A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Soaring
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Solar panel controller



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old December 29th 20, 04:42 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
krasw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 668
Default Solar panel controller

Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.
  #2  
Old December 29th 20, 05:03 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Soartech
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 268
Default Solar panel controller

On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:42:19 AM UTC-5, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.


We need more info: how many Volts does your cell put out? What is the battery type and size in Watt-hours? What aircraft is this on?
  #3  
Old December 29th 20, 05:52 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
jfitch
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,134
Default Solar panel controller

I'd be amazed if you had room for a Victron in your glider. Both Victron and Genasun make generally good stuff. From the data sheets, the Victron efficiency is "98% peak" and the Genasun is "94 - 99.85% typical". These are effectively the same. What do you find appalling?

On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:03:58 AM UTC-8, Soartech wrote:
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:42:19 AM UTC-5, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.

We need more info: how many Volts does your cell put out? What is the battery type and size in Watt-hours? What aircraft is this on?

  #4  
Old December 29th 20, 07:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
krasw
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 668
Default Solar panel controller

On Tuesday, 29 December 2020 at 18:52:35 UTC+2, jfitch wrote:
I'd be amazed if you had room for a Victron in your glider. Both Victron and Genasun make generally good stuff. From the data sheets, the Victron efficiency is "98% peak" and the Genasun is "94 - 99.85% typical". These are effectively the same. What do you find appalling?
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:03:58 AM UTC-8, Soartech wrote:
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:42:19 AM UTC-5, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.

We need more info: how many Volts does your cell put out? What is the battery type and size in Watt-hours? What aircraft is this on?


Genasun consumes 150mA, six times more than Victron (25 mA). My solar panel produces 550mA (via Strobl controller). Genasun robs almost third of the panel produced power.
  #5  
Old December 29th 20, 08:27 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,939
Default Solar panel controller

krasw wrote on 12/29/2020 10:36 AM:
On Tuesday, 29 December 2020 at 18:52:35 UTC+2, jfitch wrote:
I'd be amazed if you had room for a Victron in your glider. Both Victron and Genasun make generally good stuff. From the data sheets, the Victron efficiency is "98% peak" and the Genasun is "94 - 99.85% typical". These are effectively the same. What do you find appalling?
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:03:58 AM UTC-8, Soartech wrote:
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:42:19 AM UTC-5, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.
We need more info: how many Volts does your cell put out? What is the battery type and size in Watt-hours? What aircraft is this on?


Genasun consumes 150mA, six times more than Victron (25 mA). My solar panel produces 550mA (via Strobl controller). Genasun robs almost third of the panel produced power.

The Genasum datasheet say 0.150 ma (150 ua), so much less power consumed than the Victron.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1
  #6  
Old December 30th 20, 12:59 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Moshe Braner
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 114
Default Solar panel controller

On 12/29/2020 1:36 PM, krasw wrote:
On Tuesday, 29 December 2020 at 18:52:35 UTC+2, jfitch wrote:
I'd be amazed if you had room for a Victron in your glider. Both Victron and Genasun make generally good stuff. From the data sheets, the Victron efficiency is "98% peak" and the Genasun is "94 - 99.85% typical". These are effectively the same. What do you find appalling?
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:03:58 AM UTC-8, Soartech wrote:
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:42:19 AM UTC-5, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.
We need more info: how many Volts does your cell put out? What is the battery type and size in Watt-hours? What aircraft is this on?


Genasun consumes 150mA, six times more than Victron (25 mA). My solar panel produces 550mA (via Strobl controller). Genasun robs almost third of the panel produced power.


I've often thought of adding small solar panels in my glider to extend
the battery life, but when I do the math it makes no sense. Most
gliders have very limited room for solar panels (unless you glue the
flexible type outside the cockpit). I am surprised you got 550 mA,
that's about 7 watts. But that's probably peak, when the panel is
perfectly aligned towards the sun, and not under a cloud, and the
average would be much lower, probably 200 mA or less. Meanwhile people
have been loading their gliders with so much electronics that they say
they need TWO 12AH batteries to last a flight. Let's take the example
of a 1-amp average load, i.e., one 12AH LFP battery (or two SLAs) would
last 12 hours. Add a 200mA-average solar charging setup and that
reduces the load on the battery to 0.8 amps, extending the battery life
to 15 hours. Useful?
  #7  
Old December 30th 20, 04:26 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Brian[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 399
Default Solar panel controller

On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:42:19 AM UTC-7, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.

  #8  
Old December 30th 20, 04:42 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Brian[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 399
Default Solar panel controller

On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:42:19 AM UTC-7, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.


I put a 10 Watt a panel on my HP16. It averaged 200-250ma charging a 12AH Lead Acid batteries. The real advantage was when I was flying contests or safaris where I left the plane tied down. I could fly about 3 days in a row without needing to charge the battery. If we had a rest day it would pretty much top off the battery. I didn’t use a charge controller, I just used a volt meter. Since I only left it tied down when I was flying almost daily I didn’t figure 200-250 was enough to hurt the battery. But if I didn’t fly for more than a day I would disconnect it.

I loved having the solar panel, most of the time I didn’t need to charge the battery when flying daily. I wish I could come up with a reasonable panel to install on my LS6.

IMO Unless you are leaving the plane outside for extended periods without flying almost daily, my opinion is you don’t need a charge controller for a 20 watt or less solar panel. An appropriately sized and heat sinked Zenor diode would prevent it from overcharging if you did inadvertently leave it connected. If it is connected only when flying then no controller is required.
  #9  
Old December 30th 20, 05:41 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Greenwell[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,939
Default Solar panel controller

Brian wrote on 12/30/2020 7:42 AM:
On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:42:19 AM UTC-7, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.


I put a 10 Watt a panel on my HP16. It averaged 200-250ma charging a 12AH Lead Acid batteries. The real advantage was when I was flying contests or safaris where I left the plane tied down. I could fly about 3 days in a row without needing to charge the battery. If we had a rest day it would pretty much top off the battery. I didn’t use a charge controller, I just used a volt meter. Since I only left it tied down when I was flying almost daily I didn’t figure 200-250 was enough to hurt the battery. But if I didn’t fly for more than a day I would disconnect it.

I loved having the solar panel, most of the time I didn’t need to charge the battery when flying daily. I wish I could come up with a reasonable panel to install on my LS6.

IMO Unless you are leaving the plane outside for extended periods without flying almost daily, my opinion is you don’t need a charge controller for a 20 watt or less solar panel. An appropriately sized and heat sinked Zenor diode would prevent it from overcharging if you did inadvertently leave it connected. If it is connected only when flying then no controller is required.

Brian's solution is a good one for gliders with a low enough current drain. Like Moshe, I
struggled to find a good place to put a useful amount of solar panel on my glider, given the
1.5 amp draw while flying. I eventually gave up trying, and installed a 20 AH Life battery,
which is enough capacity for two long flights. Normally, I recharge it after each flight from a
30 AH "donor" battery which is charged during the day by a 40W solar panel on the trailer,
using a DC-DC charger for electric model hobbyists. That's easy enough, and reliable.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

  #10  
Old December 30th 20, 08:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
2G
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,439
Default Solar panel controller

On Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 7:42:19 AM UTC-8, krasw wrote:
Any ideas for Strobl controller replacement? The voltage is not enough for LFP battery. Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/10 looks good, but according to specs Strobl solar cell voltage is not enough to start the unit (!). Genasun has appalling efficiency.


Just