Solar energy

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Have you done any looking to see if that's the going price?

It looks like it's around $6 per watt if you get a 50W panel.
SunWize Solar Panels (50 Watt)

I have a situation now that has me puzzled. I have lost faith in the charge controller I have. It is a little plastic box with wires for incoming panel leads up to a total of 7 amps, and outgoing leads to the battery. It has a light that glows when its charging, and a different light that comes on when the battery is full. My problem is that the fully charged light never comes on, even though I'm constantly charging & not using the battery.

I measured the voltage off the panels directly; the large one was putting out 16 volts and the smaller ones 20 volts. The battery read 12 volts. But when I measured the output leads from the charge controller I only read 6 volts. The circuit board has no corrosion and I saw no burned out parts. I want to think the output ought to be 12 volts, but maybe without the battery connected and loading the circuit, the output isn't properly attenuated?

Any ideas out there? I don't want to spend $30 for a new one just to find out this is normal, and believe me that the chuckle-heads in the store don't have a clue. Turtle down!

Can't you just measure the battery charge from the terminals?
I remember my parents owning a device that would tell you how charged a battery was (AA, C, D, etc.). I don't know if they make something similar for higher volts, but if so it would be a good tool to own. I know you wouldn't get regulation that way, but it might be useful for other purposes such as detecting when a battery is losing charge.

Anyhow, I found this good faq on charge controllers. Perhaps it can help solve your problem.

They recommend a 3-stage or MPPT charge controller?
Do you have a 1 or 2-stage? If so, it seems a good idea to upgrade anyways.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by freeztar

It looks like it's around $6 per watt if you get a 50W panel.
SunWize Solar Panels (50 Watt)

That's better, but still not what they keep promising us.

Originally Posted by freezeneer

Can't you just measure the battery charge from the terminals?
I remember my parents owning a device that would tell you how charged a battery was (AA, C, D, etc.). I don't know if they make something similar for higher volts, but if so it would be a good tool to own. I know you wouldn't get regulation that way, but it might be useful for other purposes such as detecting when a battery is losing charge.

I thought I saw something like that too and whenever I ask at the stores I get a blank stare. Maybe at a RV supply outlet? Your link ends with what we want I think. >>

Originally Posted by windsun.com

What is a "Battery System Monitor"?
Battery system monitors, such as the Heart Link-10 (same as the E-Meter), Trace TM500, and the TriMetric 2020 are not controllers. Instead, they monitor your battery system components and give you a pretty good idea of what you are using and generating. They generally keep track of the total amp-hours into and out of the batteries, and the battery state of charge, and other information. They can be very useful for medium to large systems for tracking exactly what your system is doing with various charging sources. They are somewhat overkill for small systems, but are kind of a fun toy if you want to see what every amp is doing as it goes in and out of your battery.

Originally Posted by freezameter

Anyhow, I found this good faq on charge controllers. Perhaps it can help solve your problem.

They recommend a 3-stage or MPPT charge controller?
Do you have a 1 or 2-stage? If so, it seems a good idea to upgrade anyways.

Thanks. My unit is an ICP and on the 'piece-o-crap' list. >>

Originally Posted by windsun.com

Simple 1 or 2 stage controls which rely on relays or shunt transistors to control the voltage in one or two steps. These essentially just short (the shunt types) or (series) disconnect the solar panel when a certain voltage is reached. Tests done by Sandia and NREL have shown that these types of controllers can reduce battery life significantly - by as much as 30%. We do not recommend them. Examples are:
*The charge controllers that are furnished with ICP kits for the same reason - they are the old on-off type.

I have disconnected the controller from the battery and charged the battery full with a plug-in-the-wall charger. I'll review that article to see what I need. :

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Turtle

That's better, but still not what they keep promising us.

