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complete solar dummie/ noob,bicycle trailer power hub. help?

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  • #16
    Originally posted by russ View Post
    Your charging will have to be done when you are stationary for the most part. On the move the panel will rarely be correctly oriented and the production will be a small fraction of name plate capacity.
    the panel is kicking 19.8 in the shade right now 4:30pm pacific. I didn't catch it in the sunlight. and theres alot of trees where I am right now.

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    • #17
      so I just took the old volt meter out to it and measured 14.3 at the controller and the panel is kicking 19.8 In the shade! I'm charging a deep cycle battery right now. I didnt catch it in the sun and theres trees now 4:40pm pacific
      Originally posted by KenZ71 View Post
      Any test runs with the solar panel? Maybe leave it in the sun for a couple hours and see what it does.

      When I am off camping I frequently use a sealed UPS battery hooked up to a cigarette lighter type plug so I can charge my phone. However the more remote I am the worsr the cell service which leads to higher power use. So turning the phone off or set to "Airplane" mode allows for faster charging.

      Yeah, the UPS battery wont tolerate frequent discharges but it works for my needs. Perhaps you could find a Lithium Ion or other battery designed for frequent discharges.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by KenZ71 View Post
        Any test runs with the solar panel? Maybe leave it in the sun for a couple hours and see what it does.

        When I am off camping I frequently use a sealed UPS battery hooked up to a cigarette lighter type plug so I can charge my phone. However the more remote I am the worsr the cell service which leads to higher power use. So turning the phone off or set to "Airplane" mode allows for faster charging.

        Yeah, the UPS battery wont tolerate frequent discharges but it works for my needs. Perhaps you could find a Lithium Ion or other battery designed for frequent discharges.
        so I just took the old volt meter out to it and measured 14.3 at the controller and the panel is kicking 19.8 In the shade! I'm charging a deep cycle battery right now. I didnt catch it in the sun and theres trees now 4:40pm pacific

        oh theres a second where its 14v and then trickles at 12.7, it switches off if its not hooked to the battery
        but I think I need a new unit for lifepo4 anyway right?

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        • #19
          Originally posted by PNjunction View Post
          Your questions more or less encompass the entire of solar, so that makes it hard to recommend anything right off the bat.

          What we do know is your old panel is a nominal 12v panel rated at 22 watts. So that's about 1.2A continuous under the BEST of conditions. That is going to limit you right there.

          Without knowing the specs of your charge controller, which appears to be a bit decrepid, with no other changes I'd suggest a Morningstar 4.5A SunGuard for what you are doing right now.

          What you could do for charging things like the cellphone on the go while cycling (well, stationary at rest) would be to use something like an Anker 10-15000 mah li-ion pack, and a 12v > 5v usb mobile adapter, like the Anker 24 Watt high-power dual-port units attached directly to the panel. They accept 12-24v input.

          Otherwise, you are going to have to get a handle on how much power all your gear draws, and for how many hours you intend to use it. Also needed is what geographical area you are going to be in to make sure that you have enough solar-insolation hours to recharge a battery. In other words, YOU are going to have to start measuring things with either a multimeter or Kill-A-Watt meter and multiplying that need over your time period.

          Other than purchasing maybe a small external li-ion pack like the Anker for small stuff, along with the mobile adapter, the best advice is to do more reading here to discover that what you want to do is going to cost you some MAJOR $$$ unless you simplify your needs.
          have you seen anything like this out yet? https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...evelopment-boa

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          • #20
            We've all seen that kickstarter thing. So has every other major solar forum, battery forum and the like. After two or three exchanges of general lifepo4 information interjected into an existing thread, out comes his links for the kickstarter project, the threads die, and the members just go away after awhile due to lack of interest, or bad taste using forums to advertise under the guise of being involved with the original thread.

            You are aware that your existing panel has about the same amount of power as one of the smaller battery-tender wall-warts right?

