Solar Power, DIY and Technology from a different perspective! Learn about using Solar Power and technology in new and creative ways. Lots of detailed DIY Videos and How To guides. Share information and ideas, and see new and interesting things here on the Solar Power Edge channel. This channel is also about high-tech survival, making use of technology in simple yet effective ways. It's about preparedness - learning new things to prepare for the challenges ahead. Topics covered include DIY solar power, solar electric cooking, electronics, grid tie inverters, lithium ion batteries / energy storage, LiFePo4, PV To Load (PV2L), supercapacitors, repair, Ryobi tools, metal buildings, workbench / workshop videos, solar panels, off grid solar, hands-on demonstrations, technology, bench tests, reviews, inventions, prototypes, and more. Feel free to check out our collection of thoughtful and interesting presentations. Note: channel formerly known as DDSolar Channel.
solar output is variable DC - so I am surprised you got those electronic devices to work well - especially the laptop... I am assuming they work only during the peak solar period when you are getting >12V from the panels... many devices have smps to steady the input DC voltage... i.e. they don't trust the power brick that does the AC-DC conversion... so these SMPS might be making things work in your examples where you use direct solar input (i.e. variable DC).... for heaters and fans, variable voltage is not a big issue...
@pspkutube The laptop works fine on one panel, now I have multiple so it's not a problem. However when it gets dark I need a battery, but that's the downside of direct solar power :)
Nice informative video. I have the same controller and just like in your case the temperature management was an issue. I ended up monting my controller to a beefy heatsink with a silicone thermal sheet in between the two. Now the controller doesn't heatup enough to even activate its cooling fan.
@v-man1 Appreciate the good feedback! Excellent idea using a big heat sink. I had recently added 2 scrap aluminum CPU heat sinks. Looking for something bigger though. Also mounted it with spacers (standoff) so it doesn't touch the board except on the L brackets.
Just discovered your channel. I really like the content. In the back of my mine about solar. Why not direct. Now if I have the expertise to do the mods without burning everything to the ground.😂
@@solarpoweredge I have run into an issue where the fans come on with panels connected, but there is no light to create power input. The fans continue to run and drain power. There is no other output load. Have you seen this?
@clintc7355 I have seen similar behavior - except the fans don't come on. This happens under low-light conditions (no sun, but dim light), correct? If so, this would be a problem requiring to unplug the solar panels until you are ready to charge. I have seen similar behavior on multiple solar generators. Requiring that I don't plug the panels in until there is at least some sun. Otherwise, the power gained is zero and the internal electronics drain the battery until the sun comes up. Really wish there was a way to stop that from happening.
@@solarpoweredge exactly! I was trying to leave them connected all the time so that I could have power to a shed. I wonder if it is one of those "you get what you pay for" caveats. The fans ran full speed when I had only 22.5V open circuit and one 100W panel. I then connected 2-100W in series for 48V OC and it fixed the problem, but then I noticed that the fans ran at min speed. I will do more testing.
There must be a risk of damaging the solar pannels if you exceed their current rating. I am assuming they can not stand a short circuited load applied to them. Therefore you could protect them by fitting a current limiting device where your fuse board is located. Fuses by the way are defined by the current they are designed to safely carry without blowing. For example a ten amp fuse supplies ten amps and will not blow untill a realy exessive current is drawn such as caused by a short circuit. (e.g. Low or no -Ohms resistance) Therefore it is possible for a fuse to draw a reasonably a heavy over current for a time and so the fuse fails to protect you. A current regulator is more accurate. Hope this helps
@brjplummer9415 Hi, thanks for the comment - I will use a current limited supply for some tasks. I tend to make a lot of mistakes and melt or short things out!
I have been using solar panels direct coupled to 12v car radiator fans for many years. To transfer air and to cool workshop in summer. They run slower but that is good as they would be too noisy and powerful if they had full voltage. Last for years.
@iindium49 Hello, I hope it will work. You might be glad to know I have already built 2 peltier air conditioner test setups - will share those as soon as possible!
