(Right) Inverter system in Barcroft DEG (Distributed Energy Generation) room. Two units on left are 5000 watt "Sunny Boy" inverters, which invert the DC output from the rooftop solar panels into split single phase 240V AC current. The four black units are "Outback VFX3648" units which are slaved together to produce split single phase 240V AC current also. The outback inverters produce electrical output as a type of uninterruptible power supply, drawing off the "Hawker 6-85-21 SCO1" batteries (foreground in green) when there is no input power, and charging the batteries when solar, line, or generator electric power is available. The Sunny Boy inverters automatically synchronize with the power coming out of the Outback inverters.

WMEP NEWS...

Barcroft update, July 2, 2010: WMRS staff re-install 33 solar panels and revive battery-inverter system: hope for a full recovery. Once the road opened WMRS staff began a top-priority scramble to recover the solar electrical system (see May 28 story for details). The fallen solar panels were straightenend and cleaned, and tested for generating capacity. Remarkably, the 60 panels retained 60-100% of their power (mostly 100%), enough to justify their re-installation. The new mounting system glues the panels directly to the roof. The dead batteries were also revived by a multi-step process which has resulted in at least a partial recovery. On June 30, the generator was shut off after running continuously for 6 days, and the station returned to partial solar/battery power. We plan to remount the remaining solar panels next week and to complete the re-installation over the next few weeks. We are hoping for a full system recovery but this can only be determined by actual performance.

Trek to Barcroft, May 28, 2010: Winter storm sweeps away Barcoft solar panels. The heavy snows and delayed spring snowmelt in 2010 prevented WMRS staff from reaching Barcroft in winter/spring 2010. We knew via remote monitoring that the main power sytem had shut down, but we didn't know why. Getting up to Crooked Creek has been delayed by large snow drifts, and once the way was open the snow was too soft for easy passage. Finally, on May 28, WMRS Associate Director John Smiley was able to drive the snow cat to the base of Sheep Pass; close enough to enable a 6-mile hike up to the station. See full story for what he found, with details and photos.

2009: Snowstorm ends season before completion of monitoring and controls system! Will continue work in June 2010...see rest of story

2009: Three sets of solar panels blown off Quonset roof: seem to be OK!..see rest of story.

2009: We made two trips to Barcroft in January...see rest of story.

• project detail, schematics, and specifications
• existing power distribution
• draft document, initial self-assessment
• WMEP schematics
• Barcroft Site plans, floor plans etc.
• Appliance List (excel file)
• FSML grant funded in full!

• APEP documents and Other Resource Links
• powerpoint slide show (30MB download)