Questions tagged [solar-cell]

Solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect.

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Lithium Ion Solar Battery Charger with current measurement

I have designed battery operated device. The current consumption is around 4ma. The battery which I use , is shown in following fig. the following schematic I have used to cutoff solar panel when ...
inventionClass's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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How to check if a solar panel has a built-in blocking diode?

Is it as simple as connecting a voltage to a fully shaded solar panel and checking if any current flows into it? For example using a battery with a resistor in series to limit the current. Or does the ...
Björn Morén's user avatar
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How can I convert 1v-1.3v at 5a-6a from two solar cells in series and supply 5v out?

Each cell is supplying 0.5v-0.65v and about 5A and I intend on using two of them in series for 1v-1.3v and need 5v out. What ic(s) would be the best fit for this application?
Zachery's user avatar
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Can AC voltage stabilizer pass current in reverse? [closed]

I have to use a voltage stabilizer on main grid line to my home due to low grid voltage. The stabilized voltage will then be feeded to my Solar inverter connected to my home load. Now the question is, ...
Faisi Khan's user avatar
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How to prevent a nichrome wire from melting under variable energy?

I’m experimenting with a DIY “sand battery”. The “battery” is a pot lined inside with an insulator and filled with sand. The sand is heated by a nichrome wire placed at the bottom. The wire is ...
Sophivorus's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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What is the relationship between a solar panel's open-circuit voltage and panel irradiance?

Is there a relationship between a cell's insolation intensity and open-circuit voltage? In other words, assuming all other factors are equal, if I test a panel in full daylight on the earth, and then ...
Kenn Sebesta's user avatar
1 vote
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How to wire 2 different sets of panels to the same battery bank

My question is how do I add 2 different sets of panels to the same battery bank? I'm currently trying to design a solar array that will fit my tiny RV. Ive worked out how to fit 790w on my lil rig ...
JT Tucker's user avatar
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Build PWM controlled load for solar panel

for my project, I need to build a variable load to measure the I-V characteristic of solar panel that I can control with a PWM signal from ESP32 (3v3). I'm a software developer, so I do not completely ...
Ondrej Krejci's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Using 2-cell lead-acid battery as direct replacement for single-cell lithium-ion battery

I've designed a system that remotely logs some data (position, some weather data, etc.) in remote areas that currently uses a single lithium-ion battery (~850mAh) that is recharged via a solar panel ...
Microcontroller Enjoyer's user avatar
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Convert Solar Panel DC to 12v and below with no current cutoff

I have a solar panel that is rated below (old stored away unused panel) Maximum Power (Pmax) 200Wp Maximum Power Voltage (Vmp) 19.3V Maximum Power Current (Imp) 10.0A Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 23....
CKey's user avatar
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Determine capacity of batteries for solar installation

I have four 420 Ah 6 volt batteries wired in series and then parallel. What is the capacity of the combined four?
user347468's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
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How is the "Amperage Rating" on Photovoltaic Panels derived?

Please be clear and thorough, I only have a basic understanding of electrical engineering but I try my best to truly understand concepts. I've really scoured the Google on this one. How can a solar ...
Tyler M's user avatar
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Solar panel help

I already have a solar charge controller connected to my solar panels protecting the attached batteries from overcharging. However I'd like to charge a second battery bank without connecting it up to ...
Mike's user avatar
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2 answers
56 views

Low power: how to power a small dc motor from a logic low

I have made a circuit to power a small motor with solar cells that I have salvaged from garden led lights. The goal of the circuit is to power the motor everytime the sun has moved a little bit. My ...
Log Dix's user avatar
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1 answer
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sizing resistor for solar fan

background; i'm an art student tinkering with solar. mostly learned from youtube and internet. i think i'm ok with hooking up solar panel with dc fan and dc light. no battery, no charge controller. ...
noob learning 's user avatar
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Solar Array Theory Misunderstanding

I am new to solar panels and I understand their is a lot more physics involved but I am trying to understand this basic concept. Wherever I look it is told that PV panels add Their voltage in series ...
JBHOLIO's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Charging Li-ion battery with two chargers in parallel

I have a solar input charger (CN3791) and USB input charger (BQ25300). Is it possible to charge the battery attached with both at the same time? The battery needs to be charged at a constant-ish rate, ...
Máté Varga's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Connecting two solar panels in parallel with different voltage - circuit model

I am interested in understanding how two solar panels with different voltages in parallel work. Despite it is not recommended, but it may occur when for example one panel is defected, under shading or ...
Al-Farouq's user avatar
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1 answer
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Solar panel output [closed]

I have a mosquito lamp that runs off a solar panel or it can run with a USB-C. I don't need the solar panel so I thought I would keep it in my emergency supplies to power a cell phone if needed. The ...
ssp74's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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How do I connect an intermittent load (RC airplane electronics, servos, motor) to solar cells and a battery?

