Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

My tracking hybrid system

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • My tracking hybrid system

    I have been following this forum about 2 years gathered a lot of good and very beneficial information. Thanks!
    Three tracking arrays=13 kw, array #1, 13-230w with Sunny Boy 3000 gt #2, 22-255 Solar World with Schneider 5000 gt #3, 24-Canadian Solar with another Schneider 5000gt. This is a permitted DIY grid tie with a 600 v dc transfer switch to two Schneider 80-600 charge controllers , large battery bank and a Schneider XW 6848 inverter for grid outage.
    The system has performed very well. The past couple weeks I have had a couple 110 kwh days and several 100+ days. The best monthly production is in spring and fall due to summer shading and north/south angle ( about 23 deg. from horizontal ). the best day production was in dead winter, cold, clear skies and some wind .
    The tracking is with a timer system,so probably not a true tracker but is in the right place at the right time moves ,it moves12 increments during the day and returns to east at night. The other day both 5000 inverters were maxed out 5080w and the SB 2890w at about 9:30 am.
    I will post more info and pictures now that i have gotten this far. I had gotten to this point earlier but was timed out, guess it,s my keyboard pecking.
    running out of time now.
    Last edited by wayne23836; 04-09-2016, 10:10 PM.
    Wayne, Virginia, usa.,13kw tracking gt.

  • #2
    What sort of controller/motor makes it all work ? off the shelf or DIY ?
    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
      That long array is built like a bridge. Welded steel? Please show us more pictures. Bruce Roe

      Comment


      • #4
        I have had this exact single axis idea in my head since i was a kid. I notice the pole mount, is the 13th panel for the tracking motor and circuits? and the third system with black panels? PV or thermal?
        4X Suniva 250 watt, 8X t-105, OB Fx80, dc4812vrf

        Comment


        • #5
          Mike, Attached is photo of a tracking mechanism, it is all diy. Oriental gear motor 150/1 ratio with magnetic brake driving another gear box 20/1 ratio total 3000/1. it swings a 360 degre rotation 180 timed during the day and 180 at night to bring it to the limit switch for the next cycle.

          Bruce, Construction is similar to a small bridge or much like a crane boom,yes welded pipe, I have photos of construction but could only upload 1 photo tonight will try again tomorrow.

          Logan, No thermal, the black panels are Solar World 255 black. The 13th panel was added to reach the capacity of the inverter, 2980w and 580 volts at -10f.

          The tracking motors are 120v ac powered from house circuit whether on or off grid .The pole mount motor is 90w with 8 watts for brake and only runs 2 minutes a day. The other arrays have 40w motors with a different gear ratio and run a little longer but still only 3 or 4 minutes a day.
          The timing mechanism is made of a mechanical timer turns on 12 times a day and separate electronic timers for each array to run each motor for X seconds then 1 photo sensor continues all arrays until each reaches their limit switch.

          Today's production was 114.7 KWH .

          I have a lot of pictures during construction . what is the procedure to upload multiple photos?

          Thanks, Wayne
          Wayne, Virginia, usa.,13kw tracking gt.

          Comment


          • #6
            Have u ever thought about the MPPT technique in your plant? FYI:

            Mod note to VeichiElectric. WE are very wary about allowing unpaid ads into the forum.
            Last edited by Mike90250; 04-10-2016, 10:39 PM.

            Comment


            • Mike90250
              Mike90250 commented
              Editing a comment
              Please do not continue to post links

          • #7
            So freaking beautiful it actually made me cry!
            10 x LG300 ACe, 24 x M250 (9.84 kW DC)

            Comment


            • #8
              That equipment looks a bit rugged for the application, looks like the stuff I used to be able to scrounge out of a papermill (if I was lucky).

              There is individual who advertises Seimens dual axis tracker gearboxes on occasion on ebay, they have pretty good torque ratings and come complete with stepper motors. I expect he got them off a canceled solar project. I am tempted but would need access to machine tools to match up to the flanges plus I would have to figure out what I would use to drive the stepper motors.

