Alternative Power Solutions

A stand alone system has no requirement for outside input of independent commercial power supply. The system will be made up of a Deep cycle storage battery bank (Fuel tank).

A charging system is required and that can be ie solar panels, wind turbine, hydro and or and including petrol or diesel generator.

An inverter charger is also required for the conversion of DC Power into Ac 230 volt power.

Charge regulators and monitors are required to control the charge entering the battery storage.

Generators are commonly used for this situation. They are electrically sized for appropriate electrical load. The system can be automatic or manual start and have auto or manual transfer switches installed

A minimum site load of 30% is needed prevent “glazing” on diesel generators.

When generator sizing loads such as a electric motor starting current draw of times its run current for Direct on line for Starting or 2 times its run current for soft starting. So a generator running a 750 watt motor would require up to 4500 watt generator to start.

This system has the advantage of not requiring the battery bank as electricity is supplied to the demand of the house first and then any excess pumped directly back to the national grid.

Different power companies have differing methods and rates of payment.

Basically the customer has two meters, one (an import meter) which they pay monthly as per normal. The other (an export meter) which is recorded and payment calculated from the power company the following month.

These systems also require synchronisation equipment as part of the control gear to ensure wave forms of the electricity are aligned.

NOTE: When power cuts occur power must not be able to be exported off the site into the transmission lines for safety reasons.

Commonly during power cuts the local power generation unit is isolated and does not generate power either.

This system supports building load from a battery when there is a powercut – Lights, select powerpoints and fridges etc.
The battery can be used as a load clipping device. This will reduce the amount of power drawn from the grid during darkness hours & when the solar system is unable to provide the sites requirements in full.

A good idea for a new house is a dedicated emergency circuit for fridges, freezers, some lighting and communication with change over switch from a caravan styled AI plug ready for a small generator to plug in during power cuts.

Milking sheds are another site that must have a strong consideration of either a Changeover switch for ease of connection of a trailer mounted generator or a decision at the time of construction to install a set on site to prevent lost of income thru dumping of milk, animal health and loss of profit due to bacterial count being high. The cost will be less than 4% percent of the build.