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Mobile Wind & Solar Power Trailer

This power trailer was completed in 2002. The design required a mobile power system that could provide AC power to a remote job site with minimal reliance on fuel. It can be fully deployed by two persons and be operational in approximately 2 hours. The trailer has three energy sources, solar array, wind generators and a gas generator.

The solar array consists of 48, Siemens 75 Watt Panels. These are arranged in three sub arrays. The top array is permanently connected to the trailer and folds down flush to the trailer roof for transport. The side array is removable. The array breaks down into 4 sub arrays that are stowed in a rack inside the trailer for storage. Four remote arrays, consisting of 4 panels each, mount to A-frame legs that are staked into the ground. The remote arrays break down and are also stored inside the trailer for transport.

Three Air Industrial wind turbines are mounted on the roof of the trailer. The turbines detach from the roof, are folded up and stowed inside for transport.

The onboard generator can use gasoline or propane; three 44 pound bottles are located on the trailer. A fuel manifold located on the trailer allows the connection to a larger propane tank as necessary.

The power system contains three Trace 4048 sin wave inverters. This allows for one 30 amp 120/240 circuit and one 30 and 120Volt circuit. Additionally, a monitoring system keeps track of inverter status, battery state of charge, and performance of the solar arrays and wind generators. This information can be downloaded to a computer to monitor overall trailer performance and usage.

Mobile Construction Trailer

The mobile construction trailer was built to supply power to a remote construction site. During the day an onboard generator supplies power to the construction site, worker's camp and charges the onboard battery bank. At night the generator shuts down and the battery bank supplies silent power to the camp. Before acquiring the power trailer, the contractor used a generator to power the camp. At night, if the workers wanted to watch TV, showers or lighting they had to listen to the noisy generator!

The trailer consists of a 10kw generator, two Trace DR3624 and one Trace SW4024 inverters and 20 T-105 batteries. Also included are two mobile AC distribution boxes, this allows the trailer to be located some distance from the job site. The trailer was completed in 2000 and has been used at multiple construction sites.

Montana State University, Bio-Film

The MSU Biofilm department required a small lightweight power system to operate monitoring and lab equipment in Yellowstone National Park. The system had to be light weight as it had to be packed to the site; horses and vehicles are not allowed at the monitoring location.

The system consists of a 1300 Watt sin wave inverter, 2 gel batteries contained in a weatherproof box mounted on a collapsible hand truck and 10 Unisolar 32 Watt flexible panels. When the system is deployed the panels are mounted on cables stretched between two trees. The system was completed in 2003; in 2004 an additional pack of two batteries was added to the system.