Re: [RE-wrenches] Request for Gennie Recommendation

[Allan Sindelar]

Wrenches, I very much appreciate this ongoing thread, thank you. This actually feels like one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenarios. The system is six years old, poorly designed and installed. Two SW5548s, most likely chosen in order to run a 2HP conventional well pump for this manufactured home. Thirty-two L16s in four strings, in two unvented battery boxes in an unheated shed at 7800'. 1.66kW of PV plus an H40? wind generator, in an area not known for great wind resource. The inverters either were never programmed correctly or lost programming the first time a battery was replaced, so the batteries never got above default 57.6V and were never equalized. When the L16s started failing, the installer instructed the owners to replace individual batteries, over and over until 17 of the 32 had been replaced, one or two or four at a time. With a continuing stream of failing cells, each time the well pump came on the voltage dropped to "must start" and the generator came on. With default programming, the inverters would charge to 57.6V (if the batteries would get up there - not sure if they ever did), then go through the two-hour absorption, then shut off and soon the cycle would repeat. The installer put a Link-10 in the home, but without a prescaler, so it couldn't work on a 48V system. So he tapped off of part of one string. All monitor programming was at default settings, so the system monitor had been useless to the homeowners since installation. This was designed and installed by someone in business doing wind and PV since the 1980s. His website claims he is "the most experienced contracting company in the Southwest specializing in electric/electronic installation, service and repair of independent, remote or utility integrated power generation power supplies. We provide electrical engineering design, specializing in on-site electrical power generation and related control systems." This is some mighty poor work. Our immediate "rescue solution" was to string together 16 of the replacement batteries, program the inverters to corrective EQ, show the homeowner how to change inverter settings, and replace the Link-10 with a TriMetric with prescaler, guessing at 500 amp-hours. At first this appeared to have failed - the battery voltage rose quickly under charge and then fell just as quickly. But we later learned that this actually worked, as they told us that after running a long corrective EQ, the batteries came back and the generator ran far less. But then the existing generator failed to start; apparently just worn out, and they're in bad shape. We plan to add about 2-2.5kW of array, although we have no load profile from them yet. The existing array is on two poles. The (original) smaller array of 8 Sharp 80W 12V modules is shaded during winter by the larger array of 6 Sharp 170W modules during the mornings. The larger array is shaded by both a juniper tree on winter mornings (until after 11 am) and by the power equipment shed on winter afternoons (after 3 pm). The ground is frozen now, so we have no easy way to either increase the array of move the existing arrays out of where they shade each other. They have two SW5548s, so need around 15kW at 7800' to run the inverters at full capacity. The unknown is that we don't yet know what size the new battery bank will be; my SWAG is about 1,000 a-hr in a single string of industrial cells. Together the SWs can charge at 120A, so 1,000 A-hrs would be a good match. You are correct that the generator run time will be greatly reduced once the array is increased, the batteries replaced, and their loads reduced through customer education. But they need a gennie right away, as their PV and wind can't keep up and the system is shutting down. I'm hesitant to recommend a generator of less than industrial quality, given their experience to date with two residential units. And any good generator has a 4-6 week lead time. What would you do in this situation? Allan P.S. Chris Mason, your website doesn't jive...I went to www.cometsystems.co and got a site that said "Comet Systems Ltd. is a Certified Reseller for Xorcom PBX products and Ruckus Wireless." Doesn't appear to have anything to do with either PV or generators. Can you enlighten us? Allan Sindelar al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Positive Energy, Inc. 3201 Calle Marie Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com On 1/16/2012 9:03 AM, Dave Palumbo wrote: Chris,   It would be very helpful if you quote “run hours” rather than “years”.   For example we have seen: ·         Inexpensive small generators (generally not worth rebuilding) 300 to 500 hours. These are gasoline models of various brands and Generac LP gas models. 3kW to 10kW in size typically. ·         Honda gasoline generators 2,500 hours and then rebuild. ·         10kW Kohler water cooled diesel gen set still operating within specs at 9,600 hours (rebuilt after 5,500 hrs). This has been in service for 16 years, the first 4 years without inverter/battery system, and another 6 years before the client had us add a PV array to the system. Since adding the PV array the generator has run 200 hours per year. All are in off-grid service and loaded at 65% MAX continuous (see some surges higher than 65%, typically run at 60%, or below, of rated power).   David Palumbo Independent Power LLC 462 Solar Way Drive Hyde Park, VT 05655 www.independentpowerllc.com NABCEP Certified PV Installer Vermont Solar Partner 24 Years Experience, (802) 888-7194       From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Comet Systems Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 10:21 AM To: ho...@catamountsolar.com; RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Request for Gennie Recommendation   The Generac QT and commercial units do not come with an ATS, you can buy just the bare machine or have a complete solution designed for your load.   The Generac residential machines are good machines, as long as you understand the intended use. We install lots of them. They are only designed to be used occasionally, for residential backup. We get customers who want to run their business all day on a 10KW residential generator and are disappointed that the generator won't last ten years. They are a cheap, lightweight and cost effective solution for people who get occasional outages.   If your customer has worn out two generators already, then (s)he needs to pay for a commercial level product. A 22KW QT is not that expensive and will last ten years at a substantial load factor. If you give me more information on the location, load factor and loading, I can have engineering recommend a solution for you.     -- Chris Mason President, Comet Systems Ltd mas...@cometsystems.co www.cometsystems.co Cell: 264.235.5670 Int: +1305.767.2094 Skype: netconcepts   _______________________________________________ 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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