            You are not really charging your deep cycle battery as much as you are just maintaining it. Full coverage of that distinction is in the faq and stickies here. More reading, and less throwing of consumer items against the wall to see if it will stick with us, will reap much higher rewards with your project.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by PNjunction View Post
              We've all seen that kickstarter thing. So has every other major solar forum, battery forum and the like. After two or three exchanges of general lifepo4 information interjected into an existing thread, out comes his links for the kickstarter project, the threads die, and the members just go away after awhile due to lack of interest, or bad taste using forums to advertise under the guise of being involved with the original thread.

              You are aware that your existing panel has about the same amount of power as one of the smaller battery-tender wall-warts right?

              You are not really charging your deep cycle battery as much as you are just maintaining it. Full coverage of that distinction is in the faq and stickies here. More reading, and less throwing of consumer items against the wall to see if it will stick with us, will reap much higher rewards with your project.
              Thank you for your reply! I have been researching several products, I really want to utilize this panel but if I really need a new more powerful one I guess I'll just have to get it. sad thing is the panel I have is what inspired me to start this project being that its flexible, tough, lightweight...and has the grommet holes. I'm waiting to hear back from hardened power to hear what they have to say about my panel plus one of their systems.

              I will get to reading the forums I've read a few so far and been confused(dummie,noob(^thread title)). maybe if I read the same gobbley gook over and over a million times something will sink in.

              really though thank you all for your prompt responses!

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              • #22
                Don't feel bad - we are really on your side, we just don't want you overspending or underspending or having to pedal around too much weight when it may not be necessary because we can't really get a handle on how much power you are going to draw daily during the trip.

                How about going back to square one temporarily? Instead of spending all your money on a lot of solar infrastructure designed for a stationary environment, how about spending it on power-thrifty gear instead. What I'm thinking:

                Ditch the laptop. Can you get by with a tablet or maybe one of the larger phones like a Note3? Perhaps a bluetooth keyboard for log/diary entries. Bluetooth stereo speakers like JBL or something like that? I mean now you have your phone, music player, note taker, camera etc all combined into one unit. Heck, you might even be able to ditch the trailer!!

                Solar power could still be done, although you may still want a larger external Anker Astro 10000 to 15000mah. Use the 24w 12v > 5v mobile usb adapter directly to your panel for charging devices directly, or opportunity charging the big external pack. Perhaps two Anker 14w solar panels might help out.

                That's a lot of money for consumer gear I know, but all of it just might fit into a pannier bag or backpack and be worth it in the long run. I'm just thinking out loud here ....

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by PNjunction View Post
                  Don't feel bad - we are really on your side, we just don't want you overspending or underspending or having to pedal around too much weight when it may not be necessary because we can't really get a handle on how much power you are going to draw daily during the trip.

                  How about going back to square one temporarily? Instead of spending all your money on a lot of solar infrastructure designed for a stationary environment, how about spending it on power-thrifty gear instead. What I'm thinking:

                  Ditch the laptop. Can you get by with a tablet or maybe one of the larger phones like a Note3? Perhaps a bluetooth keyboard for log/diary entries. Bluetooth stereo speakers like JBL or something like that? I mean now you have your phone, music player, note taker, camera etc all combined into one unit. Heck, you might even be able to ditch the trailer!!

                  Solar power could still be done, although you may still want a larger external Anker Astro 10000 to 15000mah. Use the 24w 12v > 5v mobile usb adapter directly to your panel for charging devices directly, or opportunity charging the big external pack. Perhaps two Anker 14w solar panels might help out.

                  That's a lot of money for consumer gear I know, but all of it just might fit into a pannier bag or backpack and be worth it in the long run. I'm just thinking out loud here ....

