Off-Grid Backyard

[PNjunction]

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>

As an update, note that the 7W Goal Zero Nomad panel refers to the 12V output. That is about 300ma under best conditions. An Everstart will barely notice it.

The 5V usb output is a linear regulator, and for the OLD models, was regulated to .5A max. About 2.5W. The NEW V2 models which are the same size, have the same 12v current output, but the 5V output has a larger regulator allowing for up to 1A usb output at 5v. This is much more usable. The new model has a yellow-stripe across it, and instead of a pouch flap, has a netting bag on the back.

But we're still talking 300ma of regulated 12v output for the 7watt rating.

Their 15w panel, when attached to a 12v charge controller is capable of somewhere near 800ma, much like an HF 15 watt thin-film. Still only usable for a small ups-style agm battery.

So for those shopping for usb power output, pay close attention to the specs at 5v, and NOT the rating at 12v. Ie, my discontinued 3.5W GZ panel puts out as much as the older 7W panel because we are talking about the 5v spec, and not the 12v marketing rating. If you must go GZ for usb charging, and your gear allows for up to 1A charge at 5v, then be sure to look at the "Version 2" Nomad 7 and not the older one.

[PNjunction]

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.

That is correct. Unfortunately, the directions show a generic battery (last time I looked), and most consumers immediately think of huge batteries, which is the most common mistake.

Everything said before was true. Unfortunately, the major blunder of too small of a panel attached to too large of a battery isn't immediately noticeable by newcomers as it usually takes awhile to destroy the large battery. That's why I'd love to see the results of about 99% of the solar videos 6 months down the road.

Thing is, I have a soft spot for HF panel kit owners when they show a true desire to understand what's going on with power consumption, panel/battery capacity matching, and solar-insolation - something not really covered in the manual. AND you never know if some smart 10-year old kid got one as a gift and is lurking and desperately looking for answers.

It may not be the best quality / price performance in the world, but they follow the same rules as the higher-quality setups do. Follow the wisdom and stand on the shoulders of others if you want to get right down to it fast. Here, you need a little tougher skin - mostly for saving you time, money, and SAFETY procedures up front to get your attention. Skim the stickies and hang out for awhile and you'll see.

[Shockah]

A lead acid battery needs a minimum of a C/12 charge current to properly charge and maintain a lead acid battery where C = the Amp Hour rating of the battery. and 12 = the 12 hour charge rate. So if that Marine battery is 100 AH then you need a minimum of 100 AH / 12 hours = 8 to 9 amps. Your 15 watt panel at best can deliver 1 amp of C/100 which is barely a trickle charger which is used to keep a fully charged battery charged up with no usage like in storage.

Largest battery a 15 watt panel can support is a 12 AH battery @ 12 volts. That size battery and panel is only capable of charging up a small Tablet device in a day, otherwise not much other use for it.

You ever get pranked with a really small gift wrapped in a really big box?
That's what this thread is... a bunch of airy foam peanuts, with a priceless gift buried deep inside.

Great post, Sunking... valuable info for a DIYer.

I don't condone the dissatisfaction expressed by xxtidusxx, but this thread may have flowed differently if your reply was the first one,,, wrapped in a small box,,, so to speak.

[Sunking]

close/delete thread.

No direction and rubbish posts.

Does not work that way. You have received what you asked for. A 15 watt panel is not of much use, certainly not enough to maintain a Marine Trolling Motor battery. A lead acid battery needs a minimum of a C/12 charge current to properly charge and maintain a lead acid battery where C = the Amp Hour rating of the battery. and 12 = the 12 hour charge rate. So if that Marine battery is 100 AH then you need a minimum of 100 AH / 12 hours = 8 to 9 amps. Your 15 watt panel at best can deliver 1 amp of C/100 which is barely a trickle charger which is used to keep a fully charged battery charged up with no usage like in storage.

Largest battery a 15 watt panel can support is a 12 AH battery @ 12 volts. That size battery and panel is only capable of charging up a small Tablet device in a day, otherwise not much other use for it. Put that so called ASS degree from Dvry of some use and do some math. Once you do that you will understand what you have is a toy and a very small toy at that. To charge that Marin battery you have will take a 150 to 200 watt panel, and even that is a Toy System.

So don't blame us for not giving the answers you wanted. We told you the truth and what you can do with a 15 watt panel. Not much. You don't need any combiners, fuses or inverters. It not big enough to support any of that. The thing cannot generate enough heat to spark a grass fire.

It was your opening post and equipment that was rubbish. You just do not like the honest answers you got.

[russ]

close/delete thread.

No direction and rubbish posts.

No reason to close or delete the thread - others can see what not to do and the only rubbish posts were by you..

[xxtidusxx]

close/delete thread.

No direction and rubbish posts.

[russ]

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

[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?

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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

[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]

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?

[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.