Build a Solar Power Generator for Under $300

Daox · 08-31-10, 12:47 PM

Just a quick article on a very basic solar setup. Note, a $100 solar panel won't really produce much power, it looks like the highest wattage panel I can get on ebay is 40-50W. Enough to perhaps power a few CFL lights at night.

Quote:

To most of us, solar power still seems like a thing of the future. Yeah, we know some people live off the grid with them, and some folks can afford to line their roofs and heat their pools with them. Not most of us.

But it turns out that you can generate real, usable solar power in your very own home (or wherever), and it'll cost you less than $300. What's the catch? Oh, nothing. You just have to build the generator yourself.

Build a Solar Power Generator for Under $300 - Planet Green

Xringer · 08-31-10, 08:26 PM

Even a little $25 PV can charge up an old car battery..

But, 5 or 10 watts might not be sufficient to charge up a battery in a low SOC
(like one that was used nightly).

If you wanted to run some CFLs every night, I would shoot for the highest PV power I could get.
50 to 100 watts might be good. Depending on how much stuff you wanted to plug in at night..

My rough guesstimate:
If you wanted 50w for 5 hours each night, then you may need
about 100w of PV charging the battery for 5 hours each day..

Xringer · 09-01-10, 07:13 PM

All my panels came from Ebay, via China.

DM solar sells some nice looking PV. 120w solar panel, solar module 120w
But, be sure to check the bottom line "** Minimum Order Quantity: 2"
Some of them only sell in lots of 20..

08-31-10, 08:26 PM	#2
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Even a little $25 PV can charge up an old car battery.. But, 5 or 10 watts might not be sufficient to charge up a battery in a low SOC (like one that was used nightly). If you wanted to run some CFLs every night, I would shoot for the highest PV power I could get. 50 to 100 watts might be good. Depending on how much stuff you wanted to plug in at night.. My rough guesstimate: If you wanted 50w for 5 hours each night, then you may need about 100w of PV charging the battery for 5 hours each day..

09-01-10, 07:13 PM	#3
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	All my panels came from Ebay, via China. DM solar sells some nice looking PV. 120w solar panel, solar module 120w But, be sure to check the bottom line "* Minimum Order Quantity: 2"* Some of them only sell in lots of 20..