The snow removal system really interests me. Being in northern Minnesota, we get a lot of it. I have one student that is responsible for snow removal now, but I haven't come up with anything else. I will be watching this thread intently!
Jesse Sent from my iPhone On Jan 3, 2011, at 8:10 AM, "Jason Szumlanski" <ja...@fafcosolar.com> wrote: > One idea would be to put each microinverter on a separate A/C circuit and > measure the current using a device like an eGauge or a revenue grade metering > device. That would give you backup/redundancy for the Enphase numbers. With > 16 modules/circuits in your system, that’s not too difficult to monitor. > > > > For the second system, what about putting the system on a tracking rack that > tilts to vertical once a day in the morning to dump snow. We don’t deal with > much snow down here in Florida, so I’m not sure if that would 100% dump the > snow off and how ice accumulation is dealt with… Born in Winnipeg, but left > the snow behind many years ago… > > > > Jason Szumlanski > > Fafco Solar > > > > From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Rob Harlan > Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 1:25 AM > To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > Subject: [RE-wrenches] Reference PV System > > > > > I am working with the City of Edmonton, Alberta to develop a reference > system. The intent is to provide accurate data for owners of systems within > the city limits to use to verify their system performance. It is seen as a > great way to insure quality installations under their municipal grant > program, as well as a way to provide some real life performance data for > system sizing and installation recommendations. The City is considering tying > the dispersal of system grants to verified performance. (We are hoping to > eventually have a municipal performanced-based FIT, but until then...) > > At this point the plan is to permanently install modules at eight different > orientations to imitate common installations: > > True South 18.4 degrees ( Equivalent to a 4 in 12 pitch roof) > True South 26.6 degrees (Equivalent to a 6 in 12 pitch roof) > True South 45.0 degrees (Equivalent to a 12 in 12 pitch roof) > True South 53.0 degrees (Latitude) > True South 70.0 degree pitch (the estimated best angle for year round > performance in Edmonton when snow is not removed) > True south 90 degree pitch (Equivalent to a vertical wall installation) > SE 18.4 degrees ( Equivalent to a 4 in 12 pitch roof) > SW 18.4 degrees ( Equivalent to a 4 in 12 pitch roof) > > We will probably install two modules at each orientation to provide > redundancy to back up possible equipment malfunction. Each module will have > its own micro-inverter uploading data to a website. The system will be > installed on a municipal building, probably a firehouse. > > We are also considering installing a second, identical system which would > have snow removed once a day (at daybreak). This would provide owners > considering snow removal with comparative data. The challenge here is how > to consistently remove accumulated snow. We probably will not be able to get > municipal staff to carry this out so we are looking into automated systems. > > So gentlemen I would love to get your thoughts: > > Anybody familiar with PV reference systems developed by other municipalities? > Have they been successful? > Have you found the Enphase Envoy to be consistently accurate? > > Does anyone have a reliable automatic snow removal scheme with a track > record? We are putting it out to the University of Alberta mechanical > engineering department to see what they come up with but I know this has been > grappled with many times before. > > Thanks much in advance for your input. > Rob > Rob Harlan > Executive Director > Solar Energy Society of Alberta > www.solaralberta.ca > off...@solaralberta.ca > (780) 439-5608 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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