Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -

[Dellmassive]

Solar Sheds & Other Non-T6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -

@Pete C requested it, so here it is . . . . .

Dell,

What do the batteries in your shed power ?
I too have a solar powered shed - perhaps we should have a separate thread for sheds

Pete

Lets Post here any NON - T6 related ECO Power or Solar setups etc....

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SHED:
Solar Panel: 1x 160w RENOGY flexible (stuck on roof ) 2x 160W semi-flexible, photonic universe (stuck on roof )
charge controller: Victron smartsolar 100/20 (75/15, 100/30 options + various PWM`s)
DC-DC charger: Redarc bcdc1240 - charging dis-similar batterys from main battery bank ie Lifpo4 or old SLA,
EHU Charger: NOCO G1500(15A) if needed,
battery bank: 2x110Ah deep cycle Leisure + others,
Inverter: Victron Phoenix Inverter 12/350,
other: Raspberry Pi running Victron Venus system monitor + 2x USB links,
other: SONOFF USB/12v wifi switch/timers via APP,
other: WIFI Router 12v powered, set as an access point,
other: 12v LED garden/shed lighting via SONOFF`s,
other: PowerLine adapter to get internet over mains wiring,
other: 240v mains supply if needed.

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just copy/paste/edit the list and add your own details in.


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eWeLink Bring Your Home To Life - SONOFF Official

eWeLink App, SONOFF Smart Home Cooperative App, and Android, IOS version can all be download in the APP Store, one-click to start smart life.

sonoff.tech

eWeLink - Smart Home - Apps on Google Play

eWeLink is designed to seamlessly control and manage smart devices.

play.google.com

‎eWeLink-Smart Home

‎One app, countless devices eWeLink is the app platform that supports multiple brands of smart devices including Sonoff. It enables connections between diversified smart hardware and integrates popular Smart Speakers such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home. Moreover, eWeLink works with IFTTT, serving...

apps.apple.com

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we run a Solar Shed that powers 12v LED ambient lighting and a victron Inverter for 240v powered stuff.

we also have mains 240v for big loads.

12v/USB timers run from APPS on the smartphone to control the lighting etc.

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Stats for nerds:

Victron Venus web display running on Raspberry Pi:

And Victron VRM Portal data logging.

This morning:

and last 7days:

Defiantly caught the solar bug . . . . . . Grid-tie inverter next to harvest the wasted solar production after the battery bank is full.
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[Dellmassive]

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Copy & Paste the below to add your setup:

Solar Panel:
Mobile Panel:
Solar charge controller:
DC-DC charger:
EHU Charger:
battery bank:
Battery Monitor:
Inverter:
other:

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[sparkzer]

ill be checking out Victron....i worked in renewables for a few years, mainly wind/multimode and grid connected stuff..but did some solar projects also.

i do have a full sized 300W solar panel (it was damaged stock, so free!) on my workshop hooked up to a Chinese MPPT charge controller which charges a selection of car batteries and keeps vehicles in the workshop batteries topped up also. I dont really use the energy tho..all it powers is a PIR activated light and a pit pump which comes on once a day to empty any water thats found its way in to the pit.

i do dabble in Raspberry Pi, Arduinos etc, but didn't think about monitoring the solar stuff..perhaps this little project will motivate me to do something more useful with the power I'm generating!

 

[True Romance]

Handy thread as I'm planning a solar shed for this spring . Got links to 12v/usb timers @Dellmassive?

Thanks.

 

[Pete C]

SHED:

Solar Panel: Photonics Universe 100w solar panel mounted at an angle on the shed roof (I frequently see 100W from this in the summer so the angle must be about right).
Charge controller: Basic Photonics Universe controller.
DC-DC charger: None
EHU Charger: None
Battery bank: 1x100Ah Leisure
Inverter: Soofotoo (!) generic cheap pure sine wave 500W Inverter
Other: Couple of generic digital power meters showing instantaneous power (see below). Some LED strip lights

I do have mains power in the shed, but I made the shed solar powered just to see if it could be done - it has worked so far.

I have solar power in the shed mainly to power what I need for my bike trainer - I do a bit of indoor bike training.

For the cycling geeks, the equipment is as follows:

I use TrainerRoad. This used to be on a laptop but I migrated to the iPad app some time ago as it was more reliable and took up less space.

A Decathlon BTwin Triban 300 bike - got this discounted new some years ago. I bought it just for the trainer, and it has never been used outside. I have fitted a Powertap C1 chainring power meter to this to give me accurate power readings.

