 80.00 | 320.00 | 7.36 |
Electrical Cable | 150 ft | 8.00 | 1,200.00 | 27.61 |
Electrical Tape | 1 | 176.00 | 176.00 | 4.05 |
Total Cost | $61,121.00 | $1,405.75 |
How to recreate
Step-by-step instructions on how this system was created.
Materials Needed: |
---|
1. PV Panels |
2. Electrical Tape |
3. Multi Meter |
4. 30 Amp Breaker |
5. 35 Amp Charge Controller |
6. Electrical AC Wiring |
7. 1.5 Kw Inverter |
8. 63 Amp Breaker |
9. Lightning Protection |
10. Ground Fault Protection |
11. 6V Deep Cycle Batteries x 4 |
12. Terminal Connector Wires |
13. Grounding Wire |
14. Battery Cable Lugs |
Part 1: Sizing the System
Part 2: Assembling the System
NOTE: Depending on which model charger controller you are using, the order of the wiring will vary. It is important that you follow the installation instructions stated in your charge controller manual.
Operation
The following is a guide to the maintenance of the solar power system as well as information about its operation.
Maintenance
In order to keep this system up and running efficiently, periodic checks are mandatory. These check-ins involve inspecting the wires for all aspects of the system, and monitoring the solar charge controller. The panels must also be cleaned once a month, or after a storm in order to maintain panel efficiency. The batteries must also be replaced after their lifespan has ended.
Instructions
- When nobody is here, make sure switch is flipped to the right.
- When solar power is needed, flip switch to the left.
- During times of no sun, minimize energy consumption, and only use solar system when absolutely needed. Otherwise have switch flipped to the right.
Conclusion
The following section addresses the teams results with the system in the La Yuca Schoolroom, and discusses the things that could be added to improve the system as well as instructions for future users to troubleshoot the system.
Testing results
Discussion
Lessons learned
Some of the lessons that we learned while installing the solar panel system in the La Yuca Schoolroom were as follows.
- Monitors should be installed across the entire of the battery bank in order to monitor the batteries, instead of just one even though the batteries are wired in series.
- Plan ahead and contact the people helping you install the system at least a day in advance to assure that you have the correct tools for the job.
- Always over-estimate the load that your system will need to produce. A little bit more electricity produced than is necessary is better than not having enough electricity.
- Follow the instructions that come with the solar charge controller, because the order of which you connect the wires to the controller matter.
- Our team learned a lot about the difference between AC and DC current and how to wire the two different types. Specifically, make sure you have a bigger gauge of wire for the DC aspect of your system as opposed to the AC aspect of your system. The reasoning for this is that DC current drops in voltage over a long distance, where AC current can have smaller wires and can travel over much larger distances.
- Create a way for the panels that are laying flat on the ground to be raised up in order to create airflow underneath the panels when they get hot.
Next steps
Troubleshooting
Below is a chart that details some problems and solutions for the charge controller and other PV system components.
Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
---|---|---|
Charge Controller is overcharging battery (verified by measured current through the controller). | PV positive and Battery positive wires have been swapped. | Verify the voltage on PV terminal and Battery terminal are from the correct sources. |
Charge Controller is locking up. | PV positive and Battery positive wires have been swapped. | Verify the voltage on PV terminal and battery terminal are from the correct sources. |
Charge controller status LED blinks orange after switching on array breaker. | PV wires are connected in reverse polarity. | Verify PV polarity relative to battery negative. |
Charge controller LED blinks orange at times during the solar day. | A: Controller is overheating. B: Array is supplying more current than the controller is rated for (press reset button and measure current). | A: Check ambient air temperature around controller. B: Divide array with another controller or use large controller. |
System is not providing power for as long as usual. | Batteries are becoming worn down. | Replace batteries. |
System is providing little power. | Batteries may be drained . | Turn off solar power and allow for recharge of batteries. |
System does not work. | A:Possible wire faulting. B: One or more of the appliances are faulty. | A: Thoroughly investigate wires for visible damage and replace if needed. B: Replace one or more components of system if needed. |
Video
Team
The Renewable Energy Team of 2014 consists of the following Humboldt State University Engineering students, as well as Javier Duran Jr. from La Yuca. Also, a very special thanks to Tito from the La Yuca Community for providing his expert electrical knowledge and help.