Practivistas solar 2015: Difference between revisions

Abstract

This project is a follow up to the solar panel systems installed in La Yuca and Ghetto2Garden. It also describes the new installation completed in Las Malvinas. The following page will cover system assessments, inverter analysis, and how to install a system. The background goes into the past projects, as well as the problems we were faced with that we intended to fix and prevent in Las Malvinas. In our literature review we outline information specifically for PV solar panel systems and some information on education matters, as our intent is to involve the community in our process. The timeline displays the daily tasks of our project day by day followed by the budget. In the last portion of the page we display the step-by-step process of how to install system as well as the steps made in order to educate a small class on solar panel technology.

Background

In the summer of 2015, Practivistas from Humboldt State University and Universidad Iberoamericana joined with three communities around Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to improve previous Practivistas solar systems as well as build a new solar photovoltaic system. La Yuca, Ghetto2Garden, and Las Malvinas are communites that Practivistas have worked with in the past. In 2014, a solar system was installed in a small La Yuca school to power lights and fans. The goal of the 2015 team was to run tests to check the health of the battery, to fix any issues found with the system, and to attach a battery monitor. The same was needed for Ghetto2Garden, the team secured a solar array that was installed in 2014 and analyzed the functionality of the system. The final challenge was to teach community members in Las Malvinas how solar systems work, and by bringing everyone's knowledge together, construct a small solar system. The system was installed in a public location in Las Malvinas to power an LED light with help from the community. Amongst all these projects, it was a priority to educate and involve members of the communities so that each system can be maintained by the people who use them.

Problem statement

​The objective of our project is to improve current solar panel systems in the communities of La Yuca and Ghetto2Garden. As well as hold classes in Las Malvinas to educate community members in order to collaboratively construct a new solar system in a publicly accessible location.

Criteria

After meeting with the community of Las Malvinas, Tomas of Ghetto2Garden, and the director of the school in La Yuca, our group thought these were the most important criteria of the three different solar projects.

Criteria	Weight	Constraints
Durability	9	The outdoor equipment must be able to withstand 5 mph winds which is a common wind speed in Santo Domingo (view weather section).
Education	7.5	Through workshops, members of the community must be able to learn the concepts behind solar energy and maintain the systems, as well as learn how to build solar systems themselves.
Security	7	The solar systems must not be visually obvious to passersby.
Maintenance	8	The systems must be low maintenance so community members can keep them in working order without the need for solar experts.
Cost	5	It is necessary to spend all of the set budget.
Safety	6	The solar systems must not be able to be tinkered with by children in the area.
Effectiveness	10	The systems must supply energy at a sustainable rate, when turned on, so that the communities benefit from the energy resource.

Literature Review

Climate

In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: "The average temperature for the year in Santo Domingo is 79.0°F (26.1°C). The warmest month, on average, is June with an average temperature of 81.0°F (27.2°C). The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 76.0°F (24.4°C).The highest recorded temperature in Santo Domingo is 102.0°F (38.9°C), which was recorded in August. The lowest recorded temperature in Santo Domingo is 63.0°F (17.2°C), which was recorded in January."^[1] "The shortest day is December 21 with 11:01 hours of daylight; the longest day is June 20 with 13:15 hours of daylight. The average high of direct sun is in March and is about 7:23 hours and the low is 5:40 hours in December.^[2]The median cloud cover ranges from 53% (partly cloudy) to 81% (mostly cloudy). The sky is cloudiest on September 23 and clearest on February 9. The clearer part of the year begins around October 8. The cloudier part of the year begins around May 18."^[3]

Solar Photovoltaic Systems

A Brief Introduction

Solar Energy

The sun is extremely powerful and solar power technology enables people to harness the Suns energy to use for their own commercial or independent need. This is possible by solar cells, referred to as photovoltaic cells, which make up the solar panels. Photovoltaic cells are made from a semiconducting material that captures the Suns energy converting the light into electricity. "Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity." ^[4] A Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System converts energy from the sun into Direct Current (DC), which can be used directly by a load (appliances, lights etc.) or can be stored in batteries and then converted into Alternating Current (AC) by an inverter. Most home appliances run off of AC, although some appliances can be powered off of DC. Therefore, some systems do not require an inverter, it all depends on what the system will be powering.

