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DanS
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« Reply #50 on: March 21, 2009, 08:35:58 PM » |
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Great Sam. Going to start your solar FARS project next? I have and old 12v solar panel I bought from J.C. whitney years ago but the thing is huge, about 15" square. I bought it to keep a charge on my truck battery while I was away on a job for weeks. Post pics and keep us up on your progress if you do add it to your RS.  Dan |
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sam2004gp
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« Reply #51 on: March 21, 2009, 09:32:26 PM » |
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That is exactly what this panel is. "Testing pics" are still in the camera, I will post them up in a day or so.
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tweatherman
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« Reply #52 on: March 22, 2009, 12:16:42 AM » |
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I was just about to order a 12 volt solar panel battery charger the other day for about the same price. Where did you get yours from.
Tim
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DanS
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« Reply #53 on: March 22, 2009, 12:32:12 AM » |
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I found a pretty good "more bang for the buck" deal for this Coleman unit. Most I've seen are lower power for around he same price.  It's through Amazon and you might find it cheaper elsewhere. Dan |
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« Last Edit: March 22, 2009, 03:17:17 AM by DanS »
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Axelvold
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« Reply #54 on: March 22, 2009, 05:46:57 AM » |
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Thanks Sam It seems to work very well, it is only showing 1 degree Celsius more than a station from the Swedish meteorological institute, and this with a clear blue sky and a shining sun on the other hand, it is about 5 km between me and the station so my temperature may well be right |
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Lars Magnusson Axelvold / Sweden 55° 57' 41" N / 13° 6' 1" E WX Station: Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus   |
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killwilly
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« Reply #55 on: March 22, 2009, 06:12:40 AM » |
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When I built my conservatory I incorporated two six inch diameter solar powered fans in the roof. However, sadly they stopped working after about nine months.  Hope you guys have better luck with your solar powered fans. Alan |
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Alan >>>>>><br /><br />Hardware:- Davis Vantage Vue<br />Software:- VWS:14.00 p87. Davis WeatherLink<br />Location:- Lincolnshire, UK.<br />  <br /><br />Wunderground ID, ILINCOLN15 |
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DanS
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« Reply #56 on: March 22, 2009, 06:36:09 AM » |
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Did you ever determine the equipment at fault? The fans, solar panels, etc.? That sounds a bit more expensive than FARS fans.
Dan
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sam2004gp
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« Reply #57 on: March 22, 2009, 07:46:43 AM » |
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I found a pretty good "more bang for the buck" deal for this Coleman unit. Most I've seen are lower power for around he same price. It's through Amazon and you might find it cheaper elsewhere. Dan That' the one I got, but I got it in the automotive area of my local Walmart. Here are 3 pics I got yesterday, just click on the thumbnails......    It did spin up the fan decently in the early evening sunlight, waiting for the brightest part of the day today.  I did notice that between three fans that I had, to use the one that requires the lowest amp load. My best speed fan appears to be the .11 amp one(pictured above). So for those of you following along, go with .11 amps (current draw) or lower, for best results. I was able to feel the "breeze" on my face from about 6 inches away from the fan. |
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« Last Edit: March 22, 2009, 08:03:45 AM by sam2004gp »
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tweatherman
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« Reply #58 on: March 22, 2009, 09:57:14 AM » |
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I would like to have one with some kind of a mount on it. How will you go about mounting this at a angle so things such as leaves rain and snow won't collect on the panel. I will post the one that I was think of getting the other day later on.
Tim
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killwilly
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« Reply #59 on: March 22, 2009, 10:11:29 AM » |
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Did you ever determine the equipment at fault? The fans, solar panels, etc.? That sounds a bit more expensive than FARS fans.
Dan
No, not really, because the are fixed to the roof, which is made from quadruple layers of polycarbonate sheet. I didn't want to take the risk of climbing up top and then damaging a roof panel. We can manage without them, when it gets warm I just open a couple of windows or a door. We purchased the building as a kit and they came as a part of the package. Alan |
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Alan >>>>>><br /><br />Hardware:- Davis Vantage Vue<br />Software:- VWS:14.00 p87. Davis WeatherLink<br />Location:- Lincolnshire, UK.<br /> <br /><br />Wunderground ID, ILINCOLN15 |
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DanS
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« Reply #60 on: March 22, 2009, 07:00:18 PM » |
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I would like to have one with some kind of a mount on it. How will you go about mounting this at a angle so things such as leaves rain and snow won't collect on the panel. I will post the one that I was think of getting the other day later on.
Tim
I haven't really thought about that too much yet. I have mine laying flat right now. I guess a small strip of soft aluminum bent in an " L " or " 7 " shape and epoxied to the back could be used and easily positioned. The other end of the aluminum strip (not epoxied to the panel) could have holes drilled for screwing it down or hose clamps around it to a mast. |
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tweatherman
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« Reply #61 on: March 22, 2009, 08:48:33 PM » |
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I currently have my 12 volt battery sitting on table about 3' off the ground next to the 12 volt fan. The fan draws 1amp of power. The battery powered the fan by itself for about 18 hrs. Here is the solar panel I was thinking of getting. http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/SP60-12.htmlTim |
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« Last Edit: March 22, 2009, 08:51:56 PM by tweatherman »
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SLOweather
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« Reply #62 on: March 22, 2009, 09:26:34 PM » |
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What the heck kinda fan do you have that draws 1 amp/12 watts? What size is the battery (AH or amp-hours)? I'm guessing +/- 18 amp-hours?
