Linear Actuator battery charging

[Basil]

I did at post about the way I was keeping my battery to the Linear Actuator charged.

I have a 17 Ah battery at the tracker. I used two 1.5 watt panels straight to the battery that I had handy. I ask if it would work and no one responded. Well it was a wait and see thing. So for It's worked out. After about two weeks ( Half with great sun, Darn cloud cover) The battery is reading 12.93 Volts before the sun came up. Looks like it may work. To simple. Got to be a down side. There always is.

[TomW]

Basil;



 What is this for?

What is what for?

It is this kind of vagueness that probably kept folks from commenting before.

Glad its working out.

Its often also true that folks ask questions that nobody truly knows the answer to. That can be compounded by incomplete or vague postings.

To the point of this question with the information provided now:

The down side will probably be that, under certain conditions, you may overcharge that battery or let it go flat from tracking every day for 3 weeks with no sun to charge. Either will kill a battery.

We cannot tell you and here is why:

No mention of voltage for actuator. No mention of how long the actuator runs in a cycle [day] or at what current. No mention of your expected hours of sun per day.  You did not mention what kind of battery and that changes things.Nobody can answer a question with missing parts. Most cannot remember information from a previous post you made if it had the information, either.

Sad facts of online communication is it is NOT easy. People misunderstand when you try to help because they do not know enough of the subject to even ask a coherent question.

Just trying to show why...

Tom

[spinningmagnets]

I think this is the project he's working on.

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/5/4/123053/5256

Linear Actuator with no limits

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/5/23/91147/8665

Linear Actuator with no limits up date

I believe he is using a small stand-alone 24V PV panel to directly charge a 12V battery that operates a tracking system to a large PV array.

I "think" if you have a long stretch of full sun or no sun, the small tracking mechanism battery will be damaged. I'm assuming the large main array is a ways from the main battery pack, and you're trying to avoid buying a DC/DC converter and a smart-charger that is fed from the main battery pack. (And I certainly don't know if that would be the best alternate solution, either)

Tom is right, Basil. I looked it up, but some of the people who really know the right answer wouldn't have taken the time to investigate and are waiting until there's a more detailed input from you.

What is your main battery pack voltage, 48?

How far is the big PV panel from the main battery Pack?

[Basil]

Hi Tom

What is this for?

What is what for?

This/////\ I Just didn't know what the box is for I wrote that in when I made my diary write up. Got to read more on that one.

It is this kind of vagueness that probably kept folks from commenting before.

Yes the info is in earlyer post. I though I was saving space. I try to read all the post of people that I run across. Lot's of reading. Figured everybody did the same. Wrong agian I guess.

I started a diary to try to put it all in one spot. I have to go back and read my post to review my statements. I just took it that others would read the past postings to be up to date before commenting. I should have put up date in the title. It could be looked at as a first time post to some sometimes. Sorry I will give full info each time on any other post. Thanks for the reply. Dont wont this to be a rant. So here's one.

So the way I see it is if my red rock controlled tracker is tracking for weeks on end with no sun I need to charge the battery. JOKE red rock tracking with no sun. They are good but not that good. Oh by the way Old blue is still not working. If any one wont's to know what Old bule is Reasd my postings. If you don't wont to know just don't read them. All being said I will post more info EACH post.

[Basil]

Ok not enought infomatiom but it's there in the past.

I believe he is using a small stand-alone 24V PV panel to directly charge a 12V battery that operates a tracking system to a large PV array.

Two 12 volt 1.5 watt panels.

Tom is right, Basil. I looked it up, but some of the people who really know the right answer wouldn't have taken the time to investigate and are waiting until there's a more detailed input from you.

Annserred that one in a reply to Tom.

What is your main battery pack voltage, 48?

As stated in the pass. I'm learning. Main is 12 volt system.

How far is the big PV panel from the main battery Pack?

Less than 100 ft. Yes I may run wire to the tracker in the near future.

[TomW]

Basil;

That box is for "intro" text. Kind of like the "come on" for the story. Meant to be a short bit of text to set up the context of the post. Like "Solar tracker power system update" or whatever gives folks an idea of the subject. It shows in the story list under the title. A couple three lines.More information is always better in story posts. As stated elsewhere not everyone that might answer has the time and or skills to hunt the board for prior posts.

On Topic;

Your setup might be fine if you can check it occasionally to avoid either extreme of over / under charge. Set it and forget it setups take more money usually. You could improve it a fair bit by simply adding more battery. more storage capacity will be able to absorb those good power days amps and pass them out longer between low power periods. That small panel likely cannot over drive the current battery if it puts 1.5 watts into 12 volts thats well below the batteries ability to take the charge long term. 110 milliamps [about 1/10th amp] not much. if those are the numbers you will be good to go on not overcharging the other end is tougher to predict. It will likely vary with weather, cold hot wet dry ice snow and be all over the place. The tracker will use less power to move if it is fairly well balanced on the pivot.

Ok hope that helps.

Tom

[ghurd]

A little bit better info now.

I don't see why it isn't possible to use a second series controller...

tied into the main 12V PV lines, to charge the 17AH battery.

possibly a current limiting power resistor (to keep the supply to the 17AH at 500ma max) to a PB137ACV.

Other ways too, I'm sure.

Depends on the rest of the system.

Meaning no need for the little red panels.

G-