Solar power pack for the home and professional user

31 May 2006 Power Electronics / Power Management

Sinetech has launched a pre-wired power pack - called 'The Sun Box' - that is available in a variety of configurations to suit the needs for a remote-powered application. It is intended for the more sophisticated home or professional user who needs a fully packaged, easy-to-install, but tailored solution, to their solar power needs.

A wide range of solar panels can be simply and easily plugged into the unit. Internal to the power pack is a solar charge regulator that ensures proper charging of the battery pack; an inverter to convert DC to 230 V a.c., 50 Hz power, and an optional battery charger to recharge the built-in batteries if power is available from time to time. For professional use, a DC-DC converter is also available. This gives the capability of supplying AC and DC power at the same time.

Easy use and set-up is the key feature of the unit. The user simply connects the solar panel array with the cable provided to the solar pack and inserts the batteries supplied, and it is ready for use. Customers can configure the unit from a modest 50 W single solar panel up to a 720 W solar cell array and have anywhere between 40 Ah to 600 Ah of battery capacity with up to 600 W of inverter power. For a larger capacity system an external mobile battery cabinet is available to plug directly into the unit; no wiring required.

Depending upon the application, Sinetech says a configuration can be put together to suit any application from powering a remote telecoms package, a VSAT, a remote data capture system or a basic system to provide low power consumption lighting and operation of, for example, a TV plus lights and a fan. The range of current customer applications is extremely varied.

The solar power unit is intended to be installed internally in an out-house or garage; for a remote location the unit is placed inside a simple shelter to protect it from the elements. The robust unit comes in a standard 'light computer grey' powder-coated finish. The solar cells used must be mounted in a frame at an angle and positioned to maximise the sun's effect. As part of the service, Sinetech will calculate this for the user, given a geographic location.

The Solar Power Pack is available in a range of pricing solutions depending on the configuration required. Based on specific customer data supplied, regarding the wattage required, the number of hours for which demand is needed and the location where it will be used, Sinetech can work out a suitable and economic configuration for customers that meets their specific needs.

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