Digest for RE-wrenches at topica.com, issue 1276 [RE-wrenches]

[Steve Willey, Backwoods Solar]

Mark:  I have experience where a 10 watt panel completely dried out a
golf-cart battery in 3 weeks before the regulator was available, so you have
to watch the battery closely if there is no load and a trickle charge
without regulator.  A simple solution in the 5 to 20 watt range is get a
14.0 volt Zener diode rated 50 watts, put it on a finned heat sink, and
parallel with the solar module.  That gives a sharp voltage clamp at 14
volts (+ or - each diode is a little different).  The part number for that
Zener is SK542 or 5256A fromThompson consumer electronics available from
Mouser Electronics, 800-346-6873 for about $12.

Another solution is a 12 volt fish tank bubbler we just located, or a 3 volt
one also.  Contact me off list for prices and sources.
Steve Willey,
Backwoods Solar Electric Systems
steve at backwoodssolar.com

----- Original Message ----- 
Subject: Digest for RE-wrenches at topica.com, issue 1276



Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2003 19:46:34 -0800
From: <markb at cobaltpower.com>
Subject: Battery Charging Without a Controller

Anybody have any experience with connecting a small PV panel directly to a
battery for trickle charging?  I have a 5 watt ASE panel that puts out 16V
at 0.3A and I want to power a small automotive-type inverter.  This is a
manual backup system to power a fish tank (about 45 watts) during power
outages only.
Thanks
_______________
Mark Byington
President
Cobalt Power Systems, Inc.
Tel 650-948-9574   Fax 650-948-9573   Cell 415-298-1947
markb at cobaltpower.com   www.cobaltpower.com

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html
--^----------------------------------------------------------------