Solar Panels Basic Info

[Mac of Cygnet]

My neighbour lives off-grid in a static caravan and makes most of his electricity with a waterwheel made of halved propane cylinders, running an alternator and a bank of 12v batteries.  This is ample except when the river is low in summer, so he has asked me to 'find out about' solar panels.  I am his only link to the internet, and know nothing about the subject except what I have read on here.

Is there a BRIEF (I'd have to print it out) 'Solar Panels for Dummies' available that I could give him?  He's not a dummy, BTW, but a very resourceful person.

I've already printed off the 12V solar panel kit list from Bimble.

[WotEver]

11 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

I've already printed off the 12V solar panel kit list from Bimble.

What else do you want for him? Serious question.

Photons from the sun liberate free electrons in a silicon wafer which results in electricity which can be used to charge a battery...

 

 

This page is a kinda PV for Dummies... http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/energy-articles/solar-cell-turns-photons-into-electrons.html

[MtB]

20 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

He's not a dummy, BTW, but a very resourceful person

 

He doesn't sound it, if he hasn't organised himself internet access yet!

 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Mike the Boilerman

[Mac of Cygnet]

4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

He doesn't sound it, if he hasn't organised himself internet access yet!

 

OK, so he has built from scratch an 11ft diameter waterwheel powered by a jet from a pipe running from a dam across the river 20 yards away also constructed by him.  He laid his own water supply from a spring on the hill 200 yards away.  He has just finished adding a pitched roof and complete exterior cladding to his caravan, using wood from his own sawmill.  He is a drainage contractor with a fleet of several diggers, including tracked, on which all maintenance and repairs are done by him.  And a smallholding with cattle. All with no formal training.

He just feels that except on rare occasions like this the internet has nothing to offer him, just as I feel television has nothing to offer me, and I'm willing to help without snide comments.

[Tony Brooks]

I am tempted to say tell him to get as many panels as he can mount/afford, then use their output to choose a  controller, be it PMW or MPPT with MPPT givin more output in most conditions. Then the panels and controller usually come with instructions. I think most retail solar companies have something o their website, Photonic universe certainty does https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/

but you will have to print them out for him.

I take it he wants to stick with a 12/24 volt system for charging.

[Mac of Cygnet]

17 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I am tempted to say tell him to get as many panels as he can mount/afford, then use their output to choose a  controller, be it PMW or MPPT with MPPT givin more output in most conditions. Then the panels and controller usually come with instructions. I think most retail solar companies have something o their website, Photonic universe certainty does https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/

but you will have to print them out for him.

I take it he wants to stick with a 12/24 volt system for charging.

Thanks, Tony.  The FAQs on that site are just about what I'm looking for.

[Robbo]

2 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

OK, so he has built from scratch an 11ft diameter waterwheel powered by a jet from a pipe running from a dam across the river 20 yards away also constructed by him.  He laid his own water supply from a spring on the hill 200 yards away.  He has just finished adding a pitched roof and complete exterior cladding to his caravan, using wood from his own sawmill.  He is a drainage contractor with a fleet of several diggers, including tracked, on which all maintenance and repairs are done by him.  And a smallholding with cattle. All with no formal training.

He just feels that except on rare occasions like this the internet has nothing to offer him, just as I feel television has nothing to offer me, and I'm willing to help without snide comments.

He sounds like the type that may be interested in using solar for hot water as well as it’s very DIYable; http://www.reuk.co.uk/wordpress/heating/diy-solar-water-heating/

[Cheshire cat]

There's a massive flaw in the installation in that link. In winter it will freeze and burst. An indirect solution with antifreeze has got to be better.

[sharpness]

8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

He doesn't sound it, if he hasn't organised himself internet access yet!

 

Ah, but he has ,and someone to do the research for him.

[Mac of Cygnet]

1 hour ago, sharpness said:

Ah, but he has ,and someone to do the research for him.

We help each other round here.  I get stuff from the internet for him, plus he has one of my old polytunnels.  I get timber from his sawmill, gravel for my drive, and the odd tree for the stove. There is no exploitation, just a very amicable arrangement.

[MtB]

9 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

He just feels that except on rare occasions like this the internet has nothing to offer him, just as I feel television has nothing to offer me, and I'm willing to help without snide comments.

 

You're right, and I apologise. 

I was trying to be amusing rather than snide, and on re-reading my post I see it didn't come off.

[Mac of Cygnet]

3 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

You're right, and I apologise. 

I was trying to be amusing rather than snide, and on re-reading my post I see it didn't come off.

Thanks, Mike.

[Chewbacka]

Same as a boat, the first thing is to do a power audit, and then estimate the worst case for his water wheel, that will tell him his summer shortfall, then estimate the solar panels required, bearing in mind some days, even in summer, it can be cloudy.

[sharpness]

21 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

We help each other round here.  I get stuff from the internet for him, plus he has one of my old polytunnels.  I get timber from his sawmill, gravel for my drive, and the odd tree for the stove. There is no exploitation, just a very amicable arrangement.

Yes, works a treat, the best way.