WD9EKA Alternative Energy Information

Webcams
    

Bogart Tri-Metric(Red LED readout) typically set to ammeter. Negative values are discharging, positive is charge currents.

My current setup consists of the following equipment:
        1 - 100 watt Arco Tri-Lam PV panel (in use since 1990 and 2 moves)
        3 - 120 watt AP-1206 . 1 on line 5/1/99. 2 and 3 on line 7/9/99
        4 - 130 watt KC130's . Online mid May 2008
        1 - 300 watt Southwest WindPower  Air 303 mounted at 45 feet
                on a Rohn 25 tower
        1 - Xantrex C-60A charge controller with DVM
        1 - Outback FM80 80 amp mppt controller(soon to be installed as replacement for C60)
        6 - "rural king" 6V/220AH Golf cart batteries configured for 12V/660AHIn service 12/9/05
        1 - Trace DR2412 with Trace DC250 Cutoff

I currently run my radio room and some other rooms in the house. 

With my current setup I can get well over 100 a/h day average production, except maybe in the winter as long as I actually use it. Several years I wasnt running as much as I could. In 2007 I have been putting more load on the system and my average a/h per month has went up.

I am hoping this fall(2007) to have the batteries and power equipment moved to an outbuilding adjacent to the PV panels so that I can add more panels and cut down on a considerable power loss that I am fighting caused by the run of cable between the panels and the batteries. When I originally installed I had just 100 watts and I did not forward think about expansion enough.

October 28,2007 I ordered a prebuilt 8x8 amish built skid garden shed in early october 2007. It should be delivered on or before the week of Nov 12. Yesterday I started disassembling the power equipment in my radio room. So, for the moment I have my solar/wind system shutdown. I moved the batteries out to the garage, disassembled the battery box. i still have to get the inverter off the wall and unhook the wiring from the panels and wind. I am hoping this cuts a few days off of getting everything into the new room.

November 7, 2007 The building was delivered. I am in the process of insulating it and wiring it. Spent the weekend digging trenches for the conduits. Pictures forthcoming.

November 24, 2007 Panels are back on line.

Previous batteries were 4 Deka L16's 6v/350ah. They lasted 8 years, the golf cart batteries are hopefully a temporary setup until I can get a new power room built that will handle a larger battery bank.

Links to Alternative Energy Vendors:
Backwoods Solar
Energy Outfitters
Wholesale Solar
the Alternative Energy Store

Solar/Wind power data updated daily
1998  1999  2000
2001  2002   2003
2004   2005   2006
2007   2008