How to measure the power output?

[ddipp]

Hello!

I'm doing a power system from two sources.
1 - wind turbine;
2 - solar panels.

I need to know how many watts I get out of the wind turbine, and how many watts generated by solar panels. This information is needed to understand - what is the source of energy is more efficient in this location. How many amp / hour battery needs, etc.

Both sources (wind turbine and solar panels) and batteries are working on the same circuit power - 48 volts DC. Power is small - from 150 to 1000 watts.

What equipment do I use to measure watts? The measurements should be recorded in a log file for analysis or to a computer via RS-232 or USB.

Thanks!

[Blakke29223]

Watts out of the turbine nobody can answer without knowing the output of the turbine and wind speed in m/s that it will work in. The same holds true for your solar system, without sun hours and PV info nobody can help you. For help on the wind turbine or solar panels you need to provide more info on both. As for equipment to measure watts, use a Kill A Watt meter.

[jony101]

for recording dc watts just use a dc wattmeter, the one i use records up to 60 volts and 100 amps. But you have to record all the reading manually. i paid 13 dollars for mine. You need two, one for the solar and one for the wind. They show amps, volts, watts. Thats all I use when I want to know how much amps my panels produce during the day.

[ddipp]

Watts out of the turbine nobody can answer without knowing the output of the turbine and wind speed in m/s that it will work in.

I have information about wind speed, etc.
My question to measure the power output of different energy sources. I can calculate the required power wind turbine, solar panels. But when all power sources work together, they will complement each other and to reserve.
When there is no wind - solar panels work when there is no wind and the sun - with the battery. But reliability should be 99%.

For the required reliability I should calculate the battery capacity, the number of solar panels, wind turbine model.
I need to understand how my system works. I need statistics. To gather statistics I need a device that shows Watts of electricity from this source now and every minute.

You can achieve greater reliability via greater redundancy, but it is very expensive.

I will gather statistics and will know how much is 1 kilowatt of electricity from solar panels and wind turbine. I live in northern latitudes, and we have a little sun.

[ddipp]

for recording dc watts just use a dc wattmeter, the one i use records up to 60 volts and 100 amps. But you have to record all the reading manually. i paid 13 dollars for mine. You need two, one for the solar and one for the wind. They show amps, volts, watts. Thats all I use when I want to know how much amps my panels produce during the day.

Thank you, I know about these measuring devices.
I need to record a log file or an RS-232 or USB.

[Sunking]

We have the Blind Leading the Blind.

[Living Large]

We have the Blind Leading the Blind.

Thank you for verifying this. I was reading with rapt attention, but had no idea what I was reading.

[ddipp]

We have the Blind Leading the Blind.

Sorry, my English ...
You do not understand my description of the problem? Or I did not understand your answer)

[Amy@altE]

You need a Battery Monitor that will measure the amps through 2 shunts, one measuring PV and one measuring turbine outputs. This will correctly measure and log the generation from each. Bogart Engineering makes equipment that would do everything you are looking for. The Pentametric can measure up to 3 shunts, and has several optional components to output the data via USB, ethernet, or serial. The PM-5000-U is the primary component, then you buy the correct interface, depending on how you want to connect to the computer. It's a pretty powerful device, but a bit complicated to use.

You could also just use a separate Trimetric for each source, PV and wind, and they have real time serial output, http://bogartengineering.com/sites/d...DataWiring.pdf

http://www.bogartengineering.com/

[JFinch57]

Keep in mind that if you are getting solar SRECs then you need a separate revenue grade solar generation meter. Not sure how that would work with a combination solar/wind inverter. Maybe use separate inverters and feed the output to something like in this Enphase article: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...88198703,d.eXY .

[Naptown]

Keep in mind that if you are getting solar SRECs then you need a separate revenue grade solar generation meter. Not sure how that would work with a combination solar/wind inverter. Maybe use separate inverters and feed the output to something like in this Enphase article: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...88198703,d.eXY .

Why separate meters? Only required on systems with an aggregate output over 10 KW in Maryland.
Combine the output of both systems and a single output meter to meet the standard.

[JFinch57]

Why separate meters? Only required on systems with an aggregate output over 10 KW in Maryland.
Combine the output of both systems and a single output meter to meet the standard.

Yes, but you don't get SRECs for wind so they need to be separate. Also, they can change the requirements any time they wish. In NJ the revenue grade meter wasn't initially required then one day there was a deadline for everyone to install one. It's not a major expense. I bought Itron C1Ss that were reset to 0 on Ebay for both NJ and MD and they were accepted. Cost is about $25-30 each. Add a meter socket and maybe labor and it's still cheap. Get it in now while the cost is 30% deductible. I know the question is about power not KWh, but you still know to know the bottom line KWh.