Building my first solar power generator in the UK.

[nixies]

Hi Guys

I'm looking to build a small solar power generator in my back yard. I don't have any experience in electronics so this is a bit of a learning curve for me. So I was hoping I could run my plan by you guys to see if it made sense.

My starting point was watching this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROyER7YT4DM

My Plan
I want to create a solar panel kits outside that would slowly charge a Deep Cycle Battery then inside I would have a inverter that I could plug thing into that would run off another battery. Then I could just swap the battery over so I would have one charging and being used at anytime.

So this is what I was hoping to do: Firstly I would build an outside section. It would work like this:

outside.GIF

So it would be 2 solar panel connected to a deep cycle battery through a Charge controller. Then inside I would just have effective this:

indoors.GIF

This would be a battery attached to a inverter and then I could plug appliances into the battery.

So My thoughts are to buy these things.

Battery case

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Caravan-Plastic-Leisure-Battery-divider/dp/B004N6UQLK/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1366552662&sr=1-1&keywords=Battery+Box

Deep Cycle Battery

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leisure-Battery-88ah-Caravan-Applications/dp/B00APX2G4K/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1366552276&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=deep+cycle+battery

Volt gauge

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-52320-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B0001K9UZA/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366552176&sr=1-1&keywords=volt+meter

On off switch

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toggle-switch-indicator-plate-250Vac/dp/B000LAV2OW/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366551993&sr=1-6&keywords=on+off+switch

Charge controller:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Controller-Protection-Regulator-Max480W-Sl02A-20A/dp/B008JLRQRW/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366551789&sr=1-1&keywords=solar+charge+controller

Power inverter

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DC-AC-Power-Inverter-24V/dp/B000NVUBWI/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1366550362&sr=8-22&keywords=Power+inverter

2x Solar panel

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Axitec-235W-Watt-Solar-Panel/dp/B007R3OOLY/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1366551575&sr=8-14&keywords=solar+panels

Does this look like I have the correct things?
I'm not sure I have the correct watt voltage so on?

I anyone in the know could look over this I would be really grateful.

[Mike90250]

1) I'd use just 1 battery. If your system needs more power, use a pair of 6v golf cart batteries wired in series. It will take most of a day to recharge it, no point in dragging them forth and back, just place the batteries next to the inverter to reduce wire losses. Place the controller near the batteries.

2) charge controller you selected will not work well with the panels you have. With the high voltage panels (+30V max power), you will need to have a MPPT controller to properly match the PV Panel voltage to the battery voltage. The MPPT controllers are pricey, but they harvest power well.

3) the inverter you linked to, is a mod-square wave, and will only run incandescent lights well (or pure resistive loads). The choppy square wave is not liked by motors, lighting ballasts, some hifi sets .. the list goes on and on.

You first need to define the loads (wattage and hours used) and determine battery bank watt hour capacity. Then if you need pure sine, or square wave inverter. Then decide the system voltage, Then plan the solar PV array.

[nixies]

Hi Mike thanks for the help.

I have a couple of question though.

1) I'd use just 1 battery. If your system needs more power, use a pair of 6v golf cart batteries wired in series. It will take most of a day to recharge it, no point in dragging them forth and back, just place the batteries next to the inverter to reduce wire losses. Place the controller near the batteries.

The outside and inside are cut off from each other, I cannot run a wire between the two this is why I was going for the two separate systems. I was hoping that the charge held in a battery would be able to last a week at least then I just swap the two battery over. Is this realistic?

2) charge controller you selected will not work well with the panels you have. With the high voltage panels (+30V max power), you will need to have a MPPT controller to properly match the PV Panel voltage to the battery voltage. The MPPT controllers are pricey, but they harvest power well.

These are the options I could find on amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=MPPT%20controllers

Could you suggest one that would work well?

3) the inverter you linked to, is a mod-square wave, and will only run incandescent lights well (or pure resistive loads). The choppy square wave is not liked by motors, lighting ballasts, some hifi sets .. the list goes on and on.

My hope was to have a relative flexible option. I'd quite like to run the fridge for example. Would you mind looking at UK amazon again and suggest the one that might be more.

Thanks again