Solar power

[hunter63]

That's a great pictorial.......Thanks.
Is that the harbor Freight unit?
Charge controller drops fro 22VDC to somewhere around 12 VDC for the battery?

[Rick]

No it's not. The Harbor Freight one is made by Chicago Electric and is 45 Watts. Mine is made by SunForce and is 60 Watts.

You're right on the voltage. I'm going to have to scoot it out in the sun tomorrow and take a reading in full sun just to satisfy my curiosity but the 22VDC feeds the controller that steps the voltage down to around 13VDC. I honestly didn't take a reading outbound of the controller just at the battery so I was reading battery voltage at 13VDC.

I have to wait for some help to hoist it up on the roof. I don't need my wife to come home and find me doing an epic face plant in the middle of a smashed up solar system. She would not be sympathetic. And she's a nurse.

[Rick]

The output in bright sunlight is 24VDC.

[huntermj]

I added a Second battery to the solar system. A third will soon be added. I will make a video soon about the 45 watt system.This was always in the back of my mind until the power went out. Then it was a very important thing. When the power goes out its too late to order a kit.

[Rick]

I assume you wired in parallel. Did you use a battery isolator on the second battery?

[hunter63]

So if you are direct charging at 45 watts max, into 3 batteries, is that enough for them to take a charge @12 volts? @what amp output?
Seems to me that you would have to overcome the charge in the battery that is there already...unless it is way down to start with?

A regular battery charger puts out 12 volts but at 2, 10, or 50 amps jump start setting.

[Wise Old Owl]

Pfffft. You're just in to solar porn.

That is so wrong, Rick - apparently you have a dark side........


If he uses matching batteries there is no need for the relay isolation.

[Rick]

I...uh...well....guilty, your honor.

I was just thinking about drawing off battery 1 and running down battery 2 in the process. An isolator will allow the panels to charge both batteries but keep the drain on battery 1 from pulling off battery 2. I hope that makes sense.

[Wise Old Owl]

Yea sort off - if they are deep cycle - you won't be able to discharge them in a single night. imagine 17 watt CFL and having say 15 thats 255 watts on a 300 watt inverter. That would still be more thamn four hours of light for a whole house of light.

[huntermj]

I dont have a battery isolater but i will be adding a third battery soon. This could add 45 watts to my solar power but it is more of a give away system

[Rick]

What do you mean by "give away system"?

[huntermj]

By give away system i mean i dont own the land where i live. So in a bad situation i should at least be useful. As in have useful knowledge and or materials to offer. Like being able to trade a solar system for rent. Hopefully i will soon have a place of my own and not have to worry about this.

[Rick]

Hoisted the solar panels on the roof today and have the system quasi set up. It's charging the radios and some AA batteries at the moment. So far no flash fires and nothing has melted. That's a plus.

[huntermj]

OK, here's a question, Whats the most efficient "electric" way to help heat a house? I would like to use this solar system to help heat my home this winter.

[Rick]

I don't think you're ever gonna do it with 200 Watts. Mr. HYVAC Hunter can probably help. You might be able to run the blower on your forced air unit since it's 120VAC and doesn't run continuously. But I don't think you'll ever run the heater coils. They are 240VAC. I would think your biggest drain for the blower would be start up but after it's running your watts should drop off considerably.

If you really want to save some money figure out how to run your hot water heater on it.

[crashdive123]

Even with a portable radiator you'll need a bit more than 200 watts. The ones I looked at ran from 600 to 1500 watts. Don't know if that is the most efficient though.

[hunter63]

Heater elements on water heaters are 8000 watts each and generally are two in each unit.
I becomes a math problem, watts in.... heat out.....My SIL was trying to run his on a 6000 watt Gen set....8000+8000 doesn't equal 6000 watts.
A 200 watt system will light 2 -100 watt bulbs.

A good estimate I have heard and used at the cabin in one watt per cubic foot of conditioned space.
http://www.electriciantalk.com/f2/ba...e-8872/index2/

[shiftyer1]

Ya'll just gave me a good idea, I have a shed with no power and I rent so it's not worth me running power over there. But I already have 2 boat batteries that are deep cycle and the shed IS in full sun. All I really would like out there is light and I bet the $45 solar unit would be more than enough for a couple lights out there! Hmm some pvc and some wire and assembly vs. trying to chisel thru this rock hard ground for 250 yards to run hard wiring.

[Winnie]

OK, here's a question, Whats the most efficient "electric" way to help heat a house? I would like to use this solar system to help heat my home this winter.

Heat Pumps are supposed to be one of the most efficient they can be be reversed in the summer to use as as air conditioners. The size and therefore the power consumption would depend on the square footage you want to heat and cool.

http://nordicheat.co.uk/air_q600.html

[Rick]

You know...I knew that on the water heater. I just wasn't thinking I guess.

Shiftyer - It's not $45 it's 45 watts. The Harbor Freight system does not include the inverter. You'll have to buy that separately so probably another $30 or so. But! If all you are wanting is some lights in the shed then you can use 12VDC bulbs right off the battery. You can get just about any lumen you want from dome light to spot light.