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Subject Topic: Solar Panels Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonBison
29/8/2014 at 7:28pm
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Hi everyone.
I
Will be buying som form of solar panel soon but haven't a clue which to buy or any thing to avoid or concerns.
If anyone can shed light on the subject I would appreciate help.
Thank you

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Bison


PersonDamianL
29/8/2014 at 7:40pm
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Could you provide a bit more information as to what you want it for?

Will it be used to keep a leisure battery topped up and power an array of devices?

Are you wanting a battery bank with attached solar panel to charge mobile phones?

Are you taking a seperate leisure battery and a solar panel just for mobile phones etc.

Basically, what do you want to power and how long for? Then I should be able to give some information as to what may benefit you

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Personsteve and kate
30/8/2014 at 11:05pm
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I would also like to ask a similar thing, with regards to the solar panel, at the moment I am looking to keep weight to a minimum as we have the car fully loaded. Are solar panels worth the cost and what would there best uses be. We haven't started using electric yet but it is getting annoying when the phone battery dies after two days.


PersonDamianL
30/8/2014 at 11:44pm
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For charging phones they can be quite effective. You need a battery to hold the power, charge the phone from that and then a solar panel to keep it topped up.

Ideally a small leisure battery (12v) then use a standard car phone charge via an adapter.

A 20w minimum solar panel ideally, a 50w if space and finances permit it.

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PersonGrampian91
31/8/2014 at 12:11am
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A car charger is much cheaper than a solar panel. It will charge the phone faster and more efficiently also.


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PersonDamianL
31/8/2014 at 12:46am
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A solar panel doesn't typically charge the phone at all. It is used to keep a battery topped up that is used to charge the phone.
So speed wise would be almost the same as a car.

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Personribble
31/8/2014 at 8:09am
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this year for the first time we took a solar panel and battery arrangement. We spent under £60 for the set up, on the basis that this was approx half the fee for an electric hook up (very expensive when all you are running is a light and phone chargers!). The battery is a lawnmower battery and the solar panel measures about 30cm by 15cm. We are very limited on car space! We didn't manage to set up a phone charging station, simply because we ran out of time, instead we charged the phone and camera via the car battery. But this small set up comfortably ran the LED light stip. Next year we will have a charging station too, so watch this space!


PersonBison
31/8/2014 at 2:45pm
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I'd like the solar panel for keeping the battery topped up when in a non electric site but is it possible to run the tv frm the solar panels?

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Bison


PersonGrampian91
31/8/2014 at 3:12pm
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You cannot run anything from the panels directly.

You rin the TV from your battery and the panels help recharge it.

The problem in the UK is that you may get less than 6 hours worth of sunlight even in August.

Here today its so overcast your probably going to struggle to get 50% capacity from a panel.

So having your 100watt TV on for 3 hours will need a minimum of 6 hours to recharge from a 100w panel.

How many watts does the TV use and how many hours will you be using it?
Any other appliances?


Personchappers2341
31/8/2014 at 7:22pm
 Location: Oxford
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Quote: Originally posted by Grampian91 on 31/8/2014
You cannot run anything from the panels directly.


We charge our phones and i-pads directly. Well almost.
connected to the panel we have several car lighter sockets and into those we plug adapters that convert to usb. they convert the voltage and as my panel peaks at 2 amps then everything charges at normal speed, when sunny ore slower if not.
Just check your adapters for their output a mobile will probably only need 1amp max whereas an I-pad is 2amps. Voltage wise idealy an adaptor that will operate upto 24volts although I was using one that stated 12V and it worked fine even though my panel peaks at around 19V



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