24V System Update

      We have movement... finally! So I did exactly what I tell people not to do and bought cheap... silly me it ended up costing me far more than money... it's also costing me time and stress. Anyhow currently I have the majority of my infrastructure in place. The panels will be mounted soon, the batteries are connected and tested. All I need to do next is top charge them while I run the fridge and freezer on generator to drop their temps down till their compressors stop running.

      So let me back track here a bit and cover WHAT I have on hand right now and where it came from. Currently I have the following items:

      1 – PWM charge controller from Missouri Wind and Sun with a 600W divert load built in

      1 – Dual Pro PS 12/24V 30 A 2 Bank Waterproof Charger # DP15/2

      3 – Helios 7T2 300Watt Monocrystaline panels

      1 – DYI combiner box

      3 – 15A breakers for panels

      2 – Isolation switches, one for the panels and one for the inverter

      1 – PowerVerter Plus 24V DC Inverter 24VDC-120VAC 2-Outlet Frequency Control

      7 – Custom aluminum battery bus bars

      8 – 6V 380AH L16 US Batteries in series parallel for a total of 760AH capacity

      What is currently installed are the batteries, the charge controller + divert load, the combiner box, the isolation switches and charger. Once I get the new inverter I will install the panels on the roof of the barn shown in the last of the images.

      Now to why I have to wait for a new inverter... simple, I went cheap and it cost me more in the long run. I knew better but my impatience got me. Anyhow the 3000W inverter I had purchased was DOA. Well sort of. It would start intermittently but then just crap out, stop working. I know I did everything right as I had a couple of folks that actually do this stuff and that are smarter about electrical stuff than I check it out. Bottom line, the Chinese POS has been sent back and I have ordered a Tripp-Lite which should be here either Monday or Tuesday of next week.

      Okay time for some updated photos (well they were up to date when I took them!).

Battery House - Needs doors still that's this weekend.

Charge Controller is in this box I am pointing at

This is the 600W divert load. I will need this when the wind turbine is installed

The divert load switch if it senses that the batteries are full and power is still coming in it will automatically divert the load.

American made! Just in case I don't have enough solar and wind. It does happen although rarely.

The batteries with the aluminum interconnects.

This is the roof where the panels will go. The space between the closest windows is where my home made combiner box is currently mounted. Once I get the next set of photos up and more installed... well... I'll show ya!

     So there you have the beginning of the 24V system. And as I wrote earlier as I move further along I will post updates and photos. Right now I am estimating a completion date of 11-12 Aug 2012. I hope so too... tired of waiting and TIRED of the propane fridge!