SP3600T Product Testing
System Characteristics
The major components of the SP3600T system we are testing are:
- (2) Sharp NT185-U1 solar panels wired in parallel
- Xantrex DR3624 Inverter/Charger
- Xantrex C Series Charge Controller with remote meter
- (4) Trojan 12 volt deep cycle AGM batteries rated at 255 amp-hours at 20 hours, 2 series strings in parallel
- Also includes 250 amp main DC breaker, 20 amp DC array breaker, DC and AC lightning arrestors, 30 amp AC breaker,
(2) 15 amp duplex outlets, and charger receptacle
Applicances, Tools, and Equipment Loads
We test our SP3600T under a variety of conditions with various types of loads. Listed below are the common appliances,
tools, and equipment we power with the test system regularly. We also have used an 8" drill press rated at 3.6 amps and
a radom orbit sander rated at 2.0 amps with the system. In addition, we are routinely charging cell phones with the system
and have observed no degradation in phone batteries to date.
|
| Appliance/Tool/Equipment |
Continuous Load
(watts) |
Load at Start Up
(watts est) |
Est Usage
(hours/month)
| Est Total comsumption
(kWH/month) |
| Holiday Portable Outdoor Refrigerator Model IC-07DC1HS |
144 |
240 |
180 |
30.6 |
| Low Voltage Transformer (12 volt DC outdoor lighting) |
44 |
44 |
330 |
14.5 |
| Craftsman 16 gal. Wet-Dry Vac Model 17761 |
1,320 |
1,800 |
1.5 |
2.4 |
| Craftsman 10" Compound Mitre Saw Model 315.24150 |
1,800 |
3,000 |
0.5 |
< 1.0 |
| Craftsman 7 1/4" Circular Saw |
1,140 |
1,800 |
0.75 |
< 1.0 |
| Craftsman Sabre Saw |
300 |
500 |
0.5 |
< 0.5 |
| Shop Light w/ 23W Compact Flourescent Bulb |
23 |
29 |
30 |
< 0.75 |
| Estimated Total Consumption per Month (kWH) |
49.8 |
|
SP3600T Charging Data and Conditions
During the winter, the SP3600T generated between 45 and 60 amp-hours on a sunny day and 20 to 30 amp-hours on a partly
cloudy day. On mostly cloudy days the system generates between 10 and 15 amp-hours per day. As the hours of daylight increased during the spring
we saw the amp-hours generated per day rise significantly to above 100 amp-hrs per day on sunny days, about 50 to 60 amp-hours on partly cloudy days,
and 25 to 35 amp-hours on mostly cloudy days.
For the first 6 months of 2007, the system was set up for charging between 6 and 9 days a month and only on weekends. The community where the system was located had deed restrictions
prohibiting trailers from being stored on lots. We recieved a notice from the HOA stating we were in violation of the trailer rules. We continued to charge the system on weekends only.
The remainder of the time it was stored inside. In June 2006, we approached the HOA and presented a case that we should, referencing Florida statutes Section 163.04, Solar Rights Law and
section Section 704.07, Authority for Solar Easements. After review by the HOA's attorneys, we received a letter stating we could charge the generator at any time we wished.
The table below shows the amount of power generated for 2007.
|
| Month |
No of Charging Days |
Generated Power
(amp-hrs) |
Avg Generated Power
(amp-hrs/day) |
Avg A/C Power**
(kWh/day) |
Evquivalent A/C Power**
(kWh) |
| January 2007 |
5 |
125.2 |
25.0 |
2.9 |
14.3 |
| February 2007 |
6 |
211.6 |
35.3 |
4.0 |
24.1 |
| March 2007 |
7 |
451.5 |
64.5 |
7.4 |
51.5 |
| April 2007 |
9 |
650.7 |
72.3 |
8.2 |
74.2 |
| May 2007 |
8 |
628.8 |
78.6 |
9.0 |
71.7 |
| June 2007 |
9 |
763.2 |
84.8 |
9.7 |
87.3 |
| July 2007 |
10 |
926.0 |
92.6 |
10.6 |
105.6 |
| August 2007 |
10 |
966.5 |
96.6 |
11.0 |
110.2 |
| September 2007 |
12 |
1059.6 |
88.3 |
10.1 |
120.8 |
| October 2007 |
9 |
716.4 |
79.6 |
9.1 |
81.7 |
| November 2007 |
10 |
628.0 |
62.8 |
7.2 |
71.6 |
| December 2007 |
7 |
306.6 |
43.8 |
5.0 |
34.9 |
| Totals |
102 |
7,434.1 |
72.9 |
8.3 |
847.4 |
|
| Observed Maximum Array Power (watts) |
314 |
|
| Maximum Power Generated in a Single Day (kWh) |
15.3 |
| * Month to date totals for partial month. |
** Inverter efficiency of 95% |
As the above results imply, In January and February 2007 we had to supplement the energy generated from the solar panels by additional charging
from house current through the system's charger input. From March through November we generated all the energy we needed to run the test equipment from the solar panels.
In December we generated enough power to use the test equipment, since the tools were used at about 30% of the average monthly usage (due to the holidays).
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