On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:04:27 +1000, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@on-my-web-site.com> 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 Thompsonplus a Richard Simmons fitness DVD - he is almost frantic enough for the chickens to follow! Or Bio gas. Chicken shit is great for producing methane, but seriously adding more chickens means savings on a solar panel, controller, battery lighting and maintenance. Thats not chicken feed (pun?) and should the need to downscale happens there is no waste in investment capital (yummy!) Practically the increased yield from a system so small that it can realistically consider car batteries is very likely to be disappointing. On the small scale it is almost always more economical to co-opt as much of nature as possible hence I bet the maths shows adding a few chickens is an outright winner in terms of economics.
OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery
Started by ●March 29, 2012
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:04:05 -0700, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:>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 ThompsonUse a generator to charge them. or just let them charge on the system for a few days. FYI, a backup generator would be a good idea. Periodically you need to equalize the lead acid deep cycle batteries, so AC power might be a must depending upon the system size. Equalize - controlled over charge. see http://batteryfaq.org/ Cheers
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:12:23 -0400, Martin Riddle <martin_rid@verizon.net> wrote:>On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:04:05 -0700, Jim Thompson ><To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: > >>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 > >Use a generator to charge them. or just let them charge on the system >for a few days. >FYI, a backup generator would be a good idea. Periodically you need >to equalize the lead acid deep cycle batteries, so AC power might be a >must depending upon the system size. > >Equalize - controlled over charge. see http://batteryfaq.org/ > >CheersInteresting thought. Maybe an M-G set would be better than a solar setup... and it's so-o-o-o less leftist ;-) ...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
Jim Thompson wrote:> Interesting thought. Maybe an M-G set would be better than a solar > setup... and it's so-o-o-o less leftist ;-)It'll definitely be cheaper, particularly in the short term -- there are some awfully cheap generators out there, like this one: http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine-generators/800-rated-watts-900-max-watts-portable-generator-66619.html . The main problem with cheap (<$500) generators is that often their design lifespans are in the ballpark of a low thousands of hours. I.e., they're intended to help people through power failures or work on the occasional campout, but not to be run on a truly regular basis. Still, if you just run the thing every few days for a few hours to charge up a bank of batteries, you might find it worthwhile even if the thing dies after a year or two.
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:35:58 -0700, Joel Koltner <zapwire-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote:>Jim Thompson wrote: >> Interesting thought. Maybe an M-G set would be better than a solar >> setup... and it's so-o-o-o less leftist ;-) > >It'll definitely be cheaper, particularly in the short term -- there are >some awfully cheap generators out there, like this one: >http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine-generators/800-rated-watts-900-max-watts-portable-generator-66619.html >. > >The main problem with cheap (<$500) generators is that often their >design lifespans are in the ballpark of a low thousands of hours. I.e., >they're intended to help people through power failures or work on the >occasional campout, but not to be run on a truly regular basis. Still, >if you just run the thing every few days for a few hours to charge up a >bank of batteries, you might find it worthwhile even if the thing dies >after a year or two.What does "Certified for California" mean? Quieter? I once had a work situation with a vacuum pump running continuously. Drove me nuts until I devised a muffler for it made out of off-the-shelf iron pipe fittings... the equivalent of a pi-filter ;-) ...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 Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:35:58 -0700, Joel Koltner wrote:> Jim Thompson wrote: >> Interesting thought. Maybe an M-G set would be better than a solar >> setup... and it's so-o-o-o less leftist ;-) > > It'll definitely be cheaper, particularly in the short term -- there are > some awfully cheap generators out there, like this one: > http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine-generators/800-rated-watts-900-max-watts-portable-generator-66619.html> . > > The main problem with cheap (<$500) generators is that often their > design lifespans are in the ballpark of a low thousands of hours. I.e., > they're intended to help people through power failures or work on the > occasional campout, but not to be run on a truly regular basis. Still, > if you just run the thing every few days for a few hours to charge up a > bank of batteries, you might find it worthwhile even if the thing dies > after a year or two.If I may inject even more cynicism into the conversation: I think the "design life" that Harbor Fright cares about is the duration between the point where the consumer sees the generator and the point where their check clears the bank. I mean -- what is a generator for, to generator manufacturer? To make electricity, or to make money? Honda probably has the delusion that their generators should make electricity for you, and money for Honda -- so they might actually make something reliable. -- My liberal friends think I'm a conservative kook. My conservative friends think I'm a liberal kook. Why am I not happy that they have found common ground? Tim Wescott, Communications, Control, Circuits & Software http://www.wescottdesign.com
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:52:48 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote:> On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:35:58 -0700, Joel Koltner > <zapwire-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote: > >>Jim Thompson wrote: >>> Interesting thought. Maybe an M-G set would be better than a solar >>> setup... and it's so-o-o-o less leftist ;-) >> >>It'll definitely be cheaper, particularly in the short term -- there are >>some awfully cheap generators out there, like this one: >>http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine-generators/800-rated-watts-900-max-watts-portable-generator-66619.html>>. >> >>The main problem with cheap (<$500) generators is that often their >>design lifespans are in the ballpark of a low thousands of hours. I.e., >>they're intended to help people through power failures or work on the >>occasional campout, but not to be run on a truly regular basis. Still, >>if you just run the thing every few days for a few hours to charge up a >>bank of batteries, you might find it worthwhile even if the thing dies >>after a year or two. > > What does "Certified for California" mean? Quieter? I once had a work > situation with a vacuum pump running continuously. Drove me nuts until > I devised a muffler for it made out of off-the-shelf iron pipe > fittings... the equivalent of a pi-filter ;-)Maybe it has a little sticker on it warning you that drinking gasoline could cause cancer. -- My liberal friends think I'm a conservative kook. My conservative friends think I'm a liberal kook. Why am I not happy that they have found common ground? Tim Wescott, Communications, Control, Circuits & Software http://www.wescottdesign.com
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
Jim Thompson wrote:> What does "Certified for California" mean?That you can use the thing in California without the California Air Resources Board (CARP) giving you a ticket: California has the strictest laws regarding exhaust gas emissions in the nation, and some extra equipment (I'm not sure what) typically has to be added to the exhaust to meet their specs, AIUI. It's enough additional cost that for some manufacturers it's worthwhile to have a California version and a non-California version.
Reply by ●March 30, 20122012-03-30
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:57:24 -0500, Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:>On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:52:48 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote: > >> On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:35:58 -0700, Joel Koltner >> <zapwire-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote: >> >>>Jim Thompson wrote: >>>> Interesting thought. Maybe an M-G set would be better than a solar >>>> setup... and it's so-o-o-o less leftist ;-) >>> >>>It'll definitely be cheaper, particularly in the short term -- there are >>>some awfully cheap generators out there, like this one: >>>http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine- >generators/800-rated-watts-900-max-watts-portable-generator-66619.html >>>. >>> >>>The main problem with cheap (<$500) generators is that often their >>>design lifespans are in the ballpark of a low thousands of hours. I.e., >>>they're intended to help people through power failures or work on the >>>occasional campout, but not to be run on a truly regular basis. Still, >>>if you just run the thing every few days for a few hours to charge up a >>>bank of batteries, you might find it worthwhile even if the thing dies >>>after a year or two. >> >> What does "Certified for California" mean? Quieter? I once had a work >> situation with a vacuum pump running continuously. Drove me nuts until >> I devised a muffler for it made out of off-the-shelf iron pipe >> fittings... the equivalent of a pi-filter ;-) > >Maybe it has a little sticker on it warning you that drinking gasoline >could cause cancer.Probably! That's important, "Known to the State of Californica" ;-) ...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
