reg
Winter: New York City Summer: Atlantic Canada
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2021
- Messages
- 336
I'm in the last stages of putting together a portable source of DC and AC electricity consisting of:
Battery (12V, 40Ah LiFeMgPO4, Lithium Werks U-Charge U1-12RT with built-in battery management system)
Inverter (12V, 300W Morningstar SureSine)
Battery charger (12V, 10 amp Victron IP65)
My main objective was to make a portable power source for filmmaking equipment, lights in particular. Weight was a significant consideration, hence the 40Ah battery. It's an experiment, but right now I think that this setup is an interesting, cost-effective alternative to the V-mount and Gold-mount lithium-ion batteries that filmmakers usually use.
I have additional uses for portable power for which more battery capacity and solar collection would be desirable. I plan to purchase an additional battery, either another of about 40Ah or a 100Ah; also, a Victron or Morningstar charger/controller and a single solar panel.
I'm inclined to purchase a rigid panel. The reading that I've done on flexible panels doesn't inspire confidence. However, all of the rigid panels that I've looked at are roughly 1.5m x 1m (60" x 40"). I can live with that if necessary, but I'd like to identify one that is well made, but somewhat smaller. Panasonic makes a smaller panel that's sold in Europe, but it doesn't appear to be available in the U.S. or Canada.
My thinking about this is influenced by a point that Dave Jones makes in yesterday's EEV Blog video (link below). He makes the observation that residential panels are all about the same size, and says that the differences between panels in output is basically about how efficient a panel is. Apparently, efficiency has been increasing. Good. I'd be delighted to pay more per watt for a very efficient panel, but I'd like a smaller one, please
I'm not particularly price-sensitive on this. Is there a well made panel that would fit the bill that I've missed?
Dave Jones's new video:
295W Inverter vs 370W Solar Panel - WTF?
Battery (12V, 40Ah LiFeMgPO4, Lithium Werks U-Charge U1-12RT with built-in battery management system)
Inverter (12V, 300W Morningstar SureSine)
Battery charger (12V, 10 amp Victron IP65)
My main objective was to make a portable power source for filmmaking equipment, lights in particular. Weight was a significant consideration, hence the 40Ah battery. It's an experiment, but right now I think that this setup is an interesting, cost-effective alternative to the V-mount and Gold-mount lithium-ion batteries that filmmakers usually use.
I have additional uses for portable power for which more battery capacity and solar collection would be desirable. I plan to purchase an additional battery, either another of about 40Ah or a 100Ah; also, a Victron or Morningstar charger/controller and a single solar panel.
I'm inclined to purchase a rigid panel. The reading that I've done on flexible panels doesn't inspire confidence. However, all of the rigid panels that I've looked at are roughly 1.5m x 1m (60" x 40"). I can live with that if necessary, but I'd like to identify one that is well made, but somewhat smaller. Panasonic makes a smaller panel that's sold in Europe, but it doesn't appear to be available in the U.S. or Canada.
My thinking about this is influenced by a point that Dave Jones makes in yesterday's EEV Blog video (link below). He makes the observation that residential panels are all about the same size, and says that the differences between panels in output is basically about how efficient a panel is. Apparently, efficiency has been increasing. Good. I'd be delighted to pay more per watt for a very efficient panel, but I'd like a smaller one, please
I'm not particularly price-sensitive on this. Is there a well made panel that would fit the bill that I've missed?
Dave Jones's new video:
295W Inverter vs 370W Solar Panel - WTF?
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