The trainer is a cheap Tacx Flow Smart smart trainer.

The Tacx trainer resistance is controlled by the TrainerRoad app on the iPad.

The Tacx trainer gets its mains power from the Inverter. The big power draw in the shed is from the 3 fans I use to keep me cool - 1 small one mounted at head height, and 2 big floor mounted fans. The big fans draw about 150W each. I had to go with a pure sine wave inverter, as the fans just don’t work with non-sine wave mains.

In winter I don’t need both big fans at the same time, which is just as well as dull days don’t really fully recharge the depleted battery. It also helps that I don’t go on it every day.

To give me an idea of what is going on electrically, i have 2 digital power meters installed - one to show the solar input, and the other to show power flow out of the battery. These are instantaneous meters, and got them from EBay (see picture below).



There is also a fused 12v spur out to another shed to provide simple lighting, but this is used infrequently.

And for the geeky cycling geeks, my FTP is crap, and my W/kg is even worse.

Pete

 

[Dellmassive]

Timers, USB, 12v etc

these are what I've been using for the last year or so . . .


SONOFF Official Homepage - Smart Home Automation SONOFF Products


@True Romance

I've been using the SONOFF kit for a while now, its got a great following and works reliably, the APP is easy to use . . . . (just be carful when changing wifi routers !!)

anyway i started with the 240v WIFI switchgear..

The TH16 is a 240v WIFI switch with Temp & Humidity that i used to monitor the shed for . . . . . well temp and humidity....

i had it inline with a dehumidifier and greenhouse style heater to keep the shed from freezing and going moldy.

heres a few of my amazon links so you get the idea . . . .



https://amzn.to/39K9rNh



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The 240v TH10 & TH16 are the same but without the temp etc . . .

https://amzn.to/2N20MvL



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They also do a 240v 4chnl version called the 4CH R2 (again 240v)

https://amzn.to/37GFrA0



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and 240v smart plug style too . . . .

https://amzn.to/2FmngmY



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moving over to 12v & USB we have these versions..

7-32vdc or USB single Chanel

https://amzn.to/2QRageh




and the 4chnl version . . .

https://amzn.to/2QtBmcH




also a straight USB single Chanel version . . .

https://amzn.to/36sNkJb






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so I've now got the shed running one of the 4chanl versions that is switching the 12v LED garden lighting . .

3x separate chains that can be switch manually or via timers set on the phone APP.

The whole lot is fed and powered from the battery bank.

The wifi router was 12v so i hooked that up too.

For any other 240v kit i had either the Inverter or a Mains 240 supply to call upon.

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I've also got a few of the smaller single Chanel USB ones to go in the VAN for vairios switching and timers , , , , but due to them being WIFI the only work when they see the wifi..

currently the WIFI in the van is only on with the ignition..... so when i move the wifi power over to 24/7 on the leisure battery ill wire in those extra sonoffs.

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im using BM2 battery monitors for the battery Voltage,

And Victron BMV712 for SOC and temp monitoring, connected to the Victron MPPT and the panels on the roof . ..

all that kit can be seen here>

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Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --

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heres a couple of YT vids so you can see them in action...


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[Dellmassive]

ill be checking out Victron....i worked in renewables for a few years, mainly wind/multimode and grid connected stuff..but did some solar projects also.

i do have a full sized 300W solar panel (it was damaged stock, so free!) on my workshop hooked up to a Chinese MPPT charge controller which charges a selection of car batteries and keeps vehicles in the workshop batteries topped up also. I dont really use the energy tho..all it powers is a PIR activated light and a pit pump which comes on once a day to empty any water thats found its way in to the pit.

i do dabble in Raspberry Pi, Arduinos etc, but didn't think about monitoring the solar stuff..perhaps this little project will motivate me to do something more useful with the power I'm generating!

I followed this guy Andy Kirby . . . and his awsome solar shed !!

you can see the Victron APP & Raspbery-PI running Victron firmware . . . . @ 5m20s and 12m10s

and the great thing is Victron are ok with it !!

have a look here : victronenergy/venus

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his solar shed build here >>

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[sparkzer]

I followed this guy Andy Kirby . . . and his awsome solar shed !!

Cheers for this, ill give them a watch. After your post i did go away and do a bit of research, the more info the merrier and i do find seeing how other people have done stuff on YouTube is a great way of learning. i have 3 or 4 pi's kicking about of various vintages...will dig one of them out and put it to use when i get chance...really need to have a bit of a workshop tidy up..I've let the clutter sprawl recently, and need to get it tidy again before starting any more projects!!

