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SOLAR-WIND POWER
SYSTEMS
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Updated 1-12-12
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SPIRIT AND OPPORTUNITY
SOLAR/WIND POWER CONTROLLERS ARE LAUNCHED MARCH 2011.
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The two new wind solar charge controllers named Spirit, and Opportunity in honor of the Mars Rovers. These controllers both went online in March 2011 and are working perfectly. These controllers charge my 500 amp battery bank and provide all the power for my workshop and house lightning, as well as my ham radio repeater system. I replaced my older controllers with these homebrew units I designed. Both controllers can run independently from each other or they can be combined with a flip of a switch. |
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Here is the first 30 amp solar charge controller which is named Spirit. There are meters for DC Amps, DC Volts. Switches to divert power to heat for my workshop, or AC power. Main breaker at the bottom is used to shut down all power to controller from the solar array. There is also a custom controller service switch, as well as a automatic and manual cooling fan which cools the inside control box to keep the control circuits cool. A built in thermostat is used to automatticaly activate when the inside temp reaches 75 degrees. I mounted led indicators to indicate the controllers status. |
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Here is the sister controller
Opportunity which came online shortly after Spirit. It was made just
like Spirit, with the exception of some electrical changes for improved
reliability.
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HERE ARE SOME OF MY WIND/SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS
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Above is a photo of the new
510 watt solar electric system as it was being constructed. This new
array will be used to power my 220 repeater as well inside and outside
lightning at my mountain cabin.
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New 510 watt solar array
up and running (Summer 2010)
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Back side of 510 watt solar
array. The mount was made from a recycled C Band satellite dish mount,
2x4 and 4x4 lumber and can be moved east and west with the attached
12 volt satellite positioner motor.
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Smaller 45 watt Harbor Frieght
solar array used to run my website laptop computer as well as a small
100 watt ac inverter and two desk lamps.
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Back side of 45 watt Harbor
Frieght solar array. I used part of a recycled C Band Satellite dish
mount and motor, and modified the panels to mount on a custom made frame.
The light you see on the top of the middle panel is the sun shining
thrugh the solar panels thin film solar cell design.
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Above is the older 150 watt
solar system that has now been taken down during the upgrade. These
panels were added to the new 510 watt array seen in the photo's at the
top of the page. The old mount was modified to hold the smaller Harbor
Frieght 45 watt array.
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Southwest Windpower Air 403
12 volt 25 amp wind generator.
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500 AH BATTERY BANK The photo above shows my current battery bank, I have 4 125ah batteries tied in parallel for a total of 500ah, I plan on adding one more 125 ah battery next week. |
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OLDER OUTDATED SOLAR/ WIND POWER CONTROL SYSTEM SEEN IN THE ABOVE PHOTO WAS REMOVED IN MARCH 2011 AND REPLACED WITH TWO CUSTOM CONTROLLERS I DESIGNED.
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NEW SECONDARY SOLAR POWER BACK UP SYSTEM BEING INSTALLED
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Here are a few photo's of my new smaller 20 watt solar array is now being installed as a secondary backup power source for my 220 repeater, and my two low power 144/220/440 Kenwood THF6A radios. This system is made up of two 10 watt solar panels and a group of four 20ah gell cell batteries. The charge controller is built inside the control box which has metering for both volts and amps. I will be adding more photos of the system as soon as the install begins. The sole purpose of this secondary system is to help maintain battery power to the repeater, and to operate my low power 144/220/440 mhz radio station in the event the main solar system goes down.
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Panels shown up and running on September 17th 2008
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Well I almost met my install date, It is September 17 2008 and the new panels are installed and running the repeater. I had a 1 hour QSO today on the repeater today and the system worked fantastic. The mount as well as the panels were purchased off ebay for about $225.00. The pole was just an old push up mast I had here at the house...Charge controller is an ASC 12 volt 8 amp unit.
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40 watt solar array I built
to power a ham radio weather station. Made from one 25 watt and three
5 watt solar panels mounted to a recycled Direct TV antenna mount.
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