I'm a bit of an electronics noob and haven't been able to find a straight answer to this question despite doing quite a bit of research, so I figured I'd ask it here. I am working on an autonomous RC-...
jdsp522's user avatar
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Regulate the output of solar cells

I have two 5v solar cells in series (10v in total) that are connected to a battery charger IC. The charger has a max forward voltage of 5v. The reason for using two solar cells is so that in lower ...
silkAdmin's user avatar
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Solar panels connected in parallel by opposite polarity

I have 2 3V solar panels that I want to connect by opposite polarity. Panel1 +ve terminal will connect to Panel2 -ve terminal. Panel1 -ve terminal will connect to Panel2 +ve terminal. Load is ...
mj6174's user avatar
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Photovoltaic cells and CC load

Hello! I am newbie in photovoltaic electronics and recently learned about MPPT. In my project load needs constant current. Does constant ...
Erch's user avatar
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Can I charge 18560 2000mAh (ish) Lithum Ion cell with 0.5 watt (ish) solar panel?

As I understand it, peak charging current for a 18560 Lithium cell should be around 1C - which would be around 8.4 watts at 4.2 volts. I'm planning to build a solar charging circuit for a cell as ...
tropical_bob's user avatar
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How can I power a 5V USB device from a power bank and a solar panel in parallel?

I have a Panasonic BQ-CC87ABBA eneloop Battery Charger that only seems to function properly with at least ~1A of current. I'd like to power it primarily using my 20W X-DRAGON Monocrystalline Portable ...
Kaypro II's user avatar
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Using switch power supply to simulate battery presence on a solar inverter

I have a bunch of solar panel feeding an inverter/charger, but I don’t have batteries, so when the AC load is too high, the whole thing shuts down.. So the idea is to plug a switch power supply to ...
elgui's user avatar
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PWM Charge Controllers: Common types and example schematics?

I started on this quest because I needed to connect my programmable supply (KD3005P) 30V-5A to the PV input of a Landstar 1024B PWM Charge controller to test out the charging functionality of the ...
Zachary Anderson's user avatar
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1 answer
63 views

Cable size for 400 W solar PV, 7 m long run

I have 2 Renergy 19.2 V 200 W panels, the rated current for each is 35 A. I intend to wire them in series, and the cable run to the grid tie inverter is 7 m in length. Looking up on the Internet it ...
Dib's user avatar
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1 answer
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Looking for ways to combine the power outputs of different renewable energy sources

I've been researching ways of combining the outputs of different renewable energy sources (e.g. solar panels and DC rectified wind turbines) to provide a single output that could then be connected to ...
robobozo's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
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Photovoltaic generated power: Why is my PV system selling back to the grid while at the same time it is consuming energy from the grid? [closed]

I've noticed on my power bill that there are times during the day when my PV system is selling power back to the grid, while at the same time, I am consuming from the grid (see screenshot below). That ...
Andre's user avatar
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1 answer
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Would using a higher voltage solar panel improve my project?

For fun, I removed the batteries from a small radio and replaced it with a 1 watt, 3 volt solar panel directly. In full sun, it works just fine (listenable volume, good reception), but as soon as a ...
BirdBird's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
68 views

How to specify component values in LT Spice PV cell model to match real-world panel Short Circuit & Open Circuit spec?

Images below are from the LT Spice solar cell model I've set up as an approximate representation of the solar panel I'm using for testing. I'm not sure if I'm setting component values correctly to ...
robobozo's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
628 views

Do wind turbine permanent magnet generators have I-V power curve in the same way solar panels do?

I've been reading about the I-V curve - or power curve - of solar panels and photovoltaic cells and how exposure to light, heat, load, etc. affects the ratio (?) between current and voltage in a non-...
robobozo's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
453 views

Will lithium-ion batteries be okay in off-season? [closed]

I have a cottage in Nova Scotia that is off-grid. I will need to replace my large Rolls wet cell batteries soon and am thinking replacing them with lithium ion batteries. Will these batteries be okay ...
Hugh Harper's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
56 views

Powering two hot water services from solar diverter

I am shortly installing a 10.1kW solar system. I will be installing a solar diverter from powerdiverter.com.au to feed excess solar to our 315L twin 3.6kW element hot water tank. It will be switchable ...
user2605793's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
91 views

Can you connect different renewable energy power sources with equivalent power ratings in series and/or parallel?

