Creating a kiosk

[JohanSA]

Hello

I am looking at creating a solar kiosk to be used for charging up to 10 mobile phones.

I am very new to solar panels etc. so i was hoping you could assist me. I have the following questions:
If i use a solar panel with a peak power of 30W, would that be sufficient or should i get 2x 30W panels?
How would i connect a usb mobile phone charger to the solar panel?
Is there a chance that too much power will be generated and a phone battery might get damaged?

thank you in advance
Johan

[Sunking]

To be compliant with all devices today (USB 3.1 2013 release)) each USB port needs to be capable of up to 60 watts at 12 volts, and 100 watts at 20 volts to enable 15 minute charge times. Otherwise 10 watts @ 5 volts for USB 2.0 standard which is being replace by 3.1 in all new devices. In addition must be able to communicate with the devices to determine charge profile requirements. The other catch is the power must be available when demanded which means you must have a battery on site to make up for any shortages or interruptions in sun light.

[Mike90250]

even half dozen 30 w panels will not be enough. As Sunking said, you need more power to charge a lot of gadgets.

[Sunking]

even half dozen 30 w panels will not be enough.

Or just buy a USB charging station, plug it into a receptacle, and pay that painful 1 to 2 cents per day on electricity. Works 24 hour a day instead of a just a few hours around noon if the sun is out.

[CA_Tom]

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As for the OP:
Figure out your load. I would plan on using a battery... I would guess that's almost required as you'll have phones being plugged and unplugged so you won't have a steady load.

For the USB side I would probably use a cigarette lighter adapter for doing a prototype. You can put an ammeter on it and see what power it draws for a few of your devices.
Then if you'll have 10 of them for 5 hours each day you have an estimate for how much power you need.
I wouldn't worry about supplying the max power you can under usb3. Usb standard allows for providing less power. And the higher power charging supply currents are supposed to happen *only* if both sides negotiate for it. If this is a charge your phone for free thing, people will be happy with usb2 spec. If this is intended as a $ making venture, expect people to have a fear of connecting their phone to an unknown box that could download everything from the phone.

[russ]

Why do you keep throwing out these sorts of 'suggestions' when obviously the intention of this project is for somewhere without power.

As for the OP:
Figure out your load. I would plan on using a battery... I would guess that's almost required as you'll have phones being plugged and unplugged so you won't have a steady load.

First and most important - figure out a load. The OP seems to want to start a business. He needs to know how many kWh/day he plans to sell.

The 30 watt panel will get no where.

[CA_Tom]

First and most important - figure out a load. The OP seems to want to start a business. He needs to know how many kWh/day he plans to sell.

The 30 watt panel will get no where.

I read his post as "I have this idea for something to take to Burning Man".

I can't see a pay-for-charging 10-port solar kiosk being a business. I just don't see making money on it. But I know of stranger business plans that people have tried to get to work.

[russ]

Cyprus

[JohanSA]

Thank you for your suggestions. I do not plan on charging for use of the kiosk.
Based on your responses I guess it is probably not cost affective.
Thank you

[Sunking]

[QUOTE=CA_Tom;129713]Why do you keep throwing out these sorts of 'suggestions' when obviously the intention of this project is for somewhere without power.[?QUOTE]

How do you know that? When was the last time you seen a Kiosk siting out in the middle of now where. Really a moot point because it will not work even if they charged for the service. No one would pay for it at the prices that would be required to cover the cost. The OP already figured out it is not cost effective even if they had AC power. Stupid ideas get stupid answers.

[JohanSA]

[QUOTE=Sunking;129766]

Why do you keep throwing out these sorts of 'suggestions' when obviously the intention of this project is for somewhere without power.[?QUOTE]

How do you know that? When was the last time you seen a Kiosk siting out in the middle of now where. Really a moot point because it will not work even if they charged for the service. No one would pay for it at the prices that would be required to cover the cost. The OP already figured out it is not cost effective even if they had AC power. Stupid ideas get stupid answers.

Sorry to say but it is def not a stupid idea. Please google mobile solar charging kiosk...you will be surprised at how many comapnies actually offer this service. For a beach or pool operator this is an ideal set up. Also AC powered mobile phone charging booths are becoming very popular. ....just like wireless charging. You can set it up at a coffee shop etc.

[Sunking]

. Also AC powered mobile phone charging booths are becoming very popular. ....just like wireless charging. You can set it up at a coffee shop etc.

And it is all done with AC power right? You can buy a AC powered USB Charging Station for a couple of hundred dollars. Operational cost no more than 2 or 3 cents per day if that much as 1 cent is enough to charge up 20 cell phones. CA Tom is a Left Coast Liberal who would rather have you spend thousands of dollars and loose your butt with something that does not work, when a $100 fix would work. Me I just want to make you some money so you can support yourself and run a biz profitably. Big difference. Liberals do not understand that.

[Mike90250]

Gents, please address the OP's question. pruning off-topic discussions off this thread.

[russ]

And it is all done with AC power right? You can buy a AC powered USB Charging Station for a couple of hundred dollars. Operational cost no more than 2 or 3 cents per day if that much as 1 cent is enough to charge up 20 cell phones.

Yep - often the charging is free too. It is not a business model for one who wants to eat - and solar is not at all practical for the purpose.

[CA_Tom]

Gents, please address the OP's question. pruning off-topic discussions off this thread.

Next time, maybe you should prune the ones with the personal attacks as well, rather than leaving them just because it's from a regular poster.

I think we've already covered the topic though - if he needs to use solar because it's on a beach or whatever, then first item is figuring out how much power is needed. Then it's figuring out how big of a battery is needed (might be able to get by with fairly small one. Especially if can do something like maintain the battery overnight, plugging it into a charger when haul it in from the beach) And then there's the solar panel size. (60W seems small to me for 10 phones at once and multiple phones rotating in/out to be charged, but best to look at the first item to actually get data for that rather than my SWAG.)