subject:"Has anyone made a solar power setup for a computer\?"

Re: Has anyone made a solar power setup for a computer?

2009-07-28 Thread Stephen

The computer is DC but you would need t re create the different rails of power

And hope your electronics skills are good

And your math

But quite possible

On 7/27/09, Trent Shipley tship...@deru.com wrote:
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Hash: SHA1

Joshua Zeidner wrote:
I wonder if its possible to bypass the PC power supply? By using an
inverter you are essentially converting from DC to AC and back to DC
again (bound to be inefficient). This hold true only if your system
is specifically for the PC.

-jmz

On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 4:25 PM, James
Finstromjfinst...@rhinoequipment.com wrote:
3 Steps to this

1. Use the correct hardware, something atom based and low power.

2. Determine requirements for 12V at about 5A solar panel cells/regulator

3. Add a battery in to the mix matching the same above stats 12V 5A

The hardware would run off the battery and the solar panels would charge
the
batteries. This will help for low light ang in general power
conditioning.
Straight solar would be too dirty and would cause hardware failure pretty
rapidly.

Note this is just for the PC requirements for a monitor etc would
increase
needs.

With all of this in mind go wwith a netbook that has insane battery life
anyway and one of these:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/7-portable-solar-laptop-chargers-worth-considering.php

On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 3:50 PM, Trent Shipley tship...@deru.com wrote:
Joshua Zeidner wrote:
Im interested in this topic as well. If you manage to build this,
please let us know how it goes.

-jmz

On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 3:35 PM, Josef Lowderj...@actionline.com
wrote:
Have any of you made a solar power setup for your computer system?

I've recently begun researching this and it seems very feasible.

At one website, a writer claims one can make a solar power generator
for less
than $300 -- www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html -- in summary he
says:

1. Run a line out the window to an 8 x 24 panel on the roof.
Solar panels cost about $100 rated 12 volts or better at RV store or
at Greenbatteries.com. Powerfilm R15-300 Rollable Solar Panel is
$98.47.
A 300 mah (approx 5 watt) solar panel comes with cable to connect to
a
battery. Internal batteries of wireless electronics can be charged by
connecting a PowerFilm Rollable Solar Panel to a device's 12V
adapter.

2. Get a deep cycle battery from Greenbatteries or Batteries.com for
about $50.
Or a Xantrex XPower 1500 W/60 AH battery from GoGreenSolar.com

3. Buy a 12 volt DC meter. Radio Shack has them for about $25.

4. Buy a DC input - a triple inlet model, enough to power many DC
appliances
like fans, lights, laptops, etc. costs about $10. With the right
cable
will
run straight off the box.

5. To run AC appliances, get an inverter to convert stored DC power
in
the
battery to AC power for most household appliances. A 115 volt 140
watt
inverter by Power-to-Go at Pep Boys is $50.

6. Attach the meter and DC input to the top of the box.

7. Attach the meter to terminals on the battery.
Connect the solar panel to the battery.

8. Put solar panel in the sun. It takes 5-8 hours to charge a dead
battery,
1-3 hours to top off a weak one. This will run many appliances for 5
hours
continuous use at 115 volt AC. Add larger panels, inverters,
batteries
for more.

Options: A pop-up circuit breaker between the positive terminal and
volt meter.
May add an ampmeter also. Some panels have built-in bypass diodes, or
use a
charge controller for panels without diodes. Another option is a
voltage regulator.
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Will the power be clean enough? I'd expect a typical inverter to be
noisy.
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Can we modify the computer to run on ONLY DC or does it have to run on
AC and

Has anyone made a solar power setup for a computer?

2009-07-27 Thread Josef Lowder

Have any of you made a solar power setup for your computer system?

I've recently begun researching this and it seems very feasible.

At one website, a writer claims one can make a solar power generator for less
than $300 -- www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html -- in summary he says:

1. Run a line out the window to an 8 x 24 panel on the roof.
Solar panels cost about $100 rated 12 volts or better at RV store or
at Greenbatteries.com. Powerfilm R15-300 Rollable Solar Panel is $98.47.
A 300 mah (approx 5 watt) solar panel comes with cable to connect to a
battery. Internal batteries of wireless electronics can be charged by
connecting a PowerFilm Rollable Solar Panel to a device's 12V adapter.

2. Get a deep cycle battery from Greenbatteries or Batteries.com for about $50.
   Or a Xantrex XPower 1500 W/60 AH battery from GoGreenSolar.com

3. Buy a 12 volt DC meter. Radio Shack has them for about $25.

4. Buy a DC input - a triple inlet model, enough to power many DC appliances
like fans, lights, laptops, etc. costs about $10. With the right cable will
run straight off the box.

5. To run AC appliances, get an inverter to convert stored DC power in the
battery to AC power for most household appliances. A 115 volt 140 watt
inverter by Power-to-Go at Pep Boys is $50.

6. Attach the meter and DC input to the top of the box.

7. Attach the meter to terminals on the battery.
Connect the solar panel to the battery.

8. Put solar panel in the sun. It takes 5-8 hours to charge a dead battery,
1-3 hours to top off a weak one. This will run many appliances for 5 hours
continuous use at 115 volt AC. Add larger panels, inverters, batteries for more.

Options: A pop-up circuit breaker between the positive terminal and volt meter.
May add an ampmeter also. Some panels have built-in bypass diodes, or use a
charge controller for panels without diodes. Another option is a
voltage regulator.
---
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Re: Has anyone made a solar power setup for a computer?

