Solar Power on a Small Scale: Simple Solar Part 1

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Solar power at home doesn't have to mean you cover the roof of your home entirely in solar panels. It's possible to start in a small way, including simply charging your mobile phone.
In this video we explain how you can be more sustainable with solar on a small scale. We also give simple explanation as to how solar panels work so you can adapt any solar panel to power any electric item from a laptop to an electric fence!
If you're interested in protecting your poultry using a solar powered electric fence, we can help with that! Our UK online poultry keeping shop (www.englishcountrylife.com) has both solar energisers and solar assisted panels to power your energisers. If you're not sure what you need, just ask us. Email us at englishcountrylife@outlook.com
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Opening Music credits: Artist = Earth Tree Healing
Composer = Claudine West
Website = claudinewestmu...

Опубликовано:

30 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 512

@tubegor 3 месяца назад

As an electrician I know the topic, but the way it was explained is absolutely brilliant. I wish I had teachers like that at school. Thanks Hugh!

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Thank you so much, you made my evening!

@lindaoostmeyer4637 5 месяцев назад

Anybody else wish that Hugh was your science teacher in school? So easy to understand!

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Thank you Linda ☺️. My father used to train science teachers!

@OldNavajoTricks 4 месяца назад

He has that Bill Oddie vibe 🤘🙂

@leowatkins3718 4 месяца назад

Showing my age but reminiscent of TV programme "How"

@OldNavajoTricks 4 месяца назад

@@leowatkins3718 How2 :-D And that's 'How..for now!'

@lynetteharris961 5 месяцев назад

This video has been the most easy to understand information on solar so thank you. I knew all of the components needed but now I understand what they do. I've watched alot of content on solar but the information didn't sink in like it did on yours. Really appreciate the information 🙏

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Thanks Lynette - it has to be simple for me to understand 😊

@kneedownbrown 5 месяцев назад

I learnt and understood more in these few minutes than I have watching many other similar videos online. Thanks so much for making it simple without dumbing it down. I’m hoping you will be able to recommend some specific products in future videos for people to set up something small scale as a starting point. Really looking forward to more on this topic!

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Thank you so much. I'm happy to do more "bite sized chunks" if people are interested - including recommending specific products

@andrewarthurmatthews6685 4 месяца назад

Yes an instructive video on how to source , set up and run / maintain a solar panel system to provide energy for a domestic home . I suggest this as I think this is where the majority of people consume and pay for their ever increasing electric bills. Yes I have installed solar powered outdoor lights etc but that is due to the ease of installation, not running cables , fused spurs , CCU etc. can be made

@niwty 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLifeOne specific product you could mention perhaps is a “Pure sine wave” inverter. This prevents some issues with laptops and things that are a little choosy about the kind of electricity they consume. Other than that great video. 👍

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

@@niwty I will do in future episodes! Interestingly modern laptops with transformers run happily on modified sine wave, but certainly anything with a pump (e.g. central heating) or compressor (e.g. freezer) definitely do better with pure sine wave so point taken 😉

@angelahodgson2212 4 месяца назад

Wow that’s the first explanation that I’ve actually understood

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Angela. If I can understand it, anyone can 😁

@donnamarshall8349 5 месяцев назад

Oh my! Thanks for sharing your experience, I would’ve had no idea how simple solar panels are to set up 😁😁

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

They really are Donna! I'll do a few more episodes with more details but it's all straightforward stuff

@rubygray7749 5 месяцев назад

Love seeing another exhuberant, edumacational tutorial from you!! I've been without power for 3 1/2 years now, and the novelty is seriously wearing off. But I have discovered just how little power is really necessary. Most folks are thoughtlessly extravagant with it. I do have most components for a small system, but lack the confidence to put it all together. I'm all eyes and ears for your next instalments!!

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Honestly it really is super simple & these days amazingly cheap. I saw a 400 Watt panel for £70 this week

@Chris-hf2sl 4 месяца назад

I'm a retired electronic engineer and was impressed by how he simplified things for non-engineers. The only thing I would add is that if you just want some lighting in an outhouse or shed, you don't need an inverter. The inverter changes 12 volts dc from the battery to 230 volts ac (in the UK). But LED's work on a few volts dc (depending on the type), so modern household LED lamps have to convert the 230 volts down to a few volts dc. (Yes, slightly simplified, I realise.) So, why invert the 12 volts up to 230 only to drop it back down again within the lamp? These two processes are not only expensive but they're also inefficient - they waste valuable power. Fortunately, you can buy 12 volt LED lamps for use in vehicles and yachts. Therefore if you want lighting in a shed, run everything on 12 volts. The only thing you need to watch is that since the voltage is (about) one twentieth of 230 volts, the current will be twenty times as high to compensate to get the same power and bulb brightness, so make sure that any cables and switches can handle the higher current. (For small systems this is unlikely to be a problem.) Finally, one VERY IMPORTANT tip: Car batteries can deliver thousands of amps, so it's vital to incorporate a fuse as close to the battery as possible in case something goes wrong with the wiring. Without a fuse, if there's a short circuit somewhere, the wiring WILL catch fire, along with your shed. A vehicle fuse designed for 12 volts is the best type to use and it should be rated at a current no higher than the cable rating.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

