(Part 2) Top products from r/solar

I was actually looking at a 12v 5aH alarm battery that fits the dimensions of the remaining space of the box. it's an SLA but I wish I could find a gel cell with the same dimensions. As for the panel, I've settle on not being able to run the amp on it, but I am pretty certain I can fit a big enough panel for a trickle charge that will at least extend the life of the battery when the lid is open. To fully recharge in a reasonable amount of time I guess I'll just hook it up to my motorcycle tender.

Key here is space for the battery and being able to fit it in the lid for the panel, kind of limits my options but I've been enjoying the learning experience of learning about solar and refreshing on some basics.

This has been fun but I have some things to do. Here's a good book to read

Solar Hydrogen: Fuel of the Future

Renewable hydrogen produced using solar energy to split water is the energy fuel of the future. Accelerated innovation in both major domains of solar energy (photovoltaics and concentrated solar power) has resulted in the rapid fall of the solar electricity price, opening the route to a number of practical applications using solar H2...more
https://www.amazon.com/Solar-Hydrogen-Future-Mario-Pagliaro/dp/1849731950

This is a key point in the renewable energy debate. No rational world power will give up on oil when it's required to win WWIII. This book is a good summary, but it's like Starcraft, you have to control the resource expansions to win.

Look for RV and boating equipment for 12v appliances. I have a cabin that is all solar. It runs two 100w panels and a little cheap charge controller that charges 4 cheap golf cart batteries. I have a 500w inverter on it for things I can't run any other way but I try not to even put load on that. I wired it up like it was a boat, with a boat bus bar in place and ran standard Romex to 12v LED stip lights via standard light switches. And then plugged in a large 12v changing station with 4 12v sockets like in a car and 4 USB ports. So I can run laptops and charge cellphones and the like. For fans I found battery powered camping fans that ran on D batteries strung together to 12v that had a DC plug on the side. I wired up a DC plug for them right off the batteries and they run on that. They are not ceiling fan but I have 3 so each person can have one on hot nights. I am in Southern VA, so not to far from you.

Fan I use:
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Battery-Operated-Fan-BLACK-5/dp/B001AVMSEY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457293936&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+camping+fan

Thank you for writing.

> bimodal inverter

Isn't that the same as what we call "Grid-interactive inverter"? Or is there a difference?

> a book about solar

No, the book is not about solar. The book is about batteries and battery management system; it's my second book on that subject. Solar systems with inverter/chargers is just one of about 70 applications I write about in this book.

> but know very little about solar.

True. That's why I ask. I thank you for your help.

If you want to have some actual fun with this experiment buy a 100W solar panel. It'll be big enough to actually be useful (although it will be heavy/bulky and not too fun to lug around everywhere).

Then buy a charge controller to maintain your battery.

And buy a little 12VDC battery.

And finally buy a dash-hole so you can use all of your dash-hole based appliances like your cell phone charger.

$110 for the solar panel.
$10 for the charge controller.
$20 for a 10ah SLA battery
$4 for a female lighter socket

It's 100watts and it's less money than 8W kit and only $50 more than that 3.5watt unit.

Edited to add ebay and amazon links.

thanks for replying!

I'm thinking more like the Endless Breeze
coupled with a 100w panel ( it's free, I'm borrowing someone's )

so if you were to attach a MUCH larger solar panel to those fans you mentioned, wouldn't it run the fans closer to 20v because of the panels output?

or maybe I'm not fully grasping out panels output power?

Thanks, Jack, prepare for a lot of fun!

Also, I highly recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0865716218/

Would one of these be better than the other?

http://smile.amazon.com/Roadpro-Fused-Replacement-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B0016LG0CY?sa-no-redirect=1

http://smile.amazon.com/Auto-Button-Cigarette-Lighter-Black/dp/B0090149R0/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1420742893&sr=1-2&keywords=cigarette+lighter+plug

http://smile.amazon.com/K40-K403CBPP-2-Wire-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B001JT98S6/ref=pd_sbs_auto_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=06E9J8F93C84MQ2G79PE

TIA

Ah thanks /u/eliborg. If you know anyone who is just getting into solar, I recommend this book which contains good design and work flow process fundamentals to anyone getting into the industry.

This is what I'm getting for the fuse panel. Assuming its the same because it has amazing reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000THQ0CQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=28SKLWNIL5EQ8&coliid=I2HR7EF5SBDL63&psc=1

I'll check out the buss bar, thanks!

> The difference is people cannot easily produce NG in your own yards.

Energy of gas/air mixture detonation does not depend on its origin.

> there will be many who try to created the containment systems themselves in order to lower costs.

That's what codes and building inspection are there for.

> I was thinking maybe they might sell some units to hobbiests/inventors who would benefit from simple and stable small scale H production.

I ran simple and stable small scale hydrogen production as a kid in 1970s. These days, people can simply order http://www.amazon.de/Horizon-FCJJ-16-BRENNSTOFFZELLEN-POWER-SET/dp/B00202CUZ4/

I currently use this: http://www.amazon.com/Sno-Brum-Original-Removal-Telescoping/dp/B0007LDXLA/

 

Combined with this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00181UGA4/

 

The Sno-Brum is made out of stiff foam. Pretty much no chance of scratching the panels.

 

I've never heard of the tennis ball method. I assume you're just tossing a tennis ball up there hoping to knock some of the snow off. Just enough to let the panel start to heat up and melt the rest?

I love THESE, can't get any closer to the battery than that.

Regular car batteries are made to have a lot of cranking power, and then stay on a trickle charge once the alternator gets going. Running the battery voltage down each night and charging it daily will kill the life of your battery (if it's not deep cycle).

Honestly, charging a phone (5w), running some small LED lighting (8w), and a couple 12VDC fans (6w) can all be done through your cigarette lighter port and won't be drawing more than 20watts. If you ran that all night, you would only be using 15amp/hrs or so of your battery; and if you get 8 hours of sunlight, you only need a 30watt solar panel to charge it back up. Whenever you are talking about solar though, you should plan on doubling your capacity to account for non-optimal performance, cloudy days, long winter nights, etc.

kieranmullen gives a pretty good rundown of what you would need to setup a separate 12v system but seems like overkill for what you are asking (and would run you about $300-400).

Personally, I would get a 100 watt panel, 7 amp charge controller, the cheapest 12v deep cycle marine battery from walmart, and maybe a 3-400w inverter (for a laptop charger or any other AC devices). Also, I'd put an inline fuse between my charge controller and load, and maybe another between the battery and charge controller.

I'd go with a little bigger inverter, the morningstar one will need to be wired to a plug. this whole line from 600-2000watts has been serving me well. Also has USB and a voltage display 1000watt https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I04A74/ 600watt https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002O5P8BA/r

Electric heat is an awful use of the suns rays. Let's say you get 3kw of solar panels on your roof. Congratulations, you can run 2 of these for about 6 hours https://www.amazon.com/Patton-PUH680-N-U-Milk-House-Utility-Heater/dp/B0000BYC61/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492583724&sr=8-2&keywords=1500+watt+heater
That used all the power you made all day.

You're looking for an automatic transfer switch which can switch power between two sources, however they are usually whole house affairs....


Edit: Go Power! TS-30 30 Amp Automatic Transfer Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00153EYTO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_QpbuDbCFQWXJW

you buy one built for it on amazon, Mr. be incredibly polite to people answering your questions on reddit.