<http://www.repeater-builder.com/tech-info/some-thoughts-on-solar-power.html>
Mike WA6ILQ At 11:54 AM 07/13/07, you wrote: >Eric, > >This is good info. I know many need this type of info. Here in >Florida where we have lots of sun most of the year a number of Hams >are interested in solar for emergency use as well as saving one the >electric bill. Remote repeater sites is another I hear about. > >Are there any web sites on things like the chargers, panels, etc you >can give??? > >Many need info on the batteries and charging and yep I can see when >the repeater transmits it would look to the charger as if the >batteries needed charging. For the life of the battery the charging >is very important. > >73, ron, n9ee/r > > > > >From: Eric Lemmon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Date: 2007/07/13 Fri PM 12:36:54 CDT > >To: [email protected] > >Subject: RE: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Solar Power > > > > >Ron, > > > >The SunWize installation instructions specifically warn against grounding > >the system (panels, battery, or radio) at more than one point, since to do > >so will short out one or more current sensors. Inasmuch as the metal parts > >of the antenna are always grounded for lightning protection, that means that > >it is the radio that must have its negative terminal grounded. > > > >There is no reason to ground any other component in the system. The solar > >panel output terminals are always floating with respect to the mounting > >frame, for exactly this reason. The mounting frame can be grounded for > >lightning protection. > > > >Solar power is quite pervasive in Europe, particularly in Sweden, Germany, > >and Finland- where many solar power components are manufactured. In some > >countries, it is common to ground the positive terminal. In order to make > >such components work in other countries, certain precautions must be taken. > >Follow the instructions packed with the charge controller to the letter, and > >don't risk damaging an expensive part by assuming that it's okay to ground > >the circuit at more than one point. > > > >Most of the troublesome solar-powered repeaters that I know about have > >failed for obvious reasons. One was installed with the solar panel > >connected directly to the battery, without a charge controller. The battery > >failed in one year due to overcharging. Another solar-powered repeater > >failed because the owner connected the radio directly to the battery instead > >of to the charge controller's load terminals. In this case, the charge > >controller had no way to determine the battery's state of charge. > > > >I could cite several more examples, but I hope I've made my point: Use a > >good quality solar charge controller, and make all wiring exactly per the > >instructions packed with it. > > > >73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: [email protected] > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron Wright > >Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 9:24 AM > >To: [email protected] > >Subject: Re: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Solar Power > > > >Eric, > > > >On the solar panel negative lead could you ground the negative of the > >battery, but make sure the solar panel terminals, both pos and neg, are not > >grounded??? The solar panel and charger would be floating on their own with > >the combination output connected to the battery with the pos to pos and neg > >to neg of the battery, but it grounded. > > > >73, ron, n9ee/r > > > >>From: Eric Lemmon <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:wb6fly%40verizon.net> > > >>Date: 2007/07/13 Fri AM 11:08:10 CDT > >>To: [email protected] > ><mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> > >>Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Solar Power > > > >> > >>Tim, > >> > >>I have a commercial UHF repeater that has been operating 24/7 on a mountain > >>ridge since January 2003. It uses two Siemens 75 watt solar panels in > >>parallel, two Concorde 105 AH SLA batteries in parallel, a SunWize Steca > >>charge controller, and a Motorola R1225 45 watt radio. A Celwave PD696-1-2 > >>duplexer feeds a Decibel Products DB408 aluminum dipole antenna. > >> > >>Perhaps the best advice I can offer is to properly apply the solar power > >>components. The solar panel should be large enough supply at least eight > >>times the standby current required by the repeater equipment, and the > >>battery should be a sealed lead-acid type both for safety and longevity and > >>of a capacity sufficient to run the repeater for at least two days with no > >>input from the solar panel. Finally, use a commercial solar charge > >>controller to manage your power flow. Your load should connect to the > >>charge controller and not to the battery. Some charge controllers have > >>current sensors in the negative lead, so you may need to ensure that there > >>are no connections to ground except at the load circuit. Since the antenna > >>cable shield is connected to ground, you cannot ground the negative poles > >of > >>either the battery or the solar panel. > >> > >>73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY > >> > >>-----Original Message----- > >>From: [email protected] > ><mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> > >>[mailto:[email protected] > ><mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of Tim > >>Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 6:47 PM > >>To: [email protected] > ><mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com> > >>Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Solar Power > >> > >>I have a site located that I would like to install a 220 Ham Repeater > >>but there is no electrical power. I don't know the first thing about > >>solar power but would like to consider this project for my first solar > >>powered repeater. I would appreciate any links, tips, suggestions, or > >>information about solar power for repeater use. I have looked at a > >>couple of web sites but I know there are hundreds of solar powered > >>sites around the country and I figured that this group would have the > >>experience to point me in the right direction for research or purchase > >>of equipment. If you would like to send off group, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ><mailto:kk4wh%40yahoo.com> > >><mailto:kk4wh%40yahoo.com> will > >>get to me. Thanks in advance for the help. > >> > >>Tim, KK4WH > >> > >> > > > >Ron Wright, N9EE > >727-376-6575 > >MICRO COMPUTER CONCEPTS > >Owner 146.64 repeater Tampa Bay, FL > >No tone, all are welcome. > > > > > > >Ron Wright, N9EE >727-376-6575 >MICRO COMPUTER CONCEPTS >Owner 146.64 repeater Tampa Bay, FL >No tone, all are welcome. > > > > > > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
