Off-Grid Backyard

[xxtidusxx]

Good Evening,

I am looking to add a off grid solar system to my new home.

I already have a 15watt 12V PV Panel (GoalZero).

Currently I am looking at a few things to add to this project.
1.Junction Box 2.Charge Controller 3.Marine Deep Cycle Battery

Instapark Solar Charge Controller
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150989715583...84.m1423.l2649
EverStart Marine Battery

http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-24MS-6-Marine-Battery/16782694?findingMethod=Recommendation:wm:RecentlyViewedItems

First off I will be keeping everything straight forward 12V such as cell phone chargers, Radio, and mainly the Backyard lights. In the past I mainly just built solar radios and phone chargers. I work as a technician working in a related electrical field but I came looking for fellow off-grid enthusiasts to guide me on the best path to achieving my off grid goal for my new home.

I most likely will be mounting this anywhere in my home (my area is open and achieves high sunlight conditions.) With a simple pole style application with this http://www.ebay.com/itm/261154346642...84.m1423.l2649.

[thastinger]

Are you just looking to build something to charge cell phones with as a hobby?

[daz]

I already have a 15watt 12V PV Panel (GoalZero).

15W is not much to work with at all! Don't expect to light up your back yard like daylight...

Instapark Solar Charge Controller

This is a PWM controller. So assuming 5 solar insolation hours (as an example) you would only get 37.5WH to use per day, which doesnt go very far!
What is the solar insolation for your area?

EverStart Marine Battery

Everstart is an automotive battery as far as I know? Automotive batteries are not suitable for solar systems.
Also, the linked page doesnt tell you the capacity of the battery?

First off I will be keeping everything straight forward 12V such as cell phone chargers, Radio, and mainly the Backyard lights. In the past I mainly just built solar radios and phone chargers. I work as a technician working in a related electrical field but I came looking for fellow off-grid enthusiasts to guide me on the best path to achieving my off grid goal for my new home.

As said above, 15W is not much to work with! Perhaps it will charge your phone a couple of times in a day, or run a few LED lights, but don't place your expectations too high.

[xxtidusxx]

Not just phones and small units, Mainly charge the deep cycle marine battery and run a few lights during the night off of the charge the battery accumulated.

I will be charging the battery all day for several days and then start to run my loads.

[Sunking]

Mainly charge the deep cycle marine battery

That is not going to happen with a 15 watt panel. 15 watt will barely charge a cell phone battery

[green]

That is not going to happen with a 15 watt panel. 15 watt will barely charge a cell phone battery

What Sunking is saying is that batteries of different sizes require different charge rates. The charge rate is the amount of current required to sufficiently charge the battery. There are stickies on this forum that discuss the different formulas to figure out what C rate you need for the type and size battery you have.

It's just more fun the way he said it.

[xxtidusxx]

What Sunking is saying is that batteries of different sizes require different charge rates. The charge rate is the amount of current required to sufficiently charge the battery. There are stickies on this forum that discuss the different formulas to figure out what C rate you need for the type and size battery you have.

It's just more fun the way he said it.

People are providing responses but no suggestions. O_O
There was no battery purchased yet.

[Naptown]

The biggest battery that panel will support is a 15AH battery.
About the size of an alarm system battery.
If you want the battery to last for any time you will not discharge it more than 20%
So a 15 AH battery discharged 20% = 3 AH or 36 watt hours.
Thats enough to run a laptop for about an hour or 2 15W CFL bulbs for a little more than that.
Is this what you had in mind?

[green]

People are providing responses but no suggestions. O_O
There was no battery purchased yet.

Well one thing I would suggest besides a larger panel would be to get this battery instead....

http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Group-Size-24DC-Marine-Battery/20531540

This is at least a Marine Deep Cycle Hybrid. Notice it says 24DC the DC means deep cycle. The one you linked to was a 24MS the MS stands for Marine Starting battery. Others here will try to get you to buy a better quality battery designed for off grid solar applications, but I suggest you start with a cheaper battery like this one to learn with(destroy).

[Naptown]

Well one thing I would suggest besides a larger panel would be to get this battery instead....

http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Group-Size-24DC-Marine-Battery/20531540

This is at least a Marine Deep Cycle Hybrid. Notice it says 24DC the DC means deep cycle. The one you linked to was a 24MS the MS stands for Marine Starting battery. Others here will try to get you to buy a better quality battery designed for off grid solar applications, but I suggest you start with a cheaper battery like this one to learn with(destroy).

And that is a group 24 marine starting battery and with that panel he will learn (destroy) rapidly

[Sunking]

With a 15 watt panel if you go outside and sit in the Sun all day and celebrate 4th of July you can charger up your cell phone. Other than that there is not much else you can do with a 15 watt panel.

[daz]

People are providing responses but no suggestions. O_O

Well....if you want to use the 15W panel, then you need a much smaller battery...
However, if you want to use a big battery (like the ones you are linking to), then you need a much bigger solar panel...

[xxtidusxx]

FYI all:
I already charge my phone with a 7watt panel. (MicroUSB input) to my Android. Been doing this for years, I designed a solar FM radio from the Altoids tin which I take to the beach etc. My Android is mostly solar powered. Charges in sunlight for about 1hour>

If anyone is in the east coast, I am referring to the Harbor Freight 45W Panel set they sell for approx 150$. (panels only)

They sell a 35ah 12V battery from Thunderbolt Solar. Which I am now learning would be more suitable.

[FloridaSun]

If anyone is in the east coast, I am referring to the Harbor Freight 45W Panel set they sell for approx 150$. (panels only)

any particular reason you want to waste money or have you not researched solar panel prices lately?

[russ]

No one here will recommend the Harbor Freight piece of junk - not even if free.