All excellent points. I plan to incorporate DC use & fusing, wiring, terminal covers etc. in future videos. The next episode will touch on series vs parallel for multiple panels which inevitably leads on to current! It's quite the juggling act to make something approachable but include as much information as possible

@sehtihrdenhutdortaufdersta3857 4 месяца назад

Thank you for your point. If I got you right then cables and switches as used in the normal 230 Volt net should be fine?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

@@sehtihrdenhutdortaufdersta3857 This very much depends on the setup & we will cover it in future episodes, however with a larger setup normal domestic wiring may well be not only inadequate but dangerous. Even a few 400W panels can produce 40A which is a much higher current than domestic wiring is rated for.

@Chris-hf2sl 4 месяца назад

@@sehtihrdenhutdortaufdersta3857 As EnglishCountryLife points out, it depends on the size of your system. A single solar panel and a few LED lamps will not be a problem with mains cable. The 'correct' way to proceed is to add up the currents in each of the LED's or other devices and then to ensure that the cable is rated to handle such current. UK domestic lighting cable is rated at 5 amps, which is more than enough for a few LED lamps, but it might not be enough for the feed from the solar panels to the battery (via the controller), so a heavier cable will be needed. You can buy higher amperage cable. The other thing that you need to watch is that domestic switches are intended for use on ac circuits. In the presence of any moisture in dc circuits, contacts such as those found in switches can corrode (the 'battery' effect). This is not a problem with ac because the current keeps switching direction, so any corrosion is reversed when the current reverses. So, whilst domestic switches will work, they might not last as long as you would hope in a potentially damp environment like a shed. Switches designed for use in vehicles are therefore probably a better choice.

@sehtihrdenhutdortaufdersta3857 4 месяца назад

@@Chris-hf2sl Hi Chris, thanks for your explanations, which are clear so far. I guess that the heavier cabel is only needed up to the distribution point, from there lighter cabel will be sufficient since they lead then to individual devices (lamps and other utilities)? Wish you a nice weekend 😊

@Sam-d3p8t 4 месяца назад

More videos like this please! Really enjoyed it and looking forward to the next one - sending thanks from Lincoln 👍

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I will do a few more on Solar 🙂

@hel1copter 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife You mention scaling. In my greenhouse I’d like to be able to run a pair of infrared heater panels from a 12v leisure battery, but I can’t work out the size of PV array I would need. So any help on scaling would be immensely useful.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

@@hel1copter I'll definitely do a video on that. Do you know what wattage your heaters are?

@hel1copter 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife I’ll look and let you know in a further comment. Thanks.

@ronburgundy3719 4 месяца назад

This is exactly what I wanted to see. Made things simple and incredibly well explained. Well done fella, you are skilled at breaking down tech to make things simple. 👏

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Ron - that's kind of you to say

@TheFarrierphil 5 месяцев назад

Talking to my neighbour, who's a spark, he's mentioned that solar voltaic cells have improved so much recently its well worth considering solar power even on an overcast day. Loved your explanation of it all Hugh, reminds me of the awesome Johnny Ball👏👏👏

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Thanks Phil - PV panels are getting SO much cheaper now too. A 400W panel can be had for £70 now!

@martydav9475 5 месяцев назад

The David Bellamy of Lincolnshire.

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

@@martydav9475 He had an even better beard 😁

@bill-2018 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife Wow! The costs have reduced.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

@@bill-2018 They really have!

@sailor67duilio27 4 месяца назад

Please more videos on solar panels on budgets. Very useful. Thank you.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Will do!

@nickpridding3435 4 месяца назад

What an excellent video. Clear , concise explanation. Thank you for producing such fabulous content.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Nick, that's very kind

@edithhorgan3733 4 месяца назад

Thank you for explaining about solar power. Please teach us more about it. You really helped me understand it. I will watch for more of your videos about it. Plus I love seeing your chickens. I pray Fiona is feeling better with her leg. Praying for her. Keep the videos coming. I am in USA & I truly love how you both teach us with each video I watch. God bless you both.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thank you so much Edith - we appreciate it

@garyhalsey7693 4 месяца назад

Very good video. Clear, concise and most importantly, understandable!! I would love to see more Solar power related content! You’ve got yourself a new subscriber today!! Keep it up!

