Do-it-yourself solar power plant

There are often messages online about the fight for the environment and the development of alternative energy sources. Sometimes they even report on how a solar power plant was built in an abandoned village so that local residents could enjoy the benefits of civilization not 2-3 hours a day while the generator is running, but constantly. But this is all somehow far from our life, so I decided to use my own example to show and tell how a solar power plant for a private home is structured and how it works. I’ll tell you about all the stages: from the idea to turning on all the devices, and I’ll also share my operating experience. The article will be quite long, so those who don’t like a lot of letters can watch the video. There I tried to tell the same thing, but it will be seen how I collect all this myself.

Electric solar panels for the home open up many possibilities

Converting the sun's energy into electricity - this idea kept scientists awake for a long time. With the discovery of the properties of semiconductors, this became possible. Solar cells use silicon crystals. When sunlight hits them, a directed movement of electrons is formed in them, which is called an electric current. When connecting a sufficient number of such crystals, we obtain quite decent currents: one panel with an area of ​​​​a little more than a meter (1.3-1.4 m2 with a sufficient level of illumination can produce up to 270 W (voltage 24 V).

Since the illumination changes depending on the weather and time of day, it is not possible to directly connect devices to solar panels. We need a whole system. In addition to solar panels, you need:

• Battery. During daylight hours, under the influence of sunlight, solar panels generate electric current for the home or cottage. It is not always used in full; its excess accumulates in the battery. The accumulated energy is consumed in inclement weather.
• Controller. Not a mandatory part, but desirable (if you have enough funds). Monitors the battery's charge level to prevent it from over-discharging or exceeding its maximum charge level. Both of these conditions are detrimental to the battery, so having a controller extends the life of the battery. The controller also ensures optimal operation of solar panels.
• DC to AC converter (inverter). Not all devices are designed for direct current. Many operate on alternating voltage of 220 volts. The converter makes it possible to obtain a voltage of 220-230 V.

Solar panels for the home are only part of the system

By installing solar panels for your home or cottage, you can become completely independent from the official supplier. But for this you need to have a large number of batteries, a certain number of batteries. A kit that produces 1.5 kW per day costs about $1000. This is enough to meet the needs of a summer house or part of the electrical equipment in the house. A set of solar panels for producing 4 kW per day costs about $2,200, for 9 kW per day - $6,200. Since solar panels for home are a modular system, you can buy an installation that will provide part of the needs, gradually increasing its productivity.

Advantages of solar power plants

Power plants running on solar energy have a number of advantages compared to traditional sources:

• Modern installations amplify light in the presence of a large concentration of clouds, using rays that are in the invisible frequency spectrum, which ensures their continuous operation.
• They allow you to combine types of energy obtained from different sources: wind-solar batteries are mainly used.
• Compactness . Portable mobile power stations are made in small sizes, which helps to use them as a home source of electricity.
• Long service life, averaging from 30 to 50 years . By connecting storage batteries, you can store energy and use it at night.
• Save on bills because solar energy is free.
• Cheap, durable and easy to maintain.

Important! A home SES allows you to lead an autonomous existence, independent of the state of the power grid, changes in tariffs and other decisions of the owners of resource companies.

Connection options

There are no questions when connecting one panel: minus and plus are connected to the corresponding connectors of the controller. If there are many panels, they can be connected:

in parallel, i.e. connect the terminals of the same name to each other and obtain a voltage of 12V at the output;

sequentially, i.e. connect the plus of the first to the minus of the second, and the remaining minus of the first and plus of the second to the controller. The output will be 24 V.

series-parallel, i.e. use a mixed connection. This means that several groups of batteries are connected to each other. Inside each of them, the panels are connected in parallel, and the groups are connected in series. This output circuit gives the most optimal characteristics.

This video will help you understand in more detail how to connect alternative sources in your home:

Such power plants, using rechargeable batteries, accumulate solar charge for the home and store it, reserving it in battery banks. In America, Japan, and European countries, hybrid power supply is often used.

That is, two circuits operate, one of which serves low-voltage equipment powered by 12 V, the other circuit is responsible for the uninterrupted supply of energy to high-voltage equipment powered by 230 V.

What types of power plants are there?

