Small household electronics

[ktclayto]

Hello,

I hope this I am posting this in the right place!

I'm very new to solar power and am looking to attach some solar panels to some of my small electronic devices. I have some questions about what i would need to make it work. These questions may be very simple but I'm totally new to all of this so thanks for understanding...

First off, what i want to attach solar panels to, runs off of batter or an AC Power Adapter. These are the specs of the power supply i would want to replace with solar:

Technical Specifications:
AC input voltage ……100-240VAC
2 Input frequency ………47-63Hz
3 AC inrush current(max.) …….20A/230V
5 4Line regulation (full load).......±0.5%
6 Peak- to -peak ripple …….<100MV
7 Working temperature………….0-35℃-100% ,50℃-70% load
8 Setup rise hold up time………100ms,50ms,20ms-240VAC input
9 Strong made totally compatible part
10 Over voltage protection………115%-135% rated output voltage
11 Withstand voltage………I/P-O/P 3Kvac,1 minute
12 Over load protection ………115%-135%
i will attach a picture of the adapterad-5_a_300x362-1278b0d1e4b0f8b0a734d549efe00ac0.jpg

I'm trying to buy a solar panel that is the proper size, the device is about 8 inches by 20 inches, and anything else i would need.
Am i correct in thinking that all solar is DC so i would need a DC to AC converter?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank You.

[green]

Welcome to Solar Panel Talk. Lots of good info to be found here.

Am I blind or what is the DC output of this wall wart. What exactly are you running off of this.

Welcome,
Green

[inetdog]

Hello,

I hope this I am posting this in the right place!

I'm very new to solar power and am looking to attach some solar panels to some of my small electronic devices. I have some questions about what i would need to make it work. These questions may be very simple but I'm totally new to all of this so thanks for understanding...

First off, what i want to attach solar panels to, runs off of batter or an AC Power Adapter. These are the specs of the power supply i would want to replace with solar:

Technical Specifications:
AC input voltage ……100-240VAC
2 Input frequency ………47-63Hz
3 AC inrush current(max.) …….20A/230V
5 4Line regulation (full load).......±0.5%
6 Peak- to -peak ripple …….<100MV
7 Working temperature………….0-35℃-100% ,50℃-70% load
8 Setup rise hold up time………100ms,50ms,20ms-240VAC input
9 Strong made totally compatible part
10 Over voltage protection………115%-135% rated output voltage
11 Withstand voltage………I/P-O/P 3Kvac,1 minute
12 Over load protection ………115%-135%
i will attach a picture of the adapter[ATTACH=CONFIG]2269[/ATTACH]

I'm trying to buy a solar panel that is the proper size, the device is about 8 inches by 20 inches, and anything else i would need.
Am i correct in thinking that all solar is DC so i would need a DC to AC converter?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank You.

One thing at a time: The picture is too small to actually read the label, and your description does not say anything about what the output is. But it is likely that you would be better off using the solar panels directly to charge a battery for the device than to go from panels to battery to ac to convertor to device.

You could not go directly from DC from the panels to a DC-to-AC convertor (inverter). You would have to add a battery for energy storage.

Next: 8x20 is very small for a solar panel and it would not be able to deliver much power. What are the actual power requirements of the device when it is in use?
Not the maximum it would ever take, but a reasonable average during use.

[ktclayto]

thanks for responses

Hello,

Thank you for your responses, everybit of information is helping! Sorry for the small picture, this one should be better.

casioadapter.jpg
click to enlarge

Ok, the output of the adapter I'm hoping to get rid of is: 7.5V 600m A

Green: I'm hoping to run a casio sk-1. Sounds Silly! but it is important to me and I am using it as an Intro project to learn about Solar Panels.

inetdog: I'm not 100% sure about the exact power requirements when it's in use but here's some info that may help

3way AC/DC power source
AC: 100, 117, 220 or 240v (±10V), 50/60Hz with optional AC adapter AD-1 negative (-) tip
Power consumption: 1.8W i caluculated to be around 240mA

I'm hoping to have a panel attached somewhere on the device, (possibly w/ a battery), so it is a stand alone, portable object.

Inetdog: Can you tell me a little bit more about batteries/ where i can buy them online? Is it something that could be mounted with the solar panel?

Also: here is the excerpt on power supply from the device manual, perhaps i'm missing something that is of use:
pss.jpgpss1.jpg
click to enlarge

Thanks again.

