SHARP SOLAR PANEL

The backbone of this solar electrical generation system consist of 636, Sharp mono-crystalline photovoltaic panels, each producing 185 Watts of electricity. The size of a panel is approximately 3 ft. by 5 ft., and weighs approximately 35 pounds. While these panels are guaranteed for 25 years, the anticipated lifetime of one of these panels is estimated to be 40 years.

The total output from these panels is 600 volts, Direct Current (DC). In this form, the electricity is not in suitable form to be introduced to the PG&E power grid, or to be used by our building. It, therefore, must be converted to Alternating Current (AC). On their way to PG&E, the first stop for these solar enspired electrons is the inverter.

 

 

Xantrex 100 kWatt inverter

Here, the DC electricity from the solar panels is converted to AC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100 kW Transformer

Finally, the electricity passes through the transformer for "cleaning up" and is now ready for use, either by us or PG&E.

 

 

 

 

 

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THE FOLLOWING IS THE STORY OF THE BIRTH OF OUR SOLAR ELECTRICAL GENERATION SYSTEM

In the beginning, the roof was empty and bleak, serving only to protect us from the vicissitudes and inclemencies of the seasons. Then, an Energy Consultant from SPG Solar, Inc. took a look and said, "I have a way to put that empty space to better use" ... and so it began.

First, delivery trucks came with panel rack components, a fork lift and a port-a-potty -- all the important items.

 

Then, great big crane came...

...and it lifted,

...and lifted,

...and lifted -- and the crews

were busy stacking components for the Solar Panel Racks.

Just as soon as all the rack components had been hoisted onto the roof (which is 125 feet above the ground floor),

they began to move the material to where it would be needed,

and they measured and layed out where the panel racks would be placed, and where the holes needed to be drilled to anchor the hold-down bolts onto the concrete roof --

and then they drilled, drilled and

drilled some more.

 

In the mean time, Brother Art Loeser went to work lowering some roof vents so they would not interfere with the panel racks.

Once the drilling was done,

anchor bolts were cemented in the holes, then wraped with lead and roofing cement to seal the penetration from leaking.

Then lateral unistrut members were secured to the hold-down bolts,

then verticle unistrut members were secured to those,

and so on...until finally,

other horizontal members were attached to the verticle members,

and on, and on

and on,

still more...

and on,

and on, until finally -- the roof was covered with solar panel racks,

from one end to the other.

 

 

 

In the mean time, there needed to be a way to get this new electricity from the roof to the electrical inverter, transformer and power distribution facility in the basement -- so the man-lifts came,

 

 

and they lifted men,

and lifted men, who installed conduit -- lots of conduit -- and big conduit.

 

Finally, it was time to put the solar panels on the roof, so once again the crane came --

and it lifted, and lifted, 28 panels at a time,

125 feet into the sky.

The men of the roof pulled the crane's load onto the roof,

until all 636 panels were up.

Then they commenced to move the panels to where they were needed.

After the panel racks are in place, attaching the panels to the racks is a relatively quick process. However, when there is 636 of something to do, nothing is "quick". It just keeps going...

and going...

and going.

....is there no stopping???

 

...and when all 636 panels were installed ...

 

WOW!

 

 

 

OK, so what are we going to do with all these wires hanging down?

 

First, some unistrut members, upon which to mount the electrical junction boxes...

 

...and then run the pigtails into receptical boxes

...and from receiptical boxes into junction boxes where they are connected to gether with imtermediate feeder lines.

These will finally meet in a junction box which will bring all the intermediate lines together onto the primary feeder lines which carry this new electricity into the basement for inversion and distribution..

 

There are times when looking at the world from the "down under" can shed a different light on the subject. Just in case you are wondering what happens to all those wires, lets look in on the basement crew.

In the mean time -- down in the basement, things are beginning to get tied together.

 

How about a look inside to see what makes things tick.

Now do you understand it? ...I didn't think so...

When the system is finished, it will be monitored and maintained remotely. Additionally, the real-time operational data will be continuously collected and displayed at a kiosk, located in our first floor lobby.

And after all that, it's finally time to think about connecting to the real world,

The electricians are surprised to find these 76 year old copper bus bars in such immaculate condition. The RED, BLUE and BLACK insulated wires are attached directly to these feeder busses. Therefore, when the building is demanding less electricity then that which is being generated, our electricity flows in a reverse direction, through the electric meter and back onto the PG&E power grid, causing our electric meter to run backwards.

Also creating a surprise were these disconnect switches. As far as Alex Kirkpatrick knows, the main disconnect switch had not been thrown since the building was built. According to the electricians, it operated just as smoothly as it probably did on the day it was built.

 

On every construction job, there is always those sightseers who don't accomplish much more then getting in the way -- and this job is no exception.

Just in case you havent been around to meet your resident cadre of the Oakland SR Center, from left are: Illustrious John Beringer, 33°, General Secretary, Illustrious Alex Kirkpatrick, 33°, Building Manager, Brother William Hamm, 32°, KCCH, Rental Manager, Honorable Bob Werner, 32°, KCCH, Assistant General Secretary, and Brother John Kirkpatrick, 32°, KCCH , Assistant Building Manager.

Since the job is nearing completion, some of us figured is was now or never if we were going to see this awesome installation, first hand -- so we did. Actually, if you wish to see these without climbing half way to the stars, just go to MacDonalds on 14th Street. There is a great view of these panels from there.

According to the contractor, we didn't get in the way -- too much.

 

 

 

 

With the system fully installed and operating, there is one final touch. That is the ability to watch the system's performance in real-time. To accomplish that, a Kiosk has been installed in our lobby which provides a graphical demonstration of where our solar generated electricity is going as well as how much of it is going where.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This graphical presentation gives our guests a true picture of just what is going on up on the roof, and gives our members a real appreciation of just what their $400,000 is doing.

 

 

 

 

 

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