Grid tied Vs. Off-Grid

Off-grid solar panel systems require batteries to store the energy not being used at that moment. Batteries make it possible for people who live off-grid to have electricity at night or on a cloudy day. The photovoltaic cells are just one component of the photovoltaic system that make up the weather sealed modules(panels). Solar power is great for small applications that use little or no land and result in minimal environmental impacts. When the PV system is grid-connected it allows the excess energy to flow into the grid. Most PV systems are connected to a grid, this allows extra generated electricity to go into a power plant and in most cases you can be paid to generate power for the energy companies. Off-grid systems however may be located in a remote area or are not connected to the main electrical grid. In this case, the system will cases have batteries in order to store the extra energy that is generated so it can be used when less sun is available. Off-grid and grid-tied systems have similar and varying components but it is crucial to have surge protectors and charge controllers no matter the system. ^[5]Most photovoltaic systems have a capacity of 5 kW or less which is enough to provide power to homes and small buildings. This means that by having solar panels it is possible to live sufficiently off grid providing enough energy to sustain a household unconnected to the utility electrical grid.^[6]

Electrical Wiring

Electricity must flow through a closed circuit and ultimately be used by appliances or stored within the batteries. Installing solar panels implies that an electrical circuit will be created. There are two types of circuits: series and parallel. The batteries and solar panels will be connected in either series or parallel and sometimes both. Depending on how you wire your system, there will be a difference in voltage, current and resistance within the system. In order to choose the size and connection that best fits your energy needs, calculations must take place to design the system you are building.^[7]

All Components Comprising a Photovoltaic System

• "Solar photovoltaic modules
• Array mounting racks
• Grounding equipment
• Combiner box
• Surge protection (often part of the combiner box)
• Inverter
• Meters – system meter and kilowatt-hour meter
• Disconnects:
- Array DC disconnect
- Inverter DC disconnect
- Inverter AC disconnect
- Exterior AC disconnect
If the system includes batteries, it will also require:
• Battery bank with cabling and housing structure
• Charge controller
• Battery disconnect” ^[8]

Solar System Terms to Know

^[9]

Cell : A single photo-voltaic
Panel/ Module: A bunch of cells together
Array: Panels that are connected together
Charge Controller: regulates batter voltage and charging rate
Inverter: changes direct current to alternating current
Load: Any electrical component that draws power from a system
Circuit breakers/fuses: Over current protectors
Disconnects: allow the system to be turned off for maintenance and safety

Connecting a System

Site Assessment

There are many factors that must be taken into consideration for a successful solar photovoltaic system for it to reach peak efficiency. These factors include climate and location on earth as well as physical placement, position and orientation of the solar panels. Harnessing the maximum direct sunlight available at a site is the goal of every solar panel installation. Solar energy is most successful in regions where there is an abundance of sunshine. For a successful system, it is ideal to install the panels in a location that receives a great amount of sun from times 8am-5pm.^[10] It is especially best where there is less deviation and refraction of the solar rays, or in any region where radiation levels exceed 1,700 Kwh/m^2 yr. At the location of PV system installation the physical orientation, placement and position of the solar panels are adjusted to harness the most sunlight that area can receive. For example, in regions close to the equator a low tilt is recommend to maximize solar gain.^{[11] [12]}

In order to correctly size your PV system you must calculate the intended loads that the system will be required to power, the design current, and calculate the system array size. You must also calculate the system battery size, the DC and AC wire size, as well as determine if lightning protection, and ground fault protection is needed.

