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  New automatic inverter system saves up to 70% of off-grid generator fuel!

 Power Systems Warehouse has recently installed its innovative generator inverter systems into rural off-grid homes in UK and France. The owners asked for these Powerguard PS Systems to be added to their electricity power generators. The projects required an understanding of their domestic mixed load applications through a 24 hour cycle. They had been starting and stopping their generators manually and had run them continuously to give power for any load during the period they needed power supply.

The Powerguard PS System was installed between their generator and domestic circuit. It is programmed to automatically switch on the generator for times of known heavy domestic use and utilises the excess power to charge storage batteries. The aim is to reduce generator run time to less than 33% so that in any 24 hour period the generator has to run for less than 8 hours.

The charger in the PS System, which is capable of recharging the batteries in less than 8 hours, prevents damage to the battery by a sophisticated microprocessor controled charger that will charge fast but not overcharge. If the batteries become fully charged when the generator is normally running, the PS System’s charger will go into float mode and keep the battery fully charged without damage.This sophistication is designed to maximise battery life.

 When the generator is not running, the PS System’s inverter converts the DC battery power to AC power. The inverter AC output is a low distortion sine-wave, the same as, or better than, the utility mains supply. It is stable, clean and regulated and is suitable for all electrical equipment designed to be powered from the utility mains supply.

If at any time there should be an extra load applied to the domestic circuit above the inverter rating or battery capacity, the generator will be automatically started by the PS System until that extra load has stopped. Such a load might be an electric oven, fire or power shower.

The customers have been delighted with the results, noting that their generators are now fully automatic and reporting that their fuel consumption is now less than one third of that before the PS System was installed. Additionally generator run time and maintenance costs are reduced by two thirds and for much of the 24 hours their power production is silent.

There is further potential to provide an even more eco-friendly power system. Powerguard supply a wind generator which charges the batteries meaning that the diesel generator is used even less. The fuel for the generator is usually red diesel oil. Greener alternatives such as bio-diesel and vegetable oil can be carbon dioxide neutral because the gas has been absorbed from the atmosphere whilst the plant was growing and it is simply returned when it is burnt.

Specially developed highly efficient Powerguard diesel generators complement the PS System to provide the ultimate in efficient off-grid power generation. Powerguard can also supply a combined heat and power (CHP) enhancement which uses the heat from the generator exhaust pipe to provide your hot water for central heating and domestic hot water supply. This significantly maximises the energy return from every litre of fuel by converting 90% of the possible energy into electricity and hot water.