There are different types of SES, they are classified according to their design and operating principle. Types of power plants:

1. Tower solar power plants are a tall structure with a tank on top. This container is painted black to maximize solar energy absorption and is filled with water. As it is exposed to sunlight, the water evaporates and condensation appears. It comes with a steam generator. The efficiency of this solar power plant is 20%, this is a large indicator for alternative resource extraction, which is why it is often used by industrial facilities;
2. Disc or modular type. It has almost the same principle of operation as the tower one, but it does not consist of solid material, but is made up of several modules. Installation is carried out on hills, a receiver and a reflector are installed. The receiver receives the sun's rays and transmits them to the reflector, and the reflector converts the concentrated rays into energy. This achievement is often used by the thermal power industry of the Netherlands and the USA (California);

   
   Design of a modular solar power plant

3. A solar power station with photo batteries can be easily made with your own hands. It consists of a number of photocells with different powers, sizes and other indicators. Such household stations are used in country houses, small industrial facilities, to power individual machines or mechanisms. You can select the required characteristics and assemble portable or mobile solar power plants. In this case, a camping power station can be just one module with a connected battery; Household Solar Power Panels
4. SES with concentrators. These are power plants that also include inverters. Such equipment is used where there is not enough solar energy and an increase in efficiency is required in order to achieve the conversion of energy into the required amount of electricity. They are networked machines that are connected to a turbogenerator, and with insufficient efficiency, they increase the concentration of sunlight by changing the angle of the receiver;

   
   Solar power plant with concentrators

5. Solar balloons or space power plants are the latest word in science. These are sets of special modules (receivers and reflectors) that are located beyond the earth’s orbit, which allows them to receive more sunlight than ground-based solar power plants. The system is very effective, but expensive;
6. Combined power plants. These are wind or water sources of alternative energy, working in tandem with solar ones. You can easily make such devices yourself, and you only need to develop a project that will combine the principles of all the systems used. Home alternative energy often combines the capabilities of several types of electricity production. This saves time and money.

   
   Combined power plant

Summing up

Yes, saving has become “fashionable” today! The expedient introduction of fundamentally new energy technologies in the future will allow people to abandon the use of nuclear, thermal, gasoline, diesel and gas turbine stations. People who have learned to “extract” electricity destroy themselves with their own hands, using outdated, but extremely profitable for “some” methods of obtaining the energy vital to humanity. If timely measures are taken, we will still be able to return planet Earth to its original appearance, leaving the depleted subsoil alone, and help our cosmic home restore the ecology brought to a catastrophic state.

Advantages and disadvantages

A portable or stationary solar power plant is a device that converts the sun's energy, using photovoltaics, into electric current. Sometimes the technology of indirect application of concentrated solar energy is used in various mechanisms. Most often, solar power plants for the home are indirect devices, mirrors or ray reflectors. Their operating principle is based on concentrating a large area of ​​light into a directed beam, the energy from which will go into battery-type storage.

Tower solar power plant

Modern turnkey solar power plant solutions help convert solar energy into current using special photovoltaic cells and photovoltaic processes. Batteries work using tracking systems that seem to “catch” light and direct it to the desired point.

Advantages of using solar power plants:

• Photovoltaic processes occur even when there are clouds in the sky. The human eye does not always catch rays breaking through clouds, unlike tracking devices. This ensures virtually uninterrupted operation;
• Possibility of combining several alternative energy sources. Nowadays, wind-solar batteries are increasingly being used, which combine the capabilities of wind and solar power plants. This tandem works in any conditions, regardless of external factors;
• Even a small device is enough to power an apartment or even a country cottage;
• An autonomous solar power plant is an infinitely renewable source of energy, with an average operating life of 50 years (modular design). Storage batteries can store energy until the system needs it, while the Sun emits light every day - this is a very large resource saving;
• Small solar power plants can be built on private plots, which is impossible for wind turbines;
• If you buy ready-made solar power plants for your dacha, apartment, or house, you don’t have to worry about their maintenance—they won’t need repairs. Among all alternative energy options, solar power plants are the most reliable and durable.

In addition, you will be able to use as much electrical energy in your home as you need without worrying about taxes for exceeding the norm.

But, in addition to the advantages, solar power plants also have disadvantages :

• Geothermal (thermal) stations are quite expensive, they are difficult to buy in domestic stores, in most cases you will have to order them from abroad;
• There is no possibility of using SES at night. Therefore, you need to have large batteries to store energy;
• The main disadvantage of the systems is that even solar power plants with high power can convert only 20% of all solar energy. This means that you lose up to 80% of potential electricity. Please note that tidal ones use up to 70%, and wind ones use up to 40%.

To make the most of the advantages of the system, but at the same time avoid the disadvantages, many manufacturers offer their customers stationary hybrid systems.

Adjusting the valve clearance of a gas generator - the basics

Valve clearance size has a major impact on engine performance in all aspects. If the valve clearance is too small, expansion of the valve stem in the thermal state of the engine may cause valve leakage and power loss, or even valve burnout. Valve clearance is too large - collisions can occur between different parts of the transmission, as well as between the valve itself and the valve seat. At the same time, the duration of valve opening will be reduced and will cause insufficient air intake and exhaust, which will directly affect the normal operation of the engine.

