Re: Suggestions how to make use of solar panels

[Vargster <vargster@xxxxxxxxx>]

It's just struck me that the easiest thing in the whole house to solar
powe=
r
must be the alarm system...

It's on 24/7 using electricity, but runs on 12V, and has a rechargable
battery in it already...

OK the battery won't deep cycle, but won't a new solar panel on the roof,
a=
n
old (used/cheap/free) car battery in the loft, suitable solar charger, and
cable to the panel, err, just work?

Or have I missed something???

(Maybe even a 12V car cigarette lighter socket plumbed in somewhere so I
charge my phone with a car charger?)


On Tue, May 6, 2008 at 4:15 AM, Rob Iles <rob.iles@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>   only things that spring to mind (admittedly, no research on
> effiiciency!) -
> - use panels + battery bank to replace "wall warts" - should
be reasonabl=
y
> efficient to step down to 9 / 6.5 / 5V (these seem to be the most
common
> requirements I have here). my laptops appear to run on 19.5 volt DC -
> though
> I'm sure you could accommodate this without too much difficulty. (I'm
als=
o
> in rented property - with the added complication it's a listed
building -
> so
> I feel your pain!)
>
> I *assume* that the most efficient way to use the panels will be to
drive
> low voltage DC loads, as described above - - do you have enough of
these
> to
> make it worthwhile? (ooh, add phone charges / battery chargers to the
> list).
>
> any losses in inverters are likely to increase the already horrific
ROI
> Vargster mentions. :(
>
> at the risk of completely hijacking another thread, does anyone have
> "baseline" figures for electricity consumption? (based on
#rrooms /
> #occupants etc etc)
>
> (Can you tell I'm waiting for a really slow data transfer to complete
> before
> I can go to bed? :S)
>
> Rob
>
> 2008/5/5 Vargster <vargster@xxxxxxx
<vargster%40gmail.com>>:
>
>
> > Graeme,
> >
> > Like many others on this list, I looked into this a few of years
ago,
> and
> > came to the conclusion that it was a complete waste of time,
unless
> you're
> > remote or can get the hardware cheap or you're a real eco
warrior, the
> > return on investment is too low to make it a worth while
exercise...
> >
> > I was looking at a proper mains linked system, but the costs were
> massive,
> > PV panels were about =A34 per watt, (i.e. a 100W panel cost
around =A34=
00),
> a
> > grid tie inverter cost about =A3450 per 500W, plus the cost of
making a
> ali
> > frame to mount the panels on and the hardware to mount the frame.
> >
> > The initial idea of just making 500W to cover the base load on
the hous=
e
> > didn't leave much change from =A33,000...
> >
> > Given that my elecy bill is around =A340/month, that's about 6.25
years
> > worth,
> > BUT you have to remember, that you only get 500W for 7-9 hours a
day...
> > when
> > it gets dark the panels stop working... so that's about 25 years
to
> recoup
> > the investment... I'm not sure the hardware will last that
long...
> >
> > It seems that size gets around this, if you have say 4KW of
panels then=
,
> > you
> > can pump elecy back to the grid and go more than self sufficient,
but
> then
> > you're looking at =A320K... that's a pretty serious commitment...
I did=
n't
> > work out the payback time...
> >
> > My next plan was a wind turbine, but the returns are even worse
(unless
> > you
> > live in Scotland), then I looked at solar water heating, and that
was
> > almost
> > as bad with ready made panels =A33000-=A36000 installed with
payback ti=
mes
> of
> > 30
> > years+...
> >
> > Utter nonsense... But with a lot of reading there are pretty
simple
> > versions
> > about, so I'm planning on building my own flat panel solar water
heater
> > over
> > the summer, estimated cost about =A3300... payback in less than 3
years=
...
> > And a fun project to tinker with... :)
> >
> >
> > On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 9:56 PM, gearboxgraeme
<gkjones@xxxxxxx<gkjo=
nes%40gkjones.com>
> <gkjones%40gkjones.com>>
>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Ive been lurking on here for years and done various bits of
home
> > > automation ( x10, temp loggers, camera etc. ).
> > >
> > > I finally decided I want to get some solar PV panels.
> > >
> > > Problem is Im currently in a rented house so a bit limited
on what I
> > > can do, therefore looking for advice.
> > >
> > > Im thinking of getting a couple of 40 watt solar panels -
PV, not
> > > solar water heating - rented house ;{
> > >
> > > These would get a good load of direct sunlight for most of
the day in
> > > the back garden. I already have a charge controller and a
110AH deep
> > > cycle battery. ( extra ones arent too bad - 85ah ones make
the most
> > > financial sense )
> > >
> > > I recently bought a 300watt maplin invertor ( which did my
32inch CRT
> > > TV for a while - battery voltage dropped too low after about
20 mins
> ).
> > >
> > > Im now after suggestions as to what other people do with
their solar
> > > panels.
> > >
> > > eg. what can I effectively power using the panels - either
12v stuff
> > > connected directly to the battery, or else via the invertor.
> > >
> > > I did a quick try with the washing machine but that was a
complete
> > no-go.
> > >
> > > My mains plug meter reckons it only uses 85watts and the
invertor is
> > > rated 300 watts but the extra motor current was too much.
> > >
> > > I would like to replace the ceiling lights with 12v led
bulbs and the=
n
> > > run the lot directly from the battery but that will have to
wait unti=
l
> > > I buy a place again.
> > >
> > > Any other ideas gratefully received as I cant really think
of anythin=
g
> > > with low enough power to cope with the invertor but high
enough to be
> > > worthwile.
> > >
> > > Is it possible to get PC PSU's that operate from 12vDC
instead of
> > > mains ? ( Yes, but the cost of ones Ive seen capable of
driving my
> > > games/desktop PC would be prohibitive )
> > >
> > > Graeme
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>=20=20
>


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