Independent Power - Off-grid Power Supply Motukiekie Island

Challenge

Remote 30 hectare private island with no mains power available
Existing off-grid system had been out grown and was starting to fail
Batteries were at the end of service life with some failed cells.
3 x solar arrays of various ages
Numerous generator failures

Solution

Removal of old arrays and installation of new PV arrays.
Installation of new Outback FPA3, 48volt 9kW system
Install new Juice Lithium battery bank
Install new generator
General tidy up of existing AC distribution board and cabling

Outcome

New fully compliant system
System reliability
Increased capacity of both storage and output
The upgraded PV array with greater generation was well suited to the high charging current of the lithium batteries
Remote monitoring now available

“When asked to upgrade the power system on a remote off grid island, the Outback products were an easy choice for this project as they offered proven reliability, and when coupled with the Outback OpticsRE remote monitoring feature, they are the obvious choice for a remote location.

The timing of the project meant we had the option of the new Outback FPA prewired system. We selected the FPA3. The installation was simple and quick, and knowing you are installing a fully compliant NZ system with the correct isolation and protection devices, was important to us, not to mention the time saved onsite.

The FPA system’s design allowed ample room for our incoming and outgoing cables and the option for future expansion should it be needed. From the property owners perspective, the system is very neat and the Mate 3 home screen offers the owner the information they want at a glance. Also, the intuitive function of the Mate3 allows for easy navigation should it be needed.”

Shane Pratley

KIWI ELECTRICAL SERVICES LTD