In general, the valve clearance of a gasoline engine should be checked and adjusted after using it for 1 year or 300 hours. Valve adjustment work is carried out in a cold state and when the valve is completely closed. Repairing a gas generator is not difficult, and these instructions will help you with this.

How to adjust valve clearance with your own hands?

Place the piston at the dead center of the cylinder combustion chamber, and the positive position between the magnetic steel of the flywheel and the flame igniter is the positive point. Insert a feeler gauge into the gap between the valve rocker arm and the valve and measure the lifter gap.

That's all. These works are performed by professionals in half an hour to an hour and are inexpensive, so it is more advisable to use the services of a specialized gas generator repair service.

Maintenance and repair of generators from professionals

At Generator, we recognize the importance of regular engine maintenance with adjustments to maintain peak efficiency and check for component wear. Over time, lubricants and fuel may deteriorate, making it difficult to start the machine.

Rubber components and hoses can also become brittle. These are problems that our qualified team can easily identify and correct during routine maintenance.

Over time, lubricants and fuel may deteriorate, making it difficult to start the machine. Rubber components and hoses can also become brittle. These are problems that our qualified team can easily identify and correct during routine maintenance.

Regular maintenance of gas generators

Regular maintenance not only ensures that engines operate more efficiently and economically, it helps avoid costly failures and unplanned downtime.

All our service and repair work is carried out to the highest standards set by factory trained engineers. They have extensive knowledge and understanding of our products as a result of specialized training and hands-on experience. Our engineers are qualified to perform preventive maintenance and are well versed in diagnostic techniques.

Preventive maintenance and repair of electric generators require qualified personnel to ensure that the engines are restored and maintained at peak performance. We own fully equipped workshops for complete generator servicing.

How to make a solar power plant at home

To create an SES yourself, you will need to perform the following steps:

• Assembling solar panels for your home or garden with your own hands

• make a careful calculation of the required daily amount of electricity. To do this, you need to calculate the amount of energy consumed by each appliance in the house and sum up these values.
• In accordance with the obtained values, a set of equipment is purchased. You will need the entire kit, starting with the panels and ending with the inverter and switching. The equipment must correspond in its characteristics to the needs of the house, in addition, all devices must be coordinated with each other
• equipment is delivered to the site and installed properly. All elements of the system are connected to each other
• All actions require an accurate understanding of the meaning of the work being performed. If you lack knowledge, it is better to seek help from specialists who can eliminate mistakes and losses of expensive equipment.

What it is

The term “free energy” itself appeared when internal combustion engines were widely introduced, when the problem of obtaining the required amounts of energy depended on the coal spent. Wood and petroleum products were also taken into account. Free energy is usually understood as a force that does not require spending a large amount of fuel to produce. This means that no resources are required. Including when they create a self-powered transgenerator.

Now they are creating fuel-free generators that implement similar schemes. Some of them began to work long ago, receiving energy from the sun and wind, and other similar natural phenomena. But there are other concepts aimed at circumventing the law on conservation of energy.

Tesla installation

How much power does a family need?

On average, one family of three, taking into account a full set of equipment and an electric stove (and these are the ones most often found in houses, because running gas is even more difficult than running power lines) consumes 6-7 kW per day. And this is in an apartment. In the house, consumption will be even higher, because you need to additionally heat water, ensure the operation of the sewage system, and much more. Thus, we can conclude that a 5 kW solar power plant for a home will still not be able to provide everything needed. But if you cut down on your appetite and activate only what you need at the moment, you can get by with that amount. Ultimately, this is still significantly better than no power supply at all. The same refrigerator will be able to work around the clock, like other basic devices. But the TV, computer and other similar devices will have to be turned on only occasionally, which, in principle, is not as critical as it might seem.

Installation of the module at the design location

After all the individual solar panels are ready, they need to be installed in a single module at the design location. This is a rather labor-intensive stage of work, so you need to prepare the necessary tools and devices for attaching to the frame.

In rural areas, a fairly common option for placing solar panels is a plot of land. There should be no trees, bushes or other obstacles to direct sunlight.

When placing solar panels on the roof of a house, you need to be sure that the rafter system will withstand the constant static load from the battery complex and the dynamic load from snow, wind and rain.

A set of measures should also be taken to protect the base frame structure. To do this, special barriers or dividers are installed in the upper part of the roof slope to retain snow.