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Gary!

@andrewarthurmatthews6685 4 месяца назад

Very good simple and entertaining video however I don’t think you explained what ‘ the or a load ‘ is ? As a ex sparky I do but in this type of presentation in my opinion it’s a good idea to not to assume viewers will understand this terminology

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Good point - I will cover in more detail when we film charge controllers in detail

@neilfoster814 4 месяца назад

Hmmmm, very interesting. I have a couple of decent 2sq ft solar panels, and I've just been clipping them straight to the batteries. It does work, but will now fit a charge controller into the circuit. Best wishes from a fellow rural Lincolnshire resident!

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hello fellow "yellow belly" (which does sound rude, but isn't) 😁👍

@JJR-373 5 месяцев назад

Thank you for the wonderful explanation. My mind is whirling with the endless possibilities of how this could be used.

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Thank you - would you like a future video on all the ways that we use it?

@JJR-373 5 месяцев назад

@@EnglishCountryLife Oh yes please.

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

@@JJR-373 Perfect, I will break out the solar powered chainsaw!

@stevewilson6390 4 месяца назад

I'm hooked ? I was having a browse and youtube delivered you! I've watched a few of your tutorials and advice contents and find them so interesting and useful. New subscriber here I'm off to look at more of your content👍

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Steve & welcome 🙂

@ozyrob1 4 месяца назад

Great channel. I subbed after watching the first video.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thank you & welcome 🙂

@patriciajones395 4 месяца назад

Thank you, first time I've understood, you made it so simple

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Glad to hear that!

@Prospermiinow 16 дней назад

The way you explain is truly wonderful: clear, no jargon, verbal pace is uplifting but not exhausting. I want to learn more about solar usage for appliances in the home: I would like to use solar energy to power a lamp in one room, and a window unit air conditioner. Thank you for using your gift of explaining and teaching to help others understand. Peace and Perfect-Health to you and yours. 11:30 P

@EnglishCountryLife 16 дней назад

@@Prospermiinow That's very kind of you, Thank you!

@BrewDoGParaDoX 4 месяца назад

Been looking at installing solar power and this video makes it look easier than i thought Would like to see more of this on a larger scale you explained it so well

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thank you 😊. We are going to make a small series covering each component in more depth. This will show different types of set up (small & large, fixed & portable). We filmed the panels element today (which included me lugging massive 6' x 4' rigid panels around 😁)

@anthonyosborne1089 4 месяца назад

This was just my cup of tea, and I learnt a lot from this one video alone, so have subscribed and would welcome much more content on this and all the other useful things you can pass on.Many thanks!

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Anthony & Welcome

@davidwillwill5697 4 месяца назад

Great video. Would definitely like videos on adding more solar panels to the system, on the roof of my shed, so that I can pump water and charge my electric chainsaw, hedgetrimmer screwdriver etc.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Righto David, will do

@2170eddie 2 месяца назад

Exceptional video. Easy demonstration to understand. I want to build a simple system capable of running a midsize refrigerator and other basics, like lights, internet TV etc. What are compatible upgradable budget equipment I would need. Inverter, solar panel, Battery etc. Thank you.

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

You would need a few larger panels, a decent mppt charge controller, a small battery array and a pure dine wave inverter. We will cover all of these in upcoming episodes

@gereinarte7637 Месяц назад

Excellent explanation! In 11 minutes you have succeeded where hours and hours of RU-vid videos have failed 😊

@EnglishCountryLife Месяц назад

Thank you !

@stevek517 3 месяца назад

Incredibly good explanation! Thanks. Subscribed : )

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Thanks Steve!

@gordonlawrence1448 4 месяца назад

Have you considered an ultra-low-power PC to use as your multimedia system? If you are careful you can get down to under 50W including the screen and speakers etc. You can use it to replace your PC and TV if you do it correctly. You can also significantly reduce the power used by LED lighting by for example reducing a 15W LED bulb down to 5W which with the extra efficiencies will give you the same light as a 6W LED bulb but run cooler, and therefore have much longer life as well as less flicker. Water can be put through roof solar to heat it up. Also I'm working on rainwater charge transfer panels which in the lab generate 69W per square meter. You can put those in places not suitable for solar PV and they work any time it is raining day or night.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

These are fantastic ideas Gordon, thank you

@alexferguson9283 3 месяца назад

Hello Hugh, I’ve just found and subscribed to your channel. This sort of thing really interest me, can we have some more, please?

