On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:02:55 -0400, "Martin Riddle" <martin_rid@verizon.net> wrote:> >"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote >in message news:2b29n7dm6bbqaojmdsik49esb2u4hu228o@4ax.com... >> OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery... >> >> My son, Aaron, software engineer turned farmer, has acreage in the San >> Tan Valley with no source of electric power. >> >> He'd like some artificial light for his chicken coop to increase the >> egg output. >> >> Lighting and timers are easy to find off-the-shelf, but I need some >> pointers toward finding a good quality solar panel that can charge a >> 12V car battery. >> >> Thanks in advance. >> >> ...Jim Thompson > >Visit alt.energy.homepower > >And when your ready to buy go to http://www.sunelec.com/ >They have the best prices. > >A few pointers. >1,You need to figure out your battery bank capacity base on your load. >2, find out how long you want the battery bank to last if there is no >sun (in days)In Arizona ?:-)>3, how many hours a day does your location get (there are charts from >NREL http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html) >4, Don't deep discharge your batteries. Aim for 50% -30% discharge (Big >batteries, NO golf cart batteries here) >5, Buss voltage 12, 24 or 48vdc? Panels come in different >configurations. >6, Stick with Polycrystalline panels >7, NEC, The system needs to be installed to Code. most of the code >pertaining to solar installs came from Wileys Code corner >(http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/John_Wiles_Code_Corner.htm) NEC >2008 had the updates. Check with the local authorities for permits.We shoot "local authorities" ;-)>8, You'll need a good charge controller (MPPT) and an alternate AC-line >charger.No AC... rural Arizona.>9, If the cost of running Utility power is less than Solar then that is >the way to go. > > >Hope that helps. > >Cheers > >I'll check out your links, and battery suggestions. Thanks, Martin! ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery
Started by ●March 29, 2012
Reply by ●March 29, 20122012-03-29
Reply by ●March 29, 20122012-03-29
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:15:03 +1000, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@on-my-web-site.com> wrote:> OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery... > > My son, Aaron, software engineer turned farmer, has acreage in the San > Tan Valley with no source of electric power. > > He'd like some artificial light for his chicken coop to increase the > egg output. > > Lighting and timers are easy to find off-the-shelf, but I need some > pointers toward finding a good quality solar panel that can charge a > 12V car battery. > > Thanks in advance. > > ...Jim ThompsonJust buy a few more chickens -- We have failed to address the fundamental truth that endless growth is impossible in a finite world.
Reply by ●March 29, 20122012-03-29
one problem I foresee is that the solar panels will not be able to initially charge the battery array up to full charge. Charge them up before you take them out to the no-AC area. -- Jim Yanik jyanik at localnet dot com
Reply by ●March 29, 20122012-03-29
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:19:13 +1000, "David Eather" <eather@tpg.com.au> wrote:>On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:15:03 +1000, Jim Thompson ><To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@on-my-web-site.com> wrote: > >> OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery... >> >> My son, Aaron, software engineer turned farmer, has acreage in the San >> Tan Valley with no source of electric power. >> >> He'd like some artificial light for his chicken coop to increase the >> egg output. >> >> Lighting and timers are easy to find off-the-shelf, but I need some >> pointers toward finding a good quality solar panel that can charge a >> 12V car battery. >> >> Thanks in advance. >> >> ...Jim Thompson > > >Just buy a few more chickensAnd a treadmill ?:-) ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●March 29, 20122012-03-29
On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:21:03 -0500, Jim Yanik <jyanik@abuse.gov> wrote:>one problem I foresee is that the solar panels will not be able to >initially charge the battery array up to full charge. >Charge them up before you take them out to the no-AC area.Not a problem, Aaron's house (with AC power) is only ~5 miles away. ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●March 29, 20122012-03-29