Real output of a solar power plant for a home

The output depends on the power and angle of inclination of the panels, the intensity of the sun and the length of daylight hours.

Batteries differ in area, which affects their power. It can be 10W, 100W, 150W, 260W and so on. However, the actual output of the panel is usually higher than its rated power, since the solar intensity factor must be taken into account. In the southern regions the sun shines stronger and longer, and in the northern regions it shines weaker and less, so the same panel produces different amounts of electricity.

Case Study

This is a graph of electricity production from one 260W panel for June 2022. The total output of the station for the month is 34.89 kW. Based on the calculation that the nominal monthly power of the battery is 7.8 kW (260 W X 30 days), its actual power turned out to be 4.5 times higher (correction factor). In summer it is larger, in winter it is smaller or absent altogether.

The graph shows that production is not constant and there are sharp drops - these are cloudy days, when daylight hours are shorter and solar activity is very weak. The worst performance was recorded on June 17 - about 0.4 kW, and the maximum on June 25 - about 1.4 kW.

And this is what the output of a solar battery looks like hourly during the day:

Production starts around 9am, peaks around 1pm, then gradually declines and stops around 7pm. During the day there are small dips - when the sun was hidden by clouds. Power generation was unstable from approximately 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm due to cloud cover. But this did not greatly affect the final performance of the station - 1.32 kW.

There were many failures during the day, which affected the final output of the station - 0.98 kW. And this is a cloudy rainy day, when solar activity is very weak and the generation during the day was 0.45 kW.

From this we can conclude that relying entirely on solar electricity is difficult. The performance of the station is highly dependent on the intensity of the sun and even in summer it can be inconsistent due to cloudy weather.

Build process

Everything is simple here! Capacitors are connected to the electric motor in a delta configuration. During operation, you need to periodically check the temperature of the case. Its heating may occur due to incorrectly selected capacitor capacitors.

A homemade generator that does not have automation must be constantly monitored. Heating that occurs over time will reduce efficiency. Then the device needs to be given time to cool down. From time to time you should measure the voltage, speed, and current.

It is quite possible that a homemade device will experience frequent breakdowns. This should not be surprising, since it is practically impossible to achieve a hermetically sealed installation of all elements of an electric generator at home.

So, I hope it’s now clear how to make a generator from an electric motor. If you want to design a device whose power should be enough to simultaneously operate household appliances and lighting lamps, or construction tools, then you need to add up their power and select the desired engine. It is desirable that it has a small power reserve.

If you fail when manually assembling an electric generator, do not despair. There are many modern models on the market that do not require constant supervision. They can be of different power, and are quite economical. There are photos of generators on the Internet; they will help you estimate the dimensions of the device. The only negative is their high cost.

How to connect if there is electricity on the site

If the site is connected to the network, then installing a solar power plant will make the house more energy independent, reduce energy costs and even make money on it thanks to the feed-in tariff.

• DIY solar cell assembly

There is no battery in this connection scheme, since there is no need to store electricity (but if you want to have a backup power source in case the lights go out, then a battery is required).

To connect such a station, you only need a solar battery (or several), which is connected to an outlet through a network inverter. In this form, the station is already ready for operation. The battery generates electricity and you immediately consume it for internal needs: running the refrigerator, lighting, kettle, etc.

Photo of real power plant connection

For example, the station’s daily output is 1 kW of electricity, and the building consumes a total of 5 kW. In fact, you only take 4 kW from the network. But if the station produces 5 kW per day, and you actually consume only 2 kW, then the remainder (3 kW) is burned. In this case, you can connect a green tariff and sell the difference to the state at a higher price, or install a battery and accumulate the excess for it.

Now there are companies that connect green tariffs on a turnkey basis. Starting from the selection and installation of the station to the conclusion of an agreement with OBLENERGO.

Application

In everyday life and in production, such generators are widely used in various fields and areas, but they are most in demand to perform the following functions:

1. Used as motors for wind farms, this is one of the most popular functions. Many people make their own asynchronous generators to use them for these purposes.
2. Operation as a hydroelectric power station with small output.
3. Providing power and electricity to a city apartment, private country house or individual household equipment.
4. Performing the basic functions of a welding generator.
5. Uninterrupted supply of alternating current to individual consumers.

Do-it-yourself autonomous solar power plant for home

It is not difficult to assemble your own solar station; it contains only four components:

• solar panels;
• battery charge;
• controller;
• inverter

Solar power plant diagram

All of them are easy to find and order through online stores. But how to make a solar power plant with your own hands in order to create a full-fledged autonomous power supply system at home? First, you need to collect information about your needs, the capabilities of the area where the solar station will operate, and make all the necessary calculations for selecting the components.

