Noob that with dumb questions. I think that sums it up nicely

earther · May 2017

Hi I'm new to this site and to solar. Unfortunate circumstances blah blah blah, I live in a storage 7' X 14' shipping container that's meant to be storage in a storage yard.
So yeah being homeless sucks (it's been two months) but I make the very best of any situation.
While cruising in my car around the warehouse district where I reside I stumbled upon a solar panel that's roughly 4' X 8' although I think it's smaller than that. Anywho I passed it as it shattered safety glass and not knowing anything about solar I thought it would be junk.
I told a friend about this and he told me its most likely fine. So I went back and grabbed stripped the cords and threw an led light directly on it and blamo!!!! I felt like the led was a key and the dumpster was a kite.

Fast forward it's on my roof with no idea of its angle or any of that. But I mounted anyway and at peak it's pushing at most 58.7 volts. The sticker says something like Max is 62 or 58 I can't remember, and also says it's a 330 watt panel and some other information that's gibberish to me.

I have a 19 ah sla battery that I quickly learned doesn't hold shit for power. I'm getting an 80 ah battery on Tuesday and these I charge via my car as of now and I'm using two inverters but really just one to power leds and chargers. This nice old lady who learned of my situation and likes me bought me a 1,000 watt inverter that arrives Thursday.

My questions to are, what the hell do I do for a charge controller? I can't afford one that goes up to 63v. Doing some dumb dumb maybe this will work thinking I thought why can't I get a 48v step down converter to 24v. These are rated to 63v peak and then the voltage will be 24. After the step down run a solar charge controller that's rated for 32v Max that controls the charging at 11.5-13.8. That way will cast around $50. The other way will cost around $150
Will this work? If so tell me what to do.

Second question. How many Ah of a battery bank should I shoot to going after to have for this size panel? Location is Colorado.

Will a mini fridge small TV and charging everything be a possibility if keep everything small? I do have a 12v old computer monitor with a bag input so...

If you read all that I'm sire your face hurts from how many times your hand hit it from the extreme face palming you just endured

Thank you for everything, you're smart I'm dumb, your attractive I'm ugly, you're tall I'm short, people like I'm homeless.

BB. · May 2017

I understand your situation... And getting yourself stable is always a good thing.

Regarding solar power--I highly suggest that we do some paper designs first before getting any hardware. It is very easy to have miss-matched components that really do not play well together.

First, the shattered solar panel is not really useful. It may work for a little bit (somewhat)--But as soon as it gets wet (or humid), water will get through the shattered glass face and start corroding the internals.

Using your car to charge the battery can work for a little bit--But it will cost you a lot in fuel, and the battery will not get a very good charge (car alternators are not really setup to charge a deep cycle battery at high enough voltage, and if you use a regular "car battery", they do not last long being deep cycled).

You also need a charge controller between the solar panel and the battery--And a large format solar panel (typically >175 watts or so) has an operating voltage (Vmp--Voltage maximum power) of Vmp~30 to 36 volts (typically). This does not match well for charging a 12 volt battery bank with a standard (less expensive) PWM type solar charge controller (you will lose about 1/2 of the energy from the higher voltage solar panel--and may over voltage a 12 volt solar charge controller).

Those higher voltage solar panels really should have a MPPT type solar charge controller---But MPPT type charge controllers are more expensive.

So--As you can see, mixing and matching hardware can create problems.

Ideally, if you can get 6 volt @ ~200 AH "Golf Cart" deep cycle batteries. Put two in series, and you will have a nice 12 volt @ 200 AH battery bank. Get a second pair of GC batteries, and put those in parallel with the first set--And you will have a 12 volt @ 400 AH battery bank. Golf cart batteries are ~$100 each (cheap for deep cycle batteries) and will last 3-5 years if taken care of.

It is going to be very difficult to set up a solar system with random parts. If you can find some ~100-150 Watt panels with Vmp~18 volts--That would be a good first step. You can use ~2-3 of these "12 volt" panels with a pair of GC batteries wired in in series. And an inexpensive PWM solar charge controller. If you can find these panels for $50 or so each on Craig's list (or find somebody to donate some)--That would be a good start.

Running some 12 VDC loads (LED lights, cell phone charger, laptop/tablet charger) would be nice. The 1,000 Watt AC inverter is a bit large for use with an 80 AH @ 12 volt battery bank--You can pull ~100 Watts at 120 VAC maximum for a few hours before damaging that small of battery (large inverters need larger battery banks).

You will not be able to run a standard refrigerator on such a small system... You will need a serious battery bank and solar array to produce enough electricity. If you find an RV scrap yard--You might find a working propane refrigerator--A 20 lb tank of propane may last you more than a month (if that is cost effective for you).

A desktop computer draws some serious power too (100-300 Watts as much, or more than a full size refrigerator will draw)... A laptop is better (30-50 Watts) or even a tablet computer with USB charger/power supply/12 volt car adapter (possibly a wireless keyboard for a tablet will help--But I have not had too much luck with cheap tablet keyboards--they "sort of" work). A tablet will draw even less power (8 watts or less).

Let us know what you can get--And we will try and help the best we can.

