Laptop + Solar Panel

[taylorp035]

Today I decided to try out running my laptop off my solar panel.  Obviously I couldn't just hook it straight to my computer, so I got out my other toys and took over the kitchen table  

Parts Included:
15 Watt Northern Tool Catalog Solar panel ( I rate it for about 11 watts peak at my house ).
8 - 2500 mah NIMH AA Energizer cells
(4) 2000 mah NIMH AA Radio Shack cells
(2) Craftsman Multimeters (one volts, one amps)
400/750 watt Black and Decker Inverter
several sets of alligator clips that work
Lenovo W500 Laptop set on Superpower savings mode, low screen brightness, and stopped the battery from charging
4 cell battery charger that plugs into 110ac, charges at 500ma.


The load during my tests were either the battery charger or the laptop.  The inverter + the charger pulled about 1.1 amps and the laptop + inverter pulled about 2 amps, varying from 1.8-2.4 amps.
Initially, I had charged the AA batteries all of the way, making the battery pack stand at over 15 volts, in which the inverter did not like, so I had to hook up the laptop for a while to drag the voltage lower.
When running the laptop, the voltage at the batteries was about 12.5 volts, but the voltage at the inverter was only 11.8 v, probably due to my amp meter being in the loop.  The solar panel was pumping in no more than 0.71 amps, so the load on the batteries was from 1.3 to about 1.8 amps for a good hour or so.

Here are some pictures.  The solar panel was on the deck.







Here is a video of the set up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zID6w7Uf8



Here is my old video from last year powering my laptop without the solar panel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isswvcz7Mcg

[TomW]

Interesting stuff!

Portable, too!

Tom

[taylorp035]

Thanks Tom 

I am currently charging the 8 AA cells with the solar panel.  They are now up to  1.40 volts/ cell @ 0.38 amps charging rate.  The solar panel is half covered by the shade of the house.

[DamonHD]

Good stuff!  I ran my main server on a laptop for a while, and was is powered by off-grid PV via a solar controller and a 12V SLA.

Now I've moved on to a ~4W SheevaPlug, which manages to stay off-grid 24h/day for about 11 months of the year...

It can definitely be done... Keep us posted.

Rgds

Damon

[Basil]

That looks better than this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYFojF17w9E&feature=related
Good work.

[taylorp035]

I would like to run my DNS server off my solar panel + windmill, but it would a bit of money ( a car battery to be exact --> 100 ah for $72 at walmart ).  The server is an old laptop which doesn't have a screen, so power consumption would be about 6-10 watts  24/7.  Plus I would have to run a cable 200 ft through the woods and into my basement, which is the hardest part.

You can always dream....

[taylorp035]

That looks better than this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYFojF17w9E&feature=related
Good work.

Oh geez    I hope no one actually tries that.  I did it once with AA cells straight to the power port, but that was being very careful.

[ghurd]

Very Cool!

That looks better than this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYFojF17w9E&feature=related
Good work.

Oh geez    I hope no one actually tries that.  I did it once with AA cells straight to the power port, but that was being very careful.

Me too.   Notice he is selling something.

G-