Wind & Solar Project

SCshooter

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I finally got around to start putting this project together. @MuzzerFuzzer sold me the "starter kit" last September for a 24v wind turbine, 60' Rohn 25G tower and 2 solar panels (plus a LOT of pieces and parts). They've been stored up at the cabin until today. I've managed to get the wind turbine assembled atop the uppermost tower section (and temporarily tied off until I can get the rest of the tower built.
Next step is I just ordered 200' of 10/3 cable, a combination wind/solar/controller/load diverter kit and most of the other pieces I need to complete this set up. I hope to get the turbine all wired up BEFORE the tower gets built.
 

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Keep us posted on this, I think these renewable energy sources, for small projects/homes is awesome.

I'd wanted to do a solar setup on my cargo trailer/race trailer, but gave up after a while of it just sitting around and ended up selling the panel to Mike over in HP
 
Will do. When this is fully operational, it'll barely be scratching the surface as far as energy production goes. It "may" run the well pump and one or two other things but it's a start.
I'll grow it once I make this setup work.
 
Very cool.

If you plan to purchase 24v golf cart batteries, start looking for core batteries now. Old car batteries are what I used @ $25 each.
I found a battery guy that sells a normally $600 116AH 12v gel cell for $100. He picked up two when he came to get the stuff. Now has a lead on those.
 
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I found a battery guy that sells a normally $600 116AH 12v gel cell for $100. He picked up two when he came to get the stuff. Now has a lead on those.

Gel cell is fine if no maintenance is a requirement, but the lead acid type work really well for less $.
I got 7 years from my last set of Werker brand golf cart 6V x4.

Have you picked out an inverter?
Here is my setup. 4x 6V golf cart, Xantrex 2000W inverter wired into genny isolator.
Batteries are charged by a 85w Kyocera panel.
bank.jpeg
 
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Nice setup @Slacker - What loads are you able to run, and can the Honda recharge the batts for you when you don't have sun?
 
Nice setup @Slacker - What loads are you able to run, and can the Honda recharge the batts for you when you don't have sun?

I can charge the batteries and run my camp off the Genny at the same time.
I run lights, charge tool batteries etc.
Nothing that makes heat (coffee, toaster etc.)

Basically, I use the batteries at night for lights etc. Nice and quiet.
 
I've got 50' of Rohn 25 up in the back yard. It's good stuff when installed per mfg instructions. Do you have guys and anchor points for 'em? A gin pole is really handy for raising the tower sections also. with the anchors I have and the EHS steel guys, climbing mine is much less stressful than climbing the normal extension ladder (with a good belt and lanyard that is) . It's REALLY solid guyed.

I think I ordered my guy cable online, Mondo turnbuckles I found on Ebay and the screw in anchors @ Greybar.

@60' you should find a good breeze! I'll be anxious to follow this and see how it works out.
 
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Gel cell is fine if no maintenance is a requirement, but the lead acid type work really well for less $.
I got 7 years from my last set of Werker brand golf cart 12V.

Have you picked out an inverter?
Here is my setup. 4x 12V golf cart, Xantrex 2000W inverter wired into genny isolator.
Batteries are charged by a 85w Kyocera panel.
View attachment 34214

It's at a cabin that goes unoccupied for long periods. Mainly he wants to keep the well up and a fridge and few lights to start. That stuff should do the trick. The solar and battery bank can be added to as time passes until he can be totally off grid.
 
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I've got 50' of Rohn 25 up in the back yard. It's good stuff when installed per mfg instructions. Do you have guys and anchor points for 'em? A gin pole is really handy for raising the tower sections also. with the anchors I have and the EHS steel guys, climbing mine is much less stressful than climbing the normal extension ladder (with a good belt and lanyard that is) . It's REALLY solid guyed.

I think I ordered my guy cable online, Mondo turnbuckles I found on Ebay and the screw in anchors @ Greybar.

@60' you should find a good breeze! I'll be anxious to follow this and see how it works out.

I got him covered! [emoji41]
I’ve done a little tower work here and there...[emoji57]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I got him covered! [emoji41]
I’ve done a little tower work here and there...[emoji57]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome! ! I'll be anxious to see what kind of power is able to be harvested.
 
Very cool.

If you plan to purchase 24v golf cart batteries, start looking for core batteries now. Old car batteries are what I used @ $25 each.
I found a battery guy that sells a normally $600 116AH 12v gel cell for $100. He picked up two when he came to get the stuff. Now has a lead on those.

I started with two of these that MuzzerFuzzer put me on to. I'll be wiring them in series to create a 24v "cell" to match the 24v turbine. Likewise the two solar panels will be wired together in series.

Another pair or two of these batteries will be my next major addition.
Batteries.png
 
Gel cell is fine if no maintenance is a requirement, but the lead acid type work really well for less $.
I got 7 years from my last set of Werker brand golf cart 12V.

