Simple solar system charging during the winter in Colorado

This video is in contrast to the one I made during May of 2008. At that time it was another month until the summer solstice so the panel was pointing almost directly into the sky. For this particular video, recorded a month after the winter solstice, the panel is aligned toward the horizon - in stark contrast to its summer orientation. Either way, the theme remains simple, and inexpensive - capturing the right amount of sunlight to charge a battery to power my amateur radio station and some other related equipment.

Here's my personal web page about solar power:
http://www.rogerwendell.com/solar.html

Here's my personal web page about amateur radio:
http://www.rogerwendell.com/qrp.html

01-19-2009

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• simple
• solar
• power
• panels
• charging
• batteries
• winter
• colorado

[Maccan]

Well Done. Hopefully we will all be independent of greedy power utilities.

[zeekzilch]

@Maccan

I'm mostly concerned about all the waste and pollution so the more renewable energy sources the better!

[iangates]

Thanks for the video. I think solar/natural power go hand in hand with HAM radio. Keep up the good work!

[zeekzilch]

Thank you for writing. And, I agree - the two do go well together and are in our future!

- WBØJNR

[TheSeriouslady]

what about fuse

[zeekzilch]

There is a fuse under the wrapped terminal on the right side of the battery in this video. However, since then I've changed over to a dual in-line fuse configuration on the power cable itself. Either way, a fuse is essential so I appreciate you asking!

- Roger J. Wendell

Golden, Colorado USA

[ditmar11]

hey bud, nice system, hey nothing wrong with the everlast marine batteries, they hold up well and there is a 2 yr. garantee on it from walmart....

[zeekzilch]

I believe it's a 35 Watt panel but I don't know for sure as there are no commercial markings - I purchased it as used surplus from somebody, in the early 90s, who said it was from SERI (now NERL) here in Golden, Colorado.

- Roger J. Wendell

[capnrob97]

Nice! I use that same battery to run a 5 watt CFL in my office.

How many watts is the panel?