Electrical system

Solar panel powered low voltage electrical system. No grid connection.

Solar panels on the south facing roof.

Batteries in the basement in a well
ventilated place.

Solar panels and batteries are connected through technical rooms.

Wires on the basement ceiling.

Needs short wiring from the batteries.

Needs low resistance wires because low voltage,
preferably rail system.

Low voltage and efficient power consuming appliances.

Local converter applied if AC needed.

Electric usage considerations

No grid connected, solar panel powered electrical solutions are normally scaled for the worst case scenario. The worst case is over-scaled at the average and extremely over-scaled at the best case. To avoid over scaling the system, limits and compromises need to be set.

Considerations:

• electrical power generation only when sun is available
• daytime does not need lighting and residents frequently out which lower the consumption
• generated and not used, extra electrical power stored in batteries
• nighttime electric consumption requires batteries
• much of the night time is sleep time, reduced electric consumption
• solar panels should be optimized for winter orientation
• less ideal orientation compensated by longer days at summer
• longer night at winter
• need to charge batteries even at winter
• automatic electrical power consumption regulation based on hierarchy 
• highest: battery charging if below critical level 
• (vital electrical units -which control and guide the system- always need power)
• (below critical level if power for vital electronics is less than two days)
• high: air circulation, water circulation and supply
• middle: lighting, refrigerator,  
• low: kitchen appliances
• lowest: entertaining appliances
• some appliances which can be scheduled, used only if enough solar power available:
  washing machine, dishwasher

Extra storage - emergency backup 

Problem:
Solar panels are optimized for winter power production
Solar panel produce extra power during summer even if not in optimal orientation
Not efficient to scale the batteries to store any amount of produced electric power
The house has no grid connection to utilize the extra power production

Solution: 
Plug-in hybrid car can be used as extra storage by charging its battery with the extra electric power

Problem:
When the sky is cloudy for long time, the solar panels may not produce enough electric power (rare case)
Not efficient to scale the solar panels for the worst case scenario
Occasionally need extra electric power which not generated by the local solar panels
The house has no grid connection to get extra needed electric power

Solution: 
Plug-in hybrid car can produce electric power which can use as emergency backup

Restrictive condition:
The plug-in hybrid car must be at the place when when these scenarios occurs, but this restriction probability decrease if every resident use plug-in hybrid car

Reference: www.toyotasingapore.com.sg/technology/environmental-technology/plugin-hybrid/



Full project on a slideshow:

http://smartecohousebyhat.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-experimental-concept.html 

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