Power planning for theme camp

[mattcamp]

http://i.imgur.com/CySVg6R.png

I'm in the process of planning out the power distribution for my camp this year and wondered if anyone had any advice or suggestions based on the following plan.

Any major gotchas that anyone can spot?

(edit: big wide image didn't work well inline, use the link above instead)

[FIGJAM]

Are all those "SCs" swamp coolers???

[mattcamp]

Are all those "SCs" swamp coolers???

They are indeed!

I'm currently trying to figure out how to pre-purchase all the parts for delivery to Reno and build them all during the 6 days I'm there before heading to BRC. (my entire camp is non-US based).

[Token]

That is a whole lot of complicated for using half your generator capacity.

The solar looks like it runs at ~ 60% capacity so I don't see why you bridge to the "Night Use" side or even need the AC battery charger.

Then there is the Day Use misting fans and pumps from the AC generator which tells me you are running gas 24 hours a day.

Then you have a microwave with all of its reactive super-high RFI load on the same circuit as your delicate sound gear. Yikes.

Recommendation:

Split the AC and DC zones completely and have a "Battery Charger" option only in the unlikely case of low battery.

Run your Sound zone from the standby generator.

SIMPLIFY!

[Captain Goddammit]

I don't see an issue running a microwave on same generator as sound gear.

[mattcamp]

That is a whole lot of complicated for using half your generator capacity.

The solar looks like it runs at ~ 60% capacity so I don't see why you bridge to the "Night Use" side or even need the AC battery charger.

By my calculations with ~20A of night-time LED's running off the battery system we need still need a couple of hours a day for a top-up charge.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... ingle=true

Then there is the Day Use misting fans and pumps from the AC generator which tells me you are running gas 24 hours a day.

Generator is expected to be on noon-midnight, after which only the 12V lights are active... but it's a couple hundred feet of LED strip so the draw is still quite heavy.

Then you have a microwave with all of its reactive super-high RFI load on the same circuit as your delicate sound gear. Yikes.

Recommendation:

Split the AC and DC zones completely and have a "Battery Charger" option only in the unlikely case of low battery.

Run your Sound zone from the standby generator.

SIMPLIFY!

Thanks, this is a good idea... I hadn't really considered the impact of the microwave on the sound gear.

I have vaguely planned to leave the second generator in a box in case of emergencies but thinking about it more having two generators at low RPM is probably a lot quieter than one at high load.

[Token]

I don't see an issue running a microwave on same generator as sound gear.

Microwaves generate a huge PF spike. That 1000W magnetic coil has to energize at startup and if the program cycles, continuously injects PFC worthy events into the line.

Our Honda's with their PSW Circuit compensate for this.

The genny OP lists doesn't look like a Honda.

[mattcamp]

The genny OP lists doesn't look like a Honda.

Correct, it's the cheaper Ryobi 2200 watt one... Used it last year and it was great, was planning to get second this year.

[Captain Goddammit]

But the micro is only on for a minute or two here and there.
Is it really going to fry the sound gear?

As for two generators idling sounding more pleasant than one throttled up, I find that to be true with my Hondas. I often run both when one would handle it just for that reason.

[Token]

Yes it can Captain. Not that it is a certainty, but definitely a risk. The reactive current runs out of phase so the RMS current dips, spikes, then catches up with the phase. The power grid compensates for this with big-ass damper transformers but on a generator there is no sink for the spike.

Risk will be higher or lower depending on what the generator can deliver in terms of current surge. The eco-throttle Honda cant surge much cuz of the slow spin-up (relatively), but there will be a brown-out condition as it tries to keep up.

Not sure of the Ryobi.