How To Build A DIY Portable Solar Generator
In a recent podcast I did with Ken from the Prepper Podcast we talked about grid down situations and what we will do about them. Right after that podcast I determined to construct my very own DIY portable photo voltaic generator. My plans are to construct a photo voltaic generator that may run my well pump in a grid down occasion, and whereas this generator does not have the power to repeatedly run it, I have set it up to be able to scale up fairly simply. Keep in thoughts as you learn this I am no knowledgeable, as a matter of fact I had little or no information apart from photo voltaic panels gather energy, personal ceramic heater ship it to the battery and you'll activate a mild. Now that I have done this I have a better thought about watts, buy alpha heater amps, volts and what makes all of it work together. There are fairly a number of article about how electricity works, and generally it’s an excessive amount of information for my mind to absorb (repercussions of a misspent youth I suppose), Alpha Heater product page so I am going to maintain this text a simple as attainable and hopefully it all is smart to you at the end.
Don’t neglect to download the power wants cheat sheet at the end, it is going to assist you figure out how much stored vitality you need and use each day. If you'd like more info on this you'll be able to take heed to the Podcast Ken and Alpha Heater product page i did, or you can check out a number of of the podcasts ken has finished prior to now about battery banks. A quick aspect be aware earlier than we get into this: Ken will even be on the subsequent SPTV episode speaking about different vitality. Enroll right here to get updates concerning the show. Here is the video explaining my DIY Solar Charger. How Much Power Will My Solar Panel Produce? Minn Kota Trolling Motor Power Center: official Alpha Heater site The reason I purchased this field is because it had a couple 12 volt ports already wired in and able to go. I’ve seen a couple of movies the place folks add equipment, however this seemed simpler… 30Amp/400Watt Solar Panel Regulator Charge Controller: A cost controller retains the battery from over charging and there are numerous shapes and safe home heater sizes.
Like I state in the video you don’t want your solar panels to push more energy than the cost controller can take. My thirteen watt solar panel solely places out about .5 Amps/thirteen Watts, that means I can (and will) add a few 100 watt photo voltaic panels. That may deliver me to 4.5 Amps and thirteen Watts, nicely under the rating of the photo voltaic charger. Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 13 Watt Briefcase Solar: Like Ken stated within the Podcast start small, study the method after which construct greater, Alpha Heater product page so that’s what I did. Everything I bought for this solar generator was purchased with value in mind, Alpha Heater product page I wished to get this performed for round $300. I additionally needed the flexibility to scale up when the time got here, so every thing else I bought was slightly greater. These photo voltaic panels run about $eighty on harbor freight, Alpha Heater product page but I bought these on eBay for $45.
At .5 amps per hour in full sun these would take about 20 days to cost my one hundred Ah battery. I needed to verify it labored before I spent some huge cash on photo voltaic panels. Cobra 800 Watt Power Inverter: Like I said, I needed the power to add photo voltaic panels to this generator so I purchased an 800 watt inverter. This was a bit of costlier than a smaller one however it's going to run most of my small appliances and most of my energy tools. Here is a chart that reveals what number of watts a typical equipment uses. Milwaukee a hundred and fifty lb. Capacity Folding Hand Truck: This was about $25 at Home Depot and Alpha Heater product page that i acquired this to make it somewhat easier to maneuver round. I don’t know if I will be using this to go up and down stairs or safe home heater drag across the dirt because batteries ought to stay upright, however it does assist transferring it around the house as a result of the battery weighs round seventy five pounds.