A 4.75" (120 mm) fan draws about 0.4 A, moves about 70 CFM, and is way overkill for a FARS.
Anyway, that panel is shown as 1.26 watts. Watts = volts x amps, so, in simple terms, 1.26 = 12 x amps = 0.105 amps from the panel.
That panel doesn't even have enough power to run your fan by itself, let alone charge a battery.
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SlowModem
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« Reply #63 on: March 23, 2009, 08:58:34 AM » |
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It did spin up the fan decently in the early evening sunlight, waiting for the brightest part of the day today. I did notice that between three fans that I had, to use the one that requires the lowest amp load. My best speed fan appears to be the .11 amp one(pictured above). So for those of you following along, go with .11 amps (current draw) or lower, for best results. I was able to feel the "breeze" on my face from about 6 inches away from the fan. I wonder if you added a riding lawnmower battery if it wouldn't run all the time and the charger keep the battery charged? |
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DanS
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« Reply #64 on: March 23, 2009, 09:07:25 AM » |
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Hey yeah! .. and if your car won't start you could push it over to your FARS for a jump start.  seriously I believe it would be a numbers game where you'd have to keep the current draw from the fan down and the amp/hour capacity of the battery would have to be high but yeah it could be done. A bit much for a FARS aspirator though kind of like a 10,000 BTU window airconditioner for a bird house. |
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« Last Edit: March 23, 2009, 09:38:44 AM by DanS »
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weather1967
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« Reply #65 on: March 23, 2009, 10:48:03 AM » |
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Υοu are lucky about solar panells in USA,here to Greece unfortunately one solar pannel 5 watts the cost it is 90 dollars or 65 euro   For this reason i have AC/DC adaptor yet for my fan  |
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sam2004gp
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« Reply #66 on: March 23, 2009, 12:14:23 PM » |
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Hey yeah! .. and if your car won't start you could push it over to your FARS for a jump start. seriously I believe it would be a numbers game where you'd have to keep the current draw from the fan down and the amp/hour capacity of the battery would have to be high but yeah it could be done. A bit much for a FARS aspirator though kind of like a 10,000 BTU window airconditioner for a bird house. Or plug your car into the FARS, so that it will run the fan overnight. |
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SlowModem
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« Reply #67 on: March 23, 2009, 12:50:56 PM » |
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Hey yeah! .. and if your car won't start you could push it over to your FARS for a jump start. seriously I believe it would be a numbers game where you'd have to keep the current draw from the fan down and the amp/hour capacity of the battery would have to be high but yeah it could be done. A bit much for a FARS aspirator though kind of like a 10,000 BTU window airconditioner for a bird house. Well, lawnmower batteries are quite a bit smaller than a car battery (although I have jumped my lawnmower off with my car). If the amperage draw from the fan was lower than the solar cell put out, the cell would charge the battery in the daytime. Like the alternator charges the battery in the car. |
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SlowModem
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« Reply #68 on: March 23, 2009, 12:51:49 PM » |
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Υοu are lucky about solar panells in USA,here to Greece unfortunately one solar pannel 5 watts the cost it is 90 dollars or 65 euro For this reason i have AC/DC adaptor yet for my fan THAT'S TERRIBLE! |
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Anthony
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« Reply #69 on: March 23, 2009, 02:45:46 PM » |
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Get your self a windmil, hook a alternaror to it, and use that to charge the battery that you are using to power the fan on your FARS.  |
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 Thanks, Anthony WB8YUE |
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tweatherman
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« Reply #70 on: March 23, 2009, 03:10:28 PM » |
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Rating for the fan is 56 CFM this baby is loud and is intended to keep the deer out of the garden.
Tim
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DanS
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« Reply #71 on: March 23, 2009, 06:19:17 PM » |
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Sam just needs to watch his fan's current rating. Want to be "green" energy minded. FARS fan power source,  Fars fan,  Barometric pressures may change slightly in the "neighbourhood" though. |
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DanS
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« Reply #72 on: March 23, 2009, 06:30:47 PM » |
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Υοu are lucky about solar panells in USA,here to Greece unfortunately one solar pannel 5 watts the cost it is 90 dollars or 65 euro For this reason i have AC/DC adaptor yet for my fan Dimitiris, doesn't Greece sell the small garden solar lights cheap that you could take a panel from? Dan |
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sam2004gp
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« Reply #73 on: March 23, 2009, 06:39:57 PM » |
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....at least there won't be any leaves left in the yard.  |
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weather1967
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« Reply #74 on: March 24, 2009, 05:40:26 AM » |
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Dimitiris, doesn't Greece sell the small garden solar lights cheap that you could take a panel from? Dan Dan there are a lot chinese small garden solar lights cheap 5 euro the one from them ,but it have inside 1,5 battery ΝιΜι and the sollar panell from it output it is only 2 volt max αnd little mA. Unfortunately i must to buy manny of them |
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