5w solar project: Finished!

[dudevato]

I'm hoping my pics will show up in this posting.  I can attach them to emails, but it is not clear how to do it on this site.  I'll give it a try though. I bought a 5 watt panel, to replace the 2 smaller panels that made 3 watts total, that powered an am/fm radio.  These smaller panels were the type they advertise to keep your car battery charged up. One worked, but 2 made for louder/clearer music.  I had them simply setting on a south facing roof, at the angle of the roof's slope.  Being a sucessful and affluent member of the comunity, and as money is piling up faster than it can be spent (lol) I got this 5 watt panel from Harbour Freight (in California for $35)  I welded up a bracket that will let me tilt it into unlimited positions (all-thread & lock nuts) to deal with the different winter/summer tracks of the sun.  I use the radio most to keep my pet birds company while I'm away at work, but to get an earlier start/let it play longer in the evening I rigged it up so I could rotate the panel toward 'sunrise/sunset'.  I've noticed this panel makes so much power that I can have it turned some 55* from the sun and it will still give enough power to run the radio.  

   Judging from the amount of time I spend reading everyone's postings and how much I enjoy them I'll be getting more & larger panels.  I figure the next one will be the 'real kind' that can be expected to last 20-30 years.  I did buy one of those solar exhaust fans for the attic last summer.  It will be installed this year.  It has a panel about 15" x 15" with a fan some 18" in dia.  I had that setting in the sun out on the grass while I drank beer and just watched it.  It's a good bet to say I'm hooked on this stuff.  

                         Keep on Postin'  dudevato-60 miles north of Los Angeles

  I don't think the pics will show up, if this is true can someone explain the procedure?  MAYBE this is the way:  http://www.fieldlines.com/user/uid:1464/files  Thanks

[picmacmillan]

here is your pics....maybe you didn't click insert image because they are in your file good....somnetimes i click preveiw to get my pics as they don't show up right away after i have uploaded them to my files...pickster

[dudevato]

thanks Pickster!

[juiced]

Hi man!

 Dont take this the wrong way or anything..

 I really love the tracker, its so friendly looking. I bet not a single nieghbour complains! What im wondering is why such a large panel for 5w? Is the picture out of porportion?

  I have a 5 watt that i have in the back window of my car (small car) and it leaves WAAY more then enough room to see everything. Although once when the window was fogged badly, i almost backed over someone who decided to lean on my car... it is about 10"x10".

   How did you secure the panel to your roof? Id love to see the interconnector.

                                                              -J

[richhagen]

It looks like an amorphous panel.  They have a lower conversion efficiency, and hence a larger panel for the same power.  They don't seem to weather as well generally from my experience, however they reach charging voltage in lower light levels where the monocrystaline and polycrystaline panels are idle.  Rich Hagen

[ghurd]

But the life is much shorter.

G-

[dudevato]

Jucied, I'd say the panel is about 10" x 15"  It Is the cheaper, shorter lasting kind of panel.  It was available 'just across town' and  I was all wound up on coffee and 'had to have it'  What was I to do?  Pickster did something that let the pics be seen. (thanks pic) If you click on the link in my original posting you'll see in the last pic the 'mounting'  It is a 5" piece of square tubing welded to some flat stock, that is fastened to the 2x6 that supports my patio cover.  Through this tubing I ran a lenght of solid rod that is maybe 2' long.

[picmacmillan]

third picture of dudaveto's solar panel mechanism



good job dudaveto....pickster

[ghurd]

It still amazes me what can be done with  small panels.

G-

[troy]

I agree Ghurd,

Five watts is a useful amount of electricity.  You can drive a small fan, or a radio, or a bunch of LED's.  Most north americans deeply underappreciate their electricity.

Best,

Troy