Efficiency of System

Knowing when solar noon occurs is helpful in finding the peak sun hours for the solar system. ^[13] If the time at sunset if subtracted form the time at sunrise and divided by two, solar noon is calculated. The power output per unit area determines the panel efficiency. Calculating the efficiency of the solar photovoltaic cells is necessary when determining what cell efficiency and quantity is best in meeting one's needs. Space constraints require individuals to calculate the efficiency necessary per cell. The equation is shown below:

maximum efficiency = maximum power output / incident radiation flux*area of collector [14]

The amount of sunlight that hits the earth's surface in W/m^2 is the incident radiation flux. It depends on one's geographical location, however, most often in standard test conditions the incident radiation flux is 1000 W/m^2.^[14] It is important to include the area of the frames in one's calculations, although they are not necessary part of the panel, they will still take up roof space. If one has ample amount of roof space to install solar panels, she may not need to calculate the efficiency needed because using many low-cost less efficient panels would be a viable option. Using reflective materials, such as mirrors to concentrate light on efficeint photovoltaic cells is known as Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV). Doing this will increase the overall effectiveness of the system.^[15]

Wiring the Components

It is crucial to have good battery care in a PV system as there is a high risk of over charging your batteries due to high voltage at peak sun hours. With a charge controller you are able to limit this risk within the system and protect the battery ^[16] It is also crucial to have cabling in order to connect he solar panel system to the household power line and direct alternating and direct currents. "A series of cabling infrastructure is necessary to actually bring the converted power into homes and business. In essence, the solar cable is an wire that interconnects all parts of the solar PV system. Cabling networks can vary, but typically are designed to be UV and weather resistant and capable of dealing with extreme fluctuations in temperature (both heat and cold), since one common factor for these system is that they're used outdoors. The most common type of cabling used is a DC voltage of 1.8 kV and a temperature range from - 40 degrees Celsius to 90 degrees Celsius. Another important feature of the solar cable is that it must be insulated well enough to withstand the thermal and mechanical loads. To achieve this, most solar cables use plastic that are cross-linked using electron beams. This protects against the weather elements, including the sun's radiation and humidity that would otherwise erode the system over time." ^[17]

Key Components of a System

Solar Panel (Module)

There are a variety of solar panel designs that result in differing efficiency and cost. The most practical and relevant panels on the market are crystalline silicon based. Crystalline silicone is the most expensive, but the most efficient available. There are two types of crystialine silicon, for example, monocrystalline and polycrystalline but there is also amorphous-silicon which deviates from crystalline. Of the three varieties, mono crystalline is the most efficient but the most expensive upfront. Even though it is the most expensive, it is the most common because of its has an average efficiency of 15-18% and reaching as high as 20%^[18]. It is also the most popular in the market comprising of 80% of the photovoltaic systems installed. Polycrystalline is cheaper and is meant to increase production at a cheaper cost. This results in a cheaper solar panel at a cost of a less efficient system. The average efficiency of polycrystalline is reduced to a peak of 15%.^[19] Diverging from the crystalline silicon technology, amorphous silicon cells were developed and have an even lower efficiency of 8%.^[20]

Deep Cycle Batteries

Batteries are needed to store the solar energy generated; so that loads requiring energy when sunlight is unavailable can be used. The electrical energy produced by the PV panels is converted into chemical energy through the battery cells. The chemical energy is then changed back into electrical energy as needed. ^[21] When a lead-acid battery is not completely charged, nor completely discharged for as little as three days, the battery's carrying capacity begins to diminish. This is due to the soft lead sulfate material, that forms on the battery plates during discharge, not being able to recombine with the electrolyte solution. The sulfate crystallizes on the plates rather than being lifted from the plates during the recharging process. The insulating barrier continues to become thicker and thinker until the battery cannot accept a charge at all. The sulfation on the plates created by lack of recharging is destructive to the battery.^[22] The lead acid deep cycle batteries used for solar systems should last from 4-8 years with proper maintenance. ^[23] Lead acid batteries are one of the first rechargable batteries. The term secondary battery can be used to refer to a rechargable battery. A lead acid battery requires ventilation and must be kept upright if it is the unsealed kind. Voltage spikes and water in the battery seperates into oxygen and hydrogen if the battery is overcharged. If this occurs, there is a chance for a small explosion. ^[24] A hydrometer is used to measure the quantity of sulfuric acid contained in the electrolyte fulid of the lead acid battery. The optimum sulfuric acid to water ratio needed in the electrolyte fluid is 7 parts sulfuric acid and 13 parts water. If the sulfuric acid reading is low, the sulfur is resting on the battery plates. As the battery is recharged, the sulfur will recombine into the electrolyte. ^[25].

