After much procrastinating we finally obtained a solar blanket to lessen the use of the generator in certain conditions.
Got a cheapie to see how it will go and will try out in the next couple of weeks.
Spent a day last week making up a portable stand for it and here is the results, no doubt some tweaking will be required but it should be OK as a starter.
Some pics
Packed in the front boot
Finished Stand
Stand loaded with blanket
Cheers
RichardK
-- Edited by RichardK on Sunday 19th of December 2021 11:15:41 PM
-- Edited by RichardK on Sunday 19th of December 2021 11:17:44 PM
Hi Mike,
Thank you, I didn't set the angle, it is adjustable via swinging the legs appropriately, I will read your post re angles as it will be information I will need.
I have seen Solar Blankets, tied to roof racks and left hanging down Draped over chairs/bonnets Tied to a branch of a tree/fence Left flat on the ground, etc
I often thought that when/if my lightweight 160 watt, portable solar panel stopped working
I would buy a Solar Blanket, and make a collapsible frame for it
i just spent the last 4 days on a property, down on the Gwydir River, with a guy, whom has a 50 watt mat, that was a POS, he had to go to town today to get a 160 watt, Jaycar portable, just to charge his 100 ah AGM batt, and power his 15 litre Brass Monkey fridge. That mat was putting out 30 watts, on his home made frame. He did get the mat for free, but he thought it was rubbish. I also had been given a 160 watt matt, and I reckon I know why he gave it to me. My 80 watt portable Jaycar, panel beats it hands down. You went thru all that effort to build that, including the cost and could have bought a portable that would do a better job. I see a lot of people with mats, and they eventually learn, that they are just not up to scratch.
Thanks Mike, so is there a way to calculate for the difference in latitude in WA?
Certainly: the eastern cities I mentioned are simply a guide to where the lines of latitude fall, eg Port Macquarie is at 31 degrees south and so is Perth, Townsville is at 19d, Port Headland is at 20d. Type "latitude Geraldton" into Google and it will give you a number. You don't need to be exact as long as you are within +/- 2d all will be good.
__________________
"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
I do like the idea of having a small post set at right angle to the frame for judging the sun angle. You just look at the shadow the post casts on the frame and adjust the position so it is minimised and the post is pointing direct at the sun. Easiest method I know to get it exactly right !
I bought 2x 200 watt blankets. And have double Anderson plug connecter to the solar controller input. They are cheap enough and very convenient to pack away in the tug. 2x makes up for the angles and can be moved to the sun. Works well for me. Cheers Stewart
I bought a 200W blanket for ease of storage and only as backup to my portable panels, apart from the initial test I have never used it, each of my panels are on a 25mm PVC pipe frame that I just fold out and peg to the ground then adjust the frame so the shadow is square to the panel for the angle I just put a drink can on the panel and adjust the angle to remove the shade, takes a few minutes and done.
Well, we tried out the new stand last month at our secluded camp spot and I am quite happy with it, peak input we had was just over 20 amps with both systems inputting,we filled the 200AH lithium by 11 each day and considering we were in State Forest and full sun between 10.30 and 1pm we were happy with the results. As said previously I only want a system that does what I need and it does it well. A pic of the setup.
The square hollow & corners is a product called Qubelok. It's been around at least half a century.
It is 25.4 x 1.2mm in 6.5 metre lengths. You can get it from a lot of aluminium suppliers & cheaper than a big hardware store. If you can, get any anodised finish (clear or black) it will stop your hands getting black when handling it. Corners come in 2, 3 flat, 3 corner, 4 flat, 4 corner, 5 & 6 way.
File the ends of the aluminium a touch so the connectors push on easier. They will work a bit loose over time.
If bolting just though the aluminium, use a spacer (cut a leg off a connector & file bit) so the aluminium doesn't collapse when tightening as the 1.2mm wall thickness is too thin in this situation.
__________________
Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
Hi OB, my apologies for the late reply, as there weren't any replies for some time I wasn't visiting this thread but did today and saw your questions.
The frame is made out of 25 x 25 anodised aluminium square tube, the joining pieces are probably ABS plastic, corner pieces 90deg elbows, and tee pieces for the leg attaching. The bottom and top rail pull off the vertical tubes, the plastic tees and elbows have convex humps to maintain a tight fit where they fit into the tubes so where the tubes need to be pulled off I removed the hump with a file that way the frame can be dismantled easily. I also fitted end plugs to the legs.
The side legs are 20 x 20 aluminium tube and the improved version has those legs fitted at the frame attaching end with 65mm of 25 x 25 scrap over the 20 x 20 and with a 8mm SS bolt necessary washers and nyloc nut that the leg can swing and wedge into the ground at whatever angle you wish.
If you look at picture 2 it may help.
Hope I make sense...I know what I mean!!
Anyway takes about 3 minutes to assemble and for us works well.
If you need more info or pics PM me.
Cheers RichardK
-- Edited by RichardK on Wednesday 13th of July 2022 12:17:18 PM