@iindium49 Impressive - been keeping an eye out for one of those flame RV fridges to learn with. There is something about this kind of stuff, it is indeed appealing
Excellent informative demonstration and so enlightening for people like me who are clueless as to what is achievable in a scenario where solar is required to conduct daily activiities requiring electricity. Much appreciated!
@Victoria-gq8gt Hi and thank you for the kind feedback - I am glad this video was useful to you. I too wanted to see the "real world" numbers required for cooking food with solar. Hope to do more tests like this in the future :)
Very well explained. I want to put solar panels in my Home in Thailand and use it offset my power usage by my air conditioning. Seeing as solar panels are so cheap in Thailand i will be installing 12 x 600 watt panels. An a 10k grid tie inverter. (Obviously these are 220 inverters). I would appreciate any comments.
@magicman9486 Hi, thank you for the positive feedback. That's a good sized solar setup. It should make a huge difference. It will be interesting to see how much the electric bill reduces after the system has been running for awhile
You & I think alike. For what it's worth, I'm autistic. We should collaborate on a directly connected refrigeration concept. Currently, I use solar to run motors that (through a transmission) compress air. I then run that compressed air through air engines that generate electricity and run freezers (5). I would rather run small (scroll?) refrigeration compressors directly.
@WhatDadIsUpTo The compressed air setup sounds amazing... you do interesting work. We have much in common. Pace of progress has been slooow. I am strictly limited by long term health issues. It's a little better past few months. Also tinkering with air compressor systems and other ideas. Looking at a new piston pump at the moment when I can afford it. There is too much to do. Anyway my goal is to achieve a refrigeration compressor system that is DIY, direct solar (battery optional). 1. Problem is, most compressors (including scroll) are 1 phase AC. 2. BLDC compressors require electronic drive, basically they are 3 phase AC. I am chipping away at this... investigating different solutions and maybe I will find something. Ideally: no inverter, no electronics. Is that possible? I'll keep trying and will share it with you if I get anywhere :)
@@solarpoweredge Hey, me again. This time with a brain teaser. I designed and built a single-piston positive-displacement air engine that achieves a 355° power stroke and has only one moving part. I might put it up on my RU-vid channel one of these days, but doing that'll spoil the guessing game 🤔.
@WhatDadIsUpTo I'm glad you beat that stuff, excellent. Appreciate the offer, east coast here so pretty far away. But it's OK.. my brother has been working with me on improving diet and health etc. better than last year
@WhatDadIsUpTo You have some fascinating tech... maybe one of those motors with a rotating triangular piston? I can't think of anything at the moment, that moves so far. You should definitely make a video!
I've done pv to load for years. I connected a 12-18 volt solar panel to a small inline 12-volt water pump in my solar water heater loop. When there's enough sunlight to run the pump, there's also enough to heat the panel. Auto on/off with just a pv panel and a load.
This is the start of something big, on another video a guy outlines running a fridge from an inverter and the inverter wastes almost as much energy as the fridge uses over the course of the day
@Ben1551 Eliminating the inverter is a big deal. I was able to get a fridge running directly off of solar for some time now, working on a second, but main part of workshop (the cabin) is getting too hot! so now I'm working on cooling that too. There's too much to do
@@solarpoweredgeI've been doing 12v stuff for awhile now, found your channel recently and it convinced me to fix up my 12v kettle, it could never boil water before due to thin wiring. I am now going to copy your mini tin oven idea for my next camping trip, gas cookers are so annoying to use
@Ben1551 That's a solid idea, I guess the copper costs are where they have to cut corners. The 12v plugs on my appliances are usually not too great either. so I am working on replacing them. Your oven idea sounds great. I am slowly building more ovens and should have another one ready to show soon. There is something attractive about portable DC cooking, this idea has to go somewhere...
@@solarpoweredge I'm going to follow your video on the oven and hope it works out, I am also amazed that there isn't more but when it comes to portable 12v things they all get limited by the 10a cigarette lighter port, I use ring terminals and banana plugs for the most part and they do well once soldered, xt60 is the answer but we won't see that in cars ever
@Ben1551 I will add some XT60 alongside 2.1mm just in case I want to push more amps. Btw I really hope a company will see the mini 12v ovens... and fire up a production line for us. Around 25 bucks... I'd have to buy at least 2
Smart, keeping the units from ever warming up before the fans come on, will prevent or eliminate thermal expansion issues, and should vastly extend the life of the circuits and components. It's the constant heating and cooling cycles that really kills electronics.