              Comment


              • #9
                Some pictures of the system, I reset the camera and now posting these. Have been having a problem uploading, keep get a notice the file is corrupted.
                Moderator, Should I remove these after a period of time, I have more taken during construction that I would like to post, not sure of the photo policy.

                Thanks Wayne
                Wayne, Virginia, usa.,13kw tracking gt.

                Comment


                • wayne23836
                  wayne23836 commented
                  Editing a comment
                  mistake on the Canadian Solar they are 235W = 5640 W .

              • #10
                keep posting the pics, Lo res pics don't eat too much server space.
                Thanks
                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


                • #11
                  The system here is on a similar scale, but with no tracking, and extra panels to
                  catch sun at different angles. Tues it managed to keep the inverters pegged out
                  for the equivalent of 9.2 sun hours. An output curve for March looks like this; it
                  would get wider as the days get longer. I would suppose your curve looks much the
                  same, or better. Bruce Roe

                  Comment


                  • #12
                    Bruce, The only output display I get is from the Sunny Boy display panel and it is a bar graph, but yes it is nearly identical.
                    I figure about a 15 to 20% increase in monthly output, As I have left one array stationary and the other tracking and the difference can vary anywhere from 0 % (rainy and overcast all day) to about 30 or 40%, with good sun morning and evening and cloudy and raining mid day,( these days are seldom) here.
                    How many panels did you add east and west to achieve that output and what is the total dc wattage of the array.
                    The array with the Sunny Boy 3000 is 2990w and it max out at 2880. The arrays with the Schneider 5000s are 5640w & 5610w and I frequently see those inverters at 5080 so the inverter is probably limiting.
                    I recall reading of yours during planning and construction so will search the posts to review.

                    Wayne
                    Wayne, Virginia, usa.,13kw tracking gt.

                    Comment


                    • #13
                      Originally posted by wayne23836 View Post
                      Bruce, The only output display I get is from the Sunny Boy display panel and it is a bar graph, but yes it is nearly identical.
                      I figure about a 15 to 20% increase in monthly output, As I have left one array stationary and the other tracking and the difference can vary anywhere from 0 % (rainy and overcast all day) to about 30 or 40%, with good sun morning and evening and cloudy and raining mid day,( these days are seldom) here.
                      How many panels did you add east and west to achieve that output and what is the total dc wattage of the array.
                      The array with the Sunny Boy 3000 is 2990w and it max out at 2880. The arrays with the Schneider 5000s are 5640w & 5610w and I frequently see those inverters at 5080 so the inverter is probably limiting.
                      I recall reading of yours during planning and construction so will search the posts to review.

                      Wayne
                      Wayne, Thanks for the info. Your numbers are verifying pretty much what I estimated. There
                      are always clouds here; the only question is, HOW CLOUDY IS IT?

                      With rainy and overcast all day I agree it doesn't matter precisely which way panels face.
                      Since that is so common here, the (reduced) output under those conditions is pretty much a
                      function of total panel capacity, not orientation.

                      My present estimate is about 18% more annual KWH with added E-W panels. Which lines
                      up with tracking. As with yours, I still have some shading issues at day extremes, so there
                      may be room for some improvement. I recently cut some trees, but it will take relocating
                      some panels to cure this. The original design was over paneled 15% to 20% to maintain
                      peak output under very light clouding, but that capacity is lost to clipping on a (rare) very
                      sunny day.

                      The south facing panels are rated about 120% of my pair of 7.5 KW Fronius inverters,
                      though the S panels are hard pressed to reach 100% on their own. Facing East is another
                      37% of inverter capacity, and the same facing West. Measurements have shown that when
                      sun is optimum for the E panels, the W panels approach an additional 2-4%.

                      A couple days ago with rare good sun the 15KW inverters managed to deliver 140KWH,
                      or something like 9.3 sun hours. If I can get the sun and with minimum shade the goal
                      is to hit 10 sun hours in June. Where is my chain saw? Bruce Roe

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X