 

[Dellmassive]

the sun is starting for 2020 =)

get those solar projects running.

 

[Dellmassive]

VENUS-OS in a Raspberi Pi . . .

Home

Victron Energy Unix/Linux OS. Contribute to victronenergy/venus development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Venus OS is also available as a (free) download and available to install on micro PCs such as:

• RaspberryPi
• Beaglebone Black / Enhanced

images:

raspberrypi install venus image

Victron Energy Unix/Linux OS. Contribute to victronenergy/venus development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

.

Index of /feeds/venus/release/images/raspberrypi2

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Getting started:

1. Download the latest image from here
2. Unzip it.
3. Get an sdcard, put it in your computer.
4. Burn the image file (.rpi-sdimg) on an sdcard. On windows, use win32diskimager or balenaEtcher.
5. Insert the sdcard in the raspberry pi.
6. Connect to your local router, using an ethernet cable.
7. Power it on.
8. Find the ip address. On a windows pc, go to Network. That will list the Raspberry Pi in the Other devices section. Right click to find the ip address.
9. Open a browser, and navigate to the ip address, for example http://192.168.52.3. If all went well, you will see the Remote Console page loading, and will be able to browse the menus.
10. The VRM Portal id is derived from the Ethernet LAN MAC address, stripped from its colons and in lower case. When in doubt, login to Remote Console, then Settings -> VRM Portal. The ID is shown in that menu.

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Win32DiskImager – Raspberry Pi Projects

raspberry-projects.com

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Connect via WiFi
See Settings -> Wifi. Note that not all wifi usb sticks are supported. See CCGX Manual internet section for the two that we do support.

If you need to enable WiFi but you lack an ethernet connection and cannot access the gui, you can use connmanctl to enable it. Follow these instructions.



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Serial console
A serial console with a root prompt is also provided on GPIO pins 6, 8 and 10. The pin out is available here. Remember that the serial port is 3.3V TTL and is not 5V tolerant.

You can use the Victron VE-Direct USB cable for this. Note that the VEDirect USB cable is galvanically isolated and must be powered from both ends. A 3.3V supply is available on pin 1 of the Raspberry Pi.

DO NOT USE THE 5V SUPPLY!


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[Dellmassive]

Making up your own Victron USB Ve-direct cables?


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Victron VE Direct DIY Cable - ivc wiki

beta.ivc.no

Materials
This requires the following parts:

• Adafruit FTDI 5V 1m adapter cable
• JST-PH 2.00mm pitch 4-pin with wires

Or build one from adapters, cable and connector:

• Sparkfun FTDI 5V RS232 Mini-USB adapter
  • Prolific 2303 based adapters also works (thanks Javi)
• JST-PH 2.00mm pitch 4-pin connector
• 4 Wire cable 1m

Voltage: 5V - when the Victron solar charge controller is powered by the PV, you can leave the 5V pin unconnected

The communications is RS232 serial based, so the baud rate should be set to 19200 if you like to use a terminal to check the output. No initialization of the BlueSolar unit needed, just battery power connected.

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NOTE THE ORIENTATION OF THE NOTCH IN THE SOCKET !!!!!! - DATA PAIR IS IN THE MIDDLE BUT 5v and GRN COULD BE EITHER WAY..

MY MPPT 75/15 is the OPPOSITE way to the picture bellow.
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DIY VE Direct cable for Victron Chargers and how to install it on different machines and OS


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PL2303HX
PL2303 UART to USB adapter
JST-PH connector

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CH340 ? - Take note that the jumper on the ch340 must be set to 3v3 and not 5v so it will work.

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You basically need a USB to 3.3V UART/TTL cable,adapter,dongle,Arduino,Dedicated TTL IC to be able to do this. I used the CH340G Chip from an Arduino Nano V3 i had damaged the Atmel 328P IC on but the CH340 Serial IC was still good. Also a must is to disconnect the 5v connection from USB coming in and also soldering a 3.3v regulator in between replacing the original 5V AMS117 regulator. I also removed the Atmel IC cause it was dead weight in my scenario and i did not want it intervening, the TX,RX lights work normally on hte Arduino this way. I can do everything a normal cable can do like updating firmware and changing all the settings through Windows laptop or Android through a OTG USB Cable like Viorel has done. Just thought I'd include this for anyone asking what and how.

