Any inputs to use the extra energy produced by the PV when in float mode?

[dapago]

Hello. My name is David and I am a newly on solar matters and here.
My system enter float mode every days @about noon time. I would like to use the "extra energy" produced by the PV after that time without compromising my daily load (4kwh) and batts charging. Any ideas how I can do it and what device/tool/etc can I "power" and redirect the extra energy to?
I am on a low budget (not to say very low at this moment).
Best.

[Vic]

Hi David,  welcome to the Forum.

The simplest way to use excess PV power,  is to use resistance heating,  of water for example.

In your location,  you may not need so much hot water.

You might also be able to use excess power to run an Air Conditioner (A/C).  But this can be more complex.

Pumping water can also use excess power,  although,  you probably do not need  a deep well,   so this may not be a large benefit.

Also,  as you probably know,  if you are at the off-grid site during the day,  you can manually switch on larger loads like A/Cs,  etc.

There are Threads here that detail some of the details of using variations of the "Waste Not" control functions that are built into the Classic Firmware.

Will look later for some of those Threads here.

Vic

[dapago]

Hello Vic. How are you today (from forum electric solar)?

"Waste not" function you said. Will look at the forum and manual user on the classic.
As you guest, hot water is not an issue in my location. A/C will be a must but with the palm bedrooms huts that will not be an option. Now water pumping YES! Appart from  the pressure pump (1hp) i use to pressurize the pressure tank, I have as well an other pump (1/2hp) powered by a small gen to pump the water from the lake to fill up a reservoir from which the 1hp pump get its water supply. The reservoir is filled every day (or 2) depending on the demand and take approx 50mn  to fill up the 500 gallons. I use this pump as well to water the garden morning and late afternoon when sun is down. Approx 60mn running time. Total running time of this pump (reservoir fill + watering garden = 2 hours). So definitively that could be a nice way to use the extra energy produced.
And yes I am on site every day (live and work there).
I am thinking as well to setup a small restaurant for non residents guests during the day and will need to use more often electric kitchen tools (blinders, etc).
Question:
Does the extra energy has to pass trough the batts or can it be drown directly from the inverter/CC and bypass the batts (except late afternoon garden watering I suppose)?
Best.

[Vic]

Hi David,

Search this Forum,  using the term,   '   Waste Not   '.

In general,  think that using the AC output of the inverter is more convenient,  and probably works a bit better than using DC current from the battery.   Your inverter would need to be fairly "stout"  (heavy duty),  so that it can provide relatively large amounts of power for an extended period.

More later.   Yes,  do hang out on the Wind-Sun Forum,  as well.
Vic

[dapago]

Thanks Vic. I will browse the forum(s).

My inverter is a Magnum MS4448PAE. 4.4kwh.  Hope that will do the job. I over powered the choice of the inverter for future loads. At the moment I don't need more than 2kwh when everything in the location is used at the same time.

[CDN-VT]

Good thinking David on the inverter sizing for later .


From Mr Davids post here :
" I live totally Off Grid in a small island in Granada Nicaragua and having a tech coming here for help or repair  is near to impossible. I run a small eco lodge on the island where I am living. I try my best to help the local community living nearby .

Water Pumping seems your extra requirements.
Your heating the water VIA solar black collectors ?
AC is $$$  if What i read low cost. And Im sure your acclimatized to warm .

Are you pumping up high during the day & using gravity feed pressures as well ? over always pressure from a pump ?
You can have garden systems & hose water systems.

To use extra solar harvest , we in the cold areas need to know what your major power using items would benefit you.. 
I see the word Blender ,, IS that for Cool drinks <? & now we need coolers ?


VT

[dapago]

Good morning  VT

For the moment I do not have hot water or any device to heat water. I personally do not use hot water, the weather conditions is very warm here. I was thinking about solar black collectors as you mentioned but that can be installed later (when my budget will allows it). Unfortunately here "it costs an arm" (not sure this expression exists in English). I recognize some foreign guests are so used to use hot water (even when 90F) that I will have at some point to find a solution (aesthetic if possible).

I am using pressure tank and pump. Looked at  gravity feeds pressure but that would have involved a heavy metal structure to support the tanks high. It was not possible to use the huts structure  and placing the tanks above the palms roofs was a risk (too much weight and not safe in case of hurricane or earthquakes) so decided for a  pressure tank and 1hp pump.

About watering the garden, I am using an other pump (1/2 hp) to raise the water up to a ground reservoir and use the same pump to pressurize a hose. The problem here is that I can not water the garden during the day (too hot and that will damage the plants) so I don't see how to use the waste not function for that. There is a solution maybe that can be implemented during the day if I create little  linked opened canals on the ground and just pump the water into them to water garden by a sort of gravity feed system. Not sure I am explaining myself correctly here.

At the moment I only have a chest fridge (not enough) and I will need pretty soon a solution to keep or do ice. I would love to keep ice and if I can power a freezer with the extra energy during the day and just maintain the temp during the night with the batts, that would be a superb solution for the xtra energy produced.

I will get internet installed in a few months (when business starts and money flows  ) for the local community to come and have internet access along with  languages classes (I speak various languages and would like to give some free classes to the community). Personally I have internet trough my cellphone but not for the community which is for me the most important thing here. I don't think the modem device uses a lot of power anyway.

There is an other matter with water that I would like to implement if extra energy can be used and it is about drinkable or treated water. At the moment, local community is drinking the lake water. Gettting potable water is complicated for them  as they have to buy it at the city and carry it to their islands where they live by foot and then boat.  If I could built a reservoir where lake water would be pumped and then treated, I could have an hose for community access and deliver to them potable water (at least better than untreated lake water).

Well many things I could do with the extra energy produced and used. I looked at the forum about waste not but, sorry for that, I did not understand a thing about it and will not even know how to begin with.

Regards.

[CDN-VT]

About watering the garden, I am using an other pump (1/2 hp) to raise the water up to a ground reservoir and use the same pump to pressurize a hose. The problem here is that I can not water the garden during the day (too hot and that will damage the plants) so I don't see how to use the waste not function for that. There is a solution maybe that can be implemented during the day if I create little  linked opened canals on the ground and just pump the water into them to water garden by a sort of gravity feed system. Not sure I am explaining myself correctly here.

You explain everything well & yes , watering  under ground for less evaporation  (evaporation  from wind is twice as quick as from the ground = less water you will use )

David , Since YOU are SO LUCKY with SUN & HEAT !!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sqRvUzqDCE

On a larger scale & have it drop into a center pipe & a auto fill level supply .. so as the days go the Potable water is in the first stage of solar cleaning . SO Mr David


DO a long post of what your complete system is and the lines I copied in your Signature , That will tell all once for all questions all the brains who will answer .

Also the LAY of the land , "I pump up 30 feet / or 3 meters " etc.
The more Info we see & know the better our judgment  / answer might BE !!

Yes on the Arm & the Leg  saying , No worries .

VT