Apparatus and method for supplying alternative energy and back-up emergency power to electrical devices

• US 6,369,463 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alternate Energy Concepts, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alternate Energy Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Maiorano, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/483,262
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64, 307/66, 307/87, 320/132
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting

Abstract

An apparatus and method for supplying alternating current power to electrical devices wherein a subpanel having a plurality of switches allows a user to preset selected electrical devices for either automatic or manual load pick up by a battery during a utility power loss. Battery power is supplied only to predetermined electrical devices so as to avoid overload of the battery.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying alternating current power to electrical devices from an electric utility power supply and, when the utility power supply is unavailable, from a battery source, the apparatus comprising:

an inverter connected to the battery source at a direct current input portion of said inverter for changing direct current power to the alternating current power and for outputting the alternating current power at an output portion of said inverter;

a conversion relay connected to the utility power supply and the output portion of said inverter for supplying power from one of the inverter and the utility power supply to the electrical devices connected to a final output portion;

a charging system connected to the utility power supply via said conversion relay and to the battery source for charging the battery source with power from the utility power supply;

a subpanel consisting of a plurality of switches, whereby, when the utility power supply is unavailable, a first group of the subpanel switches is set for enabling automatic load pick up by the battery source and a second group of the subpanel switches is set for enabling manual load pick up by the battery source, wherein each one of the subpanel switches corresponds to an electrical device, a first position of a subpanel switch sets the corresponding electrical device for the automatic load pick up, and a second position of the subpanel switch sets the corresponding electrical device for the manual load pick up; and

a power converter being connected to said subpanel.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one charge controller connected to said charging system and to a power generating device for charging the battery source with power supplied from the power generating device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power generating device is a wind turbine.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power generating device is a solar array.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery source is connected to a linkable cell bank.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a line conditioner connected to said step-up transformer and between said inverter and the final output portion.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the final output portion includes a plurality of AC receptacles.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fan for controlling temperature of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the utility power supply is an on-site generator.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power converter is connected to said subpanel with a twist-lock mechanism.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power converter is a step-up transformer for increasing input voltage from 110 volts to 220 volts to accommodate the electric devices with higher voltage requirements, a twin power inversion unit, or a triple power inversion unit.

12. A method for supplying alternating current power to electrical devices from an electric utility power supply and, when the utility power supply is unavailable, from a battery source, comprising the steps of:

connecting an inverter to the battery source at a direct current input portion of the inverter;

changing direct current power to the alternating current power;

outputting the alternating current power at an output portion of the inverter;

connecting a conversion relay to the utility power supply and to the output portion of the inverter;

supplying power from one of the inverter and the utility power supply to the electrical devices connected to a final output portion;

connecting a charging system to the utility power supply via the conversion relay and to the battery source;

charging the battery source with power from the utility power supply;

connecting a power converter to a subpanel having a plurality of switches;

assigning each one of the switches to an electrical device;

setting a first group of the switches to a first position for causing automatic load pick up by the battery source when the utility power supply is unavailable; and

setting a second group of the switches to a second position for causing manual load pick up by the battery source when the utility power supply is unavailable.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

connecting at least one charge controller to the charging system and to a power generating device;

charging the battery source with power supplied from the power generating device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the power generating device is a wind turbine.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the power generating device is a solar array.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of connecting the battery source to a linkable cell bank.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of connecting a line conditioner to the power converter and between the inverter and the final output portion.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of controlling temperature with a fan.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the power converter is a step-up transformer for increasing input voltage from 110 volts to 220 volts to accommodate the electric devices with higher voltage requirements, a twin power inversion unit, or a triple power inversion unit.