Solar Install for An apartment complex ( common areas only )

[Thor]

Just spit balling here, most apartments I'm aware of would simply opt for a generator, the upfront cost is less, is the reason I would assume as the running costs surely aren't better than solar?.

Anyway, my question; How long can the wire run be between the Solar Panels and the Inverter?


Context; Our complex is 6 floors up and the DB room is in the basement.

Bonus question; I just want to focus on the common areas so the individual units still won't have power.
Common Area items:
- lights ( about 400 led bulbs @ 7 watt each )
- Access Control, gates, booms, etc ( about 300 watt )
- Surveillance Equipment ( about 300 watt also )
- Security Control Room ( say 900 watt for all the equipment, beams, scanners, Radios, Monitors etc )

What size generator would be needed in this equation and is solar viable given the 6 floor cable run.

Bonus Bonus Question, can solar inverters and batteries handle proper load, like 3 lifts?

 

[krieg]

Just spit balling here, most apartments I'm aware of would simply opt for a generator, the upfront cost is less, is the reason I would assume as the running costs surely aren't better than solar?.

Anyway, my question; How long can the wire run be between the Solar Panels and the Inverter?


Context; Our complex is 6 floors up and the DB room is in the basement.

Bonus question; I just want to focus on the common areas so the individual units still won't have power.
Common Area items:
- lights ( about 400 led bulbs @ 7 watt each )
- Access Control, gates, booms, etc ( about 300 watt )
- Surveillance Equipment ( about 300 watt also )
- Security Control Room ( say 900 watt for all the equipment, beams, scanners, Radios, Monitors etc )

What size generator would be needed in this equation and is solar viable given the 6 floor cable run.

Bonus Bonus Question, can solar inverters and batteries handle proper load, like 3 lifts?

6 floors is like 20 metres so not that long. You get a voltage drop over DC depending on the length of the cable so you will need to compensate with thicker cables. I would rather go for a generator especially with the lifts.

 

[Thor]

6 floors is like 20 metres so not that long. You get a voltage drop over DC depending on the length of the cable so you will need to compensate with thicker cables. I would rather go for a generator especially with the lifts.

Just to clarify, the lifts are not required as i imagine it will drive up the costs considerably?, I'm just curious what a lift solution would look like

But I'm not realistically planning to add the lifts.

 

[TheChamp]

Solar is very viable and would cheaper in the long run after the initial installation costs, which won't be massive, remember, it's not the law that solar should be installed on the roof, so the long runs might not even be necessary, you can install on the parking lot or even design a stand for it somewhere.

Gor lights and all that it should cost much, for perspective, you can run all that from a basic 5kW inverter costing not more than R15k,, even a 3kW can work if you can measure and have an accurate peak power draw from things like gate motor, etc.

 

[krieg]

Just to clarify, the lifts are not required as i imagine it will drive up the costs considerably?, I'm just curious what a lift solution would look like

But I'm not realistically planning to add the lifts.

So the load is 5Kwh mostly the lights. Depending on which stage loadshedding you want to buy for will determine the battery storage needed. Let's say you want 5 hours of power that will mean 25Kwh of storage. Depending on the type of storage will determine how much storage you actually need to buy. Those expensive lithium batteries are about 2.5Kwh so you need at least ten of those. You want at least double your storage in solar panels to be able to charge the batteries. Going to be very expensive rather go for a generator or install less lighting that runs off the solar.

 

[Snyper564]

I would be more concerned about someone starting to run a mining operation

 

[TheChamp]

I would be more concerned about someone starting to run a mining operation

He says it's for common areas, unless they live with very dodgy people who would be able circumvent the wiring.

 

[Thor]

Solar is very viable and would cheaper in the long run after the initial installation costs, which won't be massive, remember, it's not the law that solar should be installed on the roof, so the long runs might not even be necessary, you can install on the parking lot or even design a stand for it somewhere.

Gor lights and all that it should cost much, for perspective, you can run all that from a basic 5kW inverter costing not more than R15k,, even a 3kW can work if you can measure and have an accurate peak power draw from things like gate motor, etc.

Design of the building leaves only the roof tops available.

Basements are the parking bays.

( Tygervalley, basically tight living up into the air)

But I understand now, we can opt for bigger cables to reduce the voltage drop, so load wise it's not that terrible?

 

[TheChamp]

So the load is 5Kwh mostly the lights. Depending on which stage loadshedding you want to buy for will determine the battery storage needed. Let's say you want 5 hours of power that will mean 25Kwh of storage. Depending on the type of storage will determine how much storage you actually need to buy. Those expensive lithium batteries are about 2.5Kwh so you need at least ten of those. You want at least double your storage in solar panels to be able to charge the batteries. Going to be very expensive rather go for a generator or install less lighting that runs off the solar.

Or he just powers less than half of those 400 lights to reduce the draw? No way each and every one is really needed.

 

[TheChamp]

Design of the building leaves only the roof tops available.

Basements are the parking bays.

( Tygervalley, basically tight living up into the air)

But I understand now, we can opt for bigger cables to reduce the voltage drop, so load wise it's not that terrible?

Yes.

 

[Snyper564]

He says it's for common areas, unless they live with very dodgy people who would be able circumvent the wiring.

You never know with people....

Airport employee arrested in Moscow for mining cryptocurrency

The workplace is definitely not the best spot to mine yourself some bitcoins

www.rbth.com

 

[krieg]

Or he just powers less than half of those 400 lights to reduce the draw? No way each and every one is really needed.

I mentioned that in the last sentence as that equals almost 50% of the load. I would install a secondary string of lights that are strategically placed as 400 lights are excessive. Maybe a couple of well placed spotlights.

 

[TheChamp]

You never know with people....

Airport employee arrested in Moscow for mining cryptocurrency

The workplace is definitely not the best spot to mine yourself some bitcoins

www.rbth.com

So the FSB officers detained him and took away his computer. It’s not clear if he is able to mine behind bars.

 

[Thor]

Or he just powers less than half of those 400 lights to reduce the draw? No way each and every one is really needed.

They are all needed.

The lights are none negotiable unfortunately ( crime crime crime )

 

[DuracellBunny]

They are all needed.

The lights are none negotiable unfortunately ( crime crime crime )

Generator will work out cheaper at start but the cost on fuel will end up being another story all together in the long run. As it was mentioned with solar there would be a voltage drop between 1 to 2 volts DC on a 10mm cable.

On the common areas, with a 3 hour back up time and solar, would be between R160K and R200K depending on the brands that you choose to go with.

There are inverters that would be able to handle lifts but these inverters alone would be on the R200K+ range alone.

With larger systems being needed, Make sure that the person quoting has the system spec according you the entire places needs and not have the issue with the system being too small or is not able to handle whats needed.

 

[Quintrix]

If your aim is just safety during loadshedding then you don't need "solar". If your guestimated power requirements are correct you may get away with a 5kW inverter and 2 (5kWh) batteries to cover you for 2hours loadshedding.