Solar Power Stuffs - Questions and Answers

[DParker75089]

I meant the actual lights. The ones we have now are good for just if you need enough light to not trip over anything, but my phone flashlight is stronger than they are

How many bulbs of what wattage (either actual watts used or their incandescent equivalent) are you needing to adequately light the area in question?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

How many bulbs of what wattage (either actual watts used or their incandescent equivalent) are you needing to adequately light the area in question?

Absolutely no clue. Just something that let's me see if that mass running away is my cat or a racoon

 

[DParker75089]

Absolutely no clue. Just something that let's me see if that mass running away is my cat or a racoon

OK, so how big is the area you're wanting to illuminate?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

OK, so how big is the area you're wanting to illuminate?

The hall is like 4x20 feet, with 5x5 stalls on either side down the length

 

[DParker75089]

The hall is like 4x20 feet, with 5x5 stalls on either side down the length

Ah, so it's inside? I don't mean fully-enclosed, but covered overhead so as to preclude the use of off-the-shelf solar LEDs with integrated motion sensors. It sounds like you only need the area illuminated for short periods at a time rather than all night, so it sounds like you'd need just 2 or 3 100W-equivalent LED fixtures (or thereabouts), which typically draw around 13W). That should be very easy to power with a single 100W solar panel and a 50Ah lead-acid battery. You can find DC versions of those that would eliminate the need for an inverter, though you'd still need a (relatively inexpensive) charge controller. If you want it lit for more than an hour per night then you'd need more batteries, or a single bigger one.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Good Morning Everyone:

In some of the other threads I visit, there are many questions concerning solar power. Panels, Batteries, Voltage, Inverters, etc and so on.

Whether you just want to be a bit more self sufficient, want some sort of emergency backup or just want to have fun and explore the world of solar.
(Like WE need another rabbit hole to go down right? ) Solar might be something you would be interested in.

Instead of clogging up threads with solar talk, which often can get repeated in other threads, I decided I would start a new thread that is dedicated ONLY
to questions about Alternative Energy Stuff.,

Only one real rule for this channel.

DO NOT Turn it into a Political Fight.

This channel is for Education, Information, and Scientific Stuffz. NOT political rantings. If you must bring it up, be civil.

A bit about me: I have been doing solar since about 1986, hopped into it bigtime about 2000. I do not proclaim to be an expert at anything but do have a little experience with this stuff.

If you got questions, post !

Thank you
Aaron

We are off-grid wannabes….. we have some basic small stuff. Hard to do solar in the north.

 

[Sally PB]

Really wanna be here too. Michigan averages 160 days of sunny/partly sunny per year.

Aaron, is that enough? While we'd LOVE to be totally off grid, I don't know if we can do it. One question we keep bumping up against, how far away can collector panels be from the house? We have a nice open area that is probably 500 feet (or more? maybe?) from the house. It's an open field.

Another possibility is the roof of a pole barn, but it's about 3x as far away.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Ah, so it's inside? I don't mean fully-enclosed, but covered overhead so as to preclude the use of off-the-shelf solar LEDs with integrated motion sensors. It sounds like you only need the area illuminated for short periods at a time rather than all night, so it sounds like you'd need just 2 or 3 100W-equivalent LED fixtures (or thereabouts), which typically draw around 13W). That should be very easy to power with a single 100W solar panel and a 50Ah lead-acid battery. You can find DC versions of those that would eliminate the need for an inverter, though you'd still need a (relatively inexpensive) charge controller. If you want it lit for more than an hour per night then you'd need more batteries, or a single bigger one.

I don't think our other solar lights have any of that stuff. They're wired right to the panels I think, don't think there are any charge controllers and definitely no batteries or motion sensors.

 

[Elyrian1]

We'll be averaging 261 days of sunshine if we get on this new property. The solar conversation is also one that I am very interested in. Hubby is very handy and was actually a professional handyman, with his own business, for several years. He anticipates being able to do all the work. I'll be following this thread.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Really wanna be here too. Michigan averages 160 days of sunny/partly sunny per year.

Aaron, is that enough? While we'd LOVE to be totally off grid, I don't know if we can do it. One question we keep bumping up against, how far away can collector panels be from the house? We have a nice open area that is probably 500 feet (or more? maybe?) from the house. It's an open field.

Another possibility is the roof of a pole barn, but it's about 3x as far away.

Great question!