Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Bucks, Pennsylvania
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    Default Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    I know pretty much nothing about charging batteries when the grid goes down, which I expect will happen as the USA descends further into the plans of those who control Brandon.

    So, to ease the pain, I'd like to be able to shove a solar panel out into the sunlight and at least charge up a few rechargeable AA batteries. Maybe charge up a 12 volt deep cycle marine battery if I feel ambitious.

    Any hints, tips, resources, links to reliable panels?

    I see some folding panels on eBay, and little wallet-sized panels, and beach blanket sized panels. I don't plan on bugging out if things turn to shit, so I'm open to a larger panel if it makes economic sense. Mostly, I want to be able to run a radio and some flashlights after a few months without a power grid.
    Attorney Phil Kline, AKA gunlawyer001@gmail.com
    Ce sac n'est pas un jouet.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    127.0.0.1, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    Like most things in electronics, most of it can be figured out using math.

    If you have a 100mAH battery, and the solar panel puts out 50mA, it would 2 hours to charge that battery under perfect conditions.

    Take the AH (Amp Hour) rating of the battery and divide it by the output Amp rating of the panel. That will give you roughly the charging time, in perfect conditions.

    The bigger the battery you want to charge the more amps your panel needs to put out.

    Always remember that all solar panels output DC voltage, so if there's anything you want to run that's AC, you'll need an inverter. Any time you transfer from DC to AC or vice verse you loose efficiency. Anything that you want to run off your panels should be natively DC.

    Any panel that you install you'll want a charge controller with it. That monitors the battery levels and makes sure that it doesn't over charge.

    Now you're all set, break out the credit card.
    Rules are written in the stone,
    Break the rules and you get no bones,
    all you get is ridicule, laughter,
    and a trip to the house of pain.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    127.0.0.1, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    Real world example, I have one of these:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    10,000mAH battery with an output power under perfect conditions of 250mA.

    10000 / 250 = 40 Hours.

    It would take 40 hours of uninterrupted sunlight to recharge this battery from dead.
    Rules are written in the stone,
    Break the rules and you get no bones,
    all you get is ridicule, laughter,
    and a trip to the house of pain.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    Just ask Bravo30 to park his solar van at your place when he is not using it?

    He had some threads awhile back about how he set it up with batteries, controller/inverter, monitor and all the goodies...

    I found this one to start: https://forum.pafoa.org/showthread.php?t=333356

    There were more, but you will have to find them on your own...
    Illegitimus non carborundum est

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
    (Luzerne County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    No guru here but...
    Panels (can get expensive), charge controller, and batteries (I like Lifepo)
    Solar here in NEPA is pretty bad and panels are automatically like 80% effective? might be lower. I would be looking at a generator or inverter, or both. Generator usually has dirty power and is ok for most appliances but not electronic equipment. Here is where the inverter comes in.
    I have my batteries and panels (Bioenno and Dakota lithium) for ham radio power and a generator for home power. I am starting to look into battery + inverter for freezer operation.
    I don't have a catchy phrase to put here!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    (Lebanon County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    No Guru, but from practical experience, I picked up a 13watt Clamshell solar panned for $75 at Harbor Freight (no longer listed on their website, but this on e is the closest https://harborfreight.com/18-watt-fo...nel-57968.html), and a $20 controller (again I don't see it on their website). I have used this for deep cycle batteries while running a ham radio. I also have this one https://harborfreight.com/5-watt-fol...ger-60449.html which is great for cellphones and even AA/AAA batteries.

  7. #7
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    Jan 2013
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    Cranberry Twp, Pennsylvania
    (Butler County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    Definitely no "Guru" here either, but I've been pretty satisfied with this portable power station I picked up a few months ago on Amazon. You can also purchase a separate solar panel for it to recharge for scenarios like you describe, come in different sizes that charge in different timeframes similar to what Streaker explained.
    Jackery Power Station
    Bundle Power Station w/ Solar Panel
    -Brandon


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Hanover, Pennsylvania
    (York County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    I have a similar question. I'm looking at the Jackery battery ($200) and solar panel solution ($300):

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q71LX84

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D29QNMJ

    This way we could at least run a pellet stove and fridge. I also like this combo because you can charge the battery also from AC, like if you had a generator going. So charge the battery up for a few hours, turn off the generator, then run fridge or whatever from the battery. It's a pre-made solution so I don't have to consider safety or electronics versus trying to build my own.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    127.0.0.1, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    Quote Originally Posted by gamer_jim View Post
    I have a similar question. I'm looking at the Jackery battery ($200) and solar panel solution ($300):

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q71LX84

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D29QNMJ

    This way we could at least run a pellet stove and fridge. I also like this combo because you can charge the battery also from AC, like if you had a generator going. So charge the battery up for a few hours, turn off the generator, then run fridge or whatever from the battery. It's a pre-made solution so I don't have to consider safety or electronics versus trying to build my own.
    That thing only outputs 200W. That ain't much, I doubt it could run either the pellet stove or the fridge. Definitely not both at the same time. Keep in mind anything that has an AC motor in it is going to have what's known as inrush current to get the motor started. That current is greater than the operating current. You'll never run a fridge compressor with 200W.

    200W / 120VAC = 1.6A

    Ohm's Law, learn it, love it, live it.
    Rules are written in the stone,
    Break the rules and you get no bones,
    all you get is ridicule, laughter,
    and a trip to the house of pain.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Bedford
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    Default Re: Any gurus on solar panels for charging batteries?

    Quote Originally Posted by streaker69 View Post
    That thing only outputs 200W. That ain't much, I doubt it could run either the pellet stove or the fridge. Definitely not both at the same time. Keep in mind anything that has an AC motor in it is going to have what's known as inrush current to get the motor started. That current is greater than the operating current. You'll never run a fridge compressor with 200W.

    200W / 120VAC = 1.6A

    Ohm's Law, learn it, love it, live it.
    join-the-resistance-starecat-com-ohmmmmm-join-the-resistance-ohm-~bueller-31116012.jpg
    SigGendered

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