Download SD 2 Documentation - Department of Electrical Engineering and

1. Provide physical protection to the batteries from tools, falls, dust, debris,
etc.
2. Isolate and safely vent hydrogen gas to the outdoors.
3. Maintain a consistent temperature among the cells.
4. Meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code, Articles 480 and
690 (Section 690.71)
The Batteries store electrical energy using a chemical reaction, and can cause
acid burn, electrical burns, or be an explosive hazard. These dangers can be
prevented if they are properly handled or contained. When it comes to housing
the batteries, the goal should be to provide a clean, dry, ventilated, semi
conditioned space that prevents unqualified people from coming into contact with
the battery bank.
3.1.6 Sensors
Sensors are a very important part of this project. Without sensors, the charge
controller would not be able determine voltage levels of the battery, making an
entire system pointless. Sensors give data on the status of the system, and
without them, vital information about the system would not be known. This would
be a problem, because without knowing vital information of the system,
identifying when the system is malfunctioning would be almost impossible.
3.1.6.1 Voltage / Current Sensors
Part of the design for the project will be to be monitor the amount of voltage
and current that is being outputted by the solar panel. This information will be
sent to the microcontroller and displayed on the monitoring system.
The voltage of the solar panel can range from around 0 to 33 volts. This voltage
range must match the maximum input voltage range of the microprocessor chip
which is between zero and five volts. To measure the voltage coming from the
panels, a sensor is not needed, but a voltage sensing circuit will be implemented.
By connecting a voltage divider in parallel with the solar panel the maximum
output from the solar panel can be dropped to match the maximum voltage of the
microprocessor. The following equation:
Equation 1
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