Hi Bob. Not too many postings here of late, but I do try to check in once a week. For now I have a Deutz 3 cylinder genset from a lighting trailer like used on road construction. Its about 5kW and water cooled, 1800rpm. Good candidate for CHP except for the fact that its not a very common engine in the US. Long term support could eventually become a problem.
I also have 2x Kubota Z482 motors, one of which is in a Semi truck APU package. I believe that they belt drive the alternator in that configuration and run faster than 1800rpm, but I have yet to dig into it much.
The "subdivision" that I bought in, in Custer County Colorado sits a few miles off the highway and runs from 8000ft up to over 10k ft in elevation. No utility power. County population in summer about 3500 and in winter closer to 2000. Too few people to pay for expanded utility infrastructure. They have been fortunate that fiber internet was run along highways and this has enabled wireless internet providers to put up towers serving most of the area and thus providing relatively fast wireless internet access.
Its a good location for solar PV systems and also a good location for CHP since its a primarily heating based climate. No need for AC, low humidity etc based on the altitude alone. Its not unusual to be snowed in for weeks at a time, high drifts are common with wind that may be over 100mph a few times a year.
Im relocating from Michigan to Custer County this year. Have a lot of basic work to do before I even get to building, fencing the property, putting in a gate and a driveway. There are free range cattle in the area, over 350 of them so will have to be able to exclude them from the building site lest they trample everything. Will be getting a septic put in, rules change means it now has to be done by a licensed installer. Then after that I can set up a temporary bathroom / washroom with a temporary connection to the septic system. At that point I could return the rented chemical toilet that is otherwise required by the sanitation dept.
After that point and assuming I have made the 3 or 4 trips back and forth to MI to move all my equipment I will finally be able to begin with the building foundation. Im hoping that I can get the slab poured prior to snow flying in October/November. Then next spring I can frame and close in the main structure.
Perhaps you could recompile your list of what you have available in the way of low speed engines. I would favor a couple of smaller gennys, which would give me a longer run time when they are actually needed, when the solar is not producing. So far I have bought about 1.6kW worth of PV panels and I have 4x 75Ah 24V Lipo batteries. So 7.2kWh of battery storage. This was intended to be the "construction phase" system. Of course I have the Deutz 5kW genny as a backup in this phase. I think I will be buying 12 more 370W panels to use in the system, that should give me another 4.4kW of solar generation and will no doubt force me to add significantly to my battery system. My main battery load will be the solar refrigerator and freezer which need to run 24/7 and some lighting at night.
Im fairly confident that the solar PV array will support my daytime construction activities. I plan to have a hot water storage tank for the CHP system providing between 1000 and 2000 gal of storage. Heating in the final building will be via radiant pex pipes and doesnt require a very high water temperature to operate. Main heating load is likely to be through a propane boiler, with any running of the CHP adding to that. I will have vaporizing type diesel stoves for the living space, likely later adding a wood stove. Once I have run the radiant heat system through a winter I will have a much better idea of the heat demand of the building and can then more appropriately size the hot water holding tank.
I could bring an engine hoist to help load things. I dont have a forklift, but i do have a backhoe although that tends to consume most of the space on my gooseneck trailer when I move it. Im sure we could work something out.
I also have 2x Kubota Z482 motors, one of which is in a Semi truck APU package. I believe that they belt drive the alternator in that configuration and run faster than 1800rpm, but I have yet to dig into it much.
The "subdivision" that I bought in, in Custer County Colorado sits a few miles off the highway and runs from 8000ft up to over 10k ft in elevation. No utility power. County population in summer about 3500 and in winter closer to 2000. Too few people to pay for expanded utility infrastructure. They have been fortunate that fiber internet was run along highways and this has enabled wireless internet providers to put up towers serving most of the area and thus providing relatively fast wireless internet access.
Its a good location for solar PV systems and also a good location for CHP since its a primarily heating based climate. No need for AC, low humidity etc based on the altitude alone. Its not unusual to be snowed in for weeks at a time, high drifts are common with wind that may be over 100mph a few times a year.
Im relocating from Michigan to Custer County this year. Have a lot of basic work to do before I even get to building, fencing the property, putting in a gate and a driveway. There are free range cattle in the area, over 350 of them so will have to be able to exclude them from the building site lest they trample everything. Will be getting a septic put in, rules change means it now has to be done by a licensed installer. Then after that I can set up a temporary bathroom / washroom with a temporary connection to the septic system. At that point I could return the rented chemical toilet that is otherwise required by the sanitation dept.
After that point and assuming I have made the 3 or 4 trips back and forth to MI to move all my equipment I will finally be able to begin with the building foundation. Im hoping that I can get the slab poured prior to snow flying in October/November. Then next spring I can frame and close in the main structure.
Perhaps you could recompile your list of what you have available in the way of low speed engines. I would favor a couple of smaller gennys, which would give me a longer run time when they are actually needed, when the solar is not producing. So far I have bought about 1.6kW worth of PV panels and I have 4x 75Ah 24V Lipo batteries. So 7.2kWh of battery storage. This was intended to be the "construction phase" system. Of course I have the Deutz 5kW genny as a backup in this phase. I think I will be buying 12 more 370W panels to use in the system, that should give me another 4.4kW of solar generation and will no doubt force me to add significantly to my battery system. My main battery load will be the solar refrigerator and freezer which need to run 24/7 and some lighting at night.
Im fairly confident that the solar PV array will support my daytime construction activities. I plan to have a hot water storage tank for the CHP system providing between 1000 and 2000 gal of storage. Heating in the final building will be via radiant pex pipes and doesnt require a very high water temperature to operate. Main heating load is likely to be through a propane boiler, with any running of the CHP adding to that. I will have vaporizing type diesel stoves for the living space, likely later adding a wood stove. Once I have run the radiant heat system through a winter I will have a much better idea of the heat demand of the building and can then more appropriately size the hot water holding tank.
I could bring an engine hoist to help load things. I dont have a forklift, but i do have a backhoe although that tends to consume most of the space on my gooseneck trailer when I move it. Im sure we could work something out.
