DIY Solar Panels

[Brazos Hunter]

Sounds like you are going to have a very comfortable camp house!


Life is too short, live it to its fullest!

~Michael

[Brazos Hunter]

http://www.backwoodssolar.com/media/pdf/Backwoods_Solar_2016_Catalog.pdf

Life is too short, live it to its fullest!

~Michael

[birddoggin]

just started reading that catalog. BH, do they offer some onsite help or do you know?

possible that i might end up ordering from them, as they are here in the states

Joseph

[Brazos Hunter]

just started reading that catalog. BH, do they offer some onsite help or do you know?

possible that i might end up ordering from them, as they are here in the states

Joseph

They do not at this time. I'll shoot you an email tomorrow in response to your PM.


Life is too short, live it to its fullest!

~Michael

[Brazos Hunter]

E-mail sent.


Michael

[gator89]

Can't sleep and been looking at random stuff but I started to think about putting a solar setup on the new blind I'm building. I'm calling it the Cadillac stand and just a few hours ago thought what the heck let's get some power in it haha. Been googling and researching trying to grasp the concept and conceptualizing it and it actually seems pretty simple! Low and behold I get on TBH and I find this thread. It must be a sign haha. So I'm thinking out loud and please correct me if I'm wrong bc I just learned(or at least think I did) all this about an hour ago but a kit like this Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFCNFRM..._enr2xbCN4P2B5 combined with a 400w inverter and two 12v for my battery bank and I'd be in business to run a 24" LED tv (17.4w), charge my cell phone(5w), run a small LED light(4.5w), and maybe a small fan?



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[Brazos Hunter]

Can't sleep and been looking at random stuff but I started to think about putting a solar setup on the new blind I'm building. I'm calling it the Cadillac stand and just a few hours ago thought what the heck let's get some power in it haha. Been googling and researching trying to grasp the concept and conceptualizing it and it actually seems pretty simple! Low and behold I get on TBH and I find this thread. It must be a sign haha. So I'm thinking out loud and please correct me if I'm wrong bc I just learned(or at least think I did) all this about an hour ago but a kit like this Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFCNFRM..._enr2xbCN4P2B5 combined with a 400w inverter and two 12v for my battery bank and I'd be in business to run a 24" LED tv (17.4w), charge my cell phone(5w), run a small LED light(4.5w), and maybe a small fan?



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You will be able to run all that during the day (afternoon) after the batteries are at 100%. If you ran it all at night, depending on battery/controller/inverter, you could run critically low on reserves. If you haven't ordered this one yet, hold off, their is better out there for less $$! Renogy panels are great but way over priced IMO. You can get a great panel for $1/Watt and the PWM in the kit can be had for $30.


BTW, shoot me a PM anytime and I'll help answer questions and show you where to get what you are wanting at the best deal.

[gator89]

You will be able to run all that during the day (afternoon) after the batteries are at 100%. If you ran it all at night, depending on battery/controller/inverter, you could run critically low on reserves. If you haven't ordered this one yet, hold off, their is better out there for less $$! Renogy panels are great but way over priced IMO. You can get a great panel for $1/Watt and the PWM in the kit can be had for $30.





BTW, shoot me a PM anytime and I'll help answer questions and show you where to get what you are wanting at the best deal.

Awesome thanks!!! I'm a newb to this stuff and I want to make sure I do it right the first time so I'm not unhappy with the final product. Is eBay the place to look for this stuff? Also should I be looking at going bigger with the panel or the battery bank?


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[Brazos Hunter]

Awesome thanks!!! I'm a newb to this stuff and I want to make sure I do it right the first time so I'm not unhappy with the final product. Is eBay the place to look for this stuff? Also should I be looking at going bigger with the panel or the battery bank?


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If you know exactly what you are wanting to run, yes, eBay can be a great source to save money but you may have a problem if you ever need warrantee work. As far as the other, if your preliminary calculations found your estimates to be the minimum, on this size system, minimum double, if not triple, to ensure you are good to go! You need to remember "average sun" is just that and you may go days w/o adequate sun when running near max loads.

If I am speaking Greek, no worries, we can help you.


Life is too short, live it to its fullest!

~Michael

[gator89]

If you know exactly what you are wanting to run, yes, eBay can be a great source to save money but you may have a problem if you ever need warrantee work. As far as the other, if your preliminary calculations found your estimates to be the minimum, on this size system, minimum double, if not triple, to ensure you are good to go! You need to remember "average sun" is just that and you may go days w/o adequate sun when running near max loads.

If I am speaking Greek, no worries, we can help you.


Life is too short, live it to its fullest!

~Michael

10-4 of I've got any questions I'll be sending you a pm! Thanks again!!!!


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[91cavgt]

I recently got some busted, seriously busted, solar panels.




So for fun, I wanted to see if I could get one to produce any kind of power. So after looking online, I found that shattered panels like this need to be resealed to keep the panel working and to keep the elements out. This is done with a product called Sylgard 184. The problem is that it is expensive. So I stumbled across Cell Guard which has good reviews and is cheaper. After getting the kit in, I got to work.



So here is one of the shattered panels mounted to plywood before it has been coated.



and here is the same solar panel, after it was coated.




The panel now puts out slightly more power than before, but now the panel will last for a considerable longer amount of time. Plus, you don't have tiny slivers of glass all over the place.

[Brazos Hunter]

That's awesome Dave!


Life is too short so live each day as if it were your last! ~Michael

[Brazos Hunter]

I'm installing a small solar system in our RV.




Life is too short so live each day as if it were your last! ~Michael

[91cavgt]

Be careful connecting the power inverter directly to the charge controller. Typically charge controllers can't handle the power demands that an inverter of that size require.

[Brazos Hunter]

Be careful connecting the power inverter directly to the charge controller. Typically charge controllers can't handle the power demands that an inverter of that size require.

[emoji106]


Life is too short so live each day as if it were your last! ~Michael