| Item |
Description |
Image |
|
|
Solar Powered Garden Wagon |
A Special Project to build a Solar Display for the State Fair. Solar
works, how do you show everyone? Make a portable display that can be moved
around to show everyone at the fair what solar is all about. |
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
Photos |
Every project has a budget. This project is no exception. 1. A Garden Cart
was used because it is pre-built saving time and effort. And
it can handle the weight. |
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
Photos |
2. A frame was constructed to hold the panels and a fixed angle was used.
The rack was welded together to mount the panels high
enough to let people see them but not too low to prevent damage to the
panels or people. The Panels
were laid out to mount them to an Aluminum rail system developed just for
this cart. The Array is lifted to the top of rack as one piece and mating
holes and bolts receive the array without the need for tools. Stainless
hardware was used to make it last. The PV combiner stays with the Panels and
a flexible cable is used with an Anderson Style Connector to make the
connection quick, easy and electrically safe.
 |
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
Photos |
3. Mount the 1000W inverter. A Sine Wave inverter from Magnum
Energy was installed since the system will power an LCD TV a couple hours each day. And
maybe a blender every now and then. The Inverter also includes a nice
battery charger, just in case the PV can't keep up with the 200-300W LCD TV
libations. |
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
Photos |
4. Add the batteries. These test batteries were place in the cart to
provide ballast weight and testing power for the system. I also added a 200A
Fuse on the Positive side of the cable going from the battery to the
inverter. The wires were
bigger than needed just in case the inverter size was changed out later
(that was a consideration from the beginning since a load study was not
completed ahead of time). |
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
Photos |
5. I reinforced the bottom of the cart at the axle. not sure how this cart
could hold the 1000 pound limit printed on the box. Maybe 1000 pounds is
lighter in China. |
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
Photos |
6. To finish up, I added a small charge controller to the PVs to prevent
from over charging the battery when not in use. |
NO PICTURE
Click Image to Enlarge |
|
|
