Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

rickeolis

I have been very busy gearing my lifestyle towards off-grid living, and I just got a new job in a related organization.
I am the new computer Network Admin for Unirac Inc. Unirac makes several items and methods of mounting and installing solar panels and wind generators. They are the mounts used for the Google roof project.
Secondly, I recently bought 100 3" x 6" cells off E-Bay and created a 150 watt solar panel in my garage... Too much work though, whew! It literally took about 2 months off-and-on to design, solder, place, wire, and secure it. It weighs a ton, because I am using a large wood box to enclose the glass panel, and currently sits next to my RV at an angle towards the sun, but I'll find a way to mount it somewhere soon!
Now I need to create a vertical mount wind generator based on the 24 volt generator I bought a while back...

-Rick-

nigtomdaw

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

Congrats on your new appointmet, seems funny that your company offers easy solutions for mounting PVs and you took the long way to make a PV. Kudos to you.Will you make another ?

Anyway I hope u prosper in your new vocation,I wish you well .

Enjoy the forum I do !

Nigel

rickeolis

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

Thanks Nigel!
I've been reading a lot on your progress too. Kudos!

-Rick-

niel

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

congrats on the new job. maybe as you learn more of the mounts you can give further insight here on the forum with your new knowledge and experiences.:D
curious as to what you did before for a job? if you don't want to say that's fine or you can say in pm if you want.

rickeolis

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

No secret, I was the Network Admin for a chain of John Deere stores in my region. Deere decided to buy out our IT needs recently though...

-Rick-

rickeolis

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

I'm not so sure about trying another solar panel by myself, the one I just made should be good for about 160 watts and I'm not sure if it's pumping out 100...
Have any of you tried doing that?
It's not as easy as I thought it might be, and the results aren't too good, but it was a good experience for me. I used a Shottky 10 amp diode to keep it from bleeding back, but because I couldn't find any ribbon wire between the 3" x 6" cells, I had to find some very thin copper stranded. The amount of soldering was rather laborious, and of course I damage a couple cells while building it.
I waterproofed the box real well, and we've had some decent rains since I built it, and it's holding up fine. I added it to my string of Evergreen panels by putting it in parallel as a single unit. It's a 24-volt setup, which to was difficult to design at first, but once I put my multimeter up to it the first time I was happy to see it working. It puts out 31.5 volts without being tethered to a battery and about 26.7 in decent light when attached.

niel

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

31.5v seems a tad on the low side for a 24v open circuit voltage. you may have actually introduced too much resistance using small wire too and it could affect output current levels. try the short circuit current test if you feel comfortable doing it.

rickeolis

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

Thanks Niel,
I recall seeing a thread on how to do that test, but can't find it right now. I would consider redoing some of it if I could get better results.
My really thin wiring could be a culprit though...

crewzer

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

Good luck with the new job! 8)

Regards,
Jim / crewzer

lamplight

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

Rick congratulations, I'm a network admin myself. somewone else on here is/was a isp as well. its a nice crowd here. i could never have had the patience to build a panel but still that is pretty neat.

niel

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

i don't think your pv will exceed the typical max current limit of 10a that most dmms have, assuming you have the necessary dmm. just be sure you place all wires and meter settings correctly as you don't want to blow the meter or the fuse if it has one. + to + and - to -, but it really doesn't matter as most meters will accomodate wiring it backwards and indicate it with a - sign. a direct reading in amps is on mine and do this about solar noon with it aimed to the sun of course. my meter has a 2nd + input (banana jack) for the use of measuring high amps and many dmms do this because the 1st one is fused usually around 2a or so for meter protection and will blow out with the kind of current your pv will give.

rickeolis

Re: Solar related new job, and DIY panel:

Thanks guys,
Yeah, the new job is going well, I'm learning a bit at a time who does what in the company, lots of engineers, R&D guys, as well as production workers, and I just found out that the president was a lead at Xantrex a while back too!
As for the panel, I have 5 rows of 18 cells going back into 3 leads that join together for 30 volts when energized. (5*20)\3=33.3
I tried figuring out how 100 cells at roughly .6 volts would be arranged to make just over 30 volts. On paper; 2 strings of 50 should equal 30 volts when paralleled together, but I read 48 volts when I tried it... So I spent about 2 full days trying different series\parallel setups until I managed to get my 31.5 when using 5 strings of 18 cells actual. I'm sure my layout could have something to do with it.
Anyway, this is why I'm hoping to find a couple of people who have tried doing this as well to chat with!