How to calculate the number of solar panels

Choosing a solar station begins with searching for information on insolation in your area - the amount of solar energy that hits the earth's surface (measured in watts per square meter). This data can be found in special weather reference books or on the Internet. Typically, insolation is indicated separately for each month, because the level is highly dependent on the season. If you plan to use the solar station all year round, then you need to focus on the months with the lowest indicators.

Next, you need to calculate your electricity needs for each month. Remember that for an autonomous power supply system, not only the efficiency of energy storage plays a role, but also its economical use. Smaller needs will allow you to save significantly when purchasing solar panels and creating a budget version of a solar power station with your own hands.

Compare your electricity needs with the level of insolation in your area and you will find out the area of ​​solar panels that is needed for your solar station. Please note that the efficiency of the panels is only 12-14%. Always focus on the lowest figure.

• DIY absorber assembly for a solar collector

Thus, if the insolation level in the most unfavorable month in your area is 20 kWh/m², then with an efficiency of 12% one panel with an area of ​​0.7 m² will produce 1.68 kWh. Your energy requirement, for example, is 80 kWh/month. This means that in the least sunny month, 48 panels (80/1.68) will be able to satisfy this need. You can read more about how to choose solar panels in our previous article. And here you can learn how to make candles at home.

How to choose solar panels

Solar panel device

At first glance, all solar panels are the same: the cells of solar cells are interconnected by busbars, and on the back side there are two wires: plus and minus. But there are a lot of nuances in this matter. Solar panels come from different elements: amorphous, polycrystalline, monocrystalline. I will not advocate for one type of element or another. Let me just say that I myself prefer monocrystalline solar panels. But that's not all. Each solar battery is a four-layer cake: glass, transparent EVA film, solar cell, sealing film. And here every stage is extremely important. Not just any glass is suitable, but with a special texture, which reduces the reflection of light and refracts light incident at an angle so that the elements are illuminated as much as possible, because the amount of energy generated depends on the amount of light. The transparency of the EVA film determines how much energy reaches the element and how much energy the panel generates. If the film turns out to be defective and becomes cloudy over time, then production will drop noticeably.

Next come the elements themselves, and they are distributed by type, depending on quality: Grade A, B, C, D and so on. Of course, it is better to have quality A elements and good soldering, because with poor contact, the element will heat up and fail faster. Well, the finishing film should also be of high quality and provide good sealing. If the panels become depressurized, moisture will quickly enter the elements, corrosion will begin, and the panel will also fail.

How to choose the right solar panel? The main manufacturer for our country is China, although there are also Russian manufacturers on the market. There are a lot of OEM factories that will paste any ordered nameplate and send the panels to the customer. And there are factories that provide a full production cycle and are able to control product quality at all stages of production.

How can you find out about such factories and brands? There are a couple of reputable laboratories that conduct independent tests of solar panels and openly publish the results of these tests. Before purchasing, you can enter the name and model of the solar panel and find out how well the solar panel matches the stated characteristics. The first laboratory is the California Energy Commission, and the second European laboratory is TUV. If the panel manufacturer is not on these lists, then you should think about quality. This doesn't mean the panel is bad. It’s just that the brand may be OEM, and the manufacturing plant also produces other panels. In any case, the presence in the lists of these laboratories already indicates that you are not buying solar panels from a fly-by-night manufacturer.

How to install a solar panel

For the best efficiency, the solar panel should be installed so that the sun's rays fall on it at an angle of 90 degrees. Since the sun constantly moves across the sky, there are two solutions:

• Dynamic installation. Use a servo to make the solar panel rotate as the sun moves across the sky. The servo drive will allow you to collect 50% more energy than a static installation.
• Stationary installation. To get the most out of the fixed position of the solar panel, you need to find the installation angle at which the panel will collect the maximum possible amount of sun rays. For year-round operation, this angle is calculated using the formula +15 degrees to the latitude of the area. For the summer months this is -15 degrees to the latitude of the area.

How to choose a charge controller

Another way to build your own solar power plant and make it work efficiently is to use a charge controller that allows you to track maximum power points (MPPT). Such a controller can store energy even during low light conditions and continues to supply it to the battery in an optimal manner.

How to choose a battery

So, energy from solar panels goes to the battery. This allows energy to be stored so that it can be used even in the absence of sunlight. In addition, batteries smooth out uneven energy supply, for example, during strong winds or clouds.

Installing solar panels may require a large roof slope

To correctly select and install a battery for a home solar power station with your own hands, you need to consider two parameters:

• It is very important that the charging current (from the panels) does not exceed 10% of the rated capacity level for acid batteries and 30% for alkaline devices.
• Low side voltage inverter design.

