Cabin Solar - How To -

[Skvez]

After an event I don't intend to be no-electricity but I accept I'll have to adapt to low-electricity.

Cooking will have to be by burning fuel
As will hot water for sanitation
I'd very much like to keep the fridge but they're just too power hungry for the solar I can afford right now.
Lighting will be greatly reduced, a small table lamp illuminating the work area rather than big lights lighting the whole room, supplemented by candles.
And power for recharging portable devices.
Entertainment will be books rather than TV/Computer/CD player (not that I expect to have much downtime). I should be able to play the CD player occasionally as a rare treat.

The advantage to this is that we'll learn to talk to each other again.

[Bjm]

hi, since setting up the solar panal on a wooden frame in the garden each night i have had six sets of led light units,each unit with 5 leds in it, working for 6 hours a night, with no loss of power. there is plenty of light off these lights, (set up in my spare room)
not a very scientific test i agree, but i will carry on for another week or so, perhaps leaving them on longer.
but i am well happy with this so far. i plan to get a 12v adapter to charge my walkie talkies (4 of) and another adapter
for the charging of various other size battries.

[Chris]

(27 October 2012, 18:10)Bjm Wrote: hi, since setting up the solar panal on a wooden frame in the garden each night i have had six sets of led light units,each unit with 5 leds in it, working for 6 hours a night, with no loss of power. there is plenty of light off these lights, (set up in my spare room)
not a very scientific test i agree, but i will carry on for another week or so, perhaps leaving them on longer.
but i am well happy with this so far. i plan to get a 12v adapter to charge my walkie talkies (4 of) and another adapter
for the charging of various other size battries.

Great work - Do you have access to a small meter, and you can measure your Load Current -Amps-. - - P/V=A or ie:- 1W/12V=?mA
Remember you can Backward Calculate the above to show you what size of Panel you need for more lights maybe .

[Bjm]

hi chris,
thanks yes that does make great sense, and i will get a meter this week to do as you say.

[Chris]

(4 November 2012, 17:33)Bjm Wrote: hi chris,
thanks yes that does make great sense, and i will get a meter this week to do as you say.

NP
I struggled with maths as a kid so badly that I was placed into a remedial arithmatic group at 15 years old !!
Now I am older and my brain can cope, if you need help please ask.
I have tried to place calculations out there as a template, and remember maths is just tricks with numbers !!
Doubling up on all your hardware parameters is another easy way to build systems twice size.