                  I get you, but the laptop is not optional asus g72gx gaming laptop the brick says input 120-240 2.0A 50-60hz output 19.0v and for the audio maybe a 12v car stereo or amp+pandora on my phone pushing a bose acoustamass 5 series 3 sub box and 2 outdoor speakers(probably a pipe dream(and not constantly either)). I'm thinking about the juicebox from hardened power systems. I will have plenty of chances to plug in and charge it up but there will be several days with no plugs. also I am dead set on the trailer, I already started fixing it up. I will be hauling plenty of food(MRE entrees) and water. a single man tent compfy sleeping bag and pillows and a ground pad. some clothes/weather gear. 1 boot 1 shoe 1 flipflop with the juicebox thats about 100 lbs with the juicer, 50 under what the trailer can easily handle. I weighed the camping gear and some of the food and water. guessing about the speakers. the extra 30 lbs is totaly worth it to me if its gonna power my stuff. whatever new panel I get will have to be flexible and have grommet holes so I can tie it over my gear, and tough! so I can can get in a wreck if I want to.....

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Spooner View Post
                    I weighed the camping gear and some of the food and water. guessing about the speakers. the extra 30 lbs is totaly worth it to me if its gonna power my stuff. whatever new panel I get will have to be flexible and have grommet holes so I can tie it over my gear, and tough! so I can can get in a wreck if I want to.....
                    I see where you are at now. Allow me to spend your money. No guarantees!

                    Powerfilm F15-3600 (60W) foldable panel. Now we're getting serious. No grommet holes, but you use these stationary in any case. Make your own loops if need be. Nobody laughs at these out in the field. Small painter's clips are good enough unless you are in a blizzard.

                    Powerfilm RA-9 charge controller. Has matching connectors for the panel. Really a Morningstar 4.5a pwm Sunguard CC with custom connectors.
                    Morningstar 300W sure-sine wave ac inverter. Or possibly Renogy 500w pure sine wave inverter
                    35ah agm battery, like a Powersonic PS-12350NB.
                    Anker 24w 12v > 5v mobile adapter for use with your existing panel to share some of the charging duties.
                    Anker 15000mah backup 5v battery.

                    Or go with that other guys box, where all the niceities are done for you.

                    If you are in Seattle, things may be different. You'll need twice the panel, like an F16-7200 and a beefier controller like a Morningstar SunSaver 10A pwm. (or another F16-3600 + RA9 CC in parallel to battery)

                    Obviously we are winging it here, and the battery may not be ideal, but if you are willing to spend the money on that other guys box, then this shouldn't be a problem. Just don't skimp on the solar panels. Test it all out before leaving in case you need to beef it up even more.

                    This is what I'd test before even thinking about recommending something like a GBS-LFMB40AH LFP battery with all the battery management stuff. We just don't know what your TRUE needs are going to be, and this would be an immediate waste of money if you discharged it completely on day 1. So there is a reason for winging it with the cheap agm's first.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
                      Nope. Get a nice digital AM/FM car radio with MP3 inputs or a memory card slot. 10 watts into semi-efficient speakers will make your ears bleed. You really shouldn't need a seperate amp -or 200W of power.

                      So, 200w per ch, half volume call it 200w per hour consumed. Laptop is about 50w per hour. phone charger, say 20w for 2 hours.

                      your 22w PV panel is hopelessly undersized.
                      That thing he links on Ebay is no way 200 watts, the input power is 12 volt 2 amps DC. The maximum watts should be 20 watts 10 watts per channel top. Talking about fraud on selling points.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
                        That thing he links on Ebay is no way 200 watts, the input power is 12 volt 2 amps DC. The maximum watts should be 20 watts 10 watts per channel top. Talking about fraud on selling points.
                        What is referred to in audio circles as N watts is often (too often) peak, short term, watts, limited by the output circuitry impedance and voltages and not continuous watts of any sort.
                        A. The output circuitry would fry and
                        B. the power supply could not handle it.

                        So, in that specific context, the idea of a 200W amplifier that consumes at most 24 DC watts is not at all strange.
                        Very few non-professional speakers are capable of handling 200W continuous either.
                        (And I remember in college trying to drive a folded horn PA speaker (30" diameter) as hard as we could to "broadcast" across campus.
                        After about 20 seconds, before the voice coil had a chance to burn up, it tore loose from the speaker cone.)

                        Anyway, although you may argue about the validity of that sort of power specification, there is nothing inherently fraudulent about it unless the words "continuous" and/or "RMS" are added to the wattage number.
                        SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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