@colin8532 Right on! not to mention the sound of the stock fan turning on and off for hours. I prefer on all the time. I think the centrifugal blower option is working best, need more testing to decide
@@solarpoweredge - I've got one on my list too, but on a much smaller scale. I'd send you a link to the video when I get a chance to build it. I'm just in the middle of moving across the country right now, so it will be a while.
@thelegion_within To the 40s (C) temperature of the room it's in is also a factor. It's usually gets too warm in my shop - one of the reasons for upgrading the fans
I ran an old Danfos compressor this way. I added several capacitors to give it the starting kick. Never got dependable performance. Compressor would brown out and over heat. Good luck.
@@solarpoweredgeA small dc pump would cycle water through tubing wrapped around the compressor body. If you made the water tank large enough you could eliminate the worry of the water boiling, and it becomes an asset (hot water or heat) rather than a problem. Where should one look to acquire affordable DC compressors? I have several window units and portable AC with nice radiators but I assume an AC compressor isn't convertible to DC. It is hard to even search for DC compressor parts because of all the air pumps in the results.
@orangezeroalpha That's an interesting idea. Most larger DC compressors seem to be super expensive these days, I am saving up for one right now. You might want to look around at HVAC equipment that is junked or not working. It's possible sometimes to grab parts from those if the price is right.
You have a fun project there! It seems that all you would need is DC to DC converters to get 12v for 12v devices, 24v,, 48v etc. Solar Panels put out much more voltage than 12v and the optimum Solar Panel setup is series keeping the wire small but voltage jumps way up. A DC converter that can take up to 500v and convert to 12v, 24v, etc would be great. My Laptop needs 19.5v dc. We need appliances, computers, etc to work on DC. That is the problem.
I'm currently looking to use the same type ap[plication on my shed. Qusetion is what size panel will I need to drive the radiator fan without putting on a speed controler ?
@MikeBerkebile A 50 watt solar panel in direct sun will move the fan for sure, but never require a speed controller. A 100 watt solar panel can potentially burn out the fan, in good sun in runs super fast but gets hot. Hope that helps!
Hi - Thanks for the detailed review. I hooked up my unit to a 310w solar panel but noticed that the input watts never exceeds 170. My cable run is about 20 ft 16awg. Wondering if its due to voltage drop or the mppt in the unit is bad.
@calvinhobbes4584 Welcome! That does seem low. Hard to say if it's an issue with the mppt. Connecting the panel straight to the provided adapter would be one way to test whether the cables are causing an issue. Verifying input power: a clamp meter to measure the amps on the wire, and a MC-4 splitter to allow measuring the voltage while the solar panel is in operation. Multiply Volts X Amps and that's the actual input Watts. That said, trying a different solar panel is not a bad idea either. Just in case it's an issue there. Can also check the available short circuit current on the panel. Just plug the panel's cables together, and measure the current (Amps) using a clamp meter. Then compare that number to the label on the back. If you discover it's much higher than what the unit is consuming, then it might indeed have a problem with the mppt controller operation. Hope this helps
Thanks for the review. Amazon is selling one with an extra battery and 220w solar panel for about $1400. Seems like a good deal for about 3000wh total.
How has this unit held up over time? It looks like there are some review on the PECRON site that claim theirs stopped charging relatively soon and had to be returned. Just wondering if this is something you observed. Thanks and great review!
@hunterstrathman3249 Thanks for the positive feedback :) I spent some time reading through online reviews both good and bad. The E600 unit I received is still working and charges fine. It is on the workbench cycling as an AC/DC power source. After the endurance test of several days, I have been running smaller appliances now. So far this e600 continues to function 100%. (The only way to see how something holds up is to keep on using it - so that's what I plan to do)
So you also could measure amps of 110V or 220V devices with the 10A setting as long as the device draws 10A or less? Also, what is the diameter of the banana plugs to replace the cheap probes it comes with (because this looks like every cheap multimeter I've ever owned)?
