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11 years 7 months ago - 10 years 9 months ago #21866 by 10-76
Disregard... was created by 10-76
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Last edit: 10 years 9 months ago by 10-76.
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11 years 7 months ago #21868 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic Solar juice
I have a project on the back burner about this very thing. I've scavenged a few of those battery tender solar panels with various thoughts in mind. One is pretty cool in that folded up it's no bigger than an old school 15" laptop but it's good for keeping small things charged as is. I think most of the panels I have are made for boat or atv batteries. I just haven't gotten around to doing anything with them yet.

I want to rig up a small one that can keep a gps topped off while in use. strapped to the top of a ruck, plug in and not worry about it kind of thing.


Great topic! Can't wait to see what other ideas are out there.
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11 years 7 months ago - 10 years 9 months ago #21871 by 10-76
Replied by 10-76 on topic Solar juice
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Last edit: 10 years 9 months ago by 10-76.
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11 years 7 months ago #21900 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Solar juice

10-76 wrote: Yes! Here is another video link to a guy who has stepped out there with a home unit: 2 kyocera roof-mounted panels and the explanation of how it partially works.

Incredible. Havent got the time to search his whole video series yet.

Did he say what the purpose is????

At the end it appears he said it was going to hook this up to the E panel and use it to power the house???? NOT in your dreams sunshine!

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11 years 7 months ago - 11 years 7 months ago #21902 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic Solar juice
Should power a house fine, if your only charging a cell battery or two :( .
Unless tech is much further ahead than I realize I can't see that rig keeping the freezer running but for a day or so. The biggest problem I have with these systems is the useful life of batteries is short compared to what you may need in a long term situation. For me the money is better spent on things that will help me to live without outside supply, indefinitely.
That said when the lines stop putting out juice any kind power source will be a bonus! B)
Last edit: 11 years 7 months ago by jtallen83.

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11 years 7 months ago #21904 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic Solar juice
Not the entire house. Small systems like that are meant for intermittent emergency use, or for partial reduction in grid power usage. Usually the first thing people put on solar are the refrigerator & water heater if that's electric. Some people go the other way and just split the wall outlets, top for low wattage draw on the solar/batts and bottom socket for grid power.

There are options to build systems to help cut down annual costs & keep your food cold during an outage, but a 100% solar house is still priced out of practicality. A diesel generator still gets you much more for a lot less.

My interest is more in portable, no cost power. A small deployable or truck roof mounted panel to keep my mobile stuff running without having to mess with a generator or extra fuel is what I'm seeing most useful. My 351w burns .71 gallons an hour at idle so if I can get out of doing that, all the better.

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11 years 7 months ago - 11 years 7 months ago #21914 by 10-76
Replied by 10-76 on topic Solar juice

13fcolt wrote:
My interest is more in portable, no cost power. A small deployable or truck roof mounted panel to keep my mobile stuff running without having to mess with a generator or extra fuel is what I'm seeing most useful. My 351w burns .71 gallons an hour at idle so if I can get out of doing that, all the better.


Yup, the Kyocera site has a couple's story on running (2) of the 135s on top of of their Sprinter mobile home conversion rig, cross country on roof racks.

kyocerasolarnews.wordpress.com/
Last edit: 11 years 7 months ago by 10-76.

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11 years 7 months ago #21958 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Solar juice

10-76 wrote:

13fcolt wrote:
My interest is more in portable, no cost power. A small deployable or truck roof mounted panel to keep my mobile stuff running without having to mess with a generator or extra fuel is what I'm seeing most useful. My 351w burns .71 gallons an hour at idle so if I can get out of doing that, all the better.


Yup, the Kyocera site has a couple's story on running (2) of the 135s on top of of their Sprinter mobile home conversion rig, cross country on roof racks.

Don't get me wrong, I am probably the biggest supporter of solar you will ever meet...that is based in reality not fiction!

I have followed solar since my science teacher in 7th grade brought in a light bulb thing that was powered by solar and it would spin.

Solar, wind, Chevy Volt, we can go right down the line and were it not for TAX PAYER SUBSIDY you could not make any legit case for it and todays common electric rate when you do a full life cycle model.

The major problem is the batteries. Auto grade batteries will not cut it, their design life is only about 5-7 years max. To do it right you will need to step up to a commercial grade battery and the one that I am told is first choice is the batteries used in trains and if you think you can get those at Sears on sale for $99...you are on another planet.

While not solar, this is still a battery based tech: Toyota Prius. My good friend Jack bought one, brand new. Jack is a ret AF fighter jet pilot. Keeps detailed records on everything, even his toothbrush life. Jacks Prius never met up to the mpg hype by a long shot, in city or hwy but by most standards it was good, very good. 35-38 city, 37-41 hwy, averages. Best ever was 43 mpg, not was he was told and advertised but still good...then one day, it came time to replace his batteries. 5 mos out of warranty and $5000 later he had new batteries. But when it did the numbers he would have been far better just buying a good mpg gas burner. He would have been better off driving the Corvette he wanted.

The BIG case for solar just does not compute in your favor, but there is no shortage of uses that pay off. My camper has a 100 Watt panel and it keep the batteries healthy, my ranch gate has as 10 panel and it keep the big Sears Platinum battery healthy, my spare battery another Sears Platinum is kept hot and waiting off a 3 watt panel.

There are tons of uses for small panels that can lead to small but very good savings over time. Put one on your rucksack and use it to keep cell fone etc fully charged...That said I do know a guy with a home solar setup that is paying its way in spades. BUT, he lives up N and has no AC, uses wood for heat/cooking, LED in all the lights, and his only high draw is the fridge and freezer. Hot water is propane...his cabin is about 1200 sq ft IIRC, just him and wife and he put right at $50k into the system.

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11 years 7 months ago #21962 by 10-76
Replied by 10-76 on topic Solar juice
Here's an interesting Kyocera website...

www.kyocerasolar.com/index.htm
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11 years 7 months ago - 10 years 9 months ago #21977 by 10-76
Replied by 10-76 on topic Solar juice
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Last edit: 10 years 9 months ago by 10-76.
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