Inverter

The inverter is a very crucial component of the system because it converts the Direct Current(DC) received by the solar panels to Alternating current(AC) which feeds into the electrical grid. Inverters come in different sizes to accommodate for varying systems. At a minimum the size of your inverter must be able to supply the minimum surge and usual power. Surge power is the maximum power the inverter can supply but only for a short period of time. The usual power is the average power the inverter should sustain on a daily basis.^[26] For an off grid system, the inverter will be connected to batteries so the size of the inverter must be able to support the voltage(V). If a system is composed of two batters that are 6V connected in series,then the inverter should be able to support 12V DC converting to 120V AC. The same goes for a system with four 6V batteries in series, the inverter should be the size of 24V, feeding 240V AC.^[27] There are two different kinds of common investors a modified sine wave and a pure sine wave. The sine wave is the current that feeds into the electrical utility unit, so you want it to produce the clearest power. Modified sine wave inverters are less expensive but have a decrease in efficiency by 20%.^[28] The pure sine wave inverter produces an almost perfect sine wave almost equivalent to grid power making it very compatable with AC electronic systems. Although, it is more complex and costs more per unit power.

Charge Controller

The purpose of a charge controller is to protect the battery from overcharging and discharging completely. The component intersects the wire connection from the modules to the batteries allowing it monitor constantly the current into the batteries. It also can detect when no energy is coming into the system to prevent a reverse current when sun is not available. This regulation helps extend the batteries life and prevents the battery from being damaged. There are two types of monitors, a MPPT and PWM that allow the input of current in different manors. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is the more expensive monitor that is a newer technology but is the most expensive. It will give your system 30% more power and is mostly used for larger systems. Pulse width modulation (PWM) are less expensive and work by sending spikes of charge into the batteries. It is an older technology but are still very efficient and very widely used.^[29]

Battery Monitor

This component is connected to the battery but is not an essential part to the entire PV system. Although it doesn't provide or enable the power within the system, it does help a person understand the battery and the functioning of a battery. Battery monitors vary greatly and depending on the budget, a battery monitor can provide the current state of battery's voltage, current, battery capacity, and more. A monitor can even have alarms to signal an alert when the battery exceeds a desired depth of discharge. Battery monitors are very helpful because they translate the state of the battery into a language that a person can easily understand. If one does not own this device, the only way to proceed with maintanence checks is by using a voltage meter which to an untrained eye makes a simple maintanence check more complicated.^[30]

Circuit Breakers

In common Photovoltaic systems, breakers are installed for the modules and the batteries. Meaning, there is a breaker in the wire connection between the modules and the Charge controller and between the charge controller and the batteries. These breakers can very in amps and by a simple switch can either stop the current to these components or enable it. It is very handy to install these breakers so if any maintenance on the system is needed you can shut off the current with a simple switch. By having two separate breakers for the batteries and the solar panels it allows one to work on different areas of the system that can no require no incoming solar energy but still require the batteries for testing or vice versa. The size of breakers are only sold in standard sizes, so you must round up the total ampacity of the system. If budget is of concern, this is not an essential component but it will make the maintanence process much easier.^[31]

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

A GFCI protects individuals from being shocked by malfunctioning electrical devices. A person who is using such a device and is also touching a wet, conductive surface becomes the pathway from the device to the ground. The electrical current going through the body can be harmful and even deadly. GFCIs can be installed in electrical outlets or extension cord circuits.^[32]

Lightning Arrestor

A lightning arrestor (or surge arrestor) is an important factor if you are in an area that gets frequent storms. Lightning can overcharge your system thus damaging your equipment. "Arrestors are typically installed on transmission lines and they divert lightning and utility switching surges to ground, clamping (or limiting) the voltage of the surge." ^[33]

