[Elecraft] Folding Solar Panel

Mike Harris mike.harris at horizon.co.fk
Fri Jan 6 17:40:00 EST 2006


G'day folks,

| nylon fabric and is simi-flexiable.  I measured the output at 20 volts
open
| circuit and 380mA in noon sun. This is over 5 watts and the sun is not
as
| bright this time of year so it should do even better in the summer when
the
| sun is higher overhead.

Calculating the wattage of solar panels by using the open circuit voltage
and short circuit current does not represent a real world operating
condition, albeit a common method used by manufacturers to mug the unwary.
>From bitter experience (hill top solar powered microwave telephone network
repeaters) I reached the conclusion that once you have got the nominal
solar panel/system voltage matched all you are interested in is current
into and out of the battery.  Batteries operate in a world of current, Ah
capacity, watts are virtually meaningless, only giving a rough guide to
panel dimensioning for a given load.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO



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