Have you picked out an inverter?
Here is my setup. 4x 12V golf cart, Xantrex 2000W inverter wired into genny isolator.
Batteries are charged by a 85w Kyocera panel.
View attachment 34214

Have not picked out an inverter yet. I'm still toying with backfeeding the cabin with this system. The local power company will dictate a new meter if I go this route and that "may" influence my inverter/disconnect setup. Baby steps. :)
 
I've got 50' of Rohn 25 up in the back yard. It's good stuff when installed per mfg instructions. Do you have guys and anchor points for 'em? A gin pole is really handy for raising the tower sections also. with the anchors I have and the EHS steel guys, climbing mine is much less stressful than climbing the normal extension ladder (with a good belt and lanyard that is) . It's REALLY solid guyed.

I think I ordered my guy cable online, Mondo turnbuckles I found on Ebay and the screw in anchors @ Greybar.

@60' you should find a good breeze! I'll be anxious to follow this and see how it works out.

I looked at the youtube videos showing how to use a gin pole and decided 60' was a lot higher than I'm willing to climb (unless the cost to hire it out gets prohibitive!) I'm talking to one of our fellow club members right now about erecting my tower for me. Looks like the plan will be for a reinforced concrete base. He doesn't think at this time that guying will be required. We may need to revisit that once everything is up.
The wind zone this is in (zone 1 per ASU's study) isn't the best for wind power production but having a wind/solar combination system is what I'm betting on working out. The turbine will do something, at least sometimes, that the solar panels cannot - produce power at night and on sunless days.
 
I started with two of these that MuzzerFuzzer put me on to. I'll be wiring them in series to create a 24v "cell" to match the 24v turbine. Likewise the two solar panels will be wired together in series.

Another pair or two of these batteries will be my next major addition.
View attachment 34251

Keep in mind that by wiring those batteries in series, you do double the voltage- but you also give up amp hrs
(Capacity.)
Storing the power produced is half the battle.
I used 4, 6 volt batteries to get 12V.
 
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I'm talking to one of our fellow club members right now about erecting my tower for me. Looks like the plan will be for a reinforced concrete base. He doesn't think at this time that guying will be required .


The manufacturer does.

There it no safe load for Rohn 25 at 4o' when it's unguyed, much less 60' .

Rohn's drawings (for the base and for tower installations themselves) are excellent and based on decades of engineering these towers. Unless your club member is a structural engineer, I'd strongly consider following their installation drawings.

I can't seriously comprehend anyone climbing an unguyed 60' stick of Rohn 25 to put a wind turbine (or anything else) on top of it. If someone actually would, I'd not let them do it on my property. Scary wouldn't do that climb justice. :eek:
 
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Keep in mind that by wiring those batteries in series, you do double the voltage- but you also give up amp hrs
(Capacity.)
Storing the power produced is half the battle.
I used 4, 6 volt batteries to get 12V.

Nope... same amp hours with series connected batteries, with the voltage the sum of the two.
 
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The manufacturer does.

There it no safe load for Rohn 25 at 4o' when it's unguyed, much less 60' .

Rohn's drawings (for the base and for tower installations themselves) are excellent and based on decades of engineering these towers. Unless your club member is a structural engineer, I'd strongly consider following their installation drawings.

I can't seriously comprehend anyone climbing an unguyed 60' stick of Rohn 25 to put a wind turbine (or anything else) on top of it. If someone actually would, I'd not let them do it on my property.

I'm sorry. I should have said permanent guying. Of course, he plans to at least use temporary guying as the tower is erected.

My plan is to have the turbine set and wired on the top section as that section is placed. But I will defer to the expert doing the work.
 
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Your $, your property, your decision, but I'd be surprised if it lasts thru the first strong thunderstorm.

Just one other point, as I have had stuff on towers for decades, it's quite common for the item on top of the tower to require maintenance and or replacement. That's going to be either puckery or expensive if someone needs to re-install guys to go fix whatever broke...and stuff 60' in the air 24/7/12 will break.

Here's an option. I have used it on my installation for 15 yrs. It requires exactly ONE tower climb to the very top during installation.

Look at the Hazer.

http://glenmartin.com/hazer/

It's not that much more expensive and nobody has to climb after the original installation. Of course it'll require guys, but ...that's because they're needed. It's a handy item.

You have a beautiful piece of property there. I'm jealous!! :)
 
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Your right.
I should have stated "while maintaining the same capacity rating."

Same amp-hours (capacity) for the two in series also! You're adding the available power of the two batteries, so the power available will be the sum of the two batteries, whether they're in series (2x the voltage, same current) or parallel connected (2x the current, same voltage) . The power capacity of the connected batteries in either connection is the same.
 
Tower footing.jpg

Finally got around to getting the footing dug for the tower. Probably going to go with a shorter tower than originally planned (40' and guyed). Working on making a template for the anchor bolts this week. Hope to get back up there in the next weekend or two to set the rebar, anchor bolts/template and pour the footing.
 
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