Basic Tools Needed for Installation

"Angle finder
Torpedo level
Fish tape
Chalk line
Cordless drill (14.4V or greater), multiple batteries
Unibit and multiple drill bits (wood, metal, masonry)
Hole saw
Hole punch
Torque wrench with deep sockets
Nut drivers (most common PV sizes are 7/16”, ½”, 9/16”)
Wire strippers
Crimpers
Needle-nose pliers
Lineman's pliers
Slip-joint pliers
Small cable cutters
Large cable cutters
AC/DC multimeter
Hacksaw
Tape measure
Blanket, cardboard or black plastic to keep modules from going “live” during installation
Heavy duty extension cords
Caulking gun
Fuse Pullers”^[34]

Education

Lesson plans are helpful when informing children and adults in the community about solar energy. Teaching the community about the basics on how solar panels work and the importance of sustainability and renewable energy aids their understanding about the solar system installed in their community. ^[35] By bringing in solar-powered lights which can be disassembled, students will be able to gain hands-on experience. Incorporating tactile learning as well as visual and auditory learning is key to making sure the students understand the concepts being presented. ^[36]The class's goal should be to make sure the students know how the electricity is being generated. It is also intended that the students leave with knowledge on what renewable energy is and why it is needed. ^[37] For more advanced classes, the objective is to have community members learn the calculations needed to size a solar array and other calculations to further their knowledge of solar technology. With this knowledge combined with their previous knowledge of wiring, they will be able to install a system themselves.

Past Projects

Ghetto2Garden 2012,2014

Ghetto2Garden (G2G) is a shelter for dogs and cats have been abandoned and severley injured. In 2013, a solar panel system was installed to sustain a vaccine refrigerator. This sstem was very sucessful and stored medicine for the animals; it was called the Solar Lighting Cube. ^[38] In 2014 Practivistas Dominicana students installed a US legal system at Ghetto2Garden (G2G).The shelter is a safe haven for animals that were on the street. There is a housing unit on the property that needed electrical power for lighting and a refrigerator. The most important aspect of the system for the team was functionality, durability, safety, security and easy maintenance. The system was set up and running at the end of the program, summer 2014. Some of the lessons that the team learned during the process of this project were to contact help as soon as possible, always over-estimate the load, air flow is necessary for the panels, and a bigger gauge is needed when using DC compared to AC. The next steps for this project that were sited were to change the battery monitor to monitor all batteries instead of just one and to make the panels/system more secure. Also labels should be added to help with future maintenance. ^[39]

La Yuca Project 2014

Practivistas Dominicana installed a solar power energy system in La Yuca, a community in Santo Domingo. Its goal was to design and implement an efficient source of energy for two school rooms where there are frequent power outages."Upon completion of the installation of the solar power system in La Yuca, the team was successfully able to verify the working condition of the system."^[40] To improve this project, future practivistas can add a battery monitor that will show the battery voltage so they can be taken care of appropriately extending the battery life. Also to establish seemingly permanent system, the wires are needing be secured from the control panel to the control box. The system was a success and was fully functioning providing energy to the two schoolrooms.

Construction

Very complete description of how final project is made. This large section should have lots of pictures. Please consider making a timeline in addition or instead. Use the Help:Images#Galleries and probably Template:How_to (e.g. Barrel O' Fun Worm Bin Instructions).

Timeline

The following table outlines the tasks completed by the solar 2015 team.

