Solar Powered Trailer

[crsbt]

my inverter runs off my batterys never thought about a capacitor

good info thanks.

[JimbowT]

Why the trailer ? Do us use it to power an RV ?

[SSparks555]

@JimbowT I use it to show that it is possible. Most who saw the Solar Trailer in public, had seen solar power in the books and the tv, but never right in front of them in operation. But it has been powering my house through a second electrical system that I have since built.

[VWRabbitdiesel]

Looks nice I never thought of using a cap for the inveter. Do you run the panel into the cap then into the inverter. dose it act like a filter/ regulator for the inverter?

[SSparks555]

@VWRabbitdiesel Actually, the cap acts more like a battery, kind of. In this non-battery based set-up, I have the panel going into the charge controller, which keeps the capacitor at 12 volts (without the charge controller the voltage would jump to 18 volts and the inverter would shut down due to over-voltage. Then the inverter is hooked up to the capacitor, which gives me 110 volts @ 75 watts directly from the sunlight.

[VWRabbitdiesel]

@SSparks555 is it a car stereo CAP?

[SSparks555]

@VWRabbitdiesel Yup. Got it from Circuit City before they shut down for $130.00.

[SSparks555]

@VWRabbitdiesel An inverter wants to see 2 things when you first turn it on: 1-Voltage, 2-Current. If I hooked the inverter to the charge controller, without the cap, it would not work. The Cap provides the current, along with the voltage, that the inverter wants to see when it starts up.

[sirmasterpimp]

Nice man, I never thought of using a capacitor as a battery before.......That really makes sense, especially if you want to reserve the battery for when there is no sun or just lower the cycles on it.

[TogieTung]

POwer to the people!!!!

[showaltermicro]

Not bad

[kreech1]

how important is the capacitor ? i would like to build something like this but with maybe more batteries , say about 4 to 6 of the 6volt type.

[SSparks555]

You don't really need a capacitor, I only used it to show folks the 'real-time' capability of the panel. This panel could charge 2 or 3 more batteries.

[kreech1]

hey i liked this video , if you don,t mind my asking , about how much did al this cost and roughly how long did it take to contruct ? looks like you did a nice job , oh one other question what have you been able to run off of it ?

[SSparks555]

The costs from buying : The Panel, the trailer, building the box, getting the electronics and putting a hitch on my '02 Malibu, it ran me around $1800 to $2000. The panel was $560.00 It took me about 4 months to complete. I can run just about anything that uses 75 to 100 watts max, depending on the anount of sun.

[JTmedia01]

Although it may not seem as powerful to what we are used to, when monopolies make energy unaffordable- this is the answer. When we refuse to be controlled by those who want to hold us prisoner to life's essentials, the sun and wind will offer freely. Inventors such as this are giving us hands to receive what nature offers us for free, empowering us all. Thanks Dale!

[MichelleSeven]

Wow, you really know what you are doing! =) Great job!

[SSparks555]

Thank you, Michelle.

[HomesteadAcres]

nice man i was thinking of doing something like that if we get a homestead with no hydro

[demousa]

thats cool Dale