Coronavirus advice sought. Say the mains electricity goes off for a long time. What is the best solar rig-up for charging batteries for my radio, music player, electric toothbrush, and torches? I won't need to charge more than six AAs or four Ds at a time, but a bit of redundancy wouldn't go amiss so that I can help out my elderly neighbours. Most important is the radio.
Some kind of simple setup, say with a single panel producing 12V connected to a 12V battery charger if they exist would be preferred, but I am open to all recommendations!
And no-one who is important with regard to power generation and supply will be affected?
Few enough of the port staff, gas terminal handlers, power station staff, National Grid staff, etc., will be either ill, in isolation, or looking after their immediate families, to affect our electricity?
Certainly we can hope that is the case, for many reasons, but I wouldn't assume that the supply will not be interrupted.
Yes indeed, far more likely that supplies in the shops will be affected at this time I imagine. However, I'm very suppressed that nobody produces a pedal powered efficient cheap battery charger, since we are all told to take more exercise and most are not interested in the stats, just the use of energy to keep up our fitness. I've come across some batteries in a box that have pedals that look like they may last a few months, but little else.
After all Solar in this country at this time of year is not exactly amazing, better off with wind power. Brian
If "the mains electricity goes off for a long time" you're not going to be worried about charging your radio, music player, electric toothbrush, and torches (though torches might be handy I guess).
For charging a 12 volt (or maybe 24v or 36v) battery look for an MPPT charger to run from the solar panel[s]. This maximises the output from the solar panels by optimising the load it applies and also makes the conversion down from the (approx.) 30 volts to what's needed to charge a 12v battery as efficient as possible.
If you need to ask you should be buying something from Amazon that says it is a solar powered battery charger together with a couple of mirrors to double its current output. Spare fuel for the car might be more use. (and a charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket)
The simplest thing that will work is a PV panel, a Schottky diode and series resistor to limit the current into the smaller batteries. I doubt that the peak current a modest sized solar panel can produce would ever incovenience a rechargeable D-cell. Personally I am more worried about the freezer than anything else. I have my own generator.
I have a solar panel to keep the battery of the runabout car topped up. It works well in summer but every now and then lets me down in winter.
Sun in the UK doesn't really get high enough and too many clouds!
Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a pure-bred Guernsey cow.
But the first bit - surely I Got It From Agnes?
I love my friends, and they love me, We're just as close as we can be. And just because we really care, Whatever we get, we share!
I got it from Agnes, She got it from Jim. We all agree it must have been Louise who gave it to him.
She got it from Harry, Who got it from Marie, And everybody knows that Marie Got it from me.
Giles got it from Daphne, She got it from Joan, Who picked it up in County Cork, A-kissin' the Blarney Stone.
Pierre gave it to Sheila, Who must have brought it there. He got it from Francois and Jacques, Haha, Lucky Pierre!
Max got it from Edith, Who gets it every spring. She got it from her Daddy, Who just gives her everything.
She then gave it to Daniel, Whose spaniel has it now. Our dentist even got it, And we're still wondering how.
Ah, but I got it from Agnes, Or maybe it was Sue, Or Millie or Billie or Gillie or Willie, It doesn't matter who.
It might have been at the club, Or at the pub, or in the loo, And if you will be my friend, Then I might...(Mind you, I said "might")... Give it to you!
What kind of solar are we talking about? A small panel, or a roof array?
For a small panel a MPPT can be used to charge a 12V battery (for example lead acid) so you have a constant supply, and then you can run regular 12V accessories off it - for example many AA battery chargers come with a 12V power brick.
You can also get MPPTs that directly charge lithium ion, but it seems NiMH isn't a common output.
You may be able to run a 12V NiMH charger directly from the MPPT without a lead acid buffer, but the NiMH charger probably won't like it's power coming and going (it'll forget how much charge it's just put in for example).
Search ebay for 'MPPT' for some examples (noting that you might not want to order the ones shipping from China at this point)
williamwright snipped-for-privacy@f2s.com wrote in news:hc0vgaFrb7U1 @mid.individual.net:
Who do you think operates power stations, petrol stations where maintenance technicians fill their tanks, and so on? You know the economy is interconnected and operated by human beings?
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.