Solar Power - Page 2

The large box at the right contains eight 220 amp hour, 6 volt, deep cycle batteries. At the rear is a smaller box that holds six more 220 amp hour batteries. Connected in 12 volt sets, they provide 1540 amp hours of juice.

At the lower right is the battery box vent motors, running on 12 volts, that vent the explosive hydrogen gas (4 CFM) to the outside via a window in a picture below. The motors are automatic and start or stop based on the battery voltage. A 100 CFM muffin fan also seen below, vents the whole area in case any gas should escape from the boxes.

The boxes are 3/4 inch plywood, lined with plastic to catch any spills. Adjustable legs keep the boxes 1 inch off the floor. Handles are for moving the boxes when empty. Two small vents in the box ends, allow room air to be pulled into the boxes for venting to the outside, shown at the bottom left.

At the bottom right is a "combiner box" that hangs on the side of the house.  Each solar panel terminates at this box, each with its own circuit breaker.  The two meters show how much current is being output from each of the two large banks of solar panels.  The left meter shows about 17 amps from the six  SR-100 panels, and the right meter shows about 28 amps coming from the six KC-120 panels.  In this case, the combined 45 amps,  is sent from this box to the basement by heavy cable, capable of carrying the maximum output of these panels, about 70 amps.