Electronics projects for Solar PV

Dave_Fowler

Now that I have finally fully retired I have decided to use my electronics design workshop to develop simple electronics circuits to solve some of the problems raised over the past years by those having solar PV panels. The designs involve building a small circuit (1 or 2 ICs) on a piece of Vero strip-board (other boards are available).

The first of the circuits makes an Owl energy monitor read only when the power is flowing in one direction. This is useful when you clip the Owl sensor on the supply lead to the consumer unit. An unmodified Owl will read the current in the lead if you are exporting or importing. The circuit design shuts off the reading when the current flows in the 'wrong' direction. You can choose import or export.

A spin-off of this circuit allows those who have an old-style electric meter with a revolving disc to control the circuit described in the device to use unused soler pv export power to run heater or hot water thread.

A second circuit I have developed works similar to the roof-top light sensing circuit used in the above thread too. It works from the pulsing light on the generation meter and so does not need a lead running up to the roof. You can set a trigger level between 1 and 4 kW using a control knob. This means that an entire 'spare power' control device can be built on one circuit board using a few cheap ICs.

At present, I have got the various sections of the circuit working separately (Owl adapter and generation meter reader). I am about to combine the sections onto a single circuit board.

If there is enough interest, I would be willing to do a write-up, circuit diagram and strip-board layout. If you wish to build the circuitry you would need to be happy with soldering components to a circuit board.

Time-scale: hopefully finished by the end of May. Let me know if you are interested.

Dave F

Yut_Man

sounds interesting Dave. please keep us informed of your progress.

Hobbo2006

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

Now that I have finally fully retired I have decided to use my electronics design workshop to develop simple electronics circuits to solve some of the problems raised over the past years by those having solar PV panels. The designs involve building a small circuit (1 or 2 ICs) on a piece of Vero strip-board (other boards are available).

The first of the circuits makes an Owl energy monitor read only when the power is flowing in one direction. This is useful when you clip the Owl sensor on the supply lead to the consumer unit. An unmodified Owl will read the current in the lead if you are exporting or importing. The circuit design shuts off the reading when the current flows in the 'wrong' direction. You can choose import or export.

A spin-off of this circuit allows those who have an old-style electric meter with a revolving disc to control the circuit described in the device to use unused soler pv export power to run heater or hot water thread.

A second circuit I have developed works similar to the roof-top light sensing circuit used in the above thread too. It works from the pulsing light on the generation meter and so does not need a lead running up to the roof. You can set a trigger level between 1 and 4 kW using a control knob. This means that an entire 'spare power' control device can be built on one circuit board using a few cheap ICs.

At present, I have got the various sections of the circuit working separately (Owl adapter and generation meter reader). I am about to combine the sections onto a single circuit board.

If there is enough interest, I would be willing to do a write-up, circuit diagram and strip-board layout. If you wish to build the circuitry you would need to be happy with soldering components to a circuit board.

Time-scale: hopefully finished by the end of May. Let me know if you are interested.

Dave F

Yes please, I'd be interested.

Ferdy147

Me too....sounds great.

grahamc2003

Count me in, thanks.

I'm also interested in a more professionally designed surplus power switch, ideally somehow controlling a remote controlled socket into which I could plug a dehumidifier (or similar) to use up small amounts of surplus power. (Similar to the immersion controller, except without the instability or cycling drawbacks you pointed out), but I expect you have plenty of ideas to keep you busy.

ViksB

Yes please, we are really interested in anything that helps use the excess power.
Thank you

Dave_Fowler

The first circuit which makes an Owl energy monitor read only when the current is flowing in one direction and read zero when it flows in the other has been designed and the prototype up and running for two days. A circuit diagram and description have been prepared (but not the actual strip-board details).

I was intending putting all the details on my website, but have a some reservations as to the ethics of putting a link to the site on this forum.

I closed my company when I retired and removed all the advertising web-pages. However, because I acted as a service centre for two companies, I have listed telephone numbers for the service centres that took over from me - with a statement such as 'I am no longer the service agent for **** Ltd, call this number ......... for help'.

I would prefer to use a link rather than having lots of PMs to answer whenever anyone wishes to have a copy of the details, but I don't want to get into trouble with the forum moderators.

Any thoughts?

Dave F

jeremymoneysaver

I'd have thought sharing your excellent sounding ideas through a link here is just what the forum is for - just my 2p worth
Jeremy

Martyn1981

This will probably appear a little cheeky, but if I or somebody else, became aware of a useful site, then I don't see why anyone would mind us posting it on here!

Now, I just need to have a think about what that site was! I hope it comes to me soon?

Mart.

Dave_Fowler

grahamc2003 wrote: »

Count me in, thanks.

I'm also interested in a more professionally designed surplus power switch, ideally somehow controlling a remote controlled socket into which I could plug a dehumidifier (or similar) to use up small amounts of surplus power. (Similar to the immersion controller, except without the instability or cycling drawbacks you pointed out), but I expect you have plenty of ideas to keep you busy.

This sounds like an interesting project. The initial design I've just finished could be modified to produce the right sort of signals.

By comparing the output of the Owl clip-on sensor with several preset levels and using the knowledge of which way the current is flowing, different outputs could be activated depending on how much excess power is available.

Don't hold your breath, it may be August before I get time to progress this further.

Dave F

raider

I'm interested Dave, Thanks.