What Can I Do With A Spare Solar Panel?

[GoodDaySolar]

Greetings,

My solar company has a spare solar panel laying around ...a squirrel chewed through the wire slightly, so it lost its UL listing. It's a Sharp 210. I've taken it to a few farmer's markets when I have a booth there to drum up sales. Now I'm wondering, what could I hook up to the wires to demonstrate its power production?

Can I power a small fan? Would I have to buy a DC power fan?

What else could I do with it? I know the DC output is dangerous, and I'll be very careful to hide the wiring, but is that a major issue that I should avoid completely?

Something to catch the eye of the market shoppers and educate them would be fun. I was also thinking of a water mister to cool people off, but maybe a light bulb or radio is enough.

Also, is there anything fun I could with it while it's sitting on my porch?

Thank you for applying more brain wattage to this than I can provide myself.

[Aussie Bob]

You could demonstrate that powering anything really, if you had a battery and inverter hooked up, for AC power, with the panel there being a battery charger. Depending on the size of the inverter, maybe have a switch there and plug various things into it, like power tools or lights or fans etc? That could be a little bit hands on, for the folks, and show them that the energy from the sun can be captured, stored and used fairly simply.

[GoodDaySolar]

Thank you Bob.

Can you think of a way to do this without a battery? Like a DC fan?

[Mike90250]

What else could I do with it? I know the DC output is dangerous, and I'll be very careful to hide the wiring, but is that a major issue that I should avoid completely?

I'd not bother to mention it. In fact, I'll correct you, the DC output of most nearly any 210W panel, is pretty harmless. It's likely below 40V. If you managed to get the wires, with full sun on the panel, across an open wound (raw flesh below the skin) you would feel a strong shock. But on dry skin, unless it's a 90V high voltage panel, it's mostly harmless.

The problem arises with a large array of panels wired into a high voltage array, or when you charge a large battery bank. Battery explosions have messed up more people than a single PV panel ever has. Heck, driving to the farmers market is likely more dangerous. Dropping the 45lb panel on your toe is the most likely way it will hurt anyone.

Running a 12 or 24V auto/truck fan would be a good way to show it off without a battery.