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Morning Alex & thank you! We have three episodes in this series now with more to come. We've made a playlist so that people can find the relevant videos ru-vid.com/group/PLDluIIoNPslensVXgIZS7Rdgk8aCpRzR2&si=lDnxW30IbdrsxPzx

@nxesr 4 месяца назад

My goodness I couldn't help but subscribe and thank you, you are a legend 👍🏼

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Wow ☺️. Thank you & you are most welcome!

@21ARUNDEL 4 месяца назад

Yes yes YES please do a video on setting up power in a small domestic shed and how to set up garden lights from the same solar source. I'm particularly interested in understanding the risks and then mitigation. You really explained this video well. Also when you do your next vids on this would you conbe t them and make the progressive ..1 of 3 ,2 of 3 ,3 of 3 etc please? Subscribed 👍🏻

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Great idea - I'll do that

@theboycalledleaf 4 месяца назад

Thank you Hugh. It's very easy to get confused and downhearted by the technology and also the cost. I really appreciate you both creating this hugely informative video. I'm intrigued to know how this can be scaled to run a shed / garden office. More panels and more batteries? Connect in parallel or series (?) and is this safe to do in a garden room environment? You've earned a new subscriber. Thanks again.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Glad it was helpful! I'll look at all those items in future videos 🙂

@demogirlsworld 3 месяца назад

Thank you Sir, explained really well, so much so, I will be using this YT for my kids homeschool science when we work on building a Solar power system for the greenhouse.

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

That sounds like a great project

@IndikaDeFonseka 3 месяца назад

Brilliant video! Entertaining, informative and a joy to watch! Thank you!

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

We are do pleased!

@petercameron8832 4 месяца назад

Well I am a very naughty person, l have an old solar panel,16 volts in full sun hooked directly to a large 12volt battery( came out of a golf cart). I occasionally run 8 small LED lights off the battery,been using it for two years. The panel stands vertically in an east facing window so I am guessing that it only acting as a trickle charger on a battery that is at least ten years old. Will I set my shed on fire ? Or is the setup so inefficient that it won’t matter . I enjoyed your show.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Some panels have a built in charge controller. We have a couple like that which work very well. It might very well be the case with yours

@tylerstout1549 4 месяца назад

A solar generator has been on the top of My list of major self-sufficiency items for a while now but I just cannot convince myself that the commercial products are worth The investment. Several hundred dollars just to charge the phone, or a few thousand dollars just to be able to run my refrigerator for a couple hours is simply absurd. And whole home generation is just a rich kid pipe dream. But seeing how easy it is to put together a system piecemeal. Makes me want to give it a go. However, I don't know how to size all the components. Do you happen to have any sort of guide on how to decide how many batteries I need, how big, a panel to get, etc for various needs? I would imagine that sample setup you showed in the video would suffice for charging small devices like phones, radios, etc, but what if I wanted to run a fridge or freezer if we lost power? Or maybe even put in a transfer switch to run A few breakers for major appliances via the electrical panel?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hi Tyler! I would be delighted to cover exactly these sorts of questions in a future video. Don't write off solar generators. Ours cost £700 and runs multiple freezers for days! Sometimes they are cheaper than buying the components. Feel free to email us (englishcountrylife@outlook.com) & I can talk you through our setup

@martynf65uk 4 месяца назад

None of our mobile phones, tablets or any USB charged devices have seen a main electricity socket in nearly 5 years. Started off with an Anker folding solar panel hung in the front window, then progress to add a leisure battery in a Buffalo case with a 20 watt panel in the front window of the house and a small charge controller. Just these two have provided all charging for years of our tech. Might of broke even by now, sure we have. Wish i could afford a full solar pv install, but i cannot :(

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

That's excellent! Bigger installations are coming down in price now thankfully

@peterc2248 4 месяца назад

Excellent video. I run a cemetery for a rural Parish that has no mains power or water supply. Later this year I'm setting up a rainwater capture system using a small covered roof 'pergola' and some IBC tanks. I'd like to mount some solar panels on the pergola to provide power to our small shed - LED lights for Winter and maybe some way of charging battery powered tools like strimmers, hedge trimmers etc. Is that doable and if so what calculations are needed for batteries, cables and panels etc?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hi Peter! That's an excellent use for solar and is very achievable. People seem to be interested in the topic so we plan on making more "bite sized" videos. The next one will be on the different types of solar panel and their uses but we will certainly cover sizing a system up. Have you seen our video on rainwater harvesting to IBC tanks? It might help with your design ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WqVWODIhM38.html

