Q:I can't figure out how to charge a Ni Cd (BD 8V Firestorm) battery directly with a solar panel so I've come up with an alternative which might or might not work. I thought I would connect an inverter (I found a nice 400W for $30) to my trucks battery and plug the BD Firestorm battery charger into the inverter. Then I was thinking I could use a 5W solar panel to trickle charge the truck battery and keep it connected after the Ni Cd is charged to ensure the truck battery is topped off. The truck would not be running during this process. Will this solution work? Is there a better solution?

Your 5W solar panel has to put out about 5 volts or higher to charge a 2 volt battery. 5 watts at 5 volts is only 0.3 amps, which is only enough to handle the internal leakage inside a large battery, plus a bit. If you have a 00 amp-hour battery, that panel would take 300 hours of bright sunlight to charge it. But I do agree that it will keep the truck battery charged as long as it gets sun. Make sure you put a diode in series between the panel and the battery to prevent the battery from discharging through the panel when the sun goes behind a cloud. I'd be worried that if you charged the 8 volt battery frequently, the panel would not be able to replace the lost charge, and your 2 volt battery would wind up discharged. That 8 volt battery is .2 amp-hrs (if I got the correct one). That is 27 watt-hours. Allowing for losses, you car battery will have to deliver over 30 watt hours to charge it. Your solar panel will take over 6 hours of bright sun to make up that difference. That is over 24 hours this time of year. So if you recharged it more than once every 2 days, you will lose charge in the truck battery. .

Q:So idk how to connect a solar panel to a battery ...is it like a series connection from the solar panel to the battery, or a parallel connection from solar cell to battery? (to charge) please and thank you

it depends how big the panel is. a small trickle charger (like a 2W panel with built-in diode), just connect + to + and - to - (parallel) to trickle charge the battery. The diode will keep the batter from discharging through the panel when there is insufficient sunlight. for a large panel (like a 220W 24v panel), you best go through a charge controller. the charge controller has 2 leads for the solar panel input, 2 leads for the battery connection and 2 leads for the 2v load. just follow the instructions to connect the panel and battery to the controller, and MAKE SURE YOU USE THE REQUIRED FUSES. very straightforward stuff -- just RTFM

Q:We are considering getting solar panels for our home just south of Birmingham, AL. We know a little and are trying to educate ourselves the best we can. But we are having a hard time finding anyone around this area. We have done the yellow page thing, and some quot;green places around town. But to no luck.....

Any electrical contractor could likely install them, and there are several Internet businesses that sell solar panels. You likely have no place there to get the kind of large panels you need for a house. Look at your local regulations. Your utility may not allow grid-tie, so you may have to set up an off-grid system with batteries and use separate wiring or a transfer switch. One thing a lot of people neglect is hail protection. In Birmingham, you're likely to have large hail (larger than golf ball size) every couple of years in the spring. You need to work out a way of covering them in advance of severe weather. Most panels will take up to golf-ball size hail with no problem. DK PS, I've done this myself, and have considerably more information. Email if you're interested.

Q:Can solar panels be installed on a hospital or healthcare facility?

Yes, solar panels can be installed on a hospital or healthcare facility. In fact, many healthcare facilities are increasingly adopting solar energy as a sustainable and cost-effective solution to meet their electricity needs. Solar panels can be installed on rooftops, parking lots, or open land adjacent to the facility, providing clean and renewable energy that can help reduce electricity costs and carbon emissions. Additionally, solar installations can contribute to the facility's green image and commitment to environmental sustainability.

Q:Could anybody give some review about Homemade Solar Panel.

Low cost solar panels are also extremely popular worldwide and China is a country that has been discovered to be excelling in this field as they manufacture the most economical solar panels when compared to any other country. Looking at the way things seem to be moving it seems that China will soon become a country to contend with because of their capabilities to manufacture things at extremely competitive prices. This fact is quite transparent for the simple reason that China appears to be getting more than double the number of orders. This can also be attributed to the fact that in spite of their low costs they have not only maintained but also improved on their quality too. For More Information You Can Refer To :

Q:name things someone could use solar panels for or make with solar panels? (use solar energy i mean?)

Solar panels are primarily used to make electricity. What you choose to do with this power is up to you. New solar technology now looks to give the panels more than this one task. For example; - solar panels made into the shape of roof tiles can also be used for roofing. - thin film solar is being developed to add to cars and other mobile devices to provide portable DIY energy

Q:how efficient are flexible solar panels?

Up to now, it has very poor efficiency, about 5% to 23%.

Q:Can solar panels be installed in a remote location?

Yes, solar panels can be installed in remote locations. In fact, remote locations with abundant sunlight can be ideal for solar panel installations as they do not require a connection to the traditional power grid. Solar panels can provide a reliable and sustainable source of electricity in these areas, allowing for off-grid living or powering remote facilities such as research stations, telecommunications towers, or even small communities.

Q:ok im going off grid and will have my fridge and stove running on propane but im trying to figure out that at night i want to be able to run my 32 inch lcd tv a internet modem a playstation 3 and 2 laptops and a light or 2 and maybe a floor fan through solar power and i would like to be able run my tv and stuff up to 8 hours in to the night and so i just want to know how many batterys and solar panels i need or how many watts system do i need im running all this on one outlet now at home so i know its under 20 amps and i think i use about 000 watts an hour im not sure so thats why im asking i really need help with this i hope i dont need a $5,000 system thats crazy im only wanting to spend like a $000 please dont explain math figures or a bunch of complicated garbage to me i just want a straight answer on what i need to do to be able to do this thank you!

There okorder / Why pay thousands of dollars for solar energy ($27,000 average cost) when you can build your own solar panel system for just a fraction of the retail cost. You can build a single solar panel or you can build an entire array of panels to power your whole house. Some people are saving 50% on their power bill, some people are reducing their bill to nothing. But what’s most impressive is that just by following these instructions some are even making the power company pay them!

Q:I am writing some mock legislation for a school club and I need to know some of the environmental effects of solar panels. Also, where can I find specific studies(like from colleges and/or universities) proving these benefits as well as benefits and reasons of going green.

Hi there, as a great starting point take a look here okorder Should give you most of what you require