Urban Solar power

[onezee20]

an easy mindframe to adopt when you're just starting out is to think of batteries as pounds of energy storage potential. Your jump box is portable becuase it has a 22Ah battery that weighs 15 pounds not a 125Ah battery that weighs 150lbs. Think of 12V panels the same as you would a 2/6/10A wall charger for the same battery. A 12V panel will output 17V so if it is 85W that means it outputs 5A(ish) under perfect(lab) conditions, if you wanted to put a 10A charge into a battery then you would need a 170W panel to do that. So then you can backtrack that to the size of the battery if you understand the charge rates. A C8-C12 charge rate is best for longevity of a FLA battery so if you shoot for a middle ground of C10 you can determine that to charge a 125Ah battery at a C10 rate you would need to supply a 12.5A charge to it so that would be a 200W panel just for that one battery. Knowing all that, if you drained that 125Ah battery to 50% and supplied it with a C10 charge rate via a 200W panel, it would take 6 hours to recharge it...simple enough right?

No this is not simple.. LOL I just get that whatever you draw from the battery ,needs to be put back at an adequate rate or its useless. The bigger the battery the bigger the panel and shorter time it needs to charge.

[SunEagle]

Hi Thastinger I am looking for something like these units http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...ontent=160x600 Xantrex 802 1500 ... Duracell 1800 or Goal Zero Yeti

If you think I am better off buying 3 premade Battery packs ,I will do that. Then I would just get a large enough panel to charge them... truthfully I would like to play and make one myself. that is just as good or better than the above. I have a source for electrical wires.. I have a 20A charge controller.. 750w power inverter. I watched about 30 DIY videos on youtube but they don't tell the actual parts to use/buy . After stumbling on this sight ,I realize there is a lot more than just putting some components together. If I am going to spend money I would like to buy good parts...

Thanks Ray

I built one similar to that unit with an 80 watt panel and 65AH BlueTop Optima battery. The inverter is only 250 watt and is cheap but it will not drain my battery. The whole thing cost me about $500. It really needs about 100 watt to properly recharge the battery but as long as I don't discharge it below 75% it is ok.

Small Portable PV sys pic3.jpgSmall Portable PV sys pic2.jpgSmall Portable PV sys.jpg

[onezee20]

I built one similar to that unit with an 80 watt panel and 65AH BlueTop Optima battery. The inverter is only 250 watt and is cheap but it will not drain my battery. The whole thing cost me about $500. It really needs about 100 watt to properly recharge the battery but as long as I don't discharge it below 75% it is ok.

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Hi SunEagle That's what I am looking for.. Can I get an 100 watt panel cheaper than this? http://www.instapark.com/solar-power...y-charger.html I would like to build something like that. How many watts does it put out? Better than the Duracell 600 battery pack?
Thanks
Ray

Can it be charged by AC also?

[SunEagle]

Hi SunEagle That's what I am looking for.. Can I get an 100 watt panel cheaper than this? http://www.instapark.com/solar-power...y-charger.html I would like to build something like that. How many watts does it put out? Better than the Duracell 600 battery pack?
Thanks
Ray

Can it be charged by AC also?

That is a nice 100 watt panel but at $350 it is expensive. My 80 watt panel (2 x 40 watt) was also expensive around $225. Not the best purchase but it did come with a 10 charge controller and a number of different cables and connectors.

Like I said it has a 65Ah Optima BlueTop 12volt battery which can discharge and recharge pretty fast but you can find that data at the Optima battery site.

What I have learned is that if your inverter is too big it will discharge the battery very quickly. Also having too little of a solar panel wattage will not provide enough amps to properly charge the battery. My 80 watt panel with the PWM CC only gets me about 57 watt of charging so it is a little small for that 65Ah battery. A 100 watt panel would be better but at the time I purchased the folding solar panel the 80 was the only one available.

You can charge it by AC but you need to get a 3 stage charger. Just make sure you get a charger that works with the battery chemistry of the battery you use.

[thastinger]

just watched that utube vid you posted...pure unadulterated BS. If that is what you desire, you can build a better system, for less money, with the help from here. Suneagle is leading you down the correct path as 65Ah is likely more power than you could ever use with stated loads. I don't see the need for an expensive GEL battery in your scenario though as you have not indicated that your battery will be inverted in the case.

[onezee20]

just watched that utube vid you posted...pure unadulterated BS. If that is what you desire, you can build a better system, for less money, with the help from here. Suneagle is leading you down the correct path as 65Ah is likely more power than you could ever use with stated loads. I don't see the need for an expensive GEL battery in your scenario though as you have not indicated that your battery will be inverted in the case.

LOL That guy is selling that for $3000. I happen to have that toolbox. I am a Plumber and after I put my tools it in it would not move.. Can we start with the Panel. I looked at a 100w and 150 w panel. I found a non foldable one the is 47"x 1 1/2" x 24". I can build a case and stand for it. Can we work with the CC, Power inverter and battery size from there?

[onezee20]

That is a nice 100 watt panel but at $350 it is expensive. My 80 watt panel (2 x 40 watt) was also expensive around $225. Not the best purchase but it did come with a 10 charge controller and a number of different cables and connectors.

Like I said it has a 65Ah Optima BlueTop 12volt battery which can discharge and recharge pretty fast but you can find that data at the Optima battery site.

What I have learned is that if your inverter is too big it will discharge the battery very quickly. Also having too little of a solar panel wattage will not provide enough amps to properly charge the battery. My 80 watt panel with the PWM CC only gets me about 57 watt of charging so it is a little small for that 65Ah battery. A 100 watt panel would be better but at the time I purchased the folding solar panel the 80 was the only one available.

