My solar set-up so far.

[ChrisGarrett]

I agree. I have all the parts for my "I wanna be like Chris!" solar setup - the last of the cables finally came - but now I can't find where I put the charge controller. Arrgh! The perils of growing old. At least I am still looking down at the grass and not up at it , as my cousin is wont to say.

We do the best we can with the money we have, but instead of buying that $350 monster blaster, spend it on a PowerFilm 30w foldable panel, with inexpensive digital controller (PWM) and a Chrome 50Ah mother battery. Now you at least have a fighting chance to keep smaller 12vdc devices like fans and chargers going.

Even an InstaPark solar panel will work in a pinch if you trial it before the disaster.

It's like all these questionable gun guys buying $2000 ARs, $400 FF tubes, a $900 Trijicon ACOG and Brown Bear Russian ammo. When the next panic hits, they don't want to shoot their ammo because it's now $500 a case and they never bothered to get into reloading for $500-$1k.

I'm in a complex with 433 units over 23 buildings and even without firing up the little HF generator, I'll be lit up like Times Square and throwing a party like it's 1999!

Priorities.

Chris

 

[Timothybil]

I've got a Renogy 100w monocrystalline panel I got at about 1/3 off, a nicely featured GHB 20A PWM charge controller with 12v and USB jacks as well as the usual Load connections. It received good reviews at several different sources, so I have high hopes if I can ever find it. I have a 35Ah SLA deep-cycle battery from Chrome, and all the associated wiring and cable I need. I already had an Anker 15w actual portable panel that does fine charging my power banks, and the associated USB lights and fan. I wanted the bigger setup because I have learned that even when the power is out, my DSL line is still active, and both my modem and router are 12v. My UPS is only good for a couple of hours even just running those two items, and I wanted more time, thus the larger setup.

 

[Woods Walker]

I ran some more tests on the Xtar VC2 Master for solar. I will post some pics later as working on something right now and don't have time to upload. First the USB powerbank function works rather well. I got a 22% increase on my Ipad Air 2 using a protected Nitecore 3400 mAh 18650. It's really a Panasonic ncr18650b with protection circuit. That is the exact increase I would expect from that battery. Tested the VC2 in both strong and weak sunlight.

The simpler ANT was able to hold on to 1A charging longer as the light faded but the VC2 was better than expected and seemed (based on 3 testing sessions) better than VC4. If running 2 X lithium ion it would charge at a combined 1A so would suck down a good amount of power from the sun. 4.96 Volts at 1.02A when charging 1X18650 via 14 Watt solar panel (used a different charger for these tests). When defaulting to .0.5A it would do 5.03 volts at .50A and that's good. When running two 18650 and defaulting to 0.5A it would do I got 4.99 Volts at 0.95A. The exact numbers can be in flux but the overall picture was good for solar. I had no solar charging errors. The simpler chargers still preformed better IMHO in some conditions but unless something is found in future testing (working on a USB solar battery charging compatibility thread) I think the OP did well with his pick.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

My 12vdc system charging a 22Ah Chrome SLA/AGM mother battery and my 14w Sunkingdom folder charging a Ruinovo power bank, on Tuesday around 2pm, at the 72 hour mark of no power. Luckily, it came on at 11:30pm that night.

Different scenario versus backpacking/hiking, but no power sucks and some 10w jobbie really isn't going to do much.

14w @ about .75 amps, since the Ruinovo wasn't all that drained, so about 1250mA in under two hours. I had to watch things so they didn't get pinched and the umbrella and chair made it easier.

Chris

 

[noboneshotdog]

Hey guys. I'm purchasing the BlitzWolf 4 Panal solar Panal in a group buy and have a couple of questions for some of the guys that are already doing this. My panel is similar to OP panel.

1. A good charger that works well with solar.

2. A good power bank that could be charged by solar.

3. Anything else I should purchase related to this type of set up.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Woods Walker]

Hey guys. I'm purchasing the BlitzWolf 4 Panal solar Panal in a group buy and have a couple of questions for some of the guys that are already doing this. My panel is similar to OP panel.

1. A good charger that works well with solar.

2. A good power bank that could be charged by solar.

3. Anything else I should purchase related to this type of set up.

Thanks for your help!

Get the simplest gear you can. I had great luck with Xtar simple chargers. These are on sale right now for lithium ion.

https://www.illumn.com/batteries-ch...ers/xtar-ant-mc1-plus-li-ion-usb-charger.html

https://www.illumn.com/batteries-ch...s/xtar-mc2-li-ion-usb-charger-simple-kit.html

The Nitecore F1 is also reliable but don't get the F2 for Solar. Oddly the Olight UC magnetic charger (can do AA and 18650) also is solar comparable. The Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus is a primitive NiMH charger which actually makes it good for solar. For powerbanks most work. I like MyCharge, Morphie, POM and a host of others. The only real failure was an Anker though have a smaller Anker that works well. My advice is look for one on sale. Don't pay full price. My preference is to charge a powerbank first as they tend to be the most forgiving.

Get a USB detector to see if you are getting the proper charge. They are cheap. Xtar and Allpowers makes/rebrands/whatever them. Go for 1A at 5v charge via solar if possible. Hope that helps.

 

[noboneshotdog]

^^^^
Thanks. I just picked up a couple of MC2 chargers.

Power bank is next.....