@roystonevans2223 4 месяца назад

Like a few have already mentioned, thanks for making this so simple to understand, I've been wanting to get into solar energy for so long but only confused with it all, my end goal would to run a small size shed with lights & to charge tools, if you could make a video on that sort of project I would be very greatful. Sub & liked from me also from Lincolnshire 👍

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I'll definitely cover that in a future video Roy

@DavidCase-ov5uo 4 месяца назад

Good warning about overcharging. I accidentally left a Solar charged powerbank on a window sill in the sun for a week. The battery expanded and forced the screwed plastic case apart. The water analogy is brilliant.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Bit scary with the powerbank 😳

@lukeyetsterjones 4 месяца назад

I would loveto see more videos on this sort of thing you explain it in a really easy to understand way thank you so much for making these!

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Will do Luke and thank you 🙂

@stuartroberts4544 3 месяца назад

Liked and subscribed from all the way over in West Norfolk! Great, easy to follow video, very useful

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Thanks - we will wave to you over the Wash 😁

@SeanByrne-vo1kf 3 месяца назад

Hi New subscriber, I watched a lot of RU-vid videos as new to solar, yours is the best explanation I have seen and I would love to see more content like this. We just recently moved to rural Lincolnshire and are loving it, wish we had discovered a lot sooner, many thanks

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Hi Sean & welcome to Lincolnshire 🙂. We are building the Simple Solar series over time & have created a playlist for those with an interest in the topic. There's more coming soon! ru-vid.com/group/PLDluIIoNPslensVXgIZS7Rdgk8aCpRzR2&si=wAqojv6_7C-6p8ws

@mikhailkalashnikov4599 3 месяца назад

I'm just beginning to learn about solar systems and this video helps tremendously, thanks.

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

I'm so glad, we are filming a series on solar that will become more in depth over time

@shaunbanner6774 4 месяца назад

I'm not expecting you to know this but as you made it sound much simpler than i had imagined . why aren't all houses being built with more solar panels.? The government if it truly believes in global warming then why are they still pursuing all electric cars to save the planet rather than this idea which to me seems way more possible..? Like for starters All new housing must have solar power? Like I said just a question is all

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I think it's a great idea & should be done!

@lucylong3468 4 месяца назад

Thanks. I now know what my Summer project will be!

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

It's so much fun 😁

@jodalry 4 месяца назад

Thanks Hugh! Love the channel and really enjoyed this video. 👍🏻😎

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Cheers Jon - the sun is out today so hope to make a start on episode 3 😉

@tonywilding9137 4 месяца назад

Love the video, please suggest actual components - solar panel, controller, 12v battery we can use as a starter project. Thanks Tony

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hi Tony, I'll include that in the follow up videos!

@andrewarthurmatthews6685 4 месяца назад

I bought and installed a very good value and well built and well designed solar energy set comprising 4 LED bulbs on long leads , the solar panel and steel boxed control box with internal battery. From Amazon and used to provide internal lighting for a 30’ foot Dutch cruiser boat . Brilliant kit with each bulb having its own on / off in line switch. They provide plenty of light and the screw type bulbs are replaceable . Obviously the amount of hours of light depends on usage and this control box has the facility to charge its internal battery via 240 v ac supply should you need to . All in all i highly recommend this kit and was so impressed I purchased another for my sheds at home .

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I think kits have a very good place as someone has taken the trouble to match all the components properly. Some of the new power stations and solar generators are superb

@philsmith5208 4 месяца назад

Looking for something similar for my market stall, is there some way to share the details?

@martin-davidson 4 месяца назад

Do u have the link Andrew?

@philsmith5208 4 месяца назад

Hi, thanks for the great show. I have watched several on solar and power stations and always been engaged but just not sure on the next steps. Really looking to replace a noisy petrol generator on my market stall with a battery option to provide some lighting for evening events. Hope your future shows could cover that Thanks again

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I will make sure to cover exactly that Phil

@shamblesman 4 месяца назад

Superb explanation and subscribed too. Thanks.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks! We've got a detailed look at solar panels coming on Friday

@stevescott245 4 месяца назад

Really interesting video I would like to run my shed off solar have you any links to products available?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hi Steve! What are you looking to run in your shed? Lights and a radio? Power tools?

@SB-tp3yw 3 месяца назад

what “specs” of a solar controller is needed for say, 100ah leisure battery for a small garage setup?

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Hi, there's a few variables to answering that so we are planning a video on just that.

