Off grid Islanding [RE-wrenches]

[Ray Walters]

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>Dave;

>I'm not sure I completely follow, are you saying both the SW output and 
>the SunnyBoy feed the same AC subpanel? If so, how does the SW recharge 
>the batteries? I thought you had to feed the SW AC in, to activate the 
>charger, and if the you're feeding AC in what provides the sunnyboy with 
>an AC waveform to synch to? Do you have a circuit diagram I could see? I 
>wish we could post low res GIF files of diagrams to the wrenches list, I 
>think it would save alot of misunderstanding.


Thanks for your reply,

Ray

>Hi Ray,
>I have connected Sunny Boy inverters directly to the output of Xantrex SW 
>inverters and Outback inverters. It works well. The Sunny Boy operates 
>when it sees the SW or Outback output.  Sometimes it shuts off when a 
>large load, like a pump is applied to the circuit, because it looks like a 
>grid failure. If the SB shuts off, it waits 5 minutes to turn on.  If 
>there is no AC load on the system and the SB is supplying power, you will 
>charge the batteries connected to the SW.  You need to put a voltage 
>controlled switch to turn of the AC between the Sunny Boy and the sub 
>panel if the battery voltage gets too high.
>
>Grundfos makes a BMQE booster pump which has an SQE pump inside of a 
>stainless tube to allow inline operation. this pump has no starting surge 
>and would not cause a big strain on the inverter. They make sizes up to 30 
>GPM at 20 PSI .
>
>Regards,
>David Katz
>
>
>Christopher Freitas --- OutBack Power wrote:
>
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>>Ray -
>>
>>I think your ideas good - but there is a lot of confusion out there as to 
>>what the SMA Sunny Island inverter is capable of doing in a system like this.
>>
>>The SMA Sunny Island is very similar to an OutBack FX or the old Trace SW 
>>series inverter/charger.  It is a battery-type inverter which is 
>>Bi-directional.  It is not able to "sell" power back to the utility grid 
>>though - it can be used to "create" a local grid which then you can 
>>connect SMA Sunny Boy grid-tie inverters to create an "islanded" power 
>>system - i.e. an off-grid system with AC-coupled power sources.
>>
>>I think what your considering is putting the PV array near the pool and 
>>maybe using regular grid-tie type SMA Sunny Boy inverters to allow long 
>>distance transmission of the power to the main SW based system.  This can 
>>work - in fact it has been done with using SW's as the "utility grid" by 
>>a few with some success.  I know it works with the OutBack FX series as well.
>>
>>The real issue is that even with the Sunny Boys added to the system the 
>>entire AC load needs to be able to run off the capacity of the main 
>>battery inverter in case a cloud comes over or the Sunny Boys shut down.
>>
>>In my opinion doing the DC pumps direct from the PV array makes the most 
>>sense to me.
>>
>>Christopher
>>
>>Christopher Freitas
>>OutBack Power Systems, Inc.
>>cfreitas @ outbackpower.com
>>www.outbackpower.com
>>Arlington WA USA
>>Tel 360 435 6030
>>
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>
>--
>David Katz
>President, AEE Solar
>formerly Alternative Energy Engineering
>1155 Redway Drive - Box 339
>Redway, CA 95560 USA
>(707) 825-1200
>(707) 825-1202
>email: david at aeesolar.com
>web: www.aeesolar.com
>
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Ray Walters
ray at solarray.com
President, SolarRay, Inc.
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer
BS Mechanical Engineering, UT Austin 88
Returned US Peace Corps Volunteer 

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