Do these charges have any builtin monitoring via SNMP? -----Original Message----- From: Christopher Erickson [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 15 January 2010 19:22 To: 'WISPA General List' Subject: Re: [WISPA] Solar suggestion for ultra low use site?
Latitude and average cloud cover will be factors. I would use MorningStar MPPT solar charge controllers. Get every last watt of solar charging you can manage. Each controller can handle one to three 75 to 200 watt panels. If you end up needing more than three panels, add controllers and panels until sufficient charging is obtained. Avoid as many power conversions as possible. Power conversions never have 100% efficiency and many of your precious watts end up wasted as heat. 6V golf cart batteries are the best bang for the battery buck and can be deep cycled much better than 12V automotive-style batteries because they have much thicker plates. Dusty and/or snowy areas can be a problem. If so, schedule regular PMI visits to inspect and clean the panels. Use security screws on the solar panel mounting brackets. Solar panels are starting to become a popular theft item. "My advice is free and worth every penny!" -Christopher Erickson Network Design Engineer Waikoloa Village, HI 96738 N19°57' W155°47' > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of AJ > Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 8:38 AM > To: WISPA General List > Subject: [WISPA] Solar suggestion for ultra low use site? > > Thought I'd tap in to the collective intelligence of the WISP > group for this > question... > > > Looking at setting up a solar powered VHF ham repeater in the > middle of a > metro area for infill coverage... Site is land locked by > ghetto on one side > and rail tracks on the other - commercial power is not an option. > > We have available a dozen or so surplus Alpha 85 amp hour gel > cell batteries > which test out at roughly 90% capacity (PM swaps)... > > The first thought was to simply charge up a battery for each > event we work > in the downtown core, drop by the site and swap out whatever > battery is in > place.. Not quite the most efficient plan. > > Our next thought was to place a decent sized array, maybe > 300-400 amp hour, > then supplement with an off the shelf solar panel or two to maintain a > charge... > > Our equipment consists of an ancient GE MastrII repeater > turned down to 25 > watts and an NHRC controller. Standby draw is 125 mA, > transmit ramps up to > about 3.5 amps... > > Duty cycle is key here - we work perhaps a dozen events a > year within the > coverage of this repeater for about 4 hours each on about a > 10% duty cycle > (TX 6 out of every 60 minutes). The rest of the time the > repeater sits idle > and will not transmit unnecessarily (no IDs or anything > unless it's actively > in use)... > > What is out there on the market for a low cost solar site? > > Thanks! > -AJ > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------------ > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------------ > > WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
