How to Switch an Office to Battery Power

• 1

  Install your renewable energy system, whether it is a wind turbine or solar panel. Depending on the location of your office, you may also be able to install a micro-hydro system, which has the best electricity producing capabilities compared to wind or solar. Solar panels should be mounted on a tilt-able axis that can be adjusted to plus or minus 15 degrees of your location's latitude during the longer summer months or the shorter winter months, respectively.

• 2

  Strip the ends of a heavy AWG (American Wire Gauge) cable and screw it into the terminals of your solar panel or turbine. The AWG cable should be sized based on the maximum expected electricity production of your power source. If you are using a wind or hydro turbine, add an additional 20 percent to your cable's current carrying capacity by increasing its size to account for an unexpected wind or water events.

• 3

  Run the AWG cable to where your battery bank is located. The location should be well ventilated and protected from the environment. Strip the ends of the AWG cable and screw it into a blocking diode. Connect a smaller length of the AWG cable between the blocking diode and the charge controller. The blocking diode is used for wind and water systems to prevent power from the batteries returning to the turbine. The charge controller determines the power needs of the batteries and diverts unnecessary electricity away from the batteries, enhancing the battery bank's longevity.

• 4

  Wire the outputs of the charge controller using the same sized AWG cables. If you are using a wind or hydro system, the secondary outputs should be wired to a dump load, sized to exceed 20 percent of the maximum power output capabilities of the turbine. The dump load serves to dissipate excess electricity diverted away from the batteries by the charge controller. Wire the primary output from the charge controller to a set of battery eyelets and screw them onto your deep cycle battery.

• 5

  Connect your deep cycle batteries into a series circuit configuration, which is accomplished by connecting #8 AWG cable between opposing terminals for adjacent batteries. Hence, one battery's positive terminal will be wired to its neighboring battery's negative terminal. Continue this pattern until all batteries are connected.

• 6

  Size the power inverter based on the voltage of your battery bank and the maximum amperage of your office appliances. The power inverter converts the battery bank's DC electricity signal into an AC signal, usable by most office appliances. Connect the power inverter to the battery bank based on the inverter's manufacturer recommendations.

Installing the Subpanel

• 7

  Turn off the power switch to your power inverter. Connect the power inverter to your subpanel's main line-in, which should be sized based on the size of the subpanel. The wiring should also be installed along with EMT (electrical metallic tubing) conduit. For example, if you are using a single-phase, 100 amp, 240-volt subpanel, then you will most likely use #6 AWG cable (unless specified differently by local building codes). Screw in the wiring from the inverter to the subpanel's main-in lugs on the hot bus bar. Also connect the neutral wire to the neutral bus bar and the bare or green wire to the ground bus.

• 8

  Install branch circuits rated to the amperage of the breakers that you are installing to the subpanel. Depending on your location, you may need to use a drywall saw to cut out a path for the branch circuits, which should also be installed along with metal plates if they are passing through a joist or stud. Use wiring fasteners to secure branch circuit wires to studs every 4 feet. Some commercial electrical regulations also require fire caulking to be installed whenever holes are drilled for wires to pass through studs and joists.

• 9

  Strip the ends of the branch circuits and install them into the breakers for the subpanel. Use a screwdriver and hammer to remove the knock-out tabs from the subpanel. Insert the wires into the subpanel and screw them into the backs of their respective breakers. Also screw in the each circuit's neutral and ground wires to their respective bus bars. Snap the breakers into place on the subpanel.

• 10

  Use an AC tester to test the conductivity of the subpanel once the power inverter is turned on.