Date	Task	Photos
May 28	The first community meeting was held in Las Malvinas where the electrical needs of the community was discussed and the team exchanged contact information. It was also announced that there will be a free solar panel installation workshop taught by practivistas. They will also be installing a small system in an accessible area in the community. This is projected to happen around the week of June 22.
May 30	The team went to Ghetto2Garden to check out the dog sanctuary and check out the situation of the solar system as it was disassembled while the owner went out of town. Tomas expresses need for protective shelf for the batteries as he wishes to remodel the kitchen. The system has been disconnected and must be correctly rewired. The team concluded that they need to solve the wiring problems and come up with a secure system at this site.
June 1	The team went to La Yuca to meet with administration, although they did not show up, and assess the PV system. Once they gained access to the storage room it was apparent that the LED lights in the storage room have been disconnected due to damage to the roof and it was discovered that the Rainwater Catchment System has been dismantled by bad weather and children, who could also potentially stand on the solar panels. Update: The teaching assistant Jack and Javier fixed the Rainwater Catchment system and the LED lights were also repaired over the duration of this project)
June 2	The team was able to meet with administration at La Yuca in order to gain permission to assess the system by draining and recharging the batteries. Administration stated that the inverter has not been outputting power and the team used a multimeter to measure the voltage. The batteries were at 12.86 v and the inverter was at 1.2 amps. The team was then informed that the inverter was smoking in April. We removed the inverter from the storage room in order to have it repaired.
June 3	Since to the inverter is broken the team could not return to La Yuca to test how long the solar panels would take to recharge, as planned. The day was used instead to strategically plan out the next steps we need to make. The first priority was transportation of the inverter to an electrical shop and make a shelf/ table to hold the four 6V batteries at Ghetto2Garden. Administration in La Yuca have addressed that we need to make sure we give a hands-on tour of the solar panel system once we have finished so they can address any future problems and/or educate the children in order to prevent them from possible destruction.
June 5	The inverter was taken to SM Electronica by Tito's to be fixed. The team called Eddie to ensure that he had the tools needed to construct a compartment to hold the batteries at the system in Ghetto2Garden for next Thursday's proposed construction meeting. (Update: Tomas informed the team that there is a shelf sturdy for the batteries therefore the materials gathered will be used for the system to be installed in Las Malvinas) Communication is a vital component as the team spent a lot of time and energy planning the shelf and with this new information we are able to adapt to new circumstances and use the materials in another way.
June 8	The inverter was fixed and picked up by Tito. The cost for repairs was RD$1050. The team went to La Yuca to connect the inverter with the intention of draining the system however the solar panels were left on due to miscommunication.When the batteries were checked with the multimeter it was at a healthy 12.28 DCV.
June 9	After discharging the batteries overnight, we went to La Yuca in the afternoon to begin recharging the batteries. We had difficulty reading the voltage of the batteries, so we were unable to effectively take data of the charging process. Due to little knowledge on the voltage of a charged and discharged battery, the team researched more that evening to return in a couple of days to efficiently repeat the process. This is will give them a better understanding of the functionality of the entire system, and we will have reliable data that can be used for future systems in Ghetto2Garden and Las Malvinas.
June 11	Today the team had the community meeting to collectively plan out the days with members of the community for the solar panel workshop. We chose June 23, 26, and 27th as they work best with all our schedules and Sunday June 28th we will install a small system at the Botica. As be a solidifying learning experience for our team and the community members of how to size and wire the system.
June 12	Met with Lonny in order to create a lesson plan and update him on the current state of our project. Made a tentative schedule to go to Ghetto2Garden to rewire the system. We split up so half of us could work on updating the General Solar Sizing Spreadsheet and discharge the system in La Yuca, as it was not well monitored the first time. As the school only used the PV system once before the batteries are still in good shape and data from discharging and recharging will be displayed further down the page.
June 13-14	The second group in the team went to La Yuca to recharge the batteries back to 13.7 Volts and the other group went to buy a battery monitor and other materials unfortunately the stores were closed but the batteries proved to be healthy. The team met up the next day to assess the data and size the system for Las Malvinas, further equations must take place as we collaborate with the community and decide what items are necessary for the Botica.
June 16	The team went to Ghetto2Garden with the fixed inverter as the old inverter was mutilated by rats. The batteries were not wired correctly and had to be rotated and corrected. The charge controller had to be removed from the system and taken back to Santo Domingo for repair and the team took the wires in order to rewire the system before returning to Ghetto2Garden as it will be time efficient to hook up the wires.
June 19-20	The charge controller was taken to TraceSolar and turned out to be beyond repairs. Must wait until they get a shipment of new charge controllers and purchase necessary items for the classes and system in Las Malvinas. The team started making an outline for teaching the community on solar energy systems and actual steps in the classes have been laid out for the team to better prepare themselves for teaching the community members. The team has a material list and will continue purchasing items necessary for the system.
June 23	Today the team had a meeting with the director of the program resulting in restructuring itself and choosing a leader. The team needed more motivation and communication in order to manage time wisely and complete the required items with the limited amount of time left. The first solar workshop was held today at 5pm and was successful. The topics covered in this class were components of a solar panel system, power equations, and the difference between series and parallel wiring.
June 25	Today the team purchased a charge controller from Téchnica Electromecánica Núñez. The team also made an outline to teach how to size the components needed for a PV solar system for the second class at 5pm. During the first half of the class there were hands-on learning with the small solar panels doing series and parallel, by connecting the panels and measuring the voltage and current with a multimeter. Everyone in the class also had their own light systems that they were able to connect to visualize each component in the mini system. The topic covered in the second half of the class was primarily on sizing the system and deciding on what should be powered in the Botica. While in Las Malvinas the team took inventory of the 7 outlets and backings, electrical wire, conduit, and an indoor panel board load controller that was bought by the construction team.
June 26	Today the 250 W and 24 V solar panel and accessories were purchased from Téchnica Electromecánica Núñez with a grand total of RD$37,045. The team was planning on rewiring the Ghetto2Garden system with our professor/director, Lonny, however Tomas told us that he would not be able to get us a ride. Therefore we spent the time planning what had to be done over the next week and assigning tasks. Afterwards we received word from Tito that he will be able to go and give us a ride. With the limited notice our team leader accepted the late night challenge to rewire the system with the help of another member and phone advice from Lonny and she was able to complete the task.
June 27	The team purchased the inverter and printed copies of the lesson plan to hand out to the community members to hold on to for their independent learning pleasure.	Soon to be uploaded

