# help solar or wind?



## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Hey all, looking to make a mini solar or wind power. Pretty much to power usb stuff and smaller lights? any suggestions?


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

I would suggest both.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Neither one is any good without a battery to store the power. So here are some questions that will help narrow us down a bit.

1. How many different devices? What is your TOTAL wattage draw if everything ran at the same time?
2. What one device has the highest wattage draw? What is that draw?
3. How many hours do you want to run?
4. Where are you located (Portland Oregon = Better for Wind / Tucson AZ = Better for Solar)?
5. How remote are we talking?
6. Will you use a generator for charging too?

Here is a formula you probably already know but in case you didn't: Volts x Amps = Watts
Even if you are looking at small electronics, when you look at the plug it will tell you the amp draw. Something that runs on US current is 120 volts and a small electronic could be 0.25 amps.

120volts x 0.25amps = 30watts


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

GTG thanks for that formula! I needed that in a major kind of way. I always just tried to find out the amp hours of draw and sized my battery and panels accordingly. That formula simplifies things quiet a bit and more accurately I might add.

For what you have going a small batter and a panel should be sufficient if there is at least 8 hours of good sun a day. I use a 18 amp hour battery I bought from Harbor Freight and recharge it with a 30 watt solar panel When camping. The 30 amp panel will usually give me about 6 amp hours a day pretty reliably on average here in north Texas. Some days a amp more some days a amp less. It runs my lap top, electric razor, LED lights, radio and any other small odds and ends I have with a small inverter hooked up to it.

In San Diego on my boat I need to rely on both a combination of wind and solar in order to keep things going reliably and I cant use the Radar and have to go very sparingly on the Stove and microwave to get by for more than a couple of days without running a 660 amp-hour battery bank low. Part of that is due to the fact that my panels on the boat aren't always optimal positioned due to the mounting locations so I am usually only getting half the rated power at any given time that my array is capable of. Second the "june gloom" doesn't burn off most days and let the sun through till about 9-10 am and then the sun is low over the horizon by 5 pm reducing my power making capacity. Luckily there is 7mph or better wind about half the time and my mast mounted windmill generator can usually pick up the check for me.


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Mostly just cell phones...a lamp...



GTGallop said:


> Neither one is any good without a battery to store the power. So here are some questions that will help narrow us down a bit.
> 
> 1. How many different devices? What is your TOTAL wattage draw if everything ran at the same time?
> 2. What one device has the highest wattage draw? What is that draw?
> ...


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Small solar and a small battery.

Here is a minimal set up that you can buy on the cheap and use. You'll be surprised what you learn from something like this.

Battery LIFE+ 2 BLSOLAR2 2.5W Solar Battery Charger + Maintainer

AP-6120F1 - Amstron 6V/12AH Sealed Lead Acid Battery w/ F1 Terminal

And an inverter for anything running AC. You may be able to get a DC LED lamp bulb and wire that lamp straight to the battery. No inverters means no parasitic loss in the conversion from DC to AC.

EDIT ==> CORRECTION! I just noticed that was a 6v battery and not 12. They make similar sized / priced 12v batteries if you look for them. Frequently found in home security systems, and APC battery backups for computers.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Here is a much larger solar charger if you are planning on being off grid for longer periods.
Schumacher SP-1500 Charger - AtBatt.com

And I'd go with a full sized car battery, marine battery, or golf cart battery if I had that.
Another thing to think about is a Battery Maintainer.
Battery Tender® Plus

One of these can insure that when the grid falls off your battery is not only topped off already but conditioned and fit for use.


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