Portable Solar Panels
12:08 pm in Uncategorized by Cristin Mitchell
Has anyone experimented with those little portable solar panels and this hydro system design yet? I am researching it this week, because I’d like to try to do it.Thanks!
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The problem is that most of the cheap airpumps run on AC power.
(Most battery-powered ones are very weak)
you can use a 12C DC/AC inverter, but you lose about 20 – 30% of the effect in the inverter. (If you’re lucky… Some of these beasties draw .5A when idle.)
you’ll also have to design your own control cicuitry to swich the inverter and pump on and off. (running a timer switch between the inverter and pump means the inverter will have to be powered and wasting power 24H/day)
That is with the regular airlift systems.
If you get a good battery-operated one, and also design a decent control circuit, you’re good to go.
Normal 12V-powered pumps have a tendency to ‘die’ if they’re exposed to the nutrients. (clogs, grinds bearings and burns… The admins here really should post a picture of their collection of burnt-out pumps sometime… )
Alternate pump systems may also work.
One user mentioned using an Archimedes screw to lift nutrients.
(Broomstick with plastic tubing wrapped around it should work nicely as the screw)
Also, if you want to use a small panel, I would suggest mounting it with a pivot parallell to the Earths axis, so that when it’s pivoted from side to side it tracks the sun properly.
(A small motor pushing the panel around won’t draw much power, and you’ll get much more back from the optimised angle.)
Seasonal changes can be adjusted for with a set-screw on the mounting bracket, I believe.
And yes, you need to get the panel oriented pretty darn well if you want to ever get close to the hyped up numbers in the ads.
The problem with solar power is that its available 24/7 and the V3 windowfarm design requires a pump that runs that long.
Most pumps are also AC powered, not DC.
I would probably be done, but I am not sure if it could be done on the cheap.
There is a guy who has made a lot of youtube vids on hydroponics. He has been trying to do the PV thing. He spent a huge amount of money and it still wasn’t working fully last fall. If your doing it in a building that has electricity you should just plug it in. If your worried about your carbon foot-print, you should also: just plug it in. You’d have to buy lots of crap which has a limited life…. unless you already have a lot of car batteries for some reason.
The DC power that comes from solar panels can be converted into ac but unless you plan on spending alot of money it’s not worth it. one panel that would handle your need would be $100-$200 plus the converter round $200 plus the deep cycle batterys ( not car batterys they will blow up and emitt very harmful vapors) are around $60 each(and thats being cheap). you wont use that much electric and would be less a hassle and time to just plug in.