SOLAR WEED Weedeater Weed Whacker Trimmer PV Photovoltaic Lawn Tools

[hemet92544]

so if i get this right, you have to push a wheel barrow around the yard every 20 feet you want to use the trimmer.......ummmm

[rosskstar]

she should never weed eat in a bikini but i would still like to see a video of her doing it

[SolarizeYourLife]

You can do the same with any 18-24 volt power tool. You can easily burn out a 12 volt motor with the higher panel voltage if you do not clamp it down.

[TheFiremansavage]

Only issue i have is stopping, move the wheelbarrel 5 feet weed wack stop move it 5 feet etc etc.

[SolarizeYourLife]

@TheFiremansavage Why would you use a 1.5 m cord? That would be stupid.

[TheFiremansavage]

@SolarizeYourLife Welll they never said you could use a 100ft cord, i would anyway.

[SolarizeYourLife]

@TheFiremansavage I would not either, maybe a 15 m cord. I have a gas free lawn mowing service by bike and trailer. Never need to get or carry gas with me.

[agent475816]

that thing is janky

[highron2]

did you keep the bat in the unit?

[MrStemkilla]

thats pritty cool but the soler panels are exspensive :/

[beckweth]

Are you saying you cannot buy a solar powered weedeater or other yard tools, you have to rig it yourself? If so, where is our high tech technology?

[Twisted86]

Wouldn't it be simpler just to charge the batteries via solar? Oh nevermind didn't notice it was a cord version (mine is battery power)

[MCRelentless5]

Thumps up if you thought this meant a different type of weed....

[TheFiremansavage]

@MCRelentless5 Not at all man, just, just go home.

[wildbill23c]

Great idea but who really wants to lug around the solar panel to operate the weed eater.

[SolarizeYourLife]

@wildbill23c You have no idea what being independent means, do you? You are a gas and electricity company junky.

[wildbill23c]

@SolarizeYourLife

Actually I know what being independent means, I just don't really care to carry around the batteries to power it. And only 5-7 minutes of run time, not exactly quite enough time to weed around my 1 acre property. its a great start though.

[wildbill23c]

@SolarizeYourLife

I'd rather now rely on gas or electric companies but when you are on a very limited income you can't exactly spend $50,000 for a solar power system now can you?

[SolarizeYourLife]

@wildbill23c Wow, you just like to respond with ridiculous answers now don't you. One panel does not cost $50,000, normally a single battery weed eater would not do a whole acre, it more for city folks, but with that one panel you could do your whole acre.

[wildbill23c]

@SolarizeYourLife

Read my damn message. I didn't say 1 panel. However to run a house off grid your looking at approximately $50,000 in initial investment and about 10-15 years to recoup that money. So before you accuse someone of responding with ridiculous answers do some damn research.

[SolarizeYourLife]

@wildbill23c Why are you giving any response, everyone of them is negative. And look at the damn discussion and video, it is about one weed eater not your damn house. More BS with the $50,000, try starting with a 1000 watt system and not a 10,000 watt system for your home, it is flexible, some now, some later.

[dawnrboucher]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing this great idea. I much prefer electric weed eaters. They are much more quiet and less stinky than gas powered. I am looking forward to trying this solar power method out!

[alfayed1991]

That thing is amazing . Excellent job .

[cdltpx]

Deniese replace the weedeater stuff on the weedeater and install a trolling motor blade and you can fish all day with a canoe or smal boat.

[bayoual1437]

Dan, what about 18volt? what to do. how many watts is your solar cell? thanks I think you guys are great!

[bluegrass1dcr1]

Be honest, how many of you just saw the words "SOLAR WEED" and clicked?

[filear]

Great idea Dan, i have seen where people call electric weed eaters green but they don't understand that charging their electric weed eaters with coal electricity is not exactly "Green". You however have made a real green machine. Sweet.

[earthwindwaterjunky]

That is great! Smart.

[svprovidence]

Dan & Denise - You two ROCK! I really enjoy the concept of the 'backyard scientist' and had a marathon of watching your videos the last two days.