-Bill

earther · May 2017

Hey thanks man I really appreciate the kind words. It's easy for me to be down on myself in times like this and I expect the same from others. It's nice not getting that treatment.

Anyway I didn't realize what I was exactly getting myself into I guess. Should I not pick up the 80ah marine/deep cycle battery on Tuesday?
The small inverter I have now seem to work fine. I can effectively use my current inverter to power let's say a small battery charger or I can use my regular car battery charger that runs either at 2 amps or 66 amps when of the 12 volt setting.

BB. · May 2017

The problem is that, ideally, you want around 5% to 13% rate of charge for your Lead Acid battery. I.e., a 10% rate of charge * 80 AH = ~8 amp rate of charge.

If the battery is discharged by 50%, it will take (very roughly) 6-8 hours to fully recharge it (basically, you want the battery >90% state of charge when you are done charging for the day--Getting to 100% SoC every day is not necessary and actually not good for the FLA battery). Doing that with your car motor and its battery is not going to be very cost effective (you will damage your car battery deeply cycling it, and idling the car for 6 hours isn't great either).

You can get a few months of usage out of a FLA battery if you operate it with a battery charger powered by your car--But it will (probably) not last 3-5 years.

What devices is you need to run? An LED flashlight , transistor radio, Tablet computer, cell phone? Or a lot more?

Sizing your solar power system to your loads/needs is going to help with (hopefully) getting you a cost effective system.

-Bill

mcgivor · May 2017

Sorry to hear about your circumstances, shouldn't really happen in the US but it does, been there myself after leaving Africa to the UK with no money, keep a positive attitude and things will improve.
@BB.has basically filled you in with valuable information, understandably much of the equipment may be out of reach to achieve some of the luxuries of life, the need to economize is of most importance. Lighting is the first basic need consider 12V led lamps, phone charging, USB cigarette lighter type which can also charge a tablet or laptop, a tablet is all I use to this day, TV is a luxury you can afford to live without, I can afford one but don't have one, refrigerator is difficult and probably out of reach at this time. Get a cooler, fill up with ice from motel ice machines ,be very casual , not ethical but times are tough, been there done that. If driving around looking for work or whatever, this is the time to change your devices, the additional load won't affect much, at night use the car battery for lighting, a small 50mA load has little effect on the car battery, if you drive the day after, this is from experience. Food? Wear baggy pants with big pockets, go to all you can eat buffets and fill those pockets, again not ethical, but they didn't specify when you would eat it, done that too......when times were tough.
Please note I'm not suggesting you do what I've done in the past as survival tactics, but honestly I have been there ,albeit before cell phones, computers and the like.

Lumisol · May 2017

Having no money does not necessitate giving up your values too. Keep what you are intact and the rest will follow. Use churches, food banks, out reaches etc for help, but think before giving up what you believe in.
God bless and good luck.

westbranch · May 2017

Go to a local Solar shop and see if anyone that has solar has upgraded to GT panels and has some old 12V ones that have been retired and just sitting there, that may want to part with some of them... also ask if there may be someone with an old PWM or small MPPT that they don't want.... I know I have a BlueSky that is amperage limited and of no use to me....

Photowhit · May 2017

As Bill has said, it will be difficult using the solar panel without incurring a considerable expense.

Are you, by chance in the St Louis area? Sounds like you do have some means of support (the plan to buy a battery Tuesday). It will take a larger battery and panel to run a small fridge reliably.

I've lived cheap and traveled by choice for a while, with a very modest income and savings.

Things you can do to help out your situation. Pickup a big 44 once cup or have a large plastic cup and ask for cups of ice at convenience stores, usually they will give you ice if you have a cup. Get cubed ice (some have cubed in one machine and crushed in the other) you can use some to drink from, but a large cup of ice will keep a small cooler cool for a night.

Bath daily, it's good for the soul and for your presence to others. I was bicycling and would heat (or stop by and pick up) a quart to a half gallon of water to sponge bath with. In my case it was vital as exercise releases salts (in your sweat) and you will have a rash if you skip a single day. It gives a sense of well being.

Libraries are a great place to spend idle time, particularly with summer coming on, in most places that shipping container is going to get HOT! Most will have free to read newspapers and internet, good sources to look for work, living situations, etc.

Ask nicely, I have spent many a hot afternoon in a fast food restaurant nursing a $1 soda and working on my crafts, and soaking up their air conditioning. (I made small fridge magnets from my photography) I always asked ahead of time, I don't think I was ever told to limit my time (or refills!). I've also asked at libraries, and been shown 'listening rooms' where I could setup easier than at home and listen to music, or more often an audio book.

Don't buy a Harbor Freight solar kit! seams many people get hooked into them. Do feel free to stop by and pickup a 'free' flashlight though, and perhaps some batteries for it the next time through. You'll need to buy something, free with purchase, many will have small razor knifes for .39-49 cents which actually do come in handy.

http://i2.wp.com/struggleville.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/IMG_20170430_0017.jpg

If your in the St Louis area, let me know, I have some small panels that would be good for charging a cell phone and that sort of thing. I could drop a couple off next time through.

Noob that with dumb questions. I think that sums it up nicely

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