Hi, this meter measures only DC through the 10A side. The banana plugs are usually 4mm on multimeters, however it's best to measure them to make sure. Better test probes with silicone insulation can be had for just a few bucks. For measuring high voltage AC Amps, an AC clamp meter is much safer, example: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gqTZ-K_NaAo.html Hope this helps
This is very common in Pakistan. Charge controllers are much cheaper than batteries thus it is installed in greater numbers. DC fans, lights and water pumps also make it worth an investment
hi do you know how to hook up a battery inbetween the solar panel and the fan so that it can capture overcharge so it can also spin at night. Also, would such a set up require some kind of chip to detect when to use solar power and when to use battery power, because from what i understand batteries can't charge and discharge at the same time.
@Bromunculi Hello, one way to do it is to use a basic solar charge controller, with a battery. The battery can be charging while the solar and fan are connected. This is actually a normal and common scenario. Think of a battery like a bucket of water. Water in (solar) versus water out (fan), and it's either filling up or emptying. A bigger solar panel will make sure the battery leans towards filling up, while still running the fan. A solar panel with less power than the fan will "help" run the fan, slowing down the battery discharge... but eventually the battery will be empty. Some thoughts: 1) solar panel should be powerful enough to run the fan all day plus 100% charge the battery 2) battery needs sufficient reserve to run the fan after a cloudy or dark day 3) If the "Load terminal" of the solar charge controller has at least 10 amps it might be a way to power the fan and automatically shut it off if the battery gets too low 4) Sheds are hot, and not too kind to batteries, just something to keep in mind. 5) Another option is to run the fan on solar during the day, and a AC-DC converter during the night. That way you get the best of both worlds. I hope these ideas are at least helpful :)
I want to run a pond aerator (oil-free, air compressor)off of solar without a battery. Whatever hours I get, I will accept. Can you help me? Do you have any recommendations? There is no AC where my ponds are. I am in Texas at 30 or 31 degree latitude.
@jugears1081 I will try to help... (dealing with a family emergency, keeping it short) 1) In my opinion the easiest route is probably a DC (not AC) compressor. Then use good size solar panels and a DC converter to drive the pump as long as possible. 2) There is actually a kit for sale that does all this out of the box, but it isn't cheap. 3) A lot of compressors are AC, that would require a direct solar powered inverter which can be very difficult to find. As of yet, I have not found a satisfactory inverter that can run on direct solar and handle big loads like compressors. These are just my thoughts and opinions, I hope they are of some help!
I have enjoyed your videos on these fans and had the idea before but was un sure how to execute it and your information was of great help, I greatly appreciate it. I do have a question, I have some existing mechanical attic fans that have died from old age. Rather than replacing the 120v AC motor with OEM type Id like to use one of these 12v DC units, the catch is I need to run them into the evening after the sun has gone down. I'm sure I could run them off of some type of battery set up and I am not excluding this yet, however I would rather hard wire these 12cDC units (or any 12vDC units for that matter) off of stepped down 120AC. My existing fans (3) are all wired to one breaker in the panel it would be great to use this wiring to pull this off. I took a chance asking this because I see you answer almost all the questions. I am willing to pay for your advice on this if that is something you do. Thank you
@jeffp7776 Hi and glad you are enjoying the videos... I am extremely overwhelmed at the moment due to health issues and other matters, so I have to keep this short. Just thinking through your project, some kind of 12v AC-DC converter could be an option. They are very common and not too expensive. Probably need 20-30 amps (estimate). Could place one downstairs with a fuse block, and run the 12v into the attic. You can certainly run DC fans instead of AC. I'd under-volt them (~10v) to reduce overheating risks in the attic. The existing wires can be disconnected and used for 12v if needed too. There is nothing wrong with re-using those wires for 12v, as long as they are disconnected from the AC breaker box and have fuses. Hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas? Thanks for watching and supporting the channel!!!
@@solarpoweredge Thank you for the response I appreciate it. Take care of yourself I’ve had some issues lately (healthy for 55 years) so it is a big strain both mentally and physically. Hope all turns out well.