You can charge it by AC but you need to get a 3 stage charger. Just make sure you get a charger that works with the battery chemistry of the battery you use.

Can we start with the Panel. I looked at a 100w and 150 w panel. I found a non foldable one the is 47"x 1 1/2" x 24". I can build a case and stand for it. Can we work with the CC, Power inverter and battery size from there?

[thastinger]

Sure, I'd get the 150W panel which I'll assume is 17V and 8.5A. So you'll need to search for a 12V deep cycle battery in the 85Ah capacity range and a 20A PWM charge controller (a 10A would do but leave yourself some room to grow the system).

The PWM CC is going to drag the panel down to the battery voltage, so it effectively reduces the panel to a 110W panel but it doesn't make a lot of economical sense to go to a MPPT CC until you get close to the 300W panel point. I wouldn't consider that here, just treat this as your learner system and you can build a different one in the future if desired. I'd look for a pure sinewave inverter with a USB port on it in the 150-300W range. 150W is what you should have hooked up to an 85Ah battery but you could get a 300W inverter that would let you run a larger load for a very short period of time (minutes, not hours), just keep the loads under 150W knowing you have some reserve capacity in the 300W inverter if ever needed. Try to find one without a fan as the fan will constantly use power while the inverter is running.

[onezee20]

Sure, I'd get the 150W panel which I'll assume is 17V and 8.5A. So you'll need to search for a 12V deep cycle battery in the 85Ah capacity range and a 20A MPPT charge controller (a 10A would do but leave yourself some room to grow the system).

The MPPT CC is going to drag the panel down to the battery voltage, so it effectively reduces the panel to a 110W panel but it doesn't make a lot of economical sense to go to a PWM CC until you get close to the 300W panel point. I wouldn't consider that here, just treat this as your learner system and you can build a different one in the future if desired. I'd look for a pure sinewave inverter with a USB port on it in the 150-300W range. 150W is what you should have hooked up to an 85Ah battery but you could get a 300W inverter that would let you run a larger load for a very short period of time (minutes, not hours), just keep the loads under 150W knowing you have some reserve capacity in the 300W inverter if ever needed. Try to find one without a fan as the fan will constantly use power while the inverter is running.

Thanks Again thastinger.. Can you give me an idea on where to buy the Solar panel,CC,battery and Power inverter ? Brand names so I get good stuff once. I have seen all of this stuff on different sites but would rather get recommendations.

[thastinger]

I'd try to get the battery local, maybe you have a batteries plus or golf cart store nearby.
I don't think I'm allowed to post links of where to buy the other equipment, try the site sponsors who make the site possible for the rest of the equipment. Shouldn't break the bank, you just need a 12/24V 20A PWM CC, the panel etc.
Once you have all the equip we can go over fuses and wiring.

[onezee20]

I'd try to get the battery local, maybe you have a batteries plus or golf cart store nearby.
I don't think I'm allowed to post links of where to buy the other equipment, try the site sponsors who make the site possible for the rest of the equipment. Shouldn't break the bank, you just need a 12/24V 20A PWM CC, the panel etc.
Once you have all the equip we can go over fuses and wiring.

Ok Thanks.. The battery should be easy since I have a marina 20 minutes away. Thanks I will post Pictures when I get everything. Does it matter if I get an FLA or SLA battery? Thanks for your help...

[thastinger]

I'd go with FLA in a true deep cycle, built for cycle use and more user friendly plus it's easy to check/add water to the cells of a FLA.

[onezee20]

I'd go with FLA in a true deep cycle, built for cycle use and more user friendly plus it's easy to check/add water to the cells of a FLA.

Thanks .. I just read the thread on Batteries ..I get it. I pick up the battery tomorrow .. I have the CC.. Is a 250W inverter good or can I go a little higher.. The place where I am going to get the battery has a selection of inverters .. I am looking around for the panel... My Ex works for a Gas/Oil regulator company. They sell remote regulators that work by solar panels. I am going to ask her if she has a hook up...

[thastinger]

for the inverter running from a FLA battery you want to stay with the same principle of C8-C12 that you use to charge with. IOW, if it's an 85Ah battery and you shoot for a C10 discharge rate, that means you can draw 8.5A from the battery 8.5Ax14VDC(if the battery is fully charged) means you could run a max of 120W inverter continiously. For short periods you could get a bit more out of it but don't go crazy with it. You be ok with a 250 or 300 so long as you didn't try to run those size loads for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Careful on the panels, you need "battery panels" which are 17V panels to go with your PWM CC. You don't want to buy "grid panels" that are 35+ volts because you won't be able to use them.

[onezee20]

for the inverter running from a FLA battery you want to stay with the same principle of C8-C12 that you use to charge with. IOW, if it's an 85Ah battery and you shoot for a C10 discharge rate, that means you can draw 8.5A from the battery 8.5Ax14VDC(if the battery is fully charged) means you could run a max of 120W inverter continiously. For short periods you could get a bit more out of it but don't go crazy with it. You be ok with a 250 or 300 so long as you didn't try to run those size loads for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Careful on the panels, you need "battery panels" which are 17V panels to go with your PWM CC. You don't want to buy "grid panels" that are 35+ volts because you won't be able to use them.

Ok Have the battery,CC and Battery Charger .. Tomorrow I will get the pure sine wave inverter . Then I will search for the 150W Panel...