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Electricity - is what we want to get from the wind or the sun through the projects that we build. The thing we don't want is to be electrocuted by our project. The discussion here won't make you an electrician but it will help you stay safe.

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It is important to understand the difference between AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct Current). The most common form  of AC that you are exposed to is the electricity coming out of the electrical outlets in your home. That electricity is alternating its direction of flow at a rate of 60 cycles per second..

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Terminology

The AC cyclic waveform is called a Sinusoidal wave form. The voltage in an AC circuit reverses direction through the resistance. This constant reversal makes it deadly even at low voltages. DC voltage goes only in one direction through a wire or resistance.

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Generally in the United States the voltage coming from a wall plug is 110 - 120 volts. This is not true in other countries. The cycle rate  is 60 in the US and 50 cycles in many other countries. A electrical appliance made for Europe may run slow if at all in the US. While most areas of the world have differing plug in shapes to avoid plugging in an appliance not meant for their system there are always adapters.

The AC voltage which comes from the wall plug in your home is attached to a meter and on to the main power grid. To use the power from a DC generator or solar panels requires conversion from DC to AC and an attachment to you power system. There is a good deal of information related to rectifiers and converters which won't be repeated in detail here.

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Rectifier / Converter

It is important to understand that you can not just connect your generated AC to your home directly. One of the many reasons for this is that it creates two power sources for firemen and others who would have reason to cut  the electricity to your home.  Such connections must be done by an electrician who has training in duel source systems.

Generally the electricity coming from solar panels or wind turbine will be DC 12 or 24 volts. It will be sent to a rectifier (shown on left). The DC voltage is converted to AC and sent on to the cut over transfer switch (shown to the right).

The transfer switch will cut out the main utility circuit and replace the energy with the voltage coming from you panels or wind generator. The converter shown on the left is much to small to support a home and only cost in the range of $100.00 US.  Such unit would be appropriate for a couple solar panels or small wind turbine. A rectifier large enough for the home would cost upwards of $1000.00. A transfer switch as seen to the right would handle a normal home and cost approximately $500.00 US. The electrician to install the equipment would cost from $2000.00 to $4000.00 depending on unions and other factors.

Transfer Switch

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By this time you should understand that all electricity is to be respected.

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Generator Battery

There is one component missing from the description above, the battery rack. Depending on the size of the system you build and how you want it to operate you may be able to use a single battery or as many as 20 to assure power.

Small Transfer Switch

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The battery shown in the diagram above is an excellent battery for solar or wind projects. Unlike a car battery which is made to deliver high current for a short period to start a vehicle, the batteries for solar panels or wind turbines must be able to maintain a level constant current and voltage.

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To get the best, most complete information about hooking up you system you should purchase the appropriate manual from Total Tech Corp. We offer manuals for solar panels as well as wind turbines.

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Copyright 2009 Total Technology Corp