Best way to utilise a portable solar panel

[Knackers]

Hi guys
Im a newbie and this is my first post here. Im looking for advice on how to use my portable solar panel. Recently I purchased a 300 watt folding panel with the intention of charging a EFB battery which i have and then using the power to charge devices like laptops, ipad and phone. Im not looking at running these devices on solar, only charging. I know i need an inverter to be able to charge them.
my question is, is this the best way to go about it?
also, how do i set the controller to charge the battery?
And last question ( for now) the controller has two USB ports, do i need to set any parameters on the controller to charge USB devices?
Thanks

 

[Bob142]

Welcome to the forum!

Take a look at Will's Minimalist on a Budget blueprint. It's a good starting point for doing what you're describing. It shows how the various system components connect and where to put fuses etc.

You won't need an inverter to charge the iPad and phone if your solar charge controller (SCC) has USB ports. Depending on the model SCC you have, the ports may be on whenever it's connected to battery or you may need to turn on the load terminals to activate the USB ports.

For your laptop(s) a cheaper option than an inverter may be to get a car charger adapter that runs off a 12V cigarette lighter output and plug it into something like this.

(*Edit: Pic from Amazon)

If you're new to solar in general you probably want to watch these:

Beginner Video Playlist

New to Solar? Watch these videos! They will help you understand the basics :) If you are a complete beginner and want to understand the basics of electricity, watch this video: If the video above was too easy and you want to understand how to calculate and size various components in your...

diysolarforum.com

And go through the FAQ info:

Frequently Asked Questions

diysolarforum.com

 

[DThames]

Most likely your EFB (is that Electronic Flight Book?) has its own charge controller built in. What voltage does it charge from? Do you have a wall charger for it? If so, what is its output voltage?

So the solar panel came with a charge controller? If so, it is most likely for a lead acid type battery, but might support lithium. If you are going to use that charge controller, it needs to be connected to a battery of proper type. I would not connect the output of the charge controller to the input of the EFB.

Caution here....you need to know the max input voltage of your EFB. You need to know the open circuit voltage of the panel. If it is a "12v" panel the voltage will be 18-21v normally. The voltage must be higher than the battery to charge the battery. If the panel was small, like 20watts and the open circuit voltage was not greater than the input charge voltage of your EFB, then maybe the panel could charge the EFB directly. But 300watts is pretty large and could output more power than your EFB would be able to deal with. So the panel charging a proper battery and then charging your EFB off of that battery would be what makes sense to me.

 

[exit8]

Welcome to the forum!

Take a look at Will's Minimalist on a Budget blueprint. It's a good starting point for doing what you're describing. It shows how the various system components connect and where to put fuses etc.

Will recommends a modified sine wave inverter.
I have read elsewhere that using a pure sine wave inverter is better especially for electronics.
Will using the MSW damage electronics?

.

 

[morth]

PSW is better for electronics. Most electronics will work on MSW, but there's no good way to tell how well it works till you try it. Some power supplies are more noisy when running on MSW, but still work. Will's budget build is just that, using absolute lowest cost components to generate power. Personally, I just get PSW inverters and UPS units so I don't need to worry about it.

 

[exit8]

Thanks.
I feel as if I wasted $90 on a MSW power inverter I bought a couple of years ago after Superstorm Sandy.
Should have spent more and bought a PSW inverter.

.

 

[BoloMKXXVIII]

If you can get away without using an inverter at all you will be better off. Check to see if it is possible to charge off 12v or USB for all devices.

 

[morth]

Don't think of it as wasted money, consider it a spare, or you can use it with another battery to power something else after the next storm hits. MSW power is better then none at all.

 

[Knackers]

I posted this question last night before going to bed and thinking maybe they are dumb questions. Maybe get one response. I was pleasantly surprised at all the respones. First off thanks everyone.

DThames, no an EFB is a Enhanced Flooded Battery, its like a AGM battery. Its my planned power plant! Next Bob, thanks for the links i will be getting educated. Ill go through each one. Also thanks for pointing out the 12v charger as a option. I thought only a inverter would work. So that cable converts from DC to AC then? and where does the pure sine wave/modified sine wave fit in with that cable?

i attached a pic of the controller which is on the panel. What is the function of each of the settings on it? I believe that i need to set it at 12v or just under to charge the battery so it doesn’t fry it and also it can be programmed to stop charging when the battery is fully charged? Id love to know how to do that, it would save me checking it every hour or so. I could spend that extra time on my flight sims or playing guitar!

 

[Knackers]

Bob i just had a look at the 12v cable, if i was to use that, how do you plug a laptop into it? It doesnt have a AC socket, am i missing something?

 

[dashdrum]

Bob i just had a look at the 12v cable, if i was to use that, how do you plug a laptop into it? It doesnt have a AC socket, am i missing something?

I'm not Bob, but I can answer this. You'll need to get a different laptop charger for automobile use. It will have a cigarette lighter style plug on it. I charge my Mac with one, plus my wife's Chromebook. Both with no inverter.

 

[Bob142]

Bob i just had a look at the 12v cable, if i was to use that, how do you plug a laptop into it? It doesnt have a AC socket, am i missing something?

I was just about to respond to your other post. In addition to that cable you need a car charger adapter for your laptop. Something like this:


(Pic from Amazon)


It's basically a power brick that you plug into a 12V source.

 

[Bob142]

I'm not Bob, but I can answer this. You'll need to get a different laptop charger for automobile use. It will have a cigarette lighter style plug on it. I charge my Mac with one, plus my wife's Chromebook. Both with no inverter.

Thanks for the assist.

 

[Knackers]

Now it makes sense, thanks guys, so ill need to get the specs on my current laptop brick then match it to a similar one like the one above, great im onto it. Thanks again.

 

[Knackers]

I found this thingo on ebay, it ‘may’ do the job

DC 12V to AC 220V Car Power Inverter Adapter USB Charger Converter for Laptop | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DC 12V to AC 220V Car Power Inverter Adapter USB Charger Converter for Laptop at the best online prices at eBay!

www.ebay.com.au

 

[DThames]

I found this thingo on ebay, it ‘may’ do the job

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC-12V-...838?hash=item23dd9987ae:g:eek:JoAAOSwOWlfMjDZ

They make those for 120v AC output as well. I have a couple of them and use them to power small AC loads. Pretty handy.

 

[Knackers]

So how do i set up the controller so it doesn’t fry the battery and then stops when fully charged?

 

[Bob142]

Recently I purchased a 300 watt folding panel with the intention of charging a EFB battery which i have

i attached a pic of the controller which is on the panel.

So how do i set up the controller so it doesn’t fry the battery and then stops when fully charged?

Did the recently purchased folding panel with the seemingly integrated PWM solar charge controller come with a manual? That should tell you how to operate the charge controller and what settings to use for your battery.

 

[Knackers]

No, there was no manual with panel

 

[Bob142]

No, there was no manual with panel

You're going to have to hunt one down. Unless someone here has the exact same gear, you aren't likely to find someone who can tell you exactly how to set it up just by looking at the front panel.