Oasis Montana Renewable
Energy Newsletter July 2002 page 3
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RV Power Products Solar
Boost™ MPPT
Charge Controllers
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| Who says you can’t get something for nothing? The line of Solar
Boost™ charge controllers from RV Power Products can increase your
solar array’s output by 30% or more* when compared to conventional
charge controllers. Depending on the size of your solar array, that
could be like getting the output of an additional solar module (or two)
for free! The Solar Boost™ charge controllers do this by using maximum
power point tracking (MPPT) to extract the highest amount of power from
your solar array. MPPT forces the solar module(s) to operate at a higher
voltage than normal which puts them as close to their maximum power
point as possible. Other charge controllers simply connect the solar
module(s) to the battery and let them operate at whatever the battery
voltage is. If the battery voltage is low, this can be wasting 30% or
more of the solar module’s output.
There are three different Solar Boost™ charge controllers available
and they are all covered by a 3 year limited warranty. The SB2000E
is a 12V, 25A unit intended mainly for RV applications and it
comes with a built in LCD display. Then there are the SB50L and SB3048L
units that are UL listed and intended for residential or commercial
applications. The SB50L is a 50A, 12 or 24V unit while the
SB3048L is a 30A, 24 or 48V unit. Both the SB50L and SB3048L will
allow you to step up your solar array voltage to 24 or 48V respectively
while charging a lower voltage battery bank. This feature comes in handy
if you have a large solar array that is some distance away from your
battery bank because it minimizes the voltage drop as well as the array
wire size required. RV Power Products offers several options for their
Solar Boost charge controllers including LCD displays (front panel &
remote), a battery temperature sensor and a wall mount box (SB2000E).
Call us for prices on all of these options as well as sizing assistance.
While the line of Solar Boost charge controllers might be more expensive
than other units on the market, keep in mind that in addition to getting
a state of the art charge controller you are also getting additional
solar power from your modules. Now that’s a great deal!
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Problems
cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created
them. —Albert
Einstein
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SMA Sunny Boy Inverters
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You don’t have to live out in the boonies
to use solar power!
The exciting line of Sunny Boy grid-tie
inverters from SMA makes it easy for the majority of us that
are connected to the utility grid to use the clean energy from the sun.
Founded in Germany in 1981 as an engineering/control systems company,
SMA started producing the Sunny Boy line of inverters in 1996. They
currently manufacture 1800 and 2500W units for use here in the United
States as well as 700 and 1100W units for the European market. These
inverters allow you to install a photovoltaic system without having to
worry about purchasing an expensive heavy battery bank. The DC power
that is produced by the solar array is inverted to AC by the Sunny Boy
inverter after which it is either used by your AC appliances or sold
back to the utility grid to lower your monthly utility bill. The Sunny
Boy units are called "string" inverters because they are
designed to be wired to a single series string of 12-24 solar
modules. This makes the solar array wiring very easy since you don’t
have to worry about paralleling multiple strings of solar modules
together in a combiner box. However, the high DC voltage that this
series string of solar modules produces needs to be handled very
carefully because it can be lethal! To minimize the potential shock
hazard of this system’s high DC voltage, the solar array wiring should
be done with all of the solar modules lying flat on the ground or roof
after which the entire array can be lifted or tilted into place. If that
is not possible, be sure to completely and securely cover each and every
solar module with a heavy opaque material (blanket, cardboard, tarp,
etc.) before wiring the array. A professional installer is recommended
for those not familiar with these systems.
The 1800 and 2500W Sunny Boy inverters are both UL listed, come with
a 5 year warranty and have a built-in ground fault protection device
that is required by the NEC for roof mounted solar arrays. The optional
Sunny Boy Display (SBD) can be ordered separately or integrated into the
front of the inverter at the time of purchase. The SBD is the simplest
meter option and it continuously scrolls through the following 6
parameters: AC power (W), PV voltage (VDC), total energy yield (kWh),
daily energy yield (kWh), operating hours and inverter status. The other
option for monitoring and controlling the output of a single Sunny Boy
inverter is to install an optional RS-232 module inside the inverter.
This in conjunction with the Sunny Data software running on your PC will
allow you to monitor the performance of your Sunny Boy inverter. If you
plan to install a large solar array that would require multiple Sunny
Boy inverters, then your best bet is to install a power line carrier
module in each inverter and connect them all to a single Sunny Boy
Control unit where the data can be monitored and/or stored for later
use.
We could go on and on about all of the features and options of the
SMA Sunny Boy inverters, but we don’t have enough space here to do so.
We have listed some of the key components below along with a short
description and price. If you would like some more specific information
on any of these items or would like to place an order for one of these
exciting new grid-tie inverters, please don’t hesitate to call us. |
MODEL NUMBER / DESCRIPTION / PRICE
SWR 2500U, 2500W, 240VAC, 60 Hz, UL listed string inverter, ground fault
protection device included
SWR 2500U SBD, 2500W, 240VAC, 60 Hz, UL listed string inverter with GFP
device and LCD display $
SWR 2500U-208, 2500W, 208VAC 3-phase, 60 Hz, UL listed string inverter,
GFP device included $
SWR 2500U-208 LCD, 208VAC 3-phase, 60 hz, UL listed inverter with GFP
device and LCD display $
SWR 1800U, 1800W, 240VAC, 60 Hz, UL listed string inverter with GFP
device included $
SWR 1800U SBD, 1800W, 240VAC, 60 Hz, UL listed string inverter with GFP
device and LCD display $
SBD Sunny Boy Display, 2-line LCD continuously scrolling through
six operating parameters $
Other options available, including data communications with a PC,
remote communications, and modular control systems. email
us for more details.
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| Efficient
Appliances — one of the first steps in energy independence is to
reduce your electrical power requirements. Here are some viable options. |
ConServ AC refrigerator/freezer white
or with stainless steel doors and
matching gray sides.
Energy Star
rated clothes washers
For more info see http://www.eco-fridge.com |
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Energy
Quick Link Site
Map
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