calling all solar gurus - wiring question

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by LittleFish, Apr 1, 2007.

  1. LittleFish

    LittleFish Junior Member

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    Hi All
    I am wiring up my house with 24volt power and have been using Rainbow Power Compony for most info. I have a fair bit of experience with 12 volt electronic hobby projects but my question is :
    if I have a 20 amp selectronics regulator but am using a 25amp Durst smart charger in parralell with the batteries will I overload the regulator? Will the whole 25amps of the charger ever reach the regulator.
    I am using a shunt to measure the charge to the battery.
    I've asked Rainbow about this but was hoping for an earlier reply.
    The sooner I get this place wired the sooner I can read the permaculture manual at night!
    cheers
    Stephen
     
  2. 9anda1f

    9anda1f Administrator Staff Member

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    Hi Littlefish,

    Does the attached pic describe what you're doing?

    [​IMG]

    If so, there should be no problem. The current (amps) will only flow based on demand. Note that there are two charging circuits shown. The batteries will charge at UP TO the 25 amps available from the charger and the current will only flow in the circuit between the batteries and charger. The regulator will merely see the voltage potential across the battery terminals. Well maintained batteries should never see the maximum current capability of the charger (i.e., there should never be anything near 25 amps of current flowing to the batteries unless they are SEVERELY discharged). Appropriately sized and placed fuses/circuit breakers will enforce the current limits and assure safety. There should never be any current flowing from the charger THROUGH the regulator.

    I'm a little curious as to why you are putting both charger and solar/wind/whatever charging sources? Are you planning on using the charger only when necessary (cloudy days)? If so, will you keep it turned off when not in use??? Is there some kind of "box" available that will detect low charging current from the regulator system and switch over to the charger automatically???

    (of course, if my sketch of your installation is different than what you're planning, all bets are off! :lol: )

    9anda1f
     
  3. LittleFish

    LittleFish Junior Member

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    Thanks 9anda1f
    thats pretty much it and is as I hoped. Just needed some confirmation before switching it all on.
    The reason for the charger is
    a. - I cant afford the solar panels for another few weeks yet.
    b. - I live in a fairly forested area with very short winter days.
    If I was to build a system that could cope with mid winter conditions I would probably need 4 times as many panels as I am currently planning on.
    So the generator and charger will have to stay as back up for a while.

    thanks for your help

    Stephen
     
  4. inthemidstofchange

    inthemidstofchange Junior Member

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    Hi Little Fish

    I have just moved to Tassie and am exploring solar options- do you have anyone you can recommend for the puchase of the cells?

    I am up high on a hill near the Huon. Does anything grow here in winter?
     
  5. LittleFish

    LittleFish Junior Member

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    solar cells

    G'day inthemidstofchange

    another Queenslander moving to southern climes eh?

    The local Solar guy here is Brett Carter out at Cygnet. Or else there are a couple of Solar places in Hobart. These are all in the Yellow pages.
    I got most of my stuff off ebay and installed it myself though.

    As far as growing goes there are a few winter crops you can plant but at the moment I'm still doing too much earthwork and building to plant a decent winter garden. This is the time of the year to be planting fruit trees and exotics though.
    There is a great book called Gardening South of Australia (or something) that is a great guide to vegie gardening in Tassie. Its available in the book stores.
    Or else the local Permaculture group here would be a good point of contact.

    cheers
    Stephen
     

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