Anybody have any experience with Solar Panels?

[Phil Lilley]

Am planning on using solar to charge batteries this summer in Alaska- looking for some advice.

[Aeronikl]

Phil,

What kind of batteries? 12V auto/marine or small batteries like cell phones, AA's or AAA's for cameras, flashlights, etc.? I have some experience with charging both kinds. The small batteries are easy, and with some modification, you can use your existing or commercially available chargers that have 12V auto/lighter adapters, if you buy a 12V solar panel charger kit...the 12V batteries are more of a challenge, since most people use them heavy, and that will determine how many watts the charger system has to be to fully recover the battery. A typical small panel that only puts out 10 watts, for example, will charge at .6 amps under optimum conditions. That will give 3 amp/hrs to the battery in 5 hrs of charging (under optimum conditions - light intensity and direct exposure) and is obviously not very much. A 100 watt system, however, can give 6 amps, more like the 110V battery charger. Most advertised, affordable, ready to use charger systems are small, however, usually only 2 - 5 watts, usually marketed for trickle-charge applications, to keep batteries full, for electric gate openers, etc. It can cost upwards of $1000 or more for the components to make a larger (100 watt) system. Not cheap. If you let me know more details, I'll see what I can do to help.

[Phil Lilley]

Applications - minor lighting, water pump and a refrig. The refrig would be about 90-120 wt. but made for solar power instances- some systems comes with panels. But that's down the road for us. Looking to charge 1-2 12v marine batteries to power minor lighting and a water pump for now. There's alot of systems out there. Interesting reading.

[Aeronikl]

I thought you were talking about high capacity marine batteries. When it comes to charging batteries, especially with solar panels, it's all about the numbers. There's no way to beat physics. Economy of scale permits reasonable prices for small sytems, since they have so many uses. My motorhome has a panel on the roof that is suppossed to provide a trickle charge for the batteries...and that's all it will do, to make up for minor leakage and the drain of sensors and detectors that are always on. If you're looking at charging deep cycle marine or RV batteries, it would take a very large, custom system, complete with controller, etc. Rather than consider a battery charger system, you should look at what they sell for remote cabins. Systems, including panels, batteries (usually golf cart 6V), inverter and controller go for $1000 to $4000, depending on the power requirements and if a generator is used. I saw a website that shows how you can build a good system like this yourself for around $700. Since all these systems provide 110V with the inverter, all the fixtures and appliances you want to use are cheaper than low voltage RV type stuff. Anything you can use at home and pack to take with you would plug right in. If it was me, I would spend the money on a panel/battery/inverter system to get a good source of 110. You can even get a system that would allow you to add a generator later.

Good luck.

[polock]

i was kinda wondering the same. if the kits for under 200.00 you see on cabelas will keep a battery charged with the radio on.. there has been a numerous amount of times that i have went to start the boat up on the river and the battery is dead from the radio playing all day. i know it won't keep up with it when i have my amp and subs on,but with normal float fishing background music or baseball game...maybe???