My wife and I live on a small sailboat, so energy efficiency and solar are a must in daily life. Because of this, your approach using odd bits of this and that to build and learn is very appealing.

Fair Winds -

R&K

[GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

@svprovidence Thank you for the wonderful comments!

[Response166]

Good thinking, great idea :D

[SuperAceofspace]

That too much work carrying the solar panel around the yard. Your going green on that battery power trimmer.

[timelordthetrain]

I made a solar powered flash light!

[niemma2]

I have make , I use the back yard every summer trimmer and there i can save lot of electricity during the summer. I have 2x 60W panels, those probably will be able use power trimmer.

Panels is charging 120A battery.

My back yard is 10x15 meter size, i can use only cable power the trimmer and leave trimmer battery away save trimmer weight.

It would be better if i find a battery lawn mower with has 12v system.

[TheCaptainLulz]

a solar powered weed eater. its called scisors people its not hard. Get down and do a little work.

[fairyheli2]

@TheCaptainLulz yes it is hard, thats why weedeaters were invented

[TheCaptainLulz]

@fairyheli2 They gave special scisors for weeds and grass, I have a set here. The blades are horizontal and it has 3 foot long handles.

[zofisma]

congratulations!. great idea.

[davesnijder]

pretty funny u guys r making a green solution to destroy the actual greenxD

[willibill1]

Better than mixing oil and gas.

[iAsahi]

great, but u need somebody to follow u with panel, and if sun will hide u cannot continue-and by using akk while its charging from panel u are destroying akk better do some capacitator circuit with voltage stabilizator and safety lock i think i culd cost not much that one pizza box.. oh and one last thing - u must cut weeds in the full sun so u will be soon baked, i mean tired.. and a gas exhaust isnt that bad as same when u are going on some main street and breath..

[randomlaughingman]

noise-pollution isn't green, it's abusive to people and the environment.

[PuciferSam]

@randomlaughingman guess you are right , look what happen to the Sunchip's Bags. Who has time to complain about the noise thier chips bag is making. Did they actually take the time to look up and write to the Sunchips Brand? Man, I thought I had no life! Oh, wait I still dont....ok everything is kewl.

PuciferSam

[randomlaughingman]

@PuciferSam - it sounds like ur talking about crisps.

noise-pollution, and treating nature like a whore u think u can just chop and clip - based on complete mental illness and mind-control programming to make u think it's normal to change the shape of nature, is a very serious and very big problem, making real peoples (not just natural environment only) lives a nightmare.

and it cannot be justified, if u need a path or want a short lawn, there's solutions that don't rape the soul with noise.

[randomlaughingman]

@PuciferSam - first off, green-manuring is fine. but - never requires powered noise-polluting machinery. use a push-mower or sickle or scythe.

if paths r needed thru long grasses, make them naturally as people always did by walking in the same bit, or do that & put some natural pathing material (like nature trails use - gravel perhaps), or - cut it by hand only for that path.

any cutting back - hand-tools are perfectly adequate - there's no rush, they don't grow that quickly.

[randomlaughingman]

@PuciferSam - obviously renewably generated electricity, & biofuels, are better than fossil fuels - there's a documented conspiracy as to how fossil fuels were never needed, we already had solutions that were renewable before oil & gas took over.

but - part of the reason they forced in fossil fuels, is so that the backlash only concentrates on the fuel being sustainable. technology is not an answer to anything, it's a crutch only. it's not just the fuel source that's damaging.

[burmastersbeer]

i love it , i wish i lived near you because together we would make some cool stuff. Keep up the good work.

[1foxtrot70]

Denise mentions that Dan put connectors on the power cord to make it nearly idiot proof. Hmmm...I won't be able to use it then. LOL

[Beaverman20]

Green Power... because everyone loves having a wheelbarrow with a solar-panel with them...

[th19940305]

I had one of those battery weedeaters and gave it to my neighbor

[th19940305]

make a wind powered one

[DancingSpiderman]

@th19940305 Nuclear is the way to go on this thing...

[cadude145]

you all are amazing - great ideas

[Bobster986]

Made In China!?

[dylanthorner]

@GREENPOWERSCIENCE Hey Dan, I had a question about your solar panel in your video, do you know where to get one of those, like ebay?

