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Continuing on the "begin with the END in mind" theme I laid out in the first thread like this-
This time we are going to talk very briefly about inverters.
Inverters convert DC electricity into AC electricity- what your home uses. Most solar panels (and most small wind turbines) produce DC electricity. That electricity is used to charge batteries. Your inverter will be listed by the voltage of your battery bank- usually 12, 24 or 48 volts. Your inverter will be further described by it's power rating. For example 1,500 watts for a small inverter.
A quality inverter- and one that you want to use for your "begin with the end in mind" AE system will also act as a CHARGER.
What this means is that when an AC source is hooked up to your "AC1" power lugs on the inverter the inverter will act as a charger to charge the batteries. Depending on the settings you have programmed the inverter will control just how much power goes into the bank and for how long. Also a decent inverter can be programmed to run an "equalization" charge into your battery bank.
This equalization charge- or EQ- is a carefully regulated OVERCHARGE that is designed to help clean the plates of the battery of lead sulfates. This is a necessary regular task.
The other nice thing about an inverter with charger ability is that you can start your generator, check the inverter once and go off to do other tasks. No babysitting the system, watching this jury rigged meter to make sure your battery bank isn't cooking. When you start LIVING this way, you'll appreciate the couple extra bucks spent, trust me on this.
The $99. "inverter" from walmart will NOT act as a charger, will not EQ your battery bank for you, etc.
Begin with the end in mind. The inverter is the "heart" of your system, don't skimp on it.
Small QUALITY AE inverters are relatively inexpensive. We have the older version of this at our hunting camp-
and it was roughly the same cost about 7 years ago.
Here is that inverter and an inexpensive system we put in at our hunting camp years ago-
Till next time.
RH
This time we are going to talk very briefly about inverters.
Inverters convert DC electricity into AC electricity- what your home uses. Most solar panels (and most small wind turbines) produce DC electricity. That electricity is used to charge batteries. Your inverter will be listed by the voltage of your battery bank- usually 12, 24 or 48 volts. Your inverter will be further described by it's power rating. For example 1,500 watts for a small inverter.
A quality inverter- and one that you want to use for your "begin with the end in mind" AE system will also act as a CHARGER.
What this means is that when an AC source is hooked up to your "AC1" power lugs on the inverter the inverter will act as a charger to charge the batteries. Depending on the settings you have programmed the inverter will control just how much power goes into the bank and for how long. Also a decent inverter can be programmed to run an "equalization" charge into your battery bank.
This equalization charge- or EQ- is a carefully regulated OVERCHARGE that is designed to help clean the plates of the battery of lead sulfates. This is a necessary regular task.
The other nice thing about an inverter with charger ability is that you can start your generator, check the inverter once and go off to do other tasks. No babysitting the system, watching this jury rigged meter to make sure your battery bank isn't cooking. When you start LIVING this way, you'll appreciate the couple extra bucks spent, trust me on this.
The $99. "inverter" from walmart will NOT act as a charger, will not EQ your battery bank for you, etc.
Begin with the end in mind. The inverter is the "heart" of your system, don't skimp on it.
Small QUALITY AE inverters are relatively inexpensive. We have the older version of this at our hunting camp-
and it was roughly the same cost about 7 years ago.
Here is that inverter and an inexpensive system we put in at our hunting camp years ago-
Till next time.
RH