@mollyfilms 4 месяца назад

It’s not expensive at all! You can get 4k array with inverter etc for less than £3k these days.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

It is definitely getting much, much more affordable. Good batteries are still expensive but I saw 15.5kWh fir £2.5k recently 😳

@FamilyTaz33m-us4ix Месяц назад

One of the best videos I have seen on this subject. Makes solar power easier to understand. And less daunting to attempt.

@EnglishCountryLife Месяц назад

@@FamilyTaz33m-us4ix Thank you!

@callewretstrom689 3 месяца назад

Amazing video so easy to understand! Thanks a bunch.

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Thank you, glad you liked it!

@billyray323 4 месяца назад

Hi buddy, I'd like to see one on a larger scale solar to battery system please, I have electric car, so it would beneficial to create a basic set up, which can be enlarged as & when I can do it. Great little video 🎉

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

That's a great idea. I plan to do do some videos on each component (how to choose a panel, the best batteries etc.) and then build up set ups for various scenarios

@terryvince321 4 месяца назад

Great video. For the beginner.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Terry

@Invigilation 3 месяца назад

Thank you for this. I also want to know how to set it - i.e. do you have to keep the battery in a shed or make a 'house' for it, especially if it is in a field/outdoor perimeter.

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

That's a great question, we will cover it in future videos

@martinhacche1329 3 месяца назад

Could you demonstrate a practical set up to power a consumer (perhaps a light or fan) using a battery and small solar set up please👍

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

We are going to build up to that Martin 👍

@garethwynlewis402 4 месяца назад

just had a £3000 lecy billy for my flat this is just the info i need thanks

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Ouch! Glad it was useful!

@patohagan5903 2 месяца назад

Pure class the way you explain everything and easy to understand I learned quite a lot in the few minutes you showing what to do I will try it out with a few larger panels and see how I get on thanks for your help

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

@@patohagan5903 Thank Pat, we are adding more episodes with larger components

@MonikaMundell 2 месяца назад

Liked and subscribed. Great video. Loved the visuals.

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

@@MonikaMundell Thanks Monika

@twiki1963 3 месяца назад

“Fiona is WOmaning the camera today”… wow.

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

😁

@rikutaskinen5432 2 месяца назад

60 Ah accu and 50 W sonar panel runs My outdoorlife. During The Winters I load accu by ctec charter. During The Winters I use electricity 2-9 kW on a month.

@rikutaskinen5432 2 месяца назад

Elec. Bill is 9 € on month.

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

@@rikutaskinen5432 Winter is definitely the limiting factor!

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

@@rikutaskinen5432 Outstanding!

@rikutaskinen5432 2 месяца назад

Last Winter was cold, Winter 1984/85 was coldest in history. Even diesel get frozen... Coldest day was -40,7 C 1996

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

@@rikutaskinen5432 That is cold. Here it rarely drops below -10C

@bill-2018 4 месяца назад

For years I've had a 12 Volt rechargeable battery, 30 Watt solar p.v. panel and charge controller to power my QRP (low power) amateur radio equipment. About 25 Watts maximum on transmit if at full power level. That folding one looks interesting if there's a 12 Volt version if I want to go out portable with my radio. G4GHB.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

There definitely are 12V folders - I have a 300W one that I can lift with one finger! I will be sure to show some in a future episode. How are you chap?

@bill-2018 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife Yes, I'm doing fine, thank you. I thought there must be 12 Volt ones. That sounds very lightweight.

@rowan7658 4 месяца назад

My solar panels have generated a dismal amount so far this year…. No sun… no power.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

We could all use a bit more sun!

@David-828 4 месяца назад

So interesting Hugh , tell me where would you advise sourcing these items , is there special wiring needed etc .

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hi! I plan on doing some more detailed video looking at each component - I'll cover where to source them there

@CasualInventor 2 месяца назад

A brilliantly clear explanation, great stuff.

@EnglishCountryLife 2 месяца назад

Thank you!

@aegisgfx 3 месяца назад

So how do I get power from my batteries to go to the grid in my house, and how I get that power to be used first before appliances etc go out to the city power grid?

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

There are several ways to achieve this and it will be the subject of a future video. Options include backfeeding the grid rather than using batteries (cheaper but you have no power in a powercut), having a physical transfer switch to choose between power sources and a system that senses the presence of the grid, prioritises solar, then grid and has battery backup. Such a system needs intelligent sensing to prevent backfeeding the grid in event of a powercut (which could kill someone fixing damaged lines). We can go into detail on a future video

@paulbond1518 4 месяца назад

Nice one,explained very well,thanks

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Cheers Paul 👍

@joeofnotrades 4 месяца назад

How do you work out how many batteries you will need to run tools certain tools and devices?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

That's a great question! I'll include the answer in future videos

@manofkentcatapultsgunsando5069 4 месяца назад

Excellent video, new sub from kent 👍🍻

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thank you!