Remember when the same moan could be heard for PCs? And now almost every child in America has access to a computer. I believe that alternative energy sources will realize the same triumph. "I think I can, I think I can"

I thought I saw something like that too and whenever I ask at the stores I get a blank stare. Maybe at a RV supply outlet? Your link ends with what we want I think. >>

Apparently, a tester for a lead acid battery is quite expensive:
Battery-Web.com - Battery Tester FAQ

Thanks. My unit is an ICP and on the 'piece-o-crap' list. >>

I have disconnected the controller from the battery and charged the battery full with a plug-in-the-wall charger. I'll review that article to see what I need. :

Well I'm glad the link was helpful. Let us (me at the moment) know what you decide to go with.

[freeztar]

Check out this article Turtle.
Solar power edges towards boom time | Environment | Reuters

They claim that the price of solar panels is going down about 5% per year and is on track to be as cheap as coal in about five years.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Check out this article Turtle.
Solar power edges towards boom time | Environment | Reuters

They claim that the price of solar panels is going down about 5% per year and is on track to be as cheap as coal in about five years.

Not another carrot!

On a happier note, from your FAQ on charge controllers I see I can use just 1 of my 5 watt panels without a charge controller.

Originally Posted by wind-sun.com

Generally, there is no need for a charge controller with the small trickle charge panels, such as the 1 to 5 watt panels. A rough rule is that if the panel puts out 1/60th or less per day of the rated battery capacity, you don't need one. For example, a 5-watt panel puts out around 3/10th's of an amp. If you get 5 hours full sun per day, that is about 1.5 amp-hours per day. If you have a pair of 220 amp-hour 6 volt golf car batteries, you could use up to a 10-watt panel with no regulator.

It looks like the recommended type is around $250!

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Turtle

Not another carrot!

I guess I'm just optimistic.

It looks like the recommended type is around $250!

Well, this one is a little cheaper (PWM charging):
ProStar-30M MORNINGSTAR Solar CHARGE CONTROLLER w/METER - (eBay item 120171633283 end time Oct-19-07 20:29:34 PDT)
Or cheaper still (PWM charging):
ProStar-15M SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER with DIGITAL METER - (eBay item 120173094521 end time Oct-23-07 20:08:02 PDT)
Or a REALLY good deal [maybe](PWM charging):
Solar Charge Charger Controller 10 amp 12Volt - (eBay item 230182933976 end time Oct-25-07 11:13:43 PDT)

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Originally Posted by ronthepon

And hey, do you think that modern power plants are'nt built more protected against problems like melt down, radiation leak, dirty floors? NO! Those problems are not going to be seen much any more.(I just hope a power plant does'nt blow up tommorow just to prove me wrong)

The thing to always remember is nuclear power plants are built to a budget by the lowest bidder! (generaly by underqualified "underpaid" semi-disgrunteled employees that could generaly give a $#!+ less about quality of workmanship!) I.e. I am a nuclear certified welder...how did I get certified?? A single X-ray quality weld test...In short I welded up a few test plates, they were X-rayed, and I passed...Could I repeat and pass? probably not, I haven't
done any welds of that nature since...could I get a job welding cooling and steam pipes for a nuke power plant...Yeah.

[DougF]

And the Space Shuttle is built by the lowest bider also.

KSC SHUTTLE CONSTRUCTION BID COST
BID COST OF SHUTTLE FACILITIES .CONSTRUCTION BIDDING COST OF KSC'S SPACE SHUTTLE FACILITIES BY JOSEPH ANDREW BROWN, CCE

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Originally Posted by DougF

And the Space Shuttle is built by the lowest bider also.

KSC SHUTTLE CONSTRUCTION BID COST
BID COST OF SHUTTLE FACILITIES .CONSTRUCTION BIDDING COST OF KSC'S SPACE SHUTTLE FACILITIES BY JOSEPH ANDREW BROWN, CCE

Yeah and just look at how well it's worked! Two shuttle disasters (that I can remember) and countless other safety issues with the program. Scary schmidt!!!!!!!! May the winds blow to the west forever if Perry Nuclear (cleveland, Ohio) ever fails! (Seeing as I live to the east!)

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Solar for me thanx!

I hear that cells with 4 times the output per square inch compared to what's presently available are soon to be available for purchase....Now if you could only "fold" those cells to yield many flat topped pyramids pointing up down alternately yielding much more surface area within the same outside dimentions..........hmmmmmm...