2009-07-27 Thread Trent Shipley

-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

Joshua Zeidner wrote:
   Im interested in this topic as well.  If you manage to build this,
 please let us know how it goes.
 
   -jmz
 
 On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 3:35 PM, Josef Lowderj...@actionline.com wrote:
 Have any of you made a solar power setup for your computer system?

 I've recently begun researching this and it seems very feasible.

 At one website, a writer claims one can make a solar power generator for less
 than $300 -- www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html -- in summary he says:

 1. Run a line out the window to an 8 x 24 panel on the roof.
 Solar panels cost about $100 rated 12 volts or better at RV store or
 at Greenbatteries.com. Powerfilm R15-300 Rollable Solar Panel is $98.47.
 A 300 mah (approx 5 watt) solar panel comes with cable to connect to a
 battery. Internal batteries of wireless electronics can be charged by
 connecting a PowerFilm Rollable Solar Panel to a device's 12V adapter.

 2. Get a deep cycle battery from Greenbatteries or Batteries.com for about 
 $50.
   Or a Xantrex XPower 1500 W/60 AH battery from GoGreenSolar.com

 3. Buy a 12 volt DC meter. Radio Shack has them for about $25.

 4. Buy a DC input - a triple inlet model, enough to power many DC appliances
 like fans, lights, laptops, etc. costs about $10. With the right cable will
 run straight off the box.

 5. To run AC appliances, get an inverter to convert stored DC power in the
 battery to AC power for most household appliances. A 115 volt 140 watt
 inverter by Power-to-Go at Pep Boys is $50.

 6. Attach the meter and DC input to the top of the box.

 7. Attach the meter to terminals on the battery.
 Connect the solar panel to the battery.

 8. Put solar panel in the sun. It takes 5-8 hours to charge a dead battery,
 1-3 hours to top off a weak one. This will run many appliances for 5 hours
 continuous use at 115 volt AC. Add larger panels, inverters, batteries for 
 more.

 Options: A pop-up circuit breaker between the positive terminal and volt 
 meter.
 May add an ampmeter also. Some panels have built-in bypass diodes, or use a
 charge controller for panels without diodes. Another option is a
 voltage regulator.
 ---
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Will the power be clean enough?  I'd expect a typical inverter to be noisy.
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Re: Has anyone made a solar power setup for a computer?

2009-07-27 Thread James Finstrom

3 Steps to this

1. Use the correct hardware, something atom based and low power.

2. Determine requirements for 12V at about 5A solar panel cells/regulator

3. Add a battery in to the mix matching the same above stats 12V 5A

The hardware would run off the battery and the solar panels would charge the
batteries. This will help for low light ang in general power conditioning.
Straight solar would be too dirty and would cause hardware failure pretty
rapidly.

Note this is just for the PC requirements for a monitor etc would increase
needs.

With all of this in mind go wwith a netbook that has insane battery life
anyway and one of these:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/7-portable-solar-laptop-chargers-worth-considering.php

On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 3:50 PM, Trent Shipley tship...@deru.com wrote:

-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

Joshua Zeidner wrote:
Im interested in this topic as well. If you manage to build this,
please let us know how it goes.

-jmz

On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 3:35 PM, Josef Lowderj...@actionline.com wrote:
Have any of you made a solar power setup for your computer system?

I've recently begun researching this and it seems very feasible.

At one website, a writer claims one can make a solar power generator for
less
than $300 --
www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.htmlhttp://www.rain.org/%7Ephilfear/how2solar.html--
in summary he says:

1. Run a line out the window to an 8 x 24 panel on the roof.
Solar panels cost about $100 rated 12 volts or better at RV store or
at Greenbatteries.com. Powerfilm R15-300 Rollable Solar Panel is $98.47.
A 300 mah (approx 5 watt) solar panel comes with cable to connect to a
battery. Internal batteries of wireless electronics can be charged by
connecting a PowerFilm Rollable Solar Panel to a device's 12V adapter.

2. Get a deep cycle battery from Greenbatteries or Batteries.com for
about $50.
Or a Xantrex XPower 1500 W/60 AH battery from GoGreenSolar.com

3. Buy a 12 volt DC meter. Radio Shack has them for about $25.

4. Buy a DC input - a triple inlet model, enough to power many DC
appliances
like fans, lights, laptops, etc. costs about $10. With the right cable
will
run straight off the box.

5. To run AC appliances, get an inverter to convert stored DC power in
the
battery to AC power for most household appliances. A 115 volt 140 watt
inverter by Power-to-Go at Pep Boys is $50.

6. Attach the meter and DC input to the top of the box.

7. Attach the meter to terminals on the battery.
Connect the solar panel to the battery.

Options: A pop-up circuit breaker between the positive terminal and volt
meter.
May add an ampmeter also. Some panels have built-in bypass diodes, or
use a
charge controller for panels without diodes. Another option is a
voltage regulator.
---
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Will the power be clean enough? I'd expect a typical inverter to be noisy.
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sYQAoKOG8tHQWu1M7FsyscRy3mwcUL0w
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Re: Has anyone made a solar power setup for a computer?

2009-07-27 Thread Joshua Zeidner

I wonder if its possible to bypass the PC power supply? By using an
inverter you are essentially converting from DC to AC and back to DC
again (bound to be inefficient). This hold true only if your system
is specifically for the PC.