In the Bush Solar Solution

[ugotdave]

I am currently working on a solar solution for the Bush.

I am going to order a TST5 Wilderness controller, use a gel cell 12V battery and a portable solar panel. Can some one weigh in on what kind of solar panel I should get and from where. I have been searching Amazon for Amorphous panel but have only found a few that may work.

Any ideas or help will be appreciated.

[Tom C]

what kind of portability do you need? the harbor freight 45 watt kit is perfect for that unit, and the thunderbolt panels are low light panels, so they are fairly efficient.
Tom C

[ugotdave]

Tom, I need a solar panel that will fit in my back-pack. Maybe 12"X12" max, needs to be durable.

I saw a video where Peter Lindemann was demoing the TST5 wilderness model and he used a little 12V trickle charger. This is what I am looking for. Maybe something that can roll up. I don't have much money to spend so my choices may be limited.

The gel cell will be mounted to my mountain bike. I am hoping I can use the TST5 with a wheel dynamo as well, remember these? The ole wheel generator that gave our bicycles lights at night?
My Schwinn "StingRay" had one. Ohh, those were the days...

Do you think that is possible? To have the wheel dynamo charge my little gel cell (12V 10ah). The dynamo is a 12V 6W.

[Tom C]

Goal zero makes small foldable panels, I do not know how they will drive the 3amp. you will need to do some research, you want 30 to 45 watts for it to charge in a reasonable time. this is a 15 watt one http://www.goalzero.com/p/20/boulder-15-solar-panel

I do know the dynamo will charge the battery, it is DC and it's voltage will vary with rpm, I can see it doing 2 to 18-20 volts, and may burn out the tracker if the voltage goes too hi. you will need to voltage limit somehow. what is the make and spec's ?

Tom C

[ugotdave]

Tom, this is a review from a customer on Amazon.
Dynamo Make is Tung-Lin

I received this dynamo promptly from vendor "Top Lowrider". The Tung-Lin is an excellent dynamo -- compact, reliable, and high power. It has two terminals, "T" and "H", intended for connecting a low voltage tail light or higher voltage headlight. It produces an AC voltage and frequency proportional to speed. The voltage produced corresponds to 1.3 Vrms per km/h of road speed at a frequency of 9.3 Hz/km/h. For example, at a bicycle speed of 15.5 mph (25 km/h) on a 27" wheel the dynamo turns at a rate of 116 turns/sec and the "H" terminal produces an unloaded AC waveform of 32.6 Vrms at 233 Hz. (In my test setup I protected the dynamo friction wheel with a few O-rings, increasing its diameter and reducing its speed about 14%.) The power produced depends on how well the load is matched to the dynamo's internal impedance, but at that speed it is a maximum of 14.4 W at a current of 700 mArms into a load resistance of 30 ohms. There are of course some losses if you use a bridge rectifier, but these typical specs give you a feel for the power it can produce. I measure the internal impedance of the "H" winding at 9.3 ohm and 17.7 mH.

[Tom C]

find yourself a bridge rectifier and it just may work, 14.4 watts DC is close to 1 amp at 12 volts....

Tom C

[jelloir]

This might suit your s2a13? http://www.globalsolar.com/products/retail/sunlinq-6

Came across these whilst looking at Thin Film panels.

James

[jelloir]

Found another one...

http://www.altadevices.com/pdfs/charging_mat.pdf

the 60W unit but it might be a little much for the S3A12 but not by much? Hopefully someone might chime in to confirm.

Thanks

[ugotdave]

Jelloir, great find. I will look into these. Thank you!