The last year has been a busy one for us at Island Development and we have had more enquiries about renewable energy and backup power systems than we could have ever imagined. The current situation with our island’s power company means that whatever happens we will likely have unreliable utility power for sometime to come, with the very real possibility of even higher costs once things finally do start to improve.xw-inv-charger More and more people are realizing that not only is backup power a great idea and a comfort that is well worth the investment, but renewable solutions such as wind and solar, which are found in abundance on our beautiful island, are not only a realistic option but a solid investment for the future value of their home. All our systems supply silent, on demand power with options to recharge using green alternatives, meaning you can forget about trips to the gas station to pick up fuel when the lights go off. Spilling fuel on a hot generator or running out of gas in the middle of a movie can be problems of the past. Even the noise of a gas or diesel powered generator can become frustrating and annoying whether at night or during the day and needn’t ever bother you again.

After extensive research we have come to believe that Xantrex power inverters are the best suited overall to our specific problems here on Roatan and for the harsh island environment in which they need to operate. Xantrex’s new XW Hybrid Inverter/Charger is the next generation in inverter chargers. It is a true sine wave inverter with 120/240volts split phase output, meaning that you can safely operate your sensitive electronics, laser jet printers, rechargeable batteries and light switch dimmers without causing any damage. You will also be able to run ceiling and room fans and audio equipment without the annoying hum or buzz that often comes with a modified square wave inverter. Your well or pressure pump can be run at its most efficient configuration and you can also run 220volt appliances like range, air conditioners, dryers, etc as long as your battery storage is sufficient. Typical transfer time from RECO power interruption to your inverter taking over the load by it’s internal auto transfer switch is 8milliseconds, meaning you will probably not even notice when the power failure occurs. All these inverters will also act as ‘power conditioners’ for equipment operated through them. They can be set to take control of power distribution during spikes or dip’s in RECO’s output voltage, which as we all know is the biggest killer of electronics and appliances on the island.

The XW inverter/ charger can also be configured with other specially designed XW system components such as the XW control panel and the XW power distribution panel which allows you to stack up to three XW inverters, giving a total power output capability of up to 18kW. More than enough for any home or small to medium sized business. Other options include the XW solar charge controller, which will control battery charging from your solar panel array, or the automatic generator start module which will start your generator when battery level requires it. All the components in the system can be connected via a Xanbus™ enabled network which will mean system configuration and diagnostics can all be observed on the graphical backlit LCD of the system control panel.

XW System

Grid-connected homes benefit from the use of a Xantrex XW System as the inverter will automatically detect a grid failure and instantly switch to backup power stored in the battery bank. When the grid is active, the XW System will monitor and regulate battery charging to ensure the batteries are ready to supply backup power when the grid fails. Most applications use solar arrays, but a wind generator, micro-hydro generator, and/or a fuel generator can also be incorporated into the system.

 

The Xantrex XW System is a fully-integrated, battery-based system, designed for residential and commercial solar and backup power applications. Engineered using a complete systems approach, the XW System stands out from its competition, with a reliable, clean, compact design and integrated balance-of-systems components.

DR Inverter/ChargerDR3642
For a lighter budget or if you just want to shake the ‘RECO rut’ there is the DR Series of inverters. These inverters are a modified sine wave and only operate 110volts, unless you stack multiple units, so are better suited to smaller applications, where the homeowner just wants to have lights, fans, refrigeration and some entertainment. Not intended for 220volt appliances but still most well or pressure pumps can be retrofitted, or even converted simply to use 110volts A/C, which will get you back into comfy living, even when grid power is down. Available in various outputs with many options for end users, so contact us with your questions and requirements so we can help design the system that’s right for you.

The DR Inverter/Charger provides dependable modified sine wave power for businesses, homes and workshops. Available in 1500, 2400 or 3600 watt models, it can power most common electrical appliances such as lights, televisions, cash registers, refrigerators, washing machines, computers, and power tools.  The DR’s high surge capacity gives it the ability to start difficult motor loads. Once set up, all functions of the inverter/charger are fully automatic.

Features

Options

Finally, here's a system we've put together to allow people who rent, or just want to be able to manually plug in some electrical items/ appliances, such as TV, computer, fan or even a refrigerator. It also allows you to move the system from house to house and is *not* hard wired into your home's electrical system. It does not have automatic transfer switches and requires manual recharging, but it means you don't sit in the dark sweating or miss your favorite TV show because of regular but short power outages. The system includes a 2.5kW power inverter with 5kW surge capability, 4 or 6 x 6volt, 225 amp/hour batteries, giving you more than enough storage to run several items for several hours, along with all wiring and properly installed battery harnesses, and a separate, plug inbattery charger. All this comes in for the extremely affordable price of around $1,100-1,400 depending on your battery quantity/storage. Contact us to order.

Recharging options
We are also supplying and installing as part of our systems, solar panels from several manufacturers, as well as wind turbines from Southwest Wind power. Let us know what your goals are and we’ll send an experienced technician to evaluate your property and list your options.