[th19940305]

@dylanthorner harbor frieght has them

[DancingSpiderman]

You two should film a neighbor plugging this weedwacker into 120VAC, just for fun.

I'm really impressed with your solar weedwacker unit.

Imagine Hank Hill from King Of The Hill wacking his weeds with this thing.

[xxtruckin93xx]

@DancingSpiderman hank hill would use propane and they do make propane weed wackers craftsman has one

[DancingSpiderman]

@xxtruckin93xx Well, somebody'd BETTER have a propane weedwhacker available, because Hank Hill would do nothing but complain around the house like a typical middle-aged lazy-minded negative-thinking fuddy, about having to move the power cable and reposition the solar panel combo on this thing.

I enjoy the design of this solar weedwhacker. But you KNOW that some fuddys couldn't cope.

Good ol' Sears Craftsman.

LONG LIVE SEARS.

[paranoidnews]

Is there any other alt. energy besides solar and wind? I decided to go 100% green thanks to you. But I still fear the cloudy days and the windless days, is there a green energy that is more or less constant? I would love to try it. Seriously.

[merkyaleez59]

so wheres this solar weed i heard about and how much per pound ?

[ChickenHater550]

great idea! dan must be mechanicly inclined

[astrialkil]

So why not use the solar panel on a electric lawn mower? The mower is large enough to mount the panel on the handle or deck(take your pic)

[lostburro]

I might splurge and just replace the battery rather than have to drag the wheelbarrow around every time I wanted to eat some weed s. But this is one heck of an idea that could be adapted to just about any rechargeable tool.

[threeto1]

Funny, when i first read the title on the youtube home page it said "SOLAR WEED" , this is definitely going on strangebutfunny!

[steelraptor]

It would be cool if ya threw that panel on your tractor and carried the trimmer with you on the tractor.

[VWBAJA2112]

Like,lol,loved if u mounted the solar panel on ur back pack,tell me u didn`t think of it,lol.

[takadi]

your title is misleading

[drbackjack]

Is that a sweater you are wearing in summer in south Florida? Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my.

[TheBillythekid2010]

As Aways Good Job

[bluecollarboiler]

Now, make the solar panel into a back-pack design, or some way to carry it on your back, and make it shade your head too?!

[Theskidmark61]

Thanks for the info!

I have got a 100 foot extension cord (damaged) that would be great for this!

[GhalionRabbit]

interesting

could you reduce the solar panel to something that is lite and can be carried on the back ?

i would think if you sacrifice the battery all together and settle for some decent capacitors

you could fix the possible issue of using it in the shade

as well as the issue of destroying the battery

dont know if it would work or not

but just an idea :D

[Esoteric0714]

A sweatshirt in August?

[SolarScience]

Dan and Denise: That is BRILLIANT!!

[craftchest]

So where do you get the solar panel?

[georgehandley48]

Nice video, though we didn't see enough of Denise, and when we did she had on baggy pants and a sweatshirt. Good information, I might try this. Thanks.

[bg0821]

I like it. I would run my radio at the beach off the sun all day. If I want to use a larger panel, I would cover half of the cells with something to prevent burnout of the item. then later when the sun's rays are weak at the end of the day, expose the rest of the cells for maximum performance.

[DoblyTufnell]

I kept clicking LIKE but I only registered once.. Awesome work Dan, Nice commentary Denise.

[ricochetVendetta]

awesome, you could charge a car on this and all sorts. I wish I lived my country had sunshine, we use rain power instead :p

[sakibalmahmud]

idiotproof video.

[egn83b]

You could sale that thing at target or home depot and make a killing. Just have to come up with backpack model so you don't have to tote it around by cart.

[eddiequest4]

WAAAAAY COOL ! ! ! Hey, what d'ya think of using a back pack/fanny pack with the charged battery(ies)? [instead of the wheelbarrow]?

[insAneTunA]

if it works, then it works, great video :-)

[9887663]

Now this is a good video!!

Keep up the good work!

[DavesTreeFarm]

If you made a helmet mount for the PV panel, then you could wear it on your head and be in the shade. A win-win.