On 3/29/2012 7:04 PM, Jim Thompson wrote:> On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:19:13 +1000, "David Eather"<eather@tpg.com.au> > wrote: > >> On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:15:03 +1000, Jim Thompson >> <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@on-my-web-site.com> wrote: >> >>> OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery... >>> >>> My son, Aaron, software engineer turned farmer, has acreage in the San >>> Tan Valley with no source of electric power. >>> >>> He'd like some artificial light for his chicken coop to increase the >>> egg output. >>> >>> Lighting and timers are easy to find off-the-shelf, but I need some >>> pointers toward finding a good quality solar panel that can charge a >>> 12V car battery. >>> >>> Thanks in advance. >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >> >> Just buy a few more chickens > > And a treadmill ?:-) > > ...Jim ThompsonYou haven't disclosed the size of the chicken coop. Judging by the amount of light you can get out of a car battery, it might not be all that big. What's it cost to move the chicken coop? What's the cost of 5 miles of wire? Assuming you own the land between. Maybe there's a fence you could run the wire along. Run 48VDC with some kind of GFI-type breaker. Available power might enable other improvements. I can think of only two ways solar can win. 1) if you can get some other taxpayer to pay for it. 2) there ain't no other way. Can you import some endangered species and convince the government to require the utility to extend the reach of electrical power to prevent extinction? Solar power doesn't have to be photovoltaic. In Arizona, you might have enough thermal differential to use a small reflector and a stirling engine.
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote in message news:jkk9n75c2maioorkm6ou1p8hpr1nogtqd3@4ax.com...> On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:16:15 -0400, Spehro Pefhany > > I'll ask for more detail, but, AIUI, chickens seem to do best at egg > laying at an approximately 14 hour "day". > > So we're going to count 10 hours from sunset, turn on the lights, then > turn off at dawn (they do better with abrupt "lights-on", than abrupt > "lights-off" :) > > ...Jim ThompsonEstimate daily energy required at 200 watthours. Average solar insolation in the SW USA is about 18 megajoules per square meter per day averaged over the year. A 100 watt panel is about 1 square meter. At 10 percent electric conversion efficiency you will average about 1.8 megajoules electric per day. Thats 500 watthours. But you will only net about 300 watthours/day in the months of December/January. Lead acid battery will cost you about 40 percent. Charge controller another 10 percent. One panel rated at 100 watts should be adequate for a 200 watthour/day load.
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
Jim check this out ...light made with 2litter plastic bottles just a
thought
"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote in
message news:2b29n7dm6bbqaojmdsik49esb2u4hu228o@4ax.com...
OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery...
My son, Aaron, software engineer turned farmer, has acreage in the San
Tan Valley with no source of electric power.
He'd like some artificial light for his chicken coop to increase the
egg output.
Lighting and timers are easy to find off-the-shelf, but I need some
pointers toward finding a good quality solar panel that can charge a
12V car battery.
Thanks in advance.
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
Sorry forgot to add the link here it is http://www.wimp.com/lightenup/ "buddy" <buddy116@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:jl3c0i$agm$1@dont-email.me... Jim check this out ...light made with 2litter plastic bottles just a thought "Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote in message news:2b29n7dm6bbqaojmdsik49esb2u4hu228o@4ax.com... OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery... My son, Aaron, software engineer turned farmer, has acreage in the San Tan Valley with no source of electric power. He'd like some artificial light for his chicken coop to increase the egg output. Lighting and timers are easy to find off-the-shelf, but I need some pointers toward finding a good quality solar panel that can charge a 12V car battery. Thanks in advance. ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:21:03 -0500, Jim Yanik <jyanik@abuse.gov> wrote:>one problem I foresee is that the solar panels will not be able to >initially charge the battery array up to full charge. >Charge them up before you take them out to the no-AC area.If the PV is large enough or the batteries small enough he sure can. If the PV isn't enough to charge the batteries from dead, then it won't be enough to charge them fully from a partial depth of discharge and they will die an early death near the chicken coop. boB
