newbie help

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Hi im new to everything and i need some help. So i got this 6v 1.5watt solar panel and i want to do something with it. I've googled so much, but i didn't find all that much. So i'm just wondering what i could do with it. I am thinking about making a solar light or something, but i don't know what kind of battery it could charge and how long the lights would be on for and so on.

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: newbie help

    most would go with a nimh or nicad battery charger, but today's batteries are picky of the charging circuit.
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  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: newbie help

    Have a web search for educational solar kits or something similar, there are numerous people selling such kits (IN UK at least) and most use a similar small solar panel have a look at whats available and make your choice. I would thinks that a model shop would carry most parts to finish any project yoy decide to try.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
    Re: newbie help

    hi the problem with googling is that all the sites show like 2v 200ma solar panel and mine says 6v 1.5 panel, i don't know if theres a conversion from watts to amps or anything.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: newbie help

    basic electronic formula for power is:
    power(watts)=voltsxamps
    with that if you know any 2 of the elements in the formula that the other could be found. 200ma is .2amps btw. for your little panel it is 1.5w/6v=.25amps or 250ma. does that help you?
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #6
    Re: newbie help

    So what kind of battery would that charge, an AA battery is like 500ma, and when i figure out what battery i could charge, how do i figure out what i can power with it. Lets say i want to power some led's with it, theres some 5mm 3.2-3.4V @ 20mA white leds. Could i run (250/20 = 12.5) 12 of them for like 8 hours at night?
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: newbie help

    i have 2500ma aa nimh batteries, but most chargers can spread out the charge over time. very basic ones take up to 16hrs and that is like a 175ma charge being delivered over 14hrs and the rest is basically charging losses. some fast charge and your pv couldn't do that for a battery like mine, but smaller types like a 500ma battery with a good charging circuit, it could. in most cases it must have a regulator or you will eventually fry your batteries. i can't and won't get into giving you an online ee course as that is up to you and you can also figure out what it is you'd like to do with the pv in time. i do feel the designing of a charger may be beyond you, but if i'm wrong let us see the circuit you come up with for this. maybe a good pwm?
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #8
    Re: newbie help

    I guess i just thought it would be something easy. Like buying some batteries and an led light. I guess ill find another way to do it. I will just go to a science and surplus store and have them explain things to me and get me what i need.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: newbie help
    eekers wrote: »
    I guess i just thought it would be something easy. Like buying some batteries and an led light. I guess ill find another way to do it. I will just go to a science and surplus store and have them explain things to me and get me what i need.

    Easy is such a relative term. When putting pieces of things together, that are not part of a kit, you need to have an understanding of what you are doing.
    It's like I got 2 motorcycle tires and 2 truck tires off e-bay, and I have an old VW chassis in the field out back, will the headlights work ?
    You need to match your batterys CHARGING voltage, to the panel voltage, and then resistors for the LED. A 6V battery charges at 8V, someetimes. Subtle things like that.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #10
    Re: newbie help

    sorry if this is dum but dont what to damage any thing.i have 4- sharp 123 watt panels 2- 43watt panels and 2- 37 watt panels my regulater is a dual input 22watt each side out put total 44 watts they go to 1 bank of batt. does it damage the solar cells when hooking low wattage and large wattage panels for 12 volts operation? I am now useing 2- 123- 1- 43 and 1- 37watt on each side of the regulater. am i doing it ok thanks llib
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #11
    Re: newbie help

    you can googel "solar charger",you can find some details or even design which will tell you how to make a solar charger. There are some introdction of different solar products which I copy from some other websites.Hoping they will helpy ou
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