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#241317 - 02/16/12 09:19 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Blast]
chaosmagnet Offline
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3819
Loc: USA
Nominal output for a "12V" DC cigarette lighter is 13.8V. The wall wart that you're using has 12V DC output @ 1A. Your existing 12V DC power systems should work fine if you use the right adapter with the right polarity.

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#241330 - 02/16/12 10:54 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Blast]
Eugene Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/26/02
Posts: 2995
Most 12v wall warts are 12v nominal but line voltage can fluctuate so that 12v can up op or down. ~12v is close enough.


Edited by Eugene (02/17/12 01:21 AM)

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#241383 - 02/17/12 01:53 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Blast]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Originally Posted By: Blast
It's a cloudy day today so it'll be a good test to see how well my solar panel can recharge the 400 amp battery. My panel is flat against a south-facing, 2nd floor winder so it isn't optimized for sun exposure. Results will be posted this evening...unless me and DW go to bed early again. grin


Just an update, the battery was fully recharged last night, even with the very sub-optimal solar conditions.
-Blast
_________________________
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Medicine Man Plant Co.
DrMerriwether on YouTube
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#241389 - 02/17/12 04:04 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: chaosmagnet]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted By: chaosmagnet
Nominal output for a "12V" DC cigarette lighter is 13.8V. The wall wart that you're using has 12V DC output @ 1A. Your existing 12V DC power systems should work fine if you use the right adapter with the right polarity.


Maybe. But some electronic equipment requires a much more closely regulated DC voltage. The only way to know is to measure the "no load" voltage from the manufacturer-supplied wall wart, and compare it to the rated voltage output (which is under load). If it's sitting right at 12 VDC, it's a regulated supply, and supplying a higher voltage could cause damage.

(IMO, a decent multimeter is indispensable gear for any solar setup, for checking actual voltage, monitoring for overcharging, and confirming correct polarity.)

P.S., Blast, what's the watt rating of your solar panel? Are you using a charge controller?


Edited by dougwalkabout (02/17/12 04:10 PM)

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#241391 - 02/17/12 04:44 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: dougwalkabout]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
P.S., Blast, what's the watt rating of your solar panel? Are you using a charge controller?


It's a 30 watt panel which plugs directly into the charging port of my Xantrex Powerpack 400Plus without a charge controller. According to the Powerpack's manual, this is okay to do with any solar panel of 30 watts or less. It's been hooked up this way for just over a year now with no problems.
-Blast
_________________________
Foraging Texas
Medicine Man Plant Co.
DrMerriwether on YouTube
Radio Call Sign: KI5BOG
*As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn a sales commission on Amazon links in my posts.

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#241394 - 02/17/12 05:14 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Blast]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
"According to the Powerpack's manual, this is okay to do with any solar panel of 30 watts or less."

That's interesting. The newer SLA batteries must be a lot more resistant to overcharging. I had to sit on the old ones like a mother hen.


Edited by dougwalkabout (02/17/12 05:16 PM)

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#241402 - 02/17/12 06:59 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Blast]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
On the topic of solar panels, what the difference between polycrystalline solar panels, mono-crystallin&#8203;e solar panels and amorphous solar panels?
_________________________
Better is the Enemy of Good Enough.
Okay, what’s your point??

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#241408 - 02/17/12 07:50 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Russ]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Originally Posted By: Russ
On the topic of solar panels, what the difference between polycrystalline solar panels, mono-crystallin&#8203;e solar panels and amorphous solar panels?


In a nutshell, the amount of power produced per unit of area (footprint). The same surface area of the different crystal types produces different amounts of power, but I don't remember off the top of my head which gives the most/least.
-Blast
_________________________
Foraging Texas
Medicine Man Plant Co.
DrMerriwether on YouTube
Radio Call Sign: KI5BOG
*As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn a sales commission on Amazon links in my posts.

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#241412 - 02/17/12 08:11 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: Blast]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
I'm using amorphous (thin film) panels. They're the least efficient per square foot, the least expensive, and probably the heaviest. Space and weight are not big issues for me, so I go with the "best price per watt."

There are so many big advances nearing production, and such an increase in production scale, that I'm not willing to buy more panels right now. Cost per watt is slated to drop substantially (that's the buzz anyway).

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#241415 - 02/17/12 08:38 PM Re: Power is out and I'm online. [Re: dougwalkabout]
chaosmagnet Offline
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3819
Loc: USA
Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
Maybe. But some electronic equipment requires a much more closely regulated DC voltage. The only way to know is to measure the "no load" voltage from the manufacturer-supplied wall wart, and compare it to the rated voltage output (which is under load). If it's sitting right at 12 VDC, it's a regulated supply, and supplying a higher voltage could cause damage.


I didn't think that wall warts that size were usually regulated power supplies.

Quote:
(IMO, a decent multimeter is indispensable gear for any solar setup, for checking actual voltage, monitoring for overcharging, and confirming correct polarity.)


Without a doubt.

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