Overview
The ConnecTable Solar Charging Station aims to enhance the sustainability and convenience of a wide variety of public spaces. Developed by CarrierClass Green Infrastructure, the ConnecTable Solar Charging Station series of tables provide a fully off-grid and renewable power source in convenient locations where technology dependent consumers can charge phones, tablets, laptops and other mobile devices while they're on-the-go, relaxing with friends, dining, or wherever power access may be limited.
The ConnecTable Café featured here serves as the prototype in the ConnecTable Solar Charging Station series, which will include options for a café, picnic, and deck design. Developed as an architectural piece, the ConnecTable Café features all stainless steel and wood finishes meeting the highest aesthetic demands of the built environment, while seamlessly incorporating a robust and hardened solar photovoltaic and electrical equipment package within its structure.
Engineering
The ConnecTable Café was engineered at each step to meet the rigorous demands of an off-grid solar photovoltaic system and provide the greatest flexibility to the end users. Unlike traditional off-grid solar photovoltaic system where the electrical loads, usage patterns, and location are all predetermined and the system design follows, the ConnecTable Café was developed in reverse with these items largely unknown. This engineering challenge was met through extensive operational modeling that accounted for highly variable energy usage patterns, different geographic locations, seasonal solar resource variations, and ranges of system autonomy and reliability. The resulting product is a fully engineered and autonomous appliance that will provide users with the convenience power they are seeking through power outlets and USB ports twenty four hours per day year-round.
Serving as the product development and design team electrical engineer, Manlove Engineering was responsible for a variety of engineering and consulting services from the table’s inception. Services provided included solar photovoltaic design documents, electrical schematics, component specifications, design code compliance reviews, generation and load analysis, operational performance analysis, reliability and autonomy analysis, construction administration services, construction inspection services, and field commissioning services. Manlove Engineering is the professional electrical engineer of record for the prototype and will continue to serve as the electrical engineering consultant for future developments.
The ConnecTable Solar Charging Station was officially launched at the USGBC Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia in November of 2013.
Benefits
Designed and constructed of all commercially rated and listed components, the ConnecTable Café will add to a facilities infrastructure assets during normal use and emergency situations. As a fully off-grid system, the ConnecTable Café will continue to provide power when needed most during extended outages and natural disasters.
Building upon the ConnecTable Café prototype featured here, the ConnecTable Solar Charging Station series can be configured for a specific site as a multi-table system that can function independently, function as a grid-interactive net-metered system, or function as a hybrid microgrid system capable of dual on and off grid functionality.
Copyright © 2012-2025 Manlove Engineering, LLC. All rights reserved.
Design by Outfit Solutions
Information
Technology:
Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
Sector:
All Sectors
Interconnection Method:
Off-Grid / Island
Design
Array Capacity (Wdc):
470
Battery Bank Capacity (Whr):
2,400
Battery Bank Voltage (Vdc):
12.0
Inverter Capacity (Wac):
300 Continuous / 600 Surge
Inverter Voltage (Vac):
120V 1Φ 2W
Module:
(2) Jinko Solar JKM-235P-60
Charge Controller:
(1) Morningstar TS-MPPT-45
Battery Bank:
(2) Amstron AP12-100P
Inverter:
(1) Morningstar SureSine
Monitoring:
Morningstar
Remote Meter &
TriStar Remote Meter-2
Mounting:
Custom Designed
Performance
Design Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Design Autonomy (days):
2.0
Design Depth of Discharge:
50%
Daily Generation (Whr):
884
Daily Energy Available (Whr):
283