Budget

Materials	Unit Price $(DOP)	Quantity	Cost $(DOP)	Cost $(USD)
Solar Panel 250W / 24V	90,000	1	90,000	2,000
Feet of cable to Panel	35.00	15	525.00	11.67
Connector Panel	500	1	500	11.11
Nationwild Batteries 115AMP / 12V	9,500	2	19,000	422.22
Jumper 6"	70	1	70	1.55
Jumper 36"	600	2	1,200	26.67
DC 30 Breaker	625	1	625	13.89
DC 63 Breaker	625	1	625	13.89
Electrical Wire	300	7	2,100	47.72
AC Breakers	150.00	6	900	20.45
Fix La Yuca Inverter	N/A	1	1,000	22.20
Fix Ghetto2Garden Inverter	N/A	1	7,000	155.66
Barello Wire #18	190	1	190	4.22
Soldering Iron	236	2	472	10.48
Solder	637.20	1	637.20	14.16
Soldering Paste	94.40	1	94.40	2.10
Electrical tape	60	1	60	1.33
Heat Shrink	N/A	1	50.00	1.11
Zip Ties	N/A	1	20.00	0.45
Printing Expenses	N/A	N/A	1,085	24.11
Plywood	980	1	980	21.78
Screws	1.20	24	28.80	0.64
Nails	N/A	12	5.00	0.11
20" Enlate	215	2	430	9.56
Total Cost			$127,097.00	$2,836.68

Operation

This is how to operate. It should have a brief introduction and very useful images with labels. Also it may work best for your project to use the step by step how to template {{How to}}. See #Troubleshooting for an example.

Maintenance/ Testing

Introduce this maintenance section.

Using this battery test, one will be able to learn how many hours certain loads can be used without sun. This test will also provide information about how long it takes the battery to reach full charge on a clear day.