@healthchannelmartinconnolly 4 месяца назад

Thank you very clear explanations.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

You're very welcome ☺️

@wolfenstein6676 4 месяца назад

If you were off on a backpacking trip for a few days, Hugh, but you wanted to take a portable solar panel like this, 1:42 , along with a power-bank device, 4:20 , that has the capability to recharge "Baofeng" 2-way radios and standard radios etc., is there any particular brand or model you'd recommend?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hiya 🙂. This is the panel I have; amzn.to/4dIcQgf I bought mine years ago & it's done well. There are cheaper models but I haven't tried them. This is the power bank we use amzn.to/4bn8QjS

@wolfenstein6676 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife That was kind of you to take the time to post that information, Hugh, thanks very much.

@schollferns2680 3 месяца назад

Solarstic Fantastic explanation. Thanks

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Thank you!

@FreeWhilly734 4 месяца назад

Cool video I have thought about doing a kinda self watering system for a few plants connected to a pump but it always works out too expensive to bother. I'm not sure if I'd trust a battery sat outside to the elements. I would love to do this though as 12v you can do a lot like garden lighting and water pumps. How long would one of those batteries last? Especially over the winter months would it survive?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

It very much depends on the type of battery. The older lead acid batteries have a limited lifespan but the newer Lithium batteries can be charged & discharged daily for ten years! I was thinking of covering things like battery options in a future episode if you think there would be interest?

@FreeWhilly734 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife I was thinking more the panel would only get 1-4 hours of sunlight at best during winter months so it wouldn't charge the battery fully in one day. So you'd be charging and discharging a battery every day for 6 months to say 10% capacity, would that not hurt the battery?

@BHARATCHAUHAN-cr9zm 3 месяца назад

Thank you from Africa ....learnt alot

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Im very pleased

@deborahhobsonwasdubber2405 4 месяца назад

Amazing video, you made that so easy to understand, I am not techy and have been put off until today. We don't have enough roof space to make solar panels viable so we had a battery fitted that charges over night very cheap rate which is great but if the grid goes down we are without electric, so have been wanting to look at solar options we can use our priority would be to run a chest freezer and charge phones. We have made an outdoor kitchen and have candles and oil lamps for light, we have solar camping showers so what would you recommend for a chest freezer? Thanks again for making it so easy to understand ❤👏👏👏👏

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Hi Deborah, some of the modern power stations are fantastic and easily powerful enough to run freezers, charge phones & run lights. They are designed to be mains charged too. Happy to recommend a unit if you like

@deborahhobsonwasdubber2405 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife that's great, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, thank you 🙂

@truth3358 4 месяца назад

English farmers for the last 10 year are doing solar power farming

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I don't blame them - they get paid almost nothing to produce food!

@michaeljamesdenniss2716 3 месяца назад

Hi great love to see more only just found your channel

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Welcome! Episode 2 just went live ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QrYq8ePwLFU.html We are filming episode 3 right now 🙂👍

@doubleawindowcleaningphil5003 4 месяца назад

Thumbs Up, I wish he was my science teacher too. How would you get a solar panel, a battery and charge controller and then power garden lights or even flood lights for when the dog goes out.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

That's very achievable. I can include it in a future video if you like?

@doubleawindowcleaningphil5003 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife that would be brilliant thank you.

@thornwarbler 5 месяцев назад

Very good presentation...............Cheers

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

Thanks - it's easier than many make it sound!

@markleslie9505 4 месяца назад

Brilliant video, thank you!

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Glad it was helpful! Next episode on Friday

@redpillnibbler4423 4 месяца назад

Simple explanation for simple mind like mine - lovely👍

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

You and me both 😁

@Curtis-i6o Месяц назад

You made it so easy to understand that I'm now thinking about getting into solar with an easy system to start with. Thank you for making this video.

@EnglishCountryLife Месяц назад

@@Curtis-i6o Thanks Curtis - good luck!

@Curtis-i6o Месяц назад

@@EnglishCountryLife Can't wait to check out some more of your videos.

@simonbell6745 4 месяца назад

First time I’ve understood this stuff. What a great explanation.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Glad it was helpful!

@grant3470 4 месяца назад

Excellent video, thanks

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thanks Grant 👍

@doubleawindowcleaningphil5003 4 месяца назад

If you had a leisure battery and a charge controller is that all you need to charge up a leisure battery? I also have it wired to a split relay in the van but wanted some kind of charging when it’s stationary?

