Recent content by LearningIt

I tested this with the 100W suitcase panel and the 12V fan in bright sun. I measured 11-12V with the fan load and it ran similarly to being on the auto battery. I don't have a tachometer or cfm meter to quantify it though. I'll probably look for a decently priced normal 200-300W panel that...

Thanks for the description of the suitcase panels' construction. I used mine as a Proof of Concept here but plan to check out onesy larger conventional panels.

There was only the 12V 80W sticker on it but the Amazon page showed "5-7 amps." I only really need it to run fast, or really just run at all, when the sun is bright and it's hot outside so I will test it in bright conditions too. I often see used 200-350W panels that would fit on my shed roof...

I got the radiator fan and as a test, I connected it to my car battery and separately to my 100W suitcase panel under overcast skies. From the 12V battery it ran very fast but quietly. The panel showed 22.5V open circuit and 6V when connected to the fan. It still ran reasonably but more slowly.

Possibly, one could use a buck converter to reduce the variable voltage from a panel to the actual 12V (up to 15V) that an automotive fan requires, without having to use a battery and charge controller.

Thanks. The south generator wall is close to the fence and the east and west walls are mostly shaded so the roof seems like the only place available. (I just updated the original post.) I'll check DigiKey now too. Good point on the fan rating vs the panel maximum output. Don't most of these...

I have a 100 Watt expertpower suitcase panel (see ExpertPower or Amazon) and 200W/200Wh S200 solar generator. I want to add a panel to the roof of my 4x6 generator shed to power an exhaust fan for ventilation both for storage when the weather is hot and when the ICE generator is running during a...

It's interesting that the page for that says "DO NOT string this battery in series. It is made ONLY for parallel connections using identical batteries" while the one for the similarly priced Docan battery says series only, not parallel. Why would some support series only while others support...

I too have a 50A L14-50P inlet connected with an interlock to my single circuit breaker panel and an ICE generator to power it for backup during power outages. My grid power prices are low enough, around $0.10 per kWh that solar to replace grid power has a very long payback time, over 10 years...

The inverter (and generator) manufacturers don't seem to do a good job, that I have seen, documenting how their inverters work. Do they do split phase 60v/60v? Do they have a bonded neutral? I see recommendations on inverters generally, but not recommendations specifically for inverters used...

I think whether you have an interlock or a "regular" or at least a manual transfer switch, you would have the same issue using solar full time. You would have to mechanically switch either the whole panel with the interlock or those (critical) circuits with the manual transfer switch. With a...

I concur. Because solar has high fixed and low marginal costs while ICE generators have the opposite, low fixed and high marginal (fuel) costs, ideally you would use solar all the time, with the grid. As I understand it, an issue is that grid tied solar is even more expensive due to the need for...

This sounds more like an interlock than a manual transfer switch. Also, most solar generators seem to be single 120v and your L14 inlet is 240v split phase. You would need an adapter that bridges both legs to get 120v on both halves of the service and that is only safe without shared neutrals.

Isn't there a risk of overloading the neutral by having both legs running at the same phase?

https://diysolarforum.com/threads/need-advice-looking-for-split-phase-battery-backup-system-generator-style.19122/ https://diysolarforum.com/threads/subpanel-powered-by-inverter-neutral-wire.16681/ It looks like I am not the only one looking for a way to feed battery power to US 240/120 split...