This is precisely why the WA8SME CubeSat simulators run off alkaline batteries! Not enough light in a room to keep the batteries charged all day...
Mark N8MH At 05:22 PM 5/15/2012 -0400, Bob Bruninga wrote: >You would be amazed at how little power a solar panel gets in the classroom or >the lab. > >I measure it. It is one half of one percent of full sun (0.5%). Practically >nothing. Here are two examples: > >1) We have a flight unit of the original TRANSIT satellite in our sun lit >wall-of-glass lobby. It has about 8000 1 inch square solar cells. We built a >small "packet" link and a small SSTV camera so we could command it and watch >when refreshments were being served in the lobby. Even with all those solar >cells, and full indoor lighting and indirect window lighting, the power >available is only about 0.1 watt. We had to back off and only have it come on >when there was full sun on the arrays in the late afternoon, all the other >time there was no power to run it. Even with the eight 1'x6'solar panels. > >2) Laugh at this one and BUYER BEWARE! check out >www.solaroadtechnologies.com. They claim "Their products are undoubtedly the >best solar/storage products available." They are located in Towson, Maryland. > And complete hogwash. They sell you solar panels for your desk and your >cubical to collect free energy from the office lighting. Yes, not even enough >to light a single LED. 0.5% of outdoor sun is nothing. > >Modern day adage: Just because there is light, and just because it spins, >does not mean there is any useful power! > >Bob, WB4APR > > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