You should be able to connect multiple solar panels of the same voltage and watt rating in series and/or parallel. What about connecting two different power sources with equivalent (or similar) ...
robobozo's user avatar
  • 451
2 votes
0 answers
44 views

How to use a BLDC motor, solar panels and batteries efficiently [closed]

I have a 48V 1800W BLDC motor, 4X 12V lead acid batteries and 4X 100W 12V solar panel. My question is, can we use those 4 lead acid batteries when connected in series to power the BLDC motor? If the ...
V Karthik's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
50 views

Outdoor fairy lights

Our outdoor solar lights stopped working due to water ingress. I want to keep the lights but dispose of the solar panel making the lights "ordinary" battery powered. I've connected the ...
S. Kelly's user avatar
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1 answer
49 views

Solar charge controller for lithium batteries

My project is a solar powered RC car with the ESP32. Currently, I´m looking for a solar charge controller. I have two solar panels that deliver 3,5W at 6V. I want to charge Li-Ion or LiPo batterys. I ...
NurDerFch1846's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
41 views

Proper way to model solar panel using CircuitLab

I'm trying to simulate a very simple (primitive?) circuit to charge a battery from a solar cell. The solar cell was scavenged from a long string of lights. With a 50 Ω resistor it produces about 6.6 ...
Bryan Hanson's user avatar
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0 answers
48 views

What size capacitor and or components do I need to run 12V starter motor with solar panels as power and relays for switches

I'm trying to use solar panels to operate a DC 12-volt small starter motor at slow speed to rotate my solar panels towards the Sun automatically. The size of solar panels that it take to power the 12 ...
WizardDave's user avatar
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1 answer
67 views

How can I use my two 33v solar panels to charge my two 12v trailer batteries while at same time providing 12v power to trailer?

Is it possible to have at least one battery connected to our trailer circuits while both batteries in series (ie. 24v) are being charged by our two 33v solar panels? Will solution require a "...
Doug Null's user avatar
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1 answer
82 views

Cheap China solar water pump kit only runs for 10 minutes [closed]

I checked everything with a multimeter, everything seems fine. The batteries charge to full capacity. The output from the solar panel seems correct. The output from the controller seems correct. In ...
Matthew Nisbett's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
91 views

How does this LED flasher circuit with just two solar cells and no batteries work?

Any thoughts on how these designs are being put together: https://www.tindie.com/products/bobricius/solar-flashing-green-diamond-led-earrings-pendant/ https://www.tindie.com/products/bobricius/maxi-...
ghosted's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
74 views

Solar panel output volts and amperes are higher than the battery but it won't power a small DC motor [closed]

Why won't my DC solar panel power a small DC motor when the output volts and amperes are higher than the battery that does power it? Thankyou everyone..Alot to review Regards
Matthew Nisbett's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
97 views

S8550 reducing current

Updated Schematic I am trying to set up an external battery storage for solar lights as the solar lights are not in direct sunlight and cannot charge their own batteries. Each solar light runs off a ...
NateA's user avatar
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4 votes
5 answers
839 views

Trouble with powering DC motors from solar panels and large capacitor

I'm working with a bunch of mechanical engineers on an electrical engineering project and we're totally stumped. The main problem is to drive a small robot chassis using the power generated from solar ...
Drew Fernandez's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
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Switching Parallel Solar Cells

I have a proposed solar system setup where sometimes one set of panels will be covered. The system has control over when the panel is covered or not. I'm thinking of ways to isolate the covered cells ...
BeB00's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Backfeeding power to a SMPS from solar panels

Would anything bad happen if I connected the output from a 50 V open-drain solar panel to the the output (that's output NOT input) of a 48 V switched mode power supply? Basically I have a boost charge ...
Jay Dee's user avatar
  • 319
1 vote
3 answers
116 views

How can I reduce the RPM of a solar powered motor to 2 RPM?

This DC motor (RF-500TB-12560) with a plastic gearbox (8 gears) turns at 20 RPM using a 5V 30mA solar panel. I need this to turn only 2 RPM. What size solar panel will do this? I make solar powered ...
Kathy's user avatar
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