Consider battery self-discharge rates (not always indicated by manufacturers). For example, acid devices are recharged every six months to avoid breakdown.

How to choose an inverter

Description of parameters and mandatory functions of an ideal inverter:

• sinusoidal signal with distortion not exceeding three percent;
• when a load is connected, the voltage amplitude changes by no more than ten percent;
• double current conversion - direct and alternating;
• analogue AC conversion part with a good transformer;
• short circuit protection;
• overload reserve.

When modeling your home's electrical system, group the loads so that different types of loads are powered by different inverters.

The final stage of work

If the test shows that the battery is fully functional, it is sealed with a special silicone sealant or a more expensive and durable epoxy compound.

The work involves two ways of doing it:

1. Full filling - when the entire surface is covered with a sealing compound.
2. Partial treatment - when the sealant is applied only to the outer elements and the empty space between the elements.

The first option is considered more reliable and provides the system with complete protection from external factors. Photocells are clearly fixed in place and work correctly with maximum efficiency.

To seal photocells inside the housing, it is advisable to use a frost-resistant sealant that can withstand sudden temperature changes and low subzero temperatures.

When the filling is completed, the sealant is allowed to “set.” Then they cover it with a transparent element and press it tightly against the plates.

In order to provide additional protection and shock absorption, some craftsmen recommend placing dense foam rubber between the surface of the silicon slab and the back of the frame. This will make the structure more integral and protect fragile photocells from unnecessary load.

Then a weight is placed on the surface, which acts on the layers and squeezes air bubbles out of them. The finished generator is tested again and finally installed in a pre-prepared place.

How much does a solar power plant cost?

The main factor influencing the cost of a solar power plant is its future total capacity. Taking into account the costs of installation, commissioning and paperwork, it ranges from $0.8-1.0 per 1 kW. The floating price range is formed due to secondary factors - “branding” and quality of equipment and complexity of installation work.

The cheapest option is to buy used equipment from Europe. The disadvantage of such an acquisition is obvious, and is associated with the impossibility of objectively assessing the real efficiency of the station and the remaining service life of the panels.

Distribution of costs for SE

The second most expensive option is the purchase of budget components from little-known Chinese companies. Their equipment is 20-30% cheaper than batteries, inverters, accumulators and peripherals from companies from the world-famous TIER-1 Bloomberg rating, but is inferior in quality and durability.

Therefore, before purchasing, experts advise considering only the third option and basing calculations on how much a solar power plant for a home from trusted manufacturers will cost.

Here are some of the most popular examples.

How much does a 5 kW solar power plant cost?

Approximately, you will need to purchase the following kit for the cheapest network SES:

Table of the estimated cost of a solar power plant for 5 kW
Taking into account the costs of turnkey delivery, which will include the registration of a “green tariff” and a multi-tariff meter with ASKUE, the total amount will be approximately $ 4800 .

An autonomous station will cost a little more, since it will require inclusion in the list of high-quality batteries, but the exclusion of a meter from it and registration of permits for the “green tariff”.

How much will a 10 kW solar power plant cost?

The calculation principle here is almost the same. You will need to purchase:

Table of estimated cost of solar power plant for 10 kW

How much does a 30 kW solar power plant cost?

There is no need to make any fundamental changes when determining the total cost of such a second, more powerful solar power plant. However, the following consideration must be taken into account.

Such a station will require more than 100 batteries of 250-275 watts, or about 200 square meters. meters of free space. Replacing with more efficient 300-400 watt panels will save some space, but the southern slopes of the roof of even a large house may not be enough. Therefore, it will be necessary to consider the option of installation on the ground. But the area of ​​the free area will have to be almost doubled in order to prevent the shadow from some obliquely installed modules from falling on other neighboring ones.

If this is not a problem, you will need to allocate about $25-26 thousand, or almost 700 thousand hryvnia, for the purchase.

However, the payback of such a solar power plant will not exceed 5 years, and then it will begin to generate a constant income of more than $4,000 annually.

It has been noted that the price of the kit always approximately corresponds to its power and amounts to $1000 per 1 kW.

