Category Archives: Projects

5kW PV – Standby Power & Energy Harvesting System – Parkmore, Jhb

 

 

This system consists of 4kW of Yingli PV Panels, a 5kW Victron Quatro Inverter, Victron MPPT  Solar Charger, Victron Venus Controller, 12kWh of Pylontech Lithuim Ion batteries, split main distribution board, all wiring. Internet linked monitoring and management.

The PV Panels were mounted on a double garage structure that needed major support structural work, and the roof itself was reconditioned before the structure was applied.

 

 

2x 200mm I Beams were specified by a structural engineer to span the roof for support.

 

 

 

 

Square tube beams then supported the PV Panel brackets.
All beams were coated with a rust preventative and final coat.

 

 

 

Aluminum brackets were fabricated, using only stainless steel fasteners and fittings.

 

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The panels are here!

 

 

It all came together nicely.

 

 

 

March – July 2019

All mechanical, electrical  and electronic engineering performed by ourselves.

 

 

 

 

 

Cedar Ave, Northcliff

3kW Inverter Solution with  2 x 90Ah 48v Battery Banks and with Remote Controlled Bypass Switch

The board
The board & battery banks + room to grow.

The Inverter Board and battery banks were installed in the garage at a height which cleared the front of the car when parked. The Gave motorised bypass switch can be seen above the local sub distribution board  to the rhs. A separate battery-backed up 12V power supply is necessary to power this, which can be see adjacent to the Gave.

Additional space was provided on the board to accommodate future additions such as a Solar Charger.  Provision was also made for another string of batteries.

 

Cabling routing
Outdoor cable routing

Cabling routing from the main distribution board in the house (with a flat) roof presented some challenges. Here two runs of 25mm PVC ducting carry the conductors to and from the Inverter Board.

 

Portholes
Portholes get fixed

To route the cables through the roof, a number of portholes had to be cut in the ceiling since there was no access to the roof, besides there was  no working clearance in the roof.   The openings were then fixed, sealed and finished and restored.

 

2015-07-15 13.20.46
Main db

The circuits to be powered by the Inverter were separated and arranged at the vacant bottom row of the Main Distribution. The Remote Controller was mounted there as well, which was custom made to fit into the board. The Remote has two push buttons to change the state of the Bypass Switch, as well as an On-Off Switch for the Inverter. This allows the system to be activated when necessary.

Completed July 2015

3KVA Home Inverter Installation

This system was designed for a house in Parkview, Johannesburg to supply selected Lights & Plug circuits with mains power for at least two hours during Municipal power grid load shedding and black outs.

DSCN0963

The installation consists of a Vision 3KVA Mains Inverter, a  48v Battery Bank, a Vision Charger, a By Pass Switch and a Sub Distribution board with Isolators / Circuit Breakers for the various  circuits. A Sub Distribution board was installed in the house along side the main db, which is powered by the inverter.

Whilst the Inverter can do an automatic Mains switch over when the City Power feed goes down, the  Inverter is left off and by passed during nominal power supply.

The system was tested by the client under a  typical load for two hours, the battery bank still had 50% reserves.

The installation was designed to be supplemented by a PV Array and Solar Charger, and upgraded with additional battery banks as required.

The Commission Date was 5th January 2015 .