Solar Panel Charging

[Northern Dancer]

Hand-cranked generator ready for anything — The X100 Power Hub ($249) is the world’s first hand cranked generator with solar and utility grid outputs. While it might look like something straight out of Star Trek, it’ll power almost anything. New for 2015 [Gear Junkie will have more information about this one].

 

[MacGyver]

When a company puts out a flashy product like that, with all the curves and virtually meaningless lights, I get the impression they're more interested in grabbing money from gadget lovers than they are making a well-thought out, useful and durable tool. I mean seriously - what's with the multiple lights on an oddly shaped, curvy part? Nothing like extra lights to drain the battery you charged to run ______. If a company like Goal Zero built something with the same capabilities, I guarantee you it would look a lot different.

 

[campforums]

When a company puts out a flashy product like that, with all the curves and virtually meaningless lights, I get the impression they're more interested in grabbing money from gadget lovers than they are making a well-thought out, useful and durable tool. I mean seriously - what's with the multiple lights on an oddly shaped, curvy part? Nothing like extra lights to drain the battery you charged to run ______. If a company like Goal Zero built something with the same capabilities, I guarantee you it would look a lot different.

Well a crazy amount of time was probably spent deciding on that shape, whatever "market research" pointed towards that design must have cost the company a pretty penny.

 

[MacGyver]

Thank you for sharing your research, that is probably too expensive for me right now also but I guess electric cars batteries are a more similar comparison than to cell phones given the size difference. Have you bought other types of batteries from those stores before? What prompted you to visit those sites? Or is it something that came up in search?

For something like a home solar array, what would the advantage be? I mean if you are out camping then size and weight is a huge factor but for home use you just want huge capacity right? I guess the charge cycle and discharge curve you were talking about would come into play but only if it were cheaper than simply replacing other batteries as they wear out.

The only batteries I buy online are the AGMs (gel cells) - I get them from Amazon because they have the consistently best price. That's a shame when there are so many local places that sell them but, I guess as is typical, they can't compete with cyber stores. I buy lead acid deep cycles for my canoe from whatever local place has the best price at the time I need them.

For home solar, I think lead acid batteries from places like Trojan Batteries are the most common. The batteries are what's kept me from putting solar in my house. Wet cell batteries have a tendency to outgas - something I don't want in my house. They also need more maintenance to make sure they aren't running dry. AGM batteries are maintenance free but, in the capacity that I'd need them, would cost and arm and a leg. And lithium, as I've already mentioned, is way out of reach.

 

[campforums]

The only batteries I buy online are the AGMs (gel cells) - I get them from Amazon because they have the consistently best price. That's a shame when there are so many local places that sell them but, I guess as is typical, they can't compete with cyber stores. I buy lead acid deep cycles for my canoe from whatever local place has the best price at the time I need them.

For heavy items like a battery, that is where Amazon's awesome free shipping would definitely come in handy

For home solar, I think lead acid batteries from places like Trojan Batteries are the most common. The batteries are what's kept me from putting solar in my house. Wet cell batteries have a tendency to outgas - something I don't want in my house. They also need more maintenance to make sure they aren't running dry. AGM batteries are maintenance free but, in the capacity that I'd need them, would cost and arm and a leg. And lithium, as I've already mentioned, is way out of reach.

In some areas you can make money from your solar investment by putting the energy back into the grid. For example I know for a while where I live there was subsidies for "green energy" and you could get paid more for the energy you generated from your solar panels than it would cost to buy the power from the utility company. Kinda stupid and doesn't make a lot of sense but you don't necessarily need batteries this way if you can get rid of your excess power another way. Or if you only have 1 or 2 solar panels I doubt you will run a surplus of power even when the sun is at its peak.

 

[MacGyver]

For heavy items like a battery, that is where Amazon's awesome free shipping would definitely come in handy


In some areas you can make money from your solar investment by putting the energy back into the grid. For example I know for a while where I live there was subsidies for "green energy" and you could get paid more for the energy you generated from your solar panels than it would cost to buy the power from the utility company. Kinda stupid and doesn't make a lot of sense but you don't necessarily need batteries this way if you can get rid of your excess power another way. Or if you only have 1 or 2 solar panels I doubt you will run a surplus of power even when the sun is at its peak.

I'm pretty sure it's law everywhere, at least in the U.S., that you get paid for power you put back into the system.
As far as not needing a battery to pump juice back to the grid, yes, it's possible with a grid tie inverter. Personally, I won't go that route until I have a full sized system, as in 10, 12 or more panels on the roof. Paying the necessary qualified electrician to install a small system would take too many years to recoup the cost.

 

[campforums]

I'm pretty sure it's law everywhere, at least in the U.S., that you get paid for power you put back into the system.
As far as not needing a battery to pump juice back to the grid, yes, it's possible with a grid tie inverter. Personally, I won't go that route until I have a full sized system, as in 10, 12 or more panels on the roof. Paying the necessary qualified electrician to install a small system would take too many years to recoup the cost.

Well even without pumping the power back into the system I imagine that there is some minimum amount of power your house uses throughout the day which could be offset by solar panels so that you don't have to use a battery or waste any power. Then you would only have to pay for power in the evenings even if that is when the most usage is.

 

[Northern Dancer]

...what ever happened to the less complicated time when candles would have done well, hard work would have sufficed, a sharp axe would have been valued, and a covered wagon would go a long way.

 

[MacGyver]

...what ever happened to the less complicated time when candles would have done well, hard work would have sufficed, a sharp axe would have been valued, and a covered wagon would go a long way.

View attachment 825

Well... in the early 1900s, the internal combustion engine was put into a carriage and, since then, there have been a few technological advances in some other areas. SO, my buckboard stays in the back yard, the horse got sold, and REI has had a few sales that I couldn't resist.

 

[Northern Dancer]

...luv your sense of humour.