Server/laptop finally really running on solar!

[DamonHD]

Hi,

Yes, getting there!

After tweaking my LVD (low-voltage disconnect) circuit thresholds, and putting in several fixes to prevent oscillation (may not all be over yet) and getting a slightly smaller DC-DC converter, today my server at home has run for a useful amount of time so far off-grid, and is still going even though the sun is going down...

I'm sure there are many more hurdles to overcome, and more panels and batteries (and maybe a small turbine) to get to get any real RE time overwinter, but I'm getting there!  My solar-powered Web site about solar power!  (Plus all my email, etc.)

Rgds

Damon

[TomW]

DamonHD;

Sure is a good feeling the first time you power stuff effectively with RE. For me that was pretty minor. An air heater in a sunny window that a small solar panel drove a computer fan to force air thru. Kind of small but very satisfying.

Cheers.

TomW

[AbyssUnderground]

Congrats on this. I want to do something similar but I simply don't have enough solar to even attempt it yet.

Good luck!

[gotwind2]

On an even smaller scale, but with similar delight - seeing my mobile phone (cell phone) charged from wind power is pretty satisfying....

Article on my site here:

http://www.gotwind.org/Orange_Wind_Generator.htm

Today, I powered a portable radio directly from wind power (no batteries) - I have attached three 10mm (3/8" - roughly) diameter Neodymium magnets to the base to clamp onto metallic surfaces e.g vehicle roofs / caravans. Mine is pictured on a biscuit tin lid...

14 second Youtube video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl4ujq-enc8

Ben.

[DamonHD]

It did nearly 5 hours on solar today, all told!

Thanks for the kind words!

Ben, I still want to commission a (very) small turbine off you somehow!

Rgds

Damon

[motoman465]

That is awesome!  I am getting closer to making power, also.  I can't wait until that day...unfortunately my time is at a premium as of late so I will have to wait.  Congrats!

Todd

[DamonHD]

Solar power has cut in again this morning already (with a tiny bit of help from me, OK!) even though the sun is behind the house (the panels are only getting indirect light).  Kewl!

Rgds

Damon

[DamonHD]

For the terminally sleepless, you can keep an eye on this page if you wish:

http://www.earth.org.uk/off-grid-stats.html

to see what fraction of the time the laptop is powered off-grid here in (sometimes) sunny London.

It should update a couple of times per hour with the stats.  Unlikely to be very exciting outside of sunlight hours!  And of course I just hacked it all together with a series of scripts so it may break...

When I have some historical stats, I'll add them in to the page.

I actually got fewer hours of power off-grid today (maybe 3.5hrs vs 4.5hrs) than yesterday, in part because we had more cloud in the afternoon I think.

But in general I'm happy that the system is reasonably stable.

Interestingly, if I crank up some heavy processing the system switches the laptop back to mains power fairly quickly because my 40Ah battery doesn't much enjoy the ~5A load for long...  My LVD is trying to ensure that the battery never goes below about 50% charge.

I spent some time today trimming/hacking a rather overgrown bay tree that shades my main panel in late afternoon.

Rgds

Damon