Experimenting With My Cheap 12V 50W Solar Storage System
TAGS: electronics; nature projects; solar; 12V batteries; MPPT
Why I Did This
I wanted to experience owning a solar storage system. I had the opportunity to receive some free 12V batteries, and I found a cheap basic maximum power point tracking (MPPT) solar charge controller and 50W solar panel online. The system totalled about $100. I also have a cheap 12V inverter (used in vehicles to get a 120V AC supply).
A simple solar storage setup:
12V batteries within a protective black case;
charge controller; 12V output to an inverter;
and solar panel (not seen; wires
strung to the left through the wall).
Design Walkthrough
Parts: 50W solar panel; 12V batteries; MPPT; 12V terminal socket; 12V inverter
I installed the panel on the south wall of my place (the location is practically perfect for sun capture, and the occasional rain keeps the panel clean). I combined my cheap 12V batteries (they were old emergency light batteries that were replaced, so I got them for free; they are garbage quality, but enough for me to experiment with solar setups and various load types). Finally, I hooked up the wiring between the panel, batteries, and my MPPT charge controller. I also installed the 12V terminal socket and inverter to power 120V appliances (or optional 5V systems). Since I was using 16AWG speaker wire (which is not recommended for these setups), I added some 5A fuses (the wires could apparently handle 10A, but for the sake of my setup I stuck with 5A).
Solar panel hung on a south facing wall.
The charge controller tells me the current voltage and amperage values.
Lessons Learned and Future Changes
Go Pro. I only bought the items because they were cheap, and I just wanted to experience a solar storage system (because I’m an engineer and very interested in sustainable systems), but this system is currently not professionally set up. It needs code-acceptable wiring, a quality battery, some grommets for the wall wiring, and a lot more solar wattage to be useful for high power loads. However, the MPPT was less than $20 (when I bought it) and it is surprisingly great quality (lots of features and control for cheap price).Every little bit helps… I think. Even though it’s a cheap setup, it can be used for my hydroponics’ system; the plant water container needs a constant bubbling of air to prevent mold growth on roots. The bubbler’s wattage is so low that this solar system could kept it powered indefinitely (even with its poor batteries, and periods of low sunshine). It's not saving me money, but it does make it an uninterrupted power spply.
It's enough for my low wattage air bubbler.
References
Charge Controller on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Charge-Controller-Display-Multiple-Control/dp/B07L2V7YYC/