Some figures on solar - large and small.

[glynhouse]

Thought I would post a couple of photos of the main homestead solar set up followed by some figures from my van.

Cattle property in the N.T. 17kw of solar panels, been in 5 years now installed with a lot of help from the gov.
Charging 31 wet cell batteries can't remember but either 1000 or 1300 C100 A/H. batts.

It has totally changed the way we do things out there, now have all electric jugs, electric hot water systems and can run fans all night and not worry about fuel. It is backed up by 2 - 50KVA generators which were the only power before going solar, they ran at least 15 hours a day.
The genny is programed to start automatically if the load rises above a set draw, or if the SOG is too low going in to the evening they crank up at 5.00pm if deemed necessary, then take the evening load and top up the batts,
There are 2 main houses and the men's quarters + a reasonably large cool room all running from this set up, we have just spent 10 days there and the genny started once only.
As a side the diesel bill went down nearly $35Kp.a. and the gas usage halved since installing. They are topped with water every 2 weeks use a fair bit in the summer.
All up a very good installation, But thank god we insured it ! received a direct lightning hit took out all the black boxes (2) and the inverter air/con. cost ? $28,000 to repair !! Did not effect the panels.



Down to a usable size my van. below a copy of something I posted on another place.

My van is parked in the sun outside temp is 34c some large clouds black, when they pass I get no charge at all, but no light misty stuff about. I have 3X 140 12volt panels on the roof to a Morningstar pro 30 regulator not a MPPT.
Batts are full when I got here this afternoon, it was showing no charge if the fridge was not running, turned on all that I could waited for the fridge to start and the Prostar shows a charge rate of 24 amps at a steady 13.2 volts it was showing 13.3 when on float.
I have seen 28amps with the batts down a bit can't remember the voltage, I do have another 160watts of panels on the tug that I can hook into the prostar via an anderson plug if the weather is not kind, all this goes into 2 100ah batteries in parallel. If there is cloud around and we are using it the Prostar handles the 560watts with ease, would not hook them in on a good day thogh.

Might be of interest to someone may not be ! Might not even be in the right place.

DD

[Dot]

Wow is all I can say. I understood the first bit about the solar and the farm bits but the caravan stuff beat me but thanks for posting, i'm sure the "boys" will just love it.. Those solar panels also provide shade as well..

[T1 Terry]

So, the property is a 72V system? Does it use an MPPT controller for the solar? Quite an impressive set up, they are serious size single cell batteries, the air in the battery room must be near choking level by late afternoon on a sunny day. Now there would ba an interesting lithium project

[glynhouse]

I will stand correcting but they are twin cell batteries nominal 4 volt but I think 4.6 making it a 142volt system.
There are two 10kva inverter/chargers wired together I assume they would be MTTP but do not know, out of my league, it has a maintenance contract for a yearly visit on it.

A lot of shade under there ! 2 vehicles parked as well as the battery room force vented, and a control room that is permanently air conditioned.

DD

[Wilbor]

so who knocked off the 4 panels

[PeterM]

so who knocked off the 4 panels

+1

[glynhouse]

so who knocked off the 4 panels

You would be surprised how often I get asked that
Not me only 3 on my van !

DD

[Dot]

Most likely that Wilbor guy but just acting innocent

[bellett65]

Wow is all I can say. I understood the first bit about the solar and the farm bits but the caravan stuff beat me but thanks for posting, i'm sure the "boys" will just love it.. Those solar panels also provide shade as well..

Ditto Dot
Peter

[wayneP]

Don"t you just love it. I mean Terry and the boys must be beside them selves with their thoughts "interesting lithium project".
'it has a maintenance contract for a yearly visit on it' now there's a holiday desto for you Terry Sorry mate just trying to get the bus 'Rusting in perfection' on the road.(hope spelling right)