Considering buying a solarpanel opions

wilson ind

Well-known Member
Thinking of a solar panel for charging 12 v battery in chicken house. Also would be for use if grid goes down for very long periods.Amazon has several for about 159 bucks for 100 watt 12 volt. you opinions on type, size, life expectancy and any other ideas.
 
Good Neighbor Wilson, its just as easy to install a 235 watt panel as it is a 100 watt, so I suggest you go down to the south Odon Amish community and buy a 235 Watt panel like I did (I bought two for my RV, they measure 39 x 64) from Wagler Energy Solutions for $211.50 (90 cents per watt) and install at least one of them.

To properly charge your battery you need a Solar Charge Controller (interface from solar panel to battery) which aren't expensive for say a 20 amp cheap PWM type, but I wanted a Smart 3 Stage (Bulk, Absorption, Float) temperature compensated MPPT controller which cost more, but you can get by without. In fact some of the smaller panels come equipped with their own PWM controller mounted right on back the panels, simply plug and play to your 12 volt battery. Two wires piece of cake.

For RV or home energy use I suggest a couple true deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries (like Trojan T-105 or equal Sams Club or Interstate etc) wired in series, they have thicker plates and are better at deep discharge and recharge, however sure a cheap regular 12 volt auto/truck starting battery will "work".

If you need any 120 VAC powered by your battery you would need an adequate sized 12 VDC to 120 VAC Inverter. Modified Sine Wave MSW are cheaper, but if you have sensitive electronics and some appliances prefer a more expensive Pure Sine Wave PSW Inverter. Sure a cheaper MSW Inverter will "work" fine on many devices

NOTE if you're going to do this and need to store a reasonable amount of energy, a regular auto/truck starting battery may only have say 100 Amp Hour energy storage capacity while those true deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries like my Trojan T-105 have a 225 Amp Hour rating. Those so called 12 volt cheap RV/Marine batteries sold at Walmart are semi deep cycle at best and will work but don't store the energy a quality and proper sized true deep cycle golf cart battery does.

My advice, buy a 235 Watt Solar Panel ($211.50) fixed mounted pointed to southern sky at around a 47 degree tilt angle,,,,,,,,,, a 20 amp PWM Solar Charge Controller (unless you buy a panel with built in controller),,,,,,,,,,,,a couple true deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries,,,,,,,,,,If 120 VAC is needed a 12 VDC to 120 VAC Inverter adequate sized.

Sure your 100 watt panel proposal (need a solar charge controller) and any old cheap 12 volt auto/truck starting battery will work subject to your needs.

John T Retired Electrical Engineer

2006 Gulf Stream 29 Ft Class C Ford E 450 Super Duty w/5 speed 5R 110 OD Tranny
470 watts of Solar Panels, four Trojan T-105's in series parallel for 450 Amp Hours
30 Amp Smart 3 stage temperature compensated MPPT solar charge controller
80 amp Smart 4 stage Battery Charger, Progressive Dynamics 9280
4 KW Genset
86 gallons fresh water, 66 gal gray water storage.
 
Funny you mentioned the Amish. I remember seeing an ad for solar panels and things by an Amish in a local paper. I sort of laughed. The guys who stayed behind on many other technology are ahead of most the rest in other areas ! LOL.
 
I grew up fairly close to them and like you when I see them using cell phones and solar I'm a bit surprised. Many in that area are building 4000 to 5000 watt ground mounted fixed solar arrays (southern exposure 47 degree tilt) with 4 to 5 KW Inverters and huge banks of L 16 batteries. One shop has a field full of old 500 gallon LP gas tanks which they fill up with compressed air each night so they run their air powered machines all day. Since they have 10 kids and the old family farm cant support that many new families many have turned to carpentry to earn a living or run shoe or grocery or buggy or cabinet stores etc etc etc.

PS ever notice in a grocery store the kids are crying and whining and wanting candy etc and running wild?? To this day Ive NEVER seen an Amish kid cry or act that way!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have something the other mothers don't.

John T If I weren't so old and worn down and spoiled and set in my ways and comforts, Id join them lol
 
I am right in the heart of them here in Ohio. I never could figure out how they get the little kids to do anything. I thinking it has something to do with spare the rod and spoil the child. My kids are grown now and I still can't get them to do anything !!!!
But then I also am pretty sure big brother is watching me and if I beat them I'd be in jail.
 
Thank you old friend. Sounds like 211 bucks is what I will do. Also when my home built electric cart needs batteries I will get those Trojans.Panels might look funny mounted on top of small chicken house LOL. I will use the panels more for emergency standby in a possible time of extend grid down time as in national emergency. Also to provide night lighting at 12 volts for small chicken house after 4 am. ( egg production). Will park electric cart by chicken house to also recharge. Now another situation, is there a small 12 volt heat tape or heater to keep chicken water from freezing??
 