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

You need a panel of a reasonable size (the flexible ones attach easily) and a charge controller of the right type and that's it - shouldn't cost much

@doubleawindowcleaningphil5003 4 месяца назад

@@EnglishCountryLife what would be the right type of controller, was looking at Amazon for purchasing it?

@carlksykes 3 месяца назад

Great video please give us more on solar power.

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Thanks Carl, episode 3 should go live Friday at 5pm BST - Fiona is editing it as we speak!

@EdwardSnell-r9o 3 месяца назад

Great video for a total non Tec person. We have just bought a house in Spain with a solar system 12 panels. I want to increase by using satellite panels for workshop etc

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Really glad it was useful. There's more to come!

@EdwardSnell-r9o 3 месяца назад

What do you think to solar generator as opposed to maybe using a battery for a workshop/shed light erc

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

@@EdwardSnell-r9o I think they have a lot of real benefits. Next Friday's video will look at them in detail

@Techboxreview 3 месяца назад

Very well put together video Hugh 🤙🏻 I wish I could explain things this well. You must of been a professor in your past life 🤓

@EnglishCountryLife 3 месяца назад

Far from it! I did do a lot of training in industry at one point though 🙂.

@sgmarr 5 месяцев назад

The regular Panels have a Built in Charge Guard now... so you only need Invertors. :) I have 4 panels, so I know. I have not used them, they are still in the boxes for 3 years! Ha ha! Why? No battery. And no one to climb up and install the panels! I have bought lots of cable for between panels and batteries. Because I want 3 designated Zones. Front Porch, Basement and Kitchen. Each Zone has heavy Useage Appliances, such as freezer, furnace, water pump, stove, freezer again, refrigerator. The lightest Load is front Porch. So therefore I wish to have 6 batteries in total, with Relayed batteries, to Store larger Power. Loads to think about! But I know IF I can set up these 3 Zones? I should be able to Survive with Basic Necessary Appliances. One day I will get this finished!

@EnglishCountryLife 5 месяцев назад

So many questions ..for starters why not run all 3 zones from the same set of batteries?

@nswinoz3302 4 месяца назад

Installed an adjustable temperature controlled exhausted rooftop ventilation (12v radiator fan) for forced extraction and forced air input under the eaves with the largest old PC Desktop fan I could find. Fitted over ventilation holes about 7-8 years ago. I went through two(2) charge controller and one temperature controller to switch it on/off on requirement ( +~40-50 Degrees) which would run into the night to cool the roof space down. 70 deg is not impossible in an Australia 🇦🇺 roof areas The batteries have died so I’m going to relocate these three key items (hobby) and stumbled across this explanation just to remind me what to do.. Excellent is all I can say! NSW in Oz

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Thank you! Temperature control on batteries is vital. Interesting to note that it's against building code here to put LiFePO4 batteries in roof spaces now because of the fire risk

@FishingFrustrationsUK 4 месяца назад

i got a 100 watt solar kit for under £90

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

That's a great price!

@petervincent4461 4 месяца назад

brilliant - interested solar panels to battery for lights etc in small cabin

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I'll expand the series over time to cover recommendations on exactly how to do jobs like this - it's a perfect use for solar

@damianbutterworth2434 4 месяца назад

I did it for the house with 2 80 watt panels and a car battery. So easy with LED`s.

@Stargazer-l6w 4 месяца назад

I love hear more like this as u made it easy for me to understand and I like know more so I hook up lights

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

Lights are easy, I'll cover them in a future video

@steveadal4735 4 месяца назад

Simplicity is Awesome indeed you Are the BRUCE LEE of what u do bless ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

I've been told that Icm simple before 😁

@gadgetgus 4 месяца назад

Hey Hugh 👊🏼 You would think that they would have tinted 'window' solar panels by now... Thanks for sharing, ATB Gus 👍🏼

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

It's a good idea for sure. I think some of the new technologies like solar roof tiles have a way to go but making it part of everyday life is logical

@gadgetgus 4 месяца назад

@EnglishCountryLife I'm sure we could manufacture a UVA/ B window film with embedded micro dots, squares, or double-glazed units - DGU. This way, you would have the option for new build installations or to retrofit an existing property.

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

@@gadgetgus I'd love to see one!

@gadgetgus 4 месяца назад

@EnglishCountryLife I understand you won't achieve the same power density per M², as with traditional solar panels. However, collectively, en masse, it could work, just think of all the office buildings etc. Anyway, I look forward to your next video, ATB Gus 🍻

@EnglishCountryLife 4 месяца назад

@@gadgetgus I'm with you. Incorporating into existing structures has huge potential!