User:Dbasberg

Retired electrical engineer. I was an independent consultant in embedded systems, so I have lots of equipment like spectrum analyzer with tracking generator, 4 gigasample storage scope, logic analyzer, Mathworks: MATLAB/Simulink, electronic components, breadboards, power supplies ... (you get the picture). Retirement to me means doing what I always loved and having the time to do it!

Experienced in real-time systems (automation, power-train controls, instrumentation, assembly language, C, C++) Owner of four RPIs & two Gertboards, two Rabbit controllers, several Microchip embedded controllers, etc., etc. Designed home security system, greenhouse automation, vehicle power-train controllers, automated HVAC.

Current project is hybrid home power control system to include MAINs(220 split phase) + diesel generator + solar panels. To be monitored and controlled by RPI + Gertboard + custom I/O. The RPI will be programmed in Python (no experience/ learning now) with a web server to provide monitored values and control with login/PW. The pure sine wave 5KW inverter will be auto switched with MAINs as battery bank voltage gets depleted. Diesel generator will be used to charge battery bank and run loads if solar is insufficient and MAINs are down. USA power grid is heavily burdened as coal plants are retired without replacing the load capacity and our infrastructure has been neglected for some time. It might be expected we may have a power outage of a month or more at some point. The plan is to power my router, modem, HAM radio, RPI system from the battery bank. If my ISP can maintain operation, I should be able to access over the web. But even without the web, my RPI should be able to continously control the power system.