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WIN10 issues:
working great on windows 10 , have you tried this ? http://www.totalcardiagnostics.com/support/Knowledgebase/Article/View/92/20/prolific-usb-to-serial-fix-official-solution-to-code-10-error Also you may try to install without signature checking..follow next : recovery/restart now/troubleshoot/advanced options/startup settings/disable signature enforcement install the driver and restart...maybe it's solving the problem.

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Using the cables:

each Victron VE Direct unit needs its own USB cable.
connect wach cable to the Rasperby Pi thats running The VenusOS firmware
connect to the VenusOS via the Victron connect app via Bluetooth or WIFI.LAN

So

BMV712 -> #1 VE USB cable -> Rasperbery-Pi
Victron MPPT -> #2 VE USB cable -> Rasperbery-Pi
Victron Inverter -> #3 VE USB cable -> Rasperbery-Pi

Raspbery pie can be WIFI or LAN (PI 3B+)

Raspbery Pi possibly connected to cloud via Victron GX GSM ? - untested yet.

Pic below from Andy Kirby video on solar shed build.


and my version...





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work in progress . . . . . . . all working so far.

left - 5v
right - grnd
mid - rx/tx

3v3/5v jumper set to 3v3.




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[Dellmassive]

DIY VE Direct cable for Victron Chargers


these work.

FT232BL:



**


CH340G:





ill try these next:

 

[Dellmassive]

The sun is back out again . . . sort off.

its mid may 2020 . . . . . lets see some BM2 readout for the solar shed.


were chargeing this battery bank:

2x SLA 110Ah Leisure batterys.






with this solar controller . . Victron 100/20






via these bus bars . . .






with this monitor & Bm2 . . .




inverter wise we have two to play with . .





here is the last days BM2 readouts . . .


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on the shed roof we have:


150w + 150w + 160W = 460W


in series, or normally around 75v as a chain.


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photonic universe

2x150w
EFLXRJB-150M

Vmp 25.5v

Voc 30.1v

Imp 5.88a

Isc 6.35A

Dims 1445*540*3mm

150W Semi-flexible Solar Panel with Round Rear Junction Box and 3m cable, with durable ETFE coating (Back-contact solar cells)

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Renogy 160W RNG-160DB-H

160 Watt 12 Volt Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Flex Mono

Maximum Power at STC*: 160 W	Cell Efficiency: 21.0%
Optimum Operating Voltage (Vmp): 19.1 V	Optimum Operating Current (Imp): 8.38A
Open-Circuit voltage (Voc): 23 V	Short-Circuit Current (Isc): 8.88A
Maximum System Voltage: 600 VDC	Maximum Series Fuse Rating: 20 A

 

[Dellmassive]

solar shed data update May 2020.

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[Pete C]

Shed update: I have just bought a cheap wind turbine electricity generator on Ebay. Will update this thread on its performance in due course.

Pete

 

[Dellmassive]

Victron NEWS - new Dashboard

New Dashboard launched for VRM - Victron Energy

The dashboard for the Victron Remote Management portal has been completely re-imagined. Combining a diagrammatic presentation of the installation with historic information it now presents the data in real time, updated every two seconds. Familiar schematic presentation Dynamic live data for...

www.victronenergy.com

 

[Dellmassive]

on a job today . . . and see some impressive PV stuff on the roof,

Check this gear out !!!!

Note the PV branch boxes . .

the DC isolators . .

Those MPPT controllers/inverters.

and the Grid tie in . . .

 

[Pete C]

Shed update: I have just bought a cheap wind turbine electricity generator on Ebay. Will update this thread on its performance in due course.

Pete

Finally got this working late last weekend. We are forecast for a reasonably breezy weekend, so will post some pictures and numbers, hopefully.
My initial thoughts are - stick with solar.

Pete

 

[Dellmassive]

nice one Pete, now post some pics . . . . . .

 

[Dellmassive]

well we have finally reached that time of year. . . . . Not enough Solar power to keep the Garden/shed 12v system topped up. (Dec 2nd 2020)

i come out this evening and all was dark and cold =[


lets see what happened:

The BM2 shows 8.0v across the battery bank,




lets look at the history to see what happened . . . well start on the 26 Nov 2020 and move forwards to 3rd Dec 2020 so we can see the system fall flat.



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This is the MPPT 100/20 log shoing the decline:




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and the BMV712 after a full EHU charge:




. . .

So it was time for a EHU charge . . .

connecting the CTEK MXS 5A we have this . . . .






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this is the Victron VRM portal log for the last 6 months . .





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...




you can see from the charts that we start to loose the ability to fully charge the battery bank from around the start of November . . .






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