Smoke generators for industrial production

If it is not possible to make a generator for a smokehouse yourself, you can consider purchasing a smokehouse. Numerous stores will help you make a choice, because their range is quite wide. Below are prices for several cold smoking models from popular manufacturers:

1. HANHI, Zmei. Price 9800−10800 rub. Fuel container with a volume of 10 liters. One load is enough for 10 hours of work. The power of the built-in electric heater is 1 kW. The presence of a filter, thermometer, air coil for cooling the smoke.
2. Smoke. Price 4700−5200 rub. Fuel container with a volume of 0.5 kg. Case material: AISI 304 stainless steel. Operating time up to 6.5 hours. Compressor and connecting hoses included.
3. UZBI, Dym Dymych 01M. Price 2800−3900 rub. One load is enough for 15 hours of work. Compressor included.
4. Smoke 2.0, Smoke House. Price 1440−1800 rub. Fuel container with a volume of 2.5 liters. Case material: stainless steel, thickness 2 mm. Working time 3-6 hours.
5. Merkel, Premium. Price 9900−10800 rub. One load is enough for 12 hours of work. Case material: stainless steel, thickness 2 mm. A filter and a special lighter are included.

For a more detailed study of the issue of making smoke generators with your own hands, it is recommended that you first study similar diagrams and drawings on the Internet. Based on them, it is advisable to prepare your documentation, which takes into account all the features of your design. Then the smoking device you make yourself will be of high quality, highly productive and safe.

Reviews

Judging by the reviews existing on the Internet, a fairly large number of people speak positively about the installation of such devices. Solar power plants for home, reviews of which can be found, are usually installed in remote parts and have no analogues in terms of convenience, comfort and cost. Yes, they really are still too expensive to fully replace centralized supply. But, firstly, this is only for now, and secondly, sooner or later such a power plant pays for itself and begins to save money. As was already said at the very beginning, cheap stations will help you gain profit within 5-10 years. Expensive and more powerful models rarely pay for themselves longer than 40 years. Some people have longer mortgages. One-time serious expenses will still be compensated, but you will have to pay for central electricity until the very last days of your life.

Sources used:

solarpanel.today, term.od.ua, energo.house, www.syl.ru, altenergiya.ru, sovets24.ru, www.asutpp.ru, m.habr.com, motocarrello.ru

Generators using the energy potential of liquid or gaseous fuels

The easiest and fastest way to provide your home with an autonomous source of energy is to purchase a generator set equipped with a drive that uses liquid fuel or natural gas.

Despite the differences in the types of engines used, the general principle is maintained. An internal combustion engine produces kinetic energy - torque at a certain rotation speed. Rotation is transmitted to the generator rotor. The generated electricity is supplied to the points of its consumption.

A diesel generator is a reliable source of electricity, but requires constant fuel supply.

The engine is equipped with a starting system (starter); depending on the model, the starter can be manual or electric. Of course, for a permanent installation, preference is given to the second.

What are the advantages of such sources of electricity:

• They produce alternating electric current, so to speak, in “ready-to-use” form, that is, to supply the load with 220 volts. That is, no additional converter devices are required.
• Fuel generators are an excellent solution when you need a backup power source in case of power line outages. If there is a power failure, the automation will give a command to start the starter, and after a short time the power supply in the house will be restored. And when the voltage in the supply line appears (stabilizes), a reverse switch will occur and the engine will be turned off.

The reserve input equipment may already be installed on a gasoline or diesel generator “by default.”
If not, you can purchase it as a separate unit - most power plants have a connector adapted for connecting it. Equipment for inputting a backup energy source is often already an integral part of the purchased power plant. If not, then the possibility of connecting it is provided, and the control unit itself is purchased separately.

• Generators running on liquid fuel can also become the main source of electricity if country estates are visited by the owners sporadically and for a short period of time. It is clear that in such conditions, as a rule, the house is not oversaturated with household appliances, and it is possible to purchase a fairly compact installation that is easy to bring with you. Just so as not to worry about its safety in the house left, for example, for a week until the next weekend.
• Such a power plant becomes practically irreplaceable in conditions of suburban construction, if it is not yet possible to connect to the power grid.

The greatest advantage of liquid fuel generators is their mobility, the ability to work in field conditions, for example, when constructing your own country house.

• If you look at it, all other autonomous sources of electricity are highly dependent on the time of day and year, and on the weather prevailing on the streets. But fuel power plants are capable of fully functioning at any time when required.

The disadvantages of this approach to organizing an autonomous power supply at home include the following:

• A constant supply of fuel is required, which, by the way, is very expensive and, unfortunately, is constantly rising in price. And to store at least a minimum reserve for unforeseen situations, it is necessary to create certain conditions. Related, among other things, to problems of safety in the home.
• The operation of a liquid fuel power plant is always associated with the exhaust of exhaust gases. Such a “neighborhood” can be unpleasant in terms of comfort, and even very dangerous, since the exhaust is very toxic to humans. That is, with a permanent installation, this issue will have to be thought through in advance.
• The operation of an internal combustion engine a priori cannot be silent. This also imposes certain requirements on the location of the power plant. Since it is undesirable to leave the generator in the open air, you will have to build a separate room for it at some distance from residential buildings, observing the requirements for its ventilation and sound insulation.

