Re: OT: Solar Charging 12V Car Battery

"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> 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)
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...ode_Corner.htm) NEC
2008 had the updates. Check with the local authorities for permits.
8, You'll need a good charge controller (MPPT) and an alternate AC-line
charger.
9, If the cost of running Utility power is less than Solar then that is
the way to go.


Hope that helps.

Cheers

On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:12:17 -0700, Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:02:55 -0400, "Martin Riddle"
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>>in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> 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...ode_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

Something i learned not so long ago is that L-A batteries do much better
when "conditioned" new before being placed in service. "Conditioning"
amounts to fully charging and discharging down to 40 % remaining capacity
or so for 4 to 6 cycles. Total capacity improvement is on the order of
40 % or better.

?-)