1. On a clear day, turn off inverter and turn off all loads in order to charge the battery 100%.
2. Turn the breaker for the solar panel and the breaker for the battery on
3. To check that the battery has reached its maximum capacity, consult the charge controller. Some charge controllers will blink green lights when the battery is fully charged. Take a voltage reading with a multimeter that is set to 20 Direct Current Voltage (DCV). Consult the table on this site to determine if the battery is fully charged based from the DCV reading http://www.solar-electric.com/deep-cycle-battery-faq.html Proceed with steps once the battery is 100% charged.
4. Turn on all loads that would replicate the amount of power needed from the solar system by the user normally.
5. Turn off both breakers: the one for the panel and the one for the battery.
6. Finally, have one person turn on the inverter while another person starts a 10 minute timer.
7. Every 10 minutes check the DCV of the battery and record findings.
8. The battery should never be discharged more than 20%, reference the table from the link in step three to calculate what the DCV should be when the battery has reached an 80% depth of discharge (DOD).
9. Once the battery has read the desired DOD, turn off all loads and the inverter, but turn on the breaker for the battery.
10. To begin the recharging process, have one person turn on the breaker for the solar panel, while another person starts a 10 minute timer.
11. Monitor the DCV every 10 minutes until the battery is fully charged.

Schedule

This is when to maintain what.

Daily

• A daily task
• A daily task

Weekly

• a weekly task
• a weekly task

Monthly

• a monthly task
• a monthly task

Yearly

• a yearly task
• a yearly task

Every __ years

• task
• task

Instructions

This is how to use and maintain it. The step by step how to template {{How to}} is most likely best for this part.

Conclusion

Testing results

Discharging the La Yuca batteries

The two 6V batteries initially read 13.7V when the system was completely charged. After three hours with the loads from the table below on, the voltage of the batteries read 11.96V. According to the Depth of Discharge table from http://www.solar-electric.com/deep-cycle-battery-faq.html, the batteries were discharged 60%. This means that the La Yuca school can run their loads for three hours on a cloudy day and still have some energy left in their batteries.

Load	Quantity	Power (Watts)
Fan	2	55
Incandescent Light Bulb	1	100
Compact Florescent Light Bulb	1	18

Recharging the La Yuca Batteries

In order to evaluate the health of the batteries, the amount of hours it should take to recharge the 12V system was calculated and compared with the amount of time it took to recharge the batteries in actuality. Below is the equation used to determine how long the batteries should take to discharge:

[Total Amperage*Depth of Discharge*1.1(Derate Factor)*12V] 
/ Solar Panel Wattage

The series of four graphs to the right represent the recharging process. The seperation of data by graph clearly shows at what time and for how long the team turned off the solar panel breaker in order for the true voltage of the battery to be determined. Reading the graphs consecutevly, one can view the voltage drop after each time the solar panel breaker was turned off and an accurate battery voltage could be recorded.

Discussion

Discuss the testing results.

Lessons learned

1. It is very important to establish a leader in the beginning and express what needs to be done and accomplished daily so everyone can be as efficient as possible and do what is best for the team.
2. We should have known exactly what steps needed to be made before we went to La Yuca to test the batteries as we found out you can damage the batteries by discharging them too low. We would have been more time efficient if we did not have to keep going out to the site without the knowledge needed to successfully complete the task we set out to do.
3. It is crucial to be able to adapt to the information given to us as we need to best prepare for the upcoming deadlines we need to accomplish. Overall, it is best to use time wisely and communicate with others as what is needed to be done.
4. The community members have been extremely helpful and are more knowledgeable on the subject than us and we are grateful they are willing to share their time and know-how on any subject with us. It is vital to learn useful phrases in Spanish to express your gratitude for them and communicate what needs to be done so we can complete our project.

Next steps

Discuss any next steps for the project as it goes on into the future.

Troubleshooting

This is only how to troubleshoot basic operation. For complex issues, the solution might just say contact ________. It should be a table in this format:

Problem	Suggestion
Example issue	Example solution or suggestion
Does not turn on	Make sure it is plugged in
Another issue	Et cetera

Team

• Ellen Thompson
• Athena Vescott
• Jessica Solomon

Grading criteria for the remaining sections:

• Grammar and spelling +1
• Formatting +1
• Depth, breadth and accuracy of content +7
• Project documentation's potential for impact (e.g. reproduction) +1

References

Template:Reflist

Make sure to include other relevant categories at the bottom, e.g. [[Category:Rainater]], [[Category:Upcycling]], etc.