I try to use/make all of my electric loads DC, and this takes things to the next level... I need to think about how to use my solar directly after the battery is charged. But also allowing any load to use the DC directly will also reduce the battery usage, at least during the day.
Good thinking... there are lots of options you can leverage... I am trying to reduce dependency (and cycling) on batteries - reduce need of inverters and charge controllers too. Reduce costs and complexity. Who knows what is coming, having simple options to fall back on is a good thing 👍
@@solarpoweredge all of your goals apply, but the thing I was aiming for is efficiency. Using the energy directly will save a pretty decent amount of electricity over time, not going in and out of the Solar Charge Controller and Inverter.
@taj-ma-haul9094 Right on! bypassing multiple voltage conversions is more efficient. Plus saves wear and tear on solar equipment. I still have an inverter, but more and more of my stuff is switching to direct solar power... working on direct DC air conditioning right now :)
@@solarpoweredgewhen I purchased my inverter mini split, I tried sourcing a DC version of it and because of the plandemic - it was not available. I plan on replacing it with A DC version with 2 handlers!
Hi all, if you decide to try this project, I found out a CC/CV Buck-Boost board works a lot better. It can accept 12v/24v input, plus higher voltage panels such as 42v. Here is another charger system I built using this idea ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wG6ekxCY5e4.html Any questions please let me know! -Dave
Hi all, if you decide to try this project: I found out a CC/CV Buck/Boost board works a lot better than Boost-only. It can accept 12/24v input, high voltage panels and protects from many short circuit conditions. Here's another charger I made using this idea: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wG6ekxCY5e4.html Any questions please let me know! -Dave
Hi all, if you decide to try this project: I found out a CC/CV Buck/Boost board works a lot better than Boost-only. It can accept 12/24v input, high voltage panels and protects from many short circuit conditions. Here is a later version of the charger as an example ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wG6ekxCY5e4.html Any questions please let me know! -Dave
Thank you. You are now my "go to" page for all things 12v. I really wish that there was a way that I can help you raise your profile to gain more subscribers. One of the best channels IMHO.
@robharrop8929 Welcome - I am so glad to hear it. Thanks for subscribing. I too wish there was more exposure. Been on here over 3 years. I have noticed more subscribers coming in lately. Clicking thumbs up, commenting, sharing a video link with anyone interested also helps, but only at your convenience, I don't want to burden anyone :) thanks again, hopefully will upload some more 12v solar related stuff this month. -Dave
@@solarpoweredge Just a heads up to you and your followers- I just tried to order the batteries off of Amazon (I am in Canada) and they are not available for me to purchase- nor from Amazon US. The trade war with the dragon country is starting to bite hard. This is the first time that I have been prevented from purchasing tech on all fronts, and I have been a netizen for a long, long time. The moral of the story is "get your sh*t now!" while you are still able to. More than happy to recommend your channel to any sphere that I believe will benefit. Rob
@robharrop8929 Yikes, not good. I hope you're able to get batteries somewhere. Thanks for the heads up and supporting the channel. If you wish, I can contact XZNY and ask them if they can do anything about it. Things are definitely becoming unstable. I also am concerned about availability of parts and supplies.
@@solarpoweredge Thanks Dave. Our feds up here have announced punitive sanctions on high tech, solar and batteries about two weeks ago- I am surprised at how quickly the supply pipeline stopped. Our shipping line and trucking logistics are becoming REALLY compromised. I had a heck of a time getting new tires for my Ford Ranger. If you are able to, I suggest taking time to assess your regular consumables in your sphere and acquire an inventory - this is coming from my exposure to a marine career. We are in trouble. Above all, acquire a few months of cash to have on hand. Cash is king when the supply lines are compromised.
@robharrop8929 Welcome sir. That is good solid advice. We have been doing that. I hope you're able to find everything needed. I been feeling that tough times are ahead.
Awesome bit of kitt my 9year old has been using these for 2years to use usb for a fan n charging his fone and usb lights for the night time❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Great video knowledge Amazon sells higher power MAH one's too😋😋😋😋😋😋
@steveadal4735 It's awesome that he's into solar at a young age hehe - perfect way to teach the kids about future tech and get them thinking :) 👍 thanks for watching, liking and commenting too :D
