X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Greetings from Taiwan

    My user name is Pugo. I'm an expat living and working in Taiwan. But in the near future I will be moving to the Philippines to make a new life. I plan on starting a quail farm and a aquaculture system with some hydroponic growbeds attached to raise my own vegetables. The big problem in the Philippines is electricity it is un reliable at best and very costly. So I am trying to figure out if solar is viable for me. Wind isn't as the breeze factor is very low. But I do get a full days sun on my roof. Then the other issue is that everything there is 220v.

    I really need some help figuring out what to build for my house and my quail barn. Thanks for helping me out in advance as I am totally lost on this solar thing..

  • #2
    I'd do this in 2 stages.

    1) Using a hybrid style inverter (Xantrex XW6048) to both charge a battery bank when Grid is present, and to use the batteries when Grid Power is not. We don't know what kind of load (power) requirements you have, but when running from batteries, you need to conserve.

    2) after your ruin your first set of batteries, decide if you need even more power and have to install expensive solar panels to assist recharging the batteries. If you only have brief, 3 or 6 hour outages, solar will not be a big help. If you have outages 8 - 20 hours, then solar becomes more attractive. Solar & battery electricity will cost you a lot more than the Grid power will.


    so I hope this helps.
    No battery bank will allow you to run air conditioning for more than a brief bit of time.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

    Comment


    • #3
      Well, There are a lot of brown outs in my area. From what I hear they have gotten even worse than they were. Now we are getting 9 hour rolling brown outs. I plan on changing most of my lighting to LED and putting an LP Gas fridge into my house. I rarely turn on the air-conditioner as it just cost to much to run and if I do it is only for a couple hours set on a timer in my room so I can fall to sleep. I am thinking of trying a swamp cooler instead for my house. The TV does run and a computer but as there is not internet around my area it would mostly be used for business keeping books. Maybe a english movie once in a while.. The house is 1000 square ft. only my wife and I.

      I plan on building a quail barn, this will require lighting, light have to run all night the barn has to have light 24 hrs. to keep the quail laying eggs. my worry there in the incubator for the quail eggs. I am not sure if I can get an incubator the uses gas to heat with.

      The other issue I have is my aquaculture system. I will need to run one pump and one blower for it to work. But again it has to run 24hrs a day.

      So I guess I am looking at three systems to run everything.

      Comment


      • #4
        Swamp coolers, rely on water evaporation, to cool the air. they are only functional in low humidity conditions, when humidity rises much above 30%, they become less effective.

        Don't quail incubate their own eggs ?
        Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
        || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
        || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

        solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
        gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

        Comment


        • #5
          Sorry to say quails will not set there own eggs. Only the wild ones do that. But they are a great business to be in.. from hatching to the time they start laying eggs is about 45 days and a quail will lay an egg every day. So 365 eggs per quail every year multiple that by 20,000 quail. 7,300,000 eggs. If you place your quail in cage batteries you can keep a 1,000 quail in a 4ft by 8ft area. If you stack the cages five high. Unlike chickens quail only need 3.2 inches of space each.

          During the day it is to humid to run a swamp cooler in the Philippines, but in the evening it is possible when the sun goes down the humidity drops off. As I only like the cool air when I sleep it may work but I will have to look into it more. I have only seen one in the Philippines. Mostly everyone just uses fans which are okay for me too.

          Comment


          • #6
            Is the market for quail eggs or the quail themselves?
            Quail do taste good. Not much meat but tasty.
            NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

            [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

            [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

            [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

            Comment


            • #7
              Well Quail are a healthy food. In Asia there is always a market for them. Chinese fried quail always a big hit, and there are some many recipes for Quail eggs. They are even boiled and sold as snacks on the street.

              Comment


              • #8
                Mike
                I am a little confused here, As I lived NorCal for 25 years in the bay area. Your locate seems to be a little odd for me..I don't mean to be offensive in any way just wondering.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Pugo View Post
                  Mike
                  I am a little confused here, As I lived NorCal for 25 years in the bay area. Your locate seems to be a little odd for me..I don't mean to be offensive in any way just wondering.
                  2 different places. Currently living in Los Angeles till I get the retirement house built on the farm up north.
                  Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                  || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                  || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                  solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                  gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Excellent. So where is the farm going to be Mike ? If you don't mine me asking.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Pugo View Post
                      Excellent. So where is the farm going to be Mike ? If you don't mine me asking.
                      I'm keeping the location vague till I get moved in full time
                      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Whatca gonna grow on the farm?
                        You're retiring so I would suggest a profitable cash crop.
                        NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

                        [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

                        [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

                        [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I know how it is Mike. No problem I moved to Asia and I'm doing my retirement here as the money goes a lot farther. it is still a few years off before I go to the Philippines permanently. But the one thing I know is the duty to bring things in to the Philippines is generally 100%. So a solar system would be out of the question. But I am allowed one shipment into the Philippines duty free when my wife and I move back of our personal belongings. That and they make solar panels here in Taiwan. I think I can get some a lot cheaper here and just bring them back with me in my cargo container. The way I have my house setting I get sun on my roof from as soon as the sun comes over the mountain which is about 7:30 or 8:00 am until 4:30 to 5:00 pm. During the day I would only run a couple of fans during the day,and stereo. Now that I see people are able to run a fridge I think I well get the smallest, most energy refrigerator freezer set up I can find something like 12 cubic feet. In the evening I will need to run lights but only in the room I am in at the time along with a LED TV. But I will have to have security lighting running as petty theft is a common place occurrence. Generally my power usage is very low because the pace of life in the Philippines is slow. By 10 o'clock most people are in bed and they rise with the sun. So I will do the same. We don't use microwaves or washing machines most things are done the old fashion way. Not even an electric can opener is used here..LOL live here is very minimalistic as money is hard to come by even running a business you have to take great care as customers with money are few. My computer usage there is low only do a little book work, watch an english move once in a while. that would be it. I lived in the Philippines for about four years an the last time I turned on my computer twice didn't even use the it. To busy relaxing on my front porch watching the world go by.

                          So at this point I think 8, 250w Polycrystalline panels would more than enough to supply my needs for my house. But then I have to figure out my quail barn, As the incubator has to keep eggs at about 100F 24 hours a day seven days a week and lighting has to run from 5pm to midnight everyday done by timer. Then my pet project which isn't a must but would be nice if I can full it off is my aquaculture system. I need to run a pump and a blower 24hrs a day. no lights or anything else.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Pugo View Post
                            So at this point I think 8, 250w Polycrystalline panels would more than enough to supply my needs for my house. But then I have to figure out my quail barn, As the incubator has to keep eggs at about 100F 24 hours a day seven days a week and lighting has to run from 5pm to midnight everyday done by timer. Then my pet project which isn't a must but would be nice if I can full it off is my aquaculture system. I need to run a pump and a blower 24hrs a day. no lights or anything else.
                            Wow you need to sit down with pencil and paper and figure out how many Kwh you will need in a day. Me thinks it will cost you your life savings to build that system. What are you going to do 5 years later when the batteries need replaced?
                            MSEE, PE

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hopefully the quail business well do well enough to replace the batteries.. I just found out that my quail incubator will need 3.64 amps just to run it at 800watts, yeah I am going to set down and figure out every amp I need so I can design a system.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X