I think you are right on the mark with the spare the rod - spoil the child. The longer I live in this world, the more I am convinced that the lack of discipline we see today is one of the biggest problems we face in society. I think there is something to the old saying that "punishment must be swift, severe and certain". Not "PC", and proud of it, and have no intentions on changing now :). Sorry I got off track as this has nothing to do with solar panels.......
 
LOL. That's what I like about this place. One topic can take on a different direction. You never know what you will learn. Just like at the local coffee shop.
Now the "hijack" a thread police will be along to condemn both of us !
 
Panel $211, Cheap PWM 20 amp solar charge controller $30 on E Bay, Trojan T-105 batteries around $125 (need 2).

Of course you can buy a 100 watt panel less then $100 and use a single cheap 12 volt RV/Marine Battery around $100 if you have low energy needs.

It all depends on how much energy you need and quality of equipment. In my RV the two of us can dry camp indefinitely and never run out of energy with our 470 Solar Watts and Four Trojan T-105's (450 Amp Hours) and we have a 4 KW backup Generator if ever needed. My 30 amp Smart 3 Stage Temp Compensated solar charge controller was over $200 and my smart 4 stage Progressive Dynamics PD9280 80 amp charger was around $200, 4 Trojans around $500, two 235 watt panels $211 BUT WE CAN DRY CAMP FOR FREE WEEKS ON END WHEN WE GO TO UTAH AND COLORADO MOUNTAINS BLM AND NATL FOREST CAMPS

John T
 
So for $490 plus tax, this solar package will make $.02 of electricity per hour.

In the winter we are lucky to have sunny days and only about 8 to 10 hours of day light. Solar output is a function of the angle the sun strikes the collector.

I would run power to chicken coup.
 
"I would run power to chicken coup"

That may indeed be okay for our friend Wilson, but he doesn't need all the equipment and capacity I need in the RV, he can get by for wayyyyyyyyyyy less then I need. Still, its his money and his choice, to each their own.

Of course, when were in the remote mountains of Utah and Colorado in the RV on free camping BLM and Natl Forest campgrounds for a week or more THERES NO POWER WE CAN HOOK TO LOL so I take my own and love every minute of it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

John T
 
I assume you were looking at a Renogy panel on Amazon? Renogy has some great prices. I put solar at remote cabin I own this spring. I got a Renogy 400 watt kit shipped to my door for $650. That includes the mounts, controller, and wires. Batteries are up to you.

Just keep in mind that solar-panels only produce effective energy for 4-6 hours a day and some days, they produce nothing.

My 5550 watt grid-tie system I had in NY averaged 320 KWH per month over a five-year period.

Solar-panels usually last well over 20 years. They never just go bad all at one. A solar "panel" is just a bunch of individual cells wired together with some diodes added to stop reverse flow. I have a panel I got in the 70s and after 40 years - it has a few weak cells but still makes 90% of the original output.
 
A comment on batteries. 6 volt Trojan T-105 golf-cart batteries used to be popular until they became disallowed in many grid-tie systems (due to their short warranty).
Trojan L16s became more the norm since at an extra cost - Trojan was willing to put a 5 year warranty on them.

If you feel the need for a pair of 6 volt batteries like the Trojan T-15, you can buy the GC-2 equivalent much cheaper at places like Sams Club. $83 each last I checked.
 
However, it don't matter if it don't add up to me or you or how we would do it (Generator or run utility power or go Solar), its Wilsons question and his money, to each his own regardless of the economics. I'm just here to answer his questions, help him out with what he asked about and not make decisions for him.

Fun chattin with you neighbor, take care

John T
 
In all my years of RV and Solar use I've had Sams Club and Interstate and Trojan plus others and got along fairly well with any of them. Of course you have to compare apples to apples and look at Amp Hours and Life Cycles etc. I've seen some that were low priced BUT they didn't have near as much capacity. The Amish use a lot of L 16.

John T
 
JohnT,
Yes, fun chat. Yes, it's Bill's money. But I's betting Bill will keep his money. Not saying he is CHEAP, just a Frugal.
geo
 
The last set of GC2s I bought came from NAPA. That was nine years ago and they cost $55 at that time (Trojans T-105s were around $90 then). The GC2s have the same AH capacity as the T-105s and also around the same life. Mine lasted 8 years which is the norm. The Deka GC2s from NAPA and the Trojan T-105s are both rated for 750 cycles of 100% discharged before being worn out.

The 6 volt GC2s are rated around 225 amp-hours each. So if you put two together in series to make 12 volts - you have in effect one big 12 volt battery with 125 amp-hours.