One of the options for solving the problem of permanent installation of an autonomous diesel power plant is a module made of sandwich panels located at some distance from a residential building.

• Like any other equipment with internal combustion engines, generators cannot operate continuously - this is stipulated in their characteristics. Yes, models are produced that can be used for a very long time, but still pauses for preventive measures and maintenance are needed.
• The cost of fuel hardly makes it possible to talk about the prospects for savings - network electricity is still much cheaper.

It has already been noted that such power plants can be gasoline or diesel. If you intend to purchase a generator for a stationary installation, designed for long-term operation, then preference, of course, is given to a diesel engine. Such units, although they are more expensive than gasoline units, are superior in reliability, stability of output speed, and ability for long non-stop operating cycles. For infrequent and short-term starts, a high-quality four-stroke gasoline generator may be sufficient, as it is easier to maintain and start, and also cheaper and smaller in size.

Prices for gasoline power plants Huter

gasoline generator Huter

By the way, some significant disadvantages of gasoline and diesel power plants are reduced to a certain extent in gas installations. Here the noise is less, the emissions are not so “aggressive”, and the cost of “blue fuel” is incomparably lower.

Generator set running on natural gas.

But they also have their negative nuances. Thus, the installation of such a power plant will require coordination with the organization supplying gas, drawing up a project, and its installation and commissioning work should be carried out only by gas industry specialists. The second factor that significantly limits the widespread use of such power plants is their very high cost, even without taking into account the upcoming costs of design and installation activities.

Thus, it is hardly necessary to consider fuel generators as the main source of power supply when permanently living in a house. But as a reliable backup, always ready to come to the rescue, it’s better not to think of anything.

What output power will the generator need?

It would seem that the question is not difficult. You just need to sum up the power consumption of the devices connected to the home electrical network and set aside a certain operating reserve.

But with this technique it is quite possible to make a very big mistake in both one and the other direction. Both are bad. A power plant with insufficient power will stall under high load. Working with excess unclaimed power negatively affects the generator itself. In addition, as this parameter increases, the cost of the equipment also increases significantly.

What are the features of the calculation?

• First of all, we must not forget that many household appliances and power tools consume not only active, but also so-called reactive power. And the overall indicator is higher - it is determined by the ratio of the rated power to the coefficient called cos φ . This coefficient is usually also indicated in the technical characteristics of the product. And the smaller it is, the higher the final figure.

Indicators of rated power and cos φ on the nameplate of an asynchronous motor. And 180 W nominal turns into 265 W total power, taking into account the reactive component.

• Many household appliances and tools are characterized by peak inrush current values ​​that sometimes exceed the rated current by several times. Yes, they are short-lived, but there is still a possibility that the total momentary consumption will exceed the capabilities of an incorrectly calculated generator.

If you simply sum up the power consumption indicators (especially taking into account the reactive and starting corrections) of all electrical appliances in the house, you will probably get a very large value. But the probability that the entire load is turned on at the same time is extremely small. In addition, if the generator is used as a backup power source (as is usually the case), a certain “energy discipline” will still need to be observed during its operation.

This means that a number of devices, of course, remain turned on almost always - this is a refrigerator, a system for ensuring the operation of a gas boiler, lighting in the required volumes. It is unlikely that the owners will want to be left without a TV and/or computer. But with other devices, caution is required. For example, if you are currently cooking food on an electric stove, then, apparently, you should wait to start the washing machine or dishwasher, microwave or heater. And so on - those devices must be used that really cannot be done without during the period of operation of the backup source of electricity.

A similar approach should apply to power tools, if the generator is used during construction, or urgent work on the house is required. It hardly makes sense, for example, to simultaneously carry out welding work and run some processing equipment. However, it is up to the owners to decide.

Of course, the owners of the house are free to choose the mode of energy consumption, that is, to draw up a list of devices and tools, the simultaneous operation of which should be ensured by the generator. But in everything there must be caution and a “sober” view.

Below, the reader is offered an online calculator that will help quickly and with a sufficient degree of accuracy calculate the required generator power. The user only has to indicate the type and number of lamps used for lighting, and then check off those devices or tools that, in his opinion, should be simultaneously provided with electricity. The calculation algorithm includes the average power indicators of devices and tools, already adjusted for the reactive component and inrush currents.

Calculator for calculating the required power of a fuel generator

Go to calculations

This indicator, which also takes into account the operational reserve, should be taken into account when choosing a fuel generator model.