Portable Solar Power System (small unit)

[Mick]

Portable Solar Power System (very small unit)


Link to solar system:
http://www.siliconsolar.com/shop/catalog/Portable-Solar-Power-System-p-10.html

Does anyone know if this is a decent price for this portable solar unit? Just looking for something to recharge a cell-phone, recharge batteries, run a floor fan, hot plate, and maybe have access to prep files on my laptop. Of course I'm talking about only charging/running one thing at a time. I was looking at the 17 watt unit.....

I haven't done my research on solar due to the fact that I'm for the most part prepped to live without electric......some creature comforts would be very nice though. After losing power last week in the St. Louis storms, I realized a fan sure would be nice LOL......and a possible lifesaver when the heat index gets around 100 to 115+ degrees like they're predicting this coming week. I have food for 2 years, and every water filter/distiller known to mankind but no power sources if needed (a generator is way to noisy and out of the question, not to mention access to the fuel is a major pain to store and replenish). Solar is quiet and looking like a great option once I figure out what to buy.


Mick

 

[Topusaret]

I was just at Costco today and saw a four-panel setup for $279. It generated 60 watts, 12 volt DC and came with an inverter to 110 volt...I didn't notice if a deep cycle battery was included, but it did specifically state that it was intended for charging exactly that type of battery.

This unit was about four feet wide and 2.5 feet high. The four panels were independently mounted on swivels inside a larger frame and they looked like they were linked to swivel together so you could adjust them all to follow the sun across the sky without moving the larger frame.

I'll look for a link at the Costco site.

Found a link:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11138292&whse=&topnav=&browse=&s=1

except it was $279.00 and I didn't notice a crank flashlight mentioned on the packaging.

Any comments from the experts?

 

[RayG IA]

Mick,

That's not a terrible price, but isn't great either.

You can get a 15watt solar panel from Northern Tool for $66.00.

A 7amp charge controller from Harbor Freight for $30. You only need a 1.5amp controllet for the one panel, but I don't know where you can get one that size.

The 150watt inverter can be purchased several places for $25. or less.

The battery is a 125ahr sealed battery and probably will cost about $15, but I don't know of a source.

Now all of this is in a nice neat case which is worth something if you really want a portable unit.

I would piece it together myself if you really want one for your house and use a much larger battery. I started with one of the Harbor Freight 45 watt kits and used three 825 ahr deep cycle marine batteries. I have since added another 45 watt kit.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90599

I hope this helps

Ray

 

[MaxTheKnife]

Just a note for you to consider before you spend any money on solar equipment. Some battery chargers won't work well, or at all, with power inverters. The cheap inverters are square sine wave output, which will effect many different types of electronics in adverse ways. Modified sine wave is somewhat better and pure sine wave is best. And of course, the modified and pure sine wave units are more expensive. I bought a 300 watt pure sine wave inverter to recharge my cordless power tool batteries and it won't work. All it does is buzz when I plug the charger into it. The wattage was right too. The charger was looking for 115 watts and the inverter is a 150/300 model. And the instructions for my cordless power tools says not to use an inverter or there could be damage to the charger. I thought surely the pure sine wave unit would work but it was a no-go. Just food for thought.

It does work for my nimh battery charger so it wasn't a total loss. I just won't be able to use my cordless power tools once the power is out. Heh.

 

[Mick]

Thanks for the replies......guess I need to pick up a "Solar Power for Dummies " book to understand exactly what I'm doing. In the meantime, if I'm not getting ripped off buying that unit, I'm going to get it now just so I have it (I can add more later). At least I'll know everything in this "portable unit" is compatible as far as parts go. With my lack of knowledge on Solar, I'd end up getting parts that don't work together correctly like Max posted.

RayG.....funny because my "want list" from harbor freight is already about 2 pages long. May not be the best quality tools in the world but I can buy 10 of the cheaper versions for the price of a name brand LOL.


Mick

 

[Grock]

The harbor freight setup isn't too bad for the price. Comes with a couple 12v florescent bulbs too.

45watts/$199.

 

[kelee877]

I have the motomaster(canadian tire) Eliminator folding Solar panel...goes anywhere....it was 279.00 and I got it on sale for 159.99.....
shocked me the day I picked it up it is in a box about 12 inches by 6 inches...I asked the guy why is this one so expensive and it is because it is portable fits in really small bag and folds up...I have not used it yet...it is stored away for emerg...it is 12W and has 800mA max....came with al the little dodads...see I am not rocket scientist with these eighter have an invertor and plan on charging my 12volt car battery and 6 volt lawn mower battery and going to stock up on more when possible...

 

[Rex Jackson]

Keep in mind it takes around 24 to 28 - 150w panels to run your home (average). It all goes backward from there. that system would be good for recharging small batteries, a laptop, and small TVs/FM radios and police scanner but probaly only in full sunlight.

Panels should be used to charge batteries. You appliance then runs off the batteries. The more or larger the panels, the faster it recharges the batteries. expensive BP solar panels even charge a little on cloudy days where lesser grade panels wont.

a little food for thought.

 

[LoupGarou]

Portable Solar Power System (very small unit)


Link to solar system:
http://www.siliconsolar.com/shop/catalog/Portable-Solar-Power-System-p-10.html

Does anyone know if this is a decent price for this portable solar unit? Just looking for something to recharge a cell-phone, recharge batteries, run a floor fan, hot plate, and maybe have access to prep files on my laptop. Of course I'm talking about only charging/running one thing at a time. I was looking at the 17 watt unit.....

I haven't done my research on solar due to the fact that I'm for the most part prepped to live without electric......some creature comforts would be very nice though. After losing power last week in the St. Louis storms, I realized a fan sure would be nice LOL......and a possible lifesaver when the heat index gets around 100 to 115+ degrees like they're predicting this coming week. I have food for 2 years, and every water filter/distiller known to mankind but no power sources if needed (a generator is way to noisy and out of the question, not to mention access to the fuel is a major pain to store and replenish). Solar is quiet and looking like a great option once I figure out what to buy.


Mick

Make a list (and post it) of all of the devices that you want to run, and either their nameplate amperage draw or their rated wattage draw. Once you know what you want to run, and how much power it is going to need, then you can size your system accordingly. I use either one of the two sources for my smaller 12V systems, the first sells roll-up and foldable CIGS based solar panels, and the second sells the amphorous ones that work well on cloudy days, but are not as efficient as mono/polycrystalline panels (cheaper, but take up more space per watt output).

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZvitabon
(If you e-mail her, she can put together a bulk purchase, I bought five 20watt panels for around $800), more expensive, but they are almost indestructible, perfect for "on the go". I have sets of five rolled up in camera bags so I can grab 100watts at a time and go.

http://stores.ebay.com/POWER-JACK-SHOPPING-CENTER_solar-panel_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm
(Right now he has an auction for nine 15watt panels (135W) for $399)


Add to the panels a charge controller (MPPT for more efficient charging during the day), and a deep cycle or AGM battery and you are set to go.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BZ-MPPT250-25A-...ryZ41980QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
(Good 25amp MPPT charger, good for 250 watts of panels at 12Vnom)
http://cgi.ebay.com/BZ-MPPT500-45A-...ryZ41980QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
(Better 45amp MPPT charger, good for 500 watts of panels at 12Vnom (more if 24 or 48V)


Loup Garou