-KC

[inetdog]

Hello,

Thank you for your responses, everybit of information is helping! Sorry for the small picture, this one should be better.



Ok, the output of the adapter I'm hoping to get rid of is: 7.5V 600m A

Green: I'm hoping to run a casio sk-1. Sounds Silly! but it is important to me and I am using it as an Intro project to learn about Solar Panels.

inetdog: I'm not 100% sure about the exact power requirements when it's in use but here's some info that may help

3way AC/DC power source
AC: 100, 117, 220 or 240v (±10V), 50/60Hz with optional AC adapter AD-1 negative (-) tip
Power consumption: 1.8W i caluculated to be around 240mA

I'm hoping to have a panel attached somewhere on the device, (possibly w/ a battery), so it is a stand alone, portable object.

Inetdog: Can you tell me a little bit more about batteries/ where i can buy them online? Is it something that could be mounted with the solar panel?

Thanks again.

-KC

That helps a lot!

You are right that at 7.5 volts, 1.8 watts would be 240 milliamps. That is quite doable.

There are several ways that you could go:

1. Use a solar panel configured to charge a 12 volt battery (easy to get in a variety of sizes which can be very portable). Then get (somewhere) the Casio car adapter to generate 7.5 volts from the 12 volts. You can also get multi-voltage car adapters with interchangeable plugs which could give you the 7.5 volts you need. This would keep everything "official" but still be fairly lightweight and efficient.

2. You could use a panel, a 12 volt battery and a very small 12 volt inverter to drive the wall wart AC input supply. That seems absurd, but it would also be "official".

3. If I were you, I would take advantage of the fact that it is made to hold five AA batteries for portable power. You can use NiCd rechargeable batteries instead of alkaline primary batteries. The AA cells are cheap and have a capacity in the range from 700 mah (can deliver 700ma for one hour, 350 ma for two hours, etc.) to 1000mah.
If you put AA batteries in the internal battery holder and connect the solar charging unit directly to the + and 1 of the battery pack, you will have all that you need.
Now, what will this solat charging unit consist of:
A. It must limit the charging current to at most .1C, which for a standard AA NiCd battery would be 75 to 100 milliamps. This means that it would not be fully powering the device, just recharging the batteries.
B. It must be able to produce a voltage of at least 7.5 volts, the approximate charging voltage of five fully charged NiCd batteries.
C. So if the panel output is 15 volts, you will need approximately a 200 ohm resistor in series to limit the current.
The panel would have to produce only 1.2 watts. Very, very doable in the space you have, as long as you are outside in full sunlight.
This is definitely DIY, but as long as you limit the current into the AA cells to an absolute maximum of 75 ma it should be safe. Your experience may vary and I take no responsibility for the results.

4. If you really want to be able to demonstrate that the Casio is running directly from the solar panel, then you can use a similar panel configuration but with a power output of 3 watts or more, and use a voltage regulator to change the 10-15 volts of the panel output to 7.5 volts to plug into the DC input, where you would normally connect the AC power supply. This will not let you continue playing when you flip the unit over or a cloud comes by, but it will be "pure" solar energy running the Casio.

For either 3 or 4 you could probably use a small "battery maintainer" panel designed for use with a 12 volt battery.

[billvon]

Ok, the output of the adapter I'm hoping to get rid of is: 7.5V 600m A

I would build a regulator and do it directly, but then again I'm always in favor of building things. Use a 12V panel and use the following IC:

http://www.st.com/internet/com/TECHNICAL_RESOURCES/TECHNICAL_LITERATURE/DATASHEET/CD00000455.pdf

Build the circuit shown on figure 7. You can leave out D1, D2 and C2 if you want. All parts are available from Radio Shack.

Once you have built it, adjust the potentiometer until you have 7.5 volts. Solar panel goes to Vin, output comes from Vout and you're good to go.

[ktclayto]

thanks!

That helps a lot!

You are right that at 7.5 volts, 1.8 watts would be 240 milliamps. That is quite doable.

There are several ways that you could go:

1. Use a solar panel configured to charge a 12 volt battery (easy to get in a variety of sizes which can be very portable). Then get (somewhere) the Casio car adapter to generate 7.5 volts from the 12 volts. You can also get multi-voltage car adapters with interchangeable plugs which could give you the 7.5 volts you need. This would keep everything "official" but still be fairly lightweight and efficient.

2. You could use a panel, a 12 volt battery and a very small 12 volt inverter to drive the wall wart AC input supply. That seems absurd, but it would also be "official".

3. If I were you, I would take advantage of the fact that it is made to hold five AA batteries for portable power. You can use NiCd rechargeable batteries instead of alkaline primary batteries. The AA cells are cheap and have a capacity in the range from 700 mah (can deliver 700ma for one hour, 350 ma for two hours, etc.) to 1000mah.
If you put AA batteries in the internal battery holder and connect the solar charging unit directly to the + and 1 of the battery pack, you will have all that you need.
Now, what will this solat charging unit consist of:
A. It must limit the charging current to at most .1C, which for a standard AA NiCd battery would be 75 to 100 milliamps. This means that it would not be fully powering the device, just recharging the batteries.
B. It must be able to produce a voltage of at least 7.5 volts, the approximate charging voltage of five fully charged NiCd batteries.
C. So if the panel output is 15 volts, you will need approximately a 200 ohm resistor in series to limit the current.
The panel would have to produce only 1.2 watts. Very, very doable in the space you have, as long as you are outside in full sunlight.
This is definitely DIY, but as long as you limit the current into the AA cells to an absolute maximum of 75 ma it should be safe. Your experience may vary and I take no responsibility for the results.

4. If you really want to be able to demonstrate that the Casio is running directly from the solar panel, then you can use a similar panel configuration but with a power output of 3 watts or more, and use a voltage regulator to change the 10-15 volts of the panel output to 7.5 volts to plug into the DC input, where you would normally connect the AC power supply. This will not let you continue playing when you flip the unit over or a cloud comes by, but it will be "pure" solar energy running the Casio.

For either 3 or 4 you could probably use a small "battery maintainer" panel designed for use with a 12 volt battery.

Thanks a lot! Time to check out all these options and see what parts I can find/use. I truly appreciate your time and energy!

Best,
KC

[inetdog]

Thanks a lot! Time to check out all these options and see what parts I can find/use. I truly appreciate your time and energy!

Best,
KC

Go with billvon's. Since he even provided the part numbers, I think it the best solution for you and will cost less than anything else. It also will be the smallest, lightest, and easiest to work with. All you have to do is find (at Radio Shack for example) a coaxial power connector that matches the jack on the Casio.

[green]

Green: I'm hoping to run a casio sk-1. Sounds Silly! but it is important to me and I am using it as an Intro project to learn about Solar Panels.

Don't worry, doesn't sound silly to me. I'm an experimenter and inventor so I'm always trying new things and seeing how things work. So it sounds perfectly normal to me.

Good luck,
Green

[ktclayto]

I would build a regulator and do it directly, but then again I'm always in favor of building things. Use a 12V panel and use the following IC:

http://www.st.com/internet/com/TECHNICAL_RESOURCES/TECHNICAL_LITERATURE/DATASHEET/CD00000455.pdf

Build the circuit shown on figure 7. You can leave out D1, D2 and C2 if you want. All parts are available from Radio Shack.

Once you have built it, adjust the potentiometer until you have 7.5 volts. Solar panel goes to Vin, output comes from Vout and you're good to go.

Thanks Billvon!

[ktclayto]

thanks again

I would build a regulator and do it directly, but then again I'm always in favor of building things. Use a 12V panel and use the following IC:

http://www.st.com/internet/com/TECHNICAL_RESOURCES/TECHNICAL_LITERATURE/DATASHEET/CD00000455.pdf

Build the circuit shown on figure 7. You can leave out D1, D2 and C2 if you want. All parts are available from Radio Shack.

Once you have built it, adjust the potentiometer until you have 7.5 volts. Solar panel goes to Vin, output comes from Vout and you're good to go.

Thanks again,
I am defenitly a newbie to circuit building, but i'm researching how to build this circuit. I have a verrry basic understanding but definetly a bit confused upon looking at this IC. will i be able to find out what parts i need simply by looking at a circuit symbol guide? and is the pontentiometer part of the circuit? Im not sure how this works. Thanks.

best,
kc

[ktclayto]

brands of panels?

So i'm looking at a 12v panels, looking on the cheaper side at brands like wildgame and moutlrie...any suggestions on what would be a good choice? lIke monocrystalline vs poly etc. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!