You can do the same with two 12 volt batteries from Walmart (made by Johnson Controls). A lot cheaper that way. Two of those type 27 batteries in parallel have a 230 amp-hour rating.

Seems the big difference between the GC2 and the Walmart deep-cycle is the endurance rating at full 100% discharge. The GC2s (like Trojan T-105s) are rated for 750 cycles, whereas the Walmart batteries only 250 cycles.
 
(quoted from post at 09:18:49 09/22/16)
If you need any 120 VAC powered by your battery you would need an adequate sized 12 VDC to 120 VAC Inverter. Modified Sine Wave MSW are cheaper, but if you have sensitive electronics and some appliances prefer a more expensive Pure Sine Wave PSW Inverter. Sure a cheaper MSW Inverter will "work" fine on many devices

JohnT, what brand inverter are you running? MSW or PSW?

I'm installing a solar setup at my hunting property so very interested in your experience.


Grouse
 
JD,
I have a question about durability. Will solar panels stand up to a hailstorm? We sometimes have hailstones of over 2" diameter in Texas.
Butch
 
I'm running a 2000 Watt PSW Inverter which are a bit more expensive. HOWEVER many many devices run fine on MSW. Some electronic devices and appliances prefer PSW so I didn't want to take any chances when I'm miles from nowhere and don't want to risk damaging any devices. You hear of some appliances that don't do well on MSW HOWEVER you don't hear of any that don't do okay on PSW as its close to your home utility service power.

As I told Wilson its no harder to hang a 235 or more watt panel (fixed southern exposure at proper tilt) then his proposed 100 watt so for $211 my choice would be to go for it. As far as battery capacity, the more Amp Hours = more energy storage capacity and for cabins or RV's or chicken houses its much better if you use a true Deep Cycle battery versus a regular shallow cycle car/truck STARTING battery or a cheap Walmart RV/Marine Battery. Sure a 50 or 100 watt panel, a cheap 20 amp PWM charge controller (MPPT are better but cost more) and an RV/Marine battery with a MSW Inverter will get you by but not for long or for much energy use.

ITS YOUR MONEY AND YOUR CHOICE regardless of economics or regardless what any of us here would do.

John T Retired Electrical Engineer
 
JDEM when you posted

"The 6 volt GC2s are rated around 225 amp-hours each. So if you put two together in series to make 12 volts - you have in effect one big 12 volt battery with 125 amp-hours"

I think that's a typo and if you're like me your fingers don't track you brain grrrrrrrrrr

Two of the 6 volt GC2's in series = 225 Amp Hours

That Life Cycle rating difference is HUGE between 750 for Trojans versus ONLY 250 for the Walmart battery, but that's something Billy Bob or Bubba (Electrically challenged) don't pick up on. Years ago I had some Walmart RV/Marine batteries then as I learned more and became more experienced I switched to Interstate or Sams Club GC2 and now I'm running Trojans.

As always I enjoy your sparky chat

John T
 
Note that many inverters sold as "pure sine wave" are NOT. Many do not work as well as cheaper modified-wave inverters for many things. If you want details, I can
list them.

A 2000/3000 watt inverter sold as "pure sine wave" and cost $1000 or less - will NOT make a pure sine wave. If it costs $1500 or more - and is power-company
certified, the yes.

I've had over a dozen makes and models of "pure sine wave" inverters on a scope and none made a real sine-wave. I will note that a 2000 watt power-company certified
inverter from Outback did. It also cost $1600.

If anyone has ever bought a inverter for under $1000 that actually makes a sine-wave - I'd like to hear about it. I have not found one yet.

There are some things that mod-wave inverters cannot run properly. Same goes for most sold as "pure sine wave."
 
I don't know about 2" hailstones. Just about all solar-panels use tempered glass. I have not seen one break yet from hail but I also have not been around 2" hailstones. 3/4", yes.
 
Thanks. I was wondering because we get a lot of hail down here and it'd be tough to swallow to have a roof full of crystals and have them smashed to bits. Wondering about weight also. I guess I could look up what a watt of electricity weighs.
 
I don't have them my friend in Bunnell Fl. has them but no emergency covers if it hails too hard . If it starts breaking them your screwed.
 
The same for the neighbors nearby who have solar panels on their roof. It doesn't add up. On cloudy days I have to laugh. Have to wonder how much extra it will cost them when it comes time to replace the roof. Any savings will be offset by having to remove and reinstall the panels. I've heard that 10+ year-old solar panels are prone to cracking if you bother them. And in the summer when there are the most sunny days, the AC is going full blast to run up the electric bill. Sounds nuts to me.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top