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Subject Topic: "electrically challenged" question Post Reply Post New Topic
22/3/2006 at 10:02pm
 Location: Rawreth Essex
 Outfit: Talbot auto-sleeper
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Thanks to members I can now understand my leisure battery !!
One question though.
I will be using a spare leisure battery for my laptop to watch dvd's and do a bit of work.
I have a small solar panel with a cigarette lighter socket.
If my leisure battery needs topping up and I plug it into my panel, how does the charge know which way to go ???
I know that the panel will not generate a lot of power, but maybe just enough to keep the battery charged.
So when the battery is plugged in to the panel how does the charge know that it has to go from the panel to the battery and not vice versa ? I am concerned that when I plug in it will get confused and send power from the battery to the solar panel and make the panel 'live'
Thanks anyone who can help. I have asked a few electrically unchallenged folk and the best reply so far is 'cos it does'. Not good enough. I dont want a live solar panel electricuting me !!!
Brenda


22/3/2006 at 10:06pm
 Location: West Berkshire
 Outfit: Bailey Olympus 534
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Normally they are fitted with a Diode which will only allow power to flow one way.


22/3/2006 at 10:26pm
 Location: Rawreth Essex
 Outfit: Talbot auto-sleeper
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Thanks for the answer.
If I plug in my laptop to the leisure battery the power flows from the battery to the laptop.
However if I plug in my solar panel to the leisure battery power 'should' flow from panel to battery.
How does the diode know which way to send the power if it can only flow one way.
I am getting a bad head !!!
Brenda


22/3/2006 at 11:18pm
 Location: Padded Cell
 Outfit: Calvin Klein Straitjacket & manacles
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A diode is rather like a valve in a tyre; a valve will let air in (from a pump) but stops the air from going the other way; a diode lets electricity flow one way (from a solar panel or other source) and stops electricity flowing back the other way - rather a simplified explanation, but that's what diodes do, because they're made that way...

Gram

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What's the difference between a chicken?


23/3/2006 at 7:54pm
 Location: Rawreth Essex
 Outfit: Talbot auto-sleeper
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Thanks Gram I think your explanation of the diode sounds good, but if the diode acts like a valve and stops the electricity flowing from the battery to the solar panel then how can the diode allow the electricity to flow from the battery to the laptop to power it. This is what I can't understand. How does the electricity 'know' which way that it has to go ???????
So when solar panel plugged into battery electricity flows 'TO' the battery and when laptop plugged in the electricity flows 'FROM' the battery.
I am quite convinced that my solar panel wont get 'live' and kill me, but it's just one of those things that I want to know why wont it !!!
Cheers
Brenda


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23/3/2006 at 9:42pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered
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Don't panic your not going to die! You could suck the terminals of a leisure battery(but don't) & live to tell the tale.

Nice explanation of diodes Gram Im going to use that next time Im down factory.

Jock


23/3/2006 at 10:52pm
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The diode is fitted between your solar panel and the battery your laptop connects direct to your battery .
Saxo1


23/3/2006 at 11:16pm
 Location: Newcastle u Lyme
 Outfit: Ford Kuga Senator California
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Its usual to use water as an analogy

SO if you think of the cold water tank(the battery)

Its filled via a ball valve that lets water in until the level is correct(the charger)

The water comes out of the bottom of the tank via a different hole( the feed to the appliance/laptop)

For diode think non return valve

If you follow the drift



-------------
John


24/3/2006 at 5:46pm
 Location: Derbyshire
 Outfit: Adria Forma-Delica 2.8td-Movelite XL
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hold on, so how do i fit this diode to the water tank and will the laptop plug into it when done? 28

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Doing as little as possible for as much as possible...


24/3/2006 at 5:52pm
 Location: Newcastle u Lyme
 Outfit: Ford Kuga Senator California
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You may find the answer here if you're all at searabb_uk

 



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John


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24/3/2006 at 5:56pm
 Location: Southampton
 Outfit: Lunar Zenith 6. Toyota Lucida
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Im all confused with this lot 

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I'm just a slave to the outdoor life!!!!!!!


24/3/2006 at 7:08pm
 Location: Rawreth Essex
 Outfit: Talbot auto-sleeper
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Thanks folks for all the replies.

Brenda



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