It’s no secret that Puerto Rico has an energy problem. An aging electrical grid and frequent hurricane activity have left the island with an unreliable power supply. Frequent and prolonged blackouts have led many Puerto Ricans to turn to solar energy. Ricardo Fonseca, owner of Ingenious Solution Services, has been installing solar and battery storage systems for more than 20 years in Puerto Rico. He has seen his business grow by helping homeowners and businesses become more energy resilient.
“Our business began by offering services to the pharmaceutical industry in the area of validations,” Fonseca said. “Later, demand grew for services such as electricity, plumbing, refrigeration, appliances, and thermal studies. After Hurricane Maria, our electrical system collapsed and a huge demand for photovoltaic systems began.”
Over the years, Fonseca has installed all types and brands of battery systems. Most recently, Fonseca installed a unique solar system with Briggs & Stratton SimplePHI 6.6 batteries for a two-unit apartment building in Bayamón, in northern Puerto Rico.
“The area’s electrical system suffers from frequent outages, and for that reason alone, the photovoltaic system was installed. Since the structure occupies the entire plot, it was impossible to install a generator,” Fonseca said. “The client was already familiar with our company, having previously hired us to install a 30 kW three-phase backup system with 46 kW of batteries for his business.”
For the apartment building in Bayamon, what appears to be a triple battery system is actually three independent systems powering three different locations. Each of the two apartments has a SimpliPHI 6.6 triple battery system. Additionally, a SimpliPHI 6.6 battery powers the four electric gates that control access to the building’s parking area and lighting in the common areas. It’s an ingenious design that not only looks good but also makes efficient use of space.
“The systems operate independently, they don’t communicate with each other, and there are no backup generators,” Fonseca said. “Each apartment has eighteen 550-W solar panels with 19.8 kWh of Briggs & Stratton batteries. The building operated in self-consumption mode for five months after installing the three systems, as we were waiting for electrical approval from Luma Energy.”
Each electrical system in an apartment places a considerable load on the system, as it supports an air conditioner, a heater, a stove, lights and all the other electrical components that a typical home has.
“The system works wonderfully,” Fonseca said. “They’ve never run out of electricity. If there’s plenty of sun, the batteries charge in 75 minutes with the panels. If there isn’t as much sun, it takes a maximum of 150 minutes. With the meters installed and the electrical certification, they’ll be able to start exporting energy to the grid.”
Fonseca has worked with Briggs & Stratton for more than eight years and has completed approximately a dozen installations with the company’s SimpliPHI 6.6 battery.
“SimpliPHI batteries are reliable, long-lasting, and fast-charging. I’ve never had any problems with them,” he said. “They’re smaller than Tesla batteries, so they take up less space, they’re lighter and easier to handle. Best of all, they’re easy to install, and now that the new controller can be connected from either side, it’s even more convenient.”
Fonseca isn’t the only one who notices the advantages of Briggs & Stratton. Recently, a customer who runs three air conditioners at night commented that he hasn’t had to use a backup generator because the SimpliPHI batteries handle the entire load.
“The only battery systems I install are from Briggs & Stratton,” Fonseca said. “I frequently receive calls about other products that aren’t working, reporting malfunctions, so I’ve seen all the problems other battery and inverter manufacturers have: they don’t last more than a few years and fail in various ways. Thanks to my reputation and the experienced team I’ve built, I plan to expand my business to other areas of Puerto Rico, from Mayagüez to Fajardo and possibly to the central part of the island, in Naranjito and Aibonito.”
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