[bg0821]

@DavesTreeFarm LOL the neighbors will probably be on the floor laughing with that one but true it is shade.

[AxenZoku]

@DavesTreeFarm what about a back harness? those cleaning people walk around with vacuum tanks on their backs... why not a solar panel

[Rikashk]

It may be greener but it got 4 X bigger, cool none the less

[freemind4ever]

Thank you for sharing, brilliant  :-) keep em coming

[JimboJitsu]

very cool thanks for sharing!

[FenderGibsonWashburn]

You found a wife that loves to do yard work? Dan you are one lucky guy. :)

[ABOSOLUTEKNOWLEDGE]

gangsta sheat

[farhmoha]

I love the food episodes.

[motters2001]

Make a little trolley to replace the wheelbarrow and you've pretty much got a saleable product.

[DescartesDooley]

V-cool

[ricedrocket]

It ran the device for 5 to 7 minutes?

At 3.6AH?

Thats a VERY BAD DESIGN. Sealed Lead Acid batteries work best with a discharge of rate one-tenth of their rated amp-hour rating. Its no damn wonder that the battery failed. The higher you go over the 'sweet spot' of discahrge, the less the battery appears to hold (in amp-hour rating).

Using high discharge batteries (10C and above) is best for that sort of device, NOT SLAs.

"C" is a measure of discharge rate to capacity, not temp.

[Zachstar2000]

Now that is just being innovative! Nice!

[mrnewagemotor]

That was one small step for man - one giant leap for mankind ! The suggnificance of this was very profound ! It's weed eaters today - it's tall building cranes tomorrow.

HEY - why don't those giant tall building cranes take advantage of all that scaffold like frame structure as a place for a solid wall of solar cell panels. The crane operates on electric motor power ! I just don't understand the foolish waste sometimes !

[5lkk]

Dan must like taking things apart & putting them together again. :) Wire nuts are inexpensive I buy them by the box to stock the shop. I'd would have used the right off, this was going to work well or not work well. In the event it didn't work well, it would have went to the stuff heap. What's the difference in recovering a nickels worth of parts that aren't going anywhere?

[Toraog]

You need to ditch the wheel barrel and devise some sort of backpack that will use the solar panel as a portable shade. That way you can work in the shade and not have to constantly go back and get the panel ;-)

[Asylumescapee69]

@Toraog

ever picked up a PV panel? I don't think you want it on your back. If weight wasn't an issue, they'd just use a better battery, and charge it while not in use.

[8DoverNJ]

Hey Dan and Denise and anyone reading this for that matter, check out this vid about improving the performance of a potatoe battery:

watch?v=APqSVT-RKjs&playnext=1­&videos=6ZMpk4M7F54

Oh yeah and nice job on the weedwacker!

[boomer290]

Make an airplane with that... Gear it up and put a prop to it. and hazaa!!!

[canfaller]

very interesting idea

[mV33rs]

could you give me a link to where to buy these solar panels, like the ones u have to solder together yourself?

[madjimms]

The title really had me!

now wheres my roller?

[wyattlisadana]

Another great idea from DAN THE MAN! It sucks trying to keep gas oil mix around.

[GetMeThere1]

Makes sense also, because we tend not to do yard work on cloudy/rainy days.

[galegregory97comcast]

how much dan

[Scootchinman]

This is exactly the kind of project I would get obsessed with! If I had panels that large of course... What's the wattage on the one you're using? Great video you two :-)

[599891]

I like the backpack idea. How about one of those electric mowers with the solar panel on top like those cars the college kids make. Good job! It's always a pleasure to have Denise the "Queen of Green" involved.

[Hamish121212]

That is one of the best uses I have seen for solar - well done!!!

[TheVampirella]

That's cool, now he needs to puts wheels and a handle on the solar panel to make it easier to move around while working.

[social3ngin33rin]

She loves doing yard work?!?!?!

come over to california :)

[gfoyston]

So cool, could the solar panel be half the size and and say on a back pack device? What a concept. gotta love it.

[cdltpx]

Too bad the lawn mowers are not 12 volt.

[unclesamshat]

ill stick to my gasoline whacker

[eduardomachadostudio]

what size solar panel?

[vikramtheone]

Come on Denise why didn't you show up in the video?

[GreedIsYourGod]

Cool project, you two are just full of great ideas. To polish this one project off just make a two wheeled cart that will act as an adjustable stand for your solar cell and a little cart for you to carry your yard tools around with you. I say tools because you should also convert a hedge trimmer and an electric drill so they will work the same way. You could also add perhaps a small car battery to the cart.

[WORRO01]

Now THIS is COOL!

Thumbs UP video!!

Side note, I have my forst harbor freight 45 watt kit on the way here right now! cant wait to get it out and hook it up!!

[Bobster986]

How many watts was the solar panel?

[wcoy79]

Hey Denise, It looked awful hot to be cutting the lawn in a long sleeve sweatshirt. Don't you think that maybe a bikini top would have suited the situation a little better? Just a thought :)

[s10manual]

@wcoy79 Precisely. For me, if the weather is greater than about 50 degrees F, Shorts and a t-shirt work fine for outdoor work.

[dzgfdg]

@s10manual u dont get it do u

[drboose]

reminds me of a solar haircut video i saw on here

[ALAPINO]

Awesome! Haha!

[rainbowsalads]

nice one : ) 

[sweettooth80]

sweet

[BlitzKdotCOM]

Dude... learn how to solder and heatshrink. Twist and tape is ugly, a bad electrical connection and it could be dangerous!

[Nomoreidsleft]

@BlitzKdotCOM He's probably got a soldering phobia now. He had one video where he grabbed the tip, while soldering solar cells.

[5lkk]

@BlitzKdotCOM In trade school we where taught an electrical splice was to be both electrically & mechanically secure BEFORE solder was applied. pigtail splices are generally twisting the wires together, if the splice is crap before soldering, it's crap after soldering as well. Heat shrink is nice, but tape works as well to. Besides while it's easy to miss a text box told us splice seen was temporary for testing, with wire nuts used after testing.

[andruha11234]

lol it works... but dragging that huge solar panel could be a pain in the ass... don't you think?

[GodfatherMaxi]

Very cool.

[Coldbloodedkilu]

What if you want to mow, and you need to use it when its really cloudy?

[usra060]

@Coldbloodedkilu What if...

[Coldbloodedkilu]

@usra060 lol, true

[nuclearthreat545]

SOLAR WEED gave me the wrong impression

[JaysonX5]

@nuclearthreat545 I could swear he meant ganja.

[paranoidnews]

@nuclearthreat545 yeah, me too LOL

[VWRabbitdiesel]

That cool, nice job on the video.

[kmg501]

Nice job.

[GhostObsessed]

fart...



[theprimalcore]

Ha! Good Stuff! I think I will start checking around craigslist for a cheap electric weeder for this project!

[zengenxers]

Awesome! 

[PhysicsGuerrilla]

Solar powered weed-eater....too cool. I love it :)

[TheChemlife]

so do you have to haul that solar panel around just to cut the weeds?

[Anothercoilgun]

No excuse to keep the house from being maintained even in grid shut down. Think of the savings from all the HOA fines. The one with solar will be untouched.

[Anothercoilgun]

Combination of ...  lol.

[30GB]

wow thats cool

[pubtor]

not putting clear tape over the written section?

I'd love neighbours like that lol

[WeCanAllGetAllong]

Indeed cool! Maybe a bitt sluggish and lugging that wheelbarrow and cord around maybe a lil discomforting but highly efficient! WTG guys!

[apeinacrate76]

cool



[stevejberry]

very cool howto, thank you so much. i won't be doing this tho. Moving into an Apartment! lol

[plumberx]

you guys did it again another great video thanks. PlumberX

[detubator]

Awesome combo!

[Bigjohnnywad]

GREAT!

[WizzleThump]

Nice wire connectors and soldering job!

Oh wait, you just used electrical tape.

[marthale7]

have not seen these at yard sales... Will keep my eyes open.

[berrie34]

this is a great idea!

[DeanC993]

awesome guys now that is a GREAT example of GREEN energy

[aleko11]

great..