Solar Generators ?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

As my wife and I were watching highly educational tv the other night a commercial for solar generators came on and it sparked her interest oddly. What can you all tell me about them? It was an unknown power and appeared to be a panel with a box like device with the plugins and was portable. It looks a little to good to be true but there was no ginsu knives or "wait theres more" with it so...
What do they cost?
Who is reliable and recommended?
How long do they last?
Do they not have heavy batteries?
How much output is there really with them?
I know I could go to some sites and have but I want the opinions of those here please

[Klayton]

They are portable and very expensive solar powered battery systems is all.

You are looking at paying upto 5x (according to what I have seen) for the portability of the system.

Doesn't seem like a valid option for me. I am not rich. :)

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Klayton thats what I see, wow the cost are out there. Never mind on this

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Wow, I have been looking into solar generators as well and came up with this site...

http://www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html or http://www.how2solar.tk/

This guy recommends a 12-16 volt panel. What I need to know from some of the solar guru's here on the board is, will a panel like this recharge a battery like the one they recommend and how long would it take to recharge.

I would like to venture into thesolar world and thought a project like this would be a good place to start. I figure if I built one it would allow mw to understand the system and be less expensive. I don't need it to power much but thought having it charge a laptop, cell phone and maybe run a small fan or two for a few hours would be helpful. Of course if it could power more, than that would be an added benefit.

[trkarl]

At this link this guy doesn't really tell you anything: http://www.how2solar.tk/

The link he gives for a 5 watt panel won't charge a deep cycle battery in 5+ hours like he claims. He doesn't mention anything about battery capacity or amp/hrs in/out etc.

Buy a decent small 100 watt panel like this http://www.solarblvd.com/Solar-Panel...duct_info.html for 169.00 as of Nov.8th.

A cheap PWM charge controller like this: http://www.solarblvd.com/Charge-Cont...duct_info.html for $56.00 as of Nov 8th

And a cheap 12v marine battery from walmart.

You also need some wiring and a small inverter if you want a/c power.

The setup should produce about 300 - 500 watt/hrs a day on a mostly sunny day which really won't power much at all and keep the battery charged PROPERLY which is the key to a battery's life.

But with a simple setup like I just mentioned you will be able to "get your feet wet" with solar.:)

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Thanks, I think I'll skip this "solar" stuff as it won't meet my needs without alot of cost and hassle.

[Bayouman]

What connections and wire needs to be bought with the small 100 watt panel like this http://www.solarblvd.com/Solar-Panel...duct_info.html for 169.00 as of Nov.8th and the cheap PWM charge controller like this: http://www.solarblvd.com/Charge-Cont...duct_info.html for $56.00 as of Nov 8th
Thanks!

[trkarl]

What connections and wire needs to be bought with the small 100 watt panel like this http://www.solarblvd.com/Solar-Panel...duct_info.html for 169.00 as of Nov.8th and the cheap PWM charge controller like this: http://www.solarblvd.com/Charge-Cont...duct_info.html for $56.00 as of Nov 8th
Thanks!

If the junction box on the back of the module is already wired, you would have to call the company you buy them from to be sure since there are no diagrams on that web site, then you need a cable with a male and female connector to plug into the panel's connectors. Unless you can make the cables yourself.

If they are not already wired there will be a box on back similar to this:

These are older BP modules on one of my arrays.

I prefer it this way since you can make the wire runs only as long as necessary. Just buy some stranded 10 or 12 gauge wire rated for outdoors and wire them + to - to make the string of panels or for just one wire it directly to the + and - inputs on the charge controller.

If you are going to parallel several panels or strings you will need a combiner box. You should also have a breaker for each string.