The Station

Prototype Solar Energy Station (The Station)

An off-grid AC/DC power source which can be towed by vehicle to required location and manually moved to precise spot for powering tools and appliances and electronic devices. This prototype lends itself to use in camping, construction, and scientific situations as well as providing the possible use as a permanent part of a residential or commercial alternative energy plant.

Major Requirements

The following items were considered essential in the development of this Station. The developer has endeavored to produce a product which can be started at a very simple level and advanced over time as assets allow. Appendix A lists those items required as a bare minimum for a DIY project which will permit the subsequent user to advance at any chosen pace.

Self contained.

The Station has everything required to provide electrical power for operating construction tools, household appliances, computers and communications equipment, and any other energy requirements within its capacity. It uses no consumables and can operate over extended periods without attention.

Portable.

The Station is mounted on a DOT approved trailer which can be licensed and pulled by a light vehicle at road speeds up to 55mph. It is also equipped with a motorized trailer dolly which can be used to manually position the Station as well as provide solar tracking on a vertical axis.

Storable.

The trailer mount for the Station allows easy, rapid storage when high winds and/or adverse weather may cause damage or detriment to its components. Later versions may have fold out solar panels or even a wind generator which will fold down to allow the Station to fit in a normal residential garage. This also provides security for the station when not in use.

Maximum use of off the shelf components.

The developer has used materials and components which are easily and openly available in just about any market. The only items not available at your local hardware or builder’s supply are mounting fixtures used to mount the motor for the dolly and supports for the solar panels themselves. The solar panels and electrical devices are available on eBay or through a growing number of suppliers which include hardware stores.

Minimum expense.

To the greatest extent possible the developer has used the lowest priced versions of all components. Solar panels, some electricals and all of the development design were constructed by the developer requiring no additional help in the way of expertise or financial assets. Because solar panels are rapidly being reduced in cost it may be that future models will be just as economically built with machine finished panels. Some off the shelf connectors, switches and wiring harnesses used were originally intended for other purposes and consequently were cheaper than those intended for the growing alternative energy industry.

3 KW or greater.

The Station is provided with approximately 500 watts of solar panels. This may seem less than the 3 KW rating desired. It must be recognized that the Station is capable of providing up to 6 KW output for a limited time and will maintain 3 KW until batteries have been drained of usable energy. The time available is dependent on the size and quantity of mounted batteries which at present will provide approximately 2 hours at full discharge rate of 3 KW. In full sunlight and using proper tracking the Station should provide 500 watts per hour during daylight and still maintain full battery charge.

Simple maintenance.

Because of size and construction the Station is easily maintained with a minimum of oversight. When used as a mobile or portable unit it should receive a normal maintenance check with each use. When used in a stationary mode the Station will only require snow removal which is made easy due to its low level configuration. All components are either compatible with outdoor use or have been provided with adequate enclosure for protection. Normal automotive type maintenance should take care of the trailer and dolly.

Safe operation.

The Station has been developed with safety and ease of use in mind. The prototype is a Station still in the development stage. Appropriate electrical and engineering codes have yet to be applied but the prototype has been supplied with adequate switching, fusing and mechanical devices to provide a modicum of safety for users.

Future development and Feedback.

The prototype is being displayed to the public for the first time. Interested persons should make any suggestions or comments by email to farmer@cowcorners.com. Thank you.

More to Come

It all began with a simple 45 watt solar battery charging unit that I bought on eBay.

Once I got the panels installed and understood the system I began to want more so I bought an upgrade inverter and added a battery or two.

The extra inverter capacity made me think about adding panels. A little research and I thought I would try my hand at building my own panels using recycled cells.

Next thing you know I am buying upgrade cells with larger wattages and looking for glass and solder and backing and metal framing and..... well, you get the idea.

Now things are getting complicated. My panels are getting larger and fancier. I am up to 80 watt panels that seem to be perfect for my project.

Fancier and Fancier

And then it hit me! A light bulb came on! Eureka! I know just the project. And so began my latest Green Alternative Energy Project which was to become THE STATION.

The foundation of the Station arrived by UPS in two nondescript boxes and were the beginnings of what was to help me create my Legend of the Fall of 2009.

Once delivered on my factory floor by my mechanized materials handling equipment I had only to put the pieces together. Without instructions.

Wallah! I did it! It all came together. Now on to the superstructure

The next step was to build a box that was strong enough to hold all of the components and the framing for the solar panels.

Then using parts and metal extrusions that were once a large overhead garage door I constructed the superstructure and frame for mounting the solar panels.

I must mention the weather for this first outing. During the time I had the unit outside the wind varied from calm to gusts of 20 knots or better. I was pleasantly surprised that there was not one rattle or vibration even during the highest winds. The sun only came out for about 15 minutes but I was able to make several voltage and amperage checks to my great satisfaction.

There stands The Station in all its unfinished glory. I was so happy to see the instrumentation indicate the amperage at near 40. That is a whopping 480 watts from those little ole DIY panels. I hope to have it ready for public approval in early April.

This chronological presentation of the development of The Station will be updated periodically. At present The Station is awaiting installation of the solar tracking electronics.