Q:What would it take to make a heater for a small solar panel. I am looking into making a heater for a livestock tank to keep ice melted. I know that heaters take alot of energy to run, but my theory is that if heated mirrors on a car can melt ice with low voltage and im sure not extreme heat (40-60 degrees) then making a heater with just high enough temperature to keep from icing over and melting ice is possible. Where do I start? I would like to use an inexpensive solar panel that will generate enough heat to keep ice from forming and melt it at the beginning of the day. How can you make such a heater and apply Ohms law so that it will function correctly, what Wattage will the pannel need to produce to generate enough heat for the heater. The device will only have to be large enough to melt a spot large enough for an animal to drink.

Absolutely. But I see your point about the Ohms law. I think you'd need technical schematics to get the raw details.

Q:Okay, so I have a science fair coming up soon and I need help with my project. SO - What should I use to demonstrate with the propeller? A toy boat? Plane? And I only have mini solar panels ; so how do I put the solar panels on the toy boat/plane to make the propeller move off of the sun's energy? Thanks. Steps please!

Solar panels produce electricity. To move the propeller you need mechanical motion. An Electric motor converts from electrical to mechanical power. Most Solar Panels produce DC electricity as do batteries so you need a DC motor that is sized to match the Output of your solar panels. For small temporary projects like this I find that hot melt glue is great to assemble parts. Using a voltage meter you can expose your solar panels to a strong light (or one equal to what you expect during your demonstration) and measure the voltage across the terminals. This may help to size the motor. It depends upon the size of your propeller and how it is made. Your three choices are to use it to power an airplane, to power a boat underwater or to power a boat like an air boat. You might also use the air boat concept to make a car. (air car) The air boat might be the simplest to make but you will need a body of water to demonstrate the concept. The air car doesn't have such a requirement.

Q:I have a 500 watt inverter and battery but need solar panels to run my need. I want to have enough juice to run a computer and monitor and sometimes a 5w amp. I am not sure how much power is needed to run the computer (standard desktop with 5flat screen with an additional surround sound system) though on the side of the computer it says 5 amp but I know I used to run it and monitor and surround sound with a heating blanket on the same circuit which was rated at 20 amps. My question is that I would like to go and buy some panels (cheaply as I'm unemployed) from somewhere like Harbor Freight that would meet the need of the converter to supply enough amperage. So what size panel(s) or panels would I need to run this setup? If I am correct I think 500 watts is equal to 5 amps. Would this even work? Could I run a partial system where I could run some of the stuff to take a load off? I need to lower my electric bill somehow. Thanks!

Solar okorder in their survival discussion in the archive, this exact project was discussed at length.

Q:What is the impact of hailstorms on solar panels?

Hailstorms can have a damaging impact on solar panels. The size and velocity of hailstones can cause physical damage to the panels, resulting in cracks, shattered glass, or dislodged components. This can impair the functionality of the panels, reduce their efficiency, and potentially require costly repairs or replacements. Additionally, hailstorms can also pose a risk to the structural integrity of the mounting system, potentially leading to further damage. To mitigate these risks, solar panel installations in hail-prone areas often incorporate protective measures such as tempered glass, polycarbonate shields, or hail guards to minimize the impact of hailstones.

Q:can you buy single solar panels say to power a washing machine fridge etc.if so where can i buy them from

Yeah, just find out how much electricity your fridge or washing machine uses, (look on the internet), and buy solar panels for just that amount of energy. Solar panels can power from watt to 224 watts! ~MaDiSoN

Q:The colder a solar panel gets the more efficient it seems to be. As the panel warms, it loses some efficiency. Why is this so? Please explain in a way you would expect a high school kid to understand it, as I am a high-schooler and i have to explain this to other high-schoolers.

Absolutely temperature matters. So what do higher temperatures do to solar photovoltaic panels? As temperatures rise, the efficiency of solar panels decreases. Heat causes electrical resistance to the flow of electrons. On days where the temperature is more than 75 degrees, the electrical resistance makes the voltage fall thereby producing less kilowatts per hour. Your roof is much hotter than temperatures on the ground. That’s why solar panels are not mounted flat to a roof. There’s usually a few inches of spaces between the panels and roof so air flow can easily pass through and cool the panels down. There are some photovoltaic panels that are designed specifically to operate in hotter temperatures. These panels have a higher temperature coefficient. This is especially important in high heat climates like Arizona or New Mexico, but probably wouldn’t make too much of a difference in New England (except maybe this year). If someone lives in one of these areas, they should speak to a solar installer to make sure they are using they right equipment for their region. Please note: Solar thermal panels used to heat water can withstand high temperatures without any degradation. In fact, hotter temperatures would actually be better for these types of modules.

Q:Plz also label the price for the panel. I want a small panel but can produce a sufficent amount of energy. thank you :)

You might try Lowes Home Improvement. Or the yellow pages. Or Solar Panels R US.

Q:I am writing a lab for school and I need to know who invented solar panels? Any help would be great.

Many people think that solar power is a new concept. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Harnessing power from the sun has been dated back to ancient civilizations. The below link is a timeline researched by the Department of Energy that outlines the major historical milestones of solar power.

Q:Hi. I have been looking into getting solar panals but I only want them for one room. See, we're expanding the house by adding a basement, the basement isn't going to be that big but we wanted to have solar energy for the basement only. Could anyone give me a rough estimate on the cost of solar panals for my basement?

As Tex said, you have no idea whats involved. Start by looking into some sites that explain how they work and whats involved before asking how much on a small room. And how do you add a basement but not a main floor? and where is the basement roof?

Q:I have created a solar setup in my shed i have 2x.5w solar panels i am hoping to charge my 55ah car battery how long would it take to charge the battery and how many watts could i used a day

To charge a 2V lead acid battery, you pretty much have to put almost 24V across it and it's only 50% efficient at charging so if your solar panel does put out 3W, you can expect 3/24/2 or /6th of an amp in usable charging. Therefore, from a flat battery, it would take 55*6 or 880 hours to charge the battery. If you assume about 6 hours of usable sunlight per day, that would be 47 days not taking into consideration the normal leakage that lead acid batteries have. It's quite likely that the leakage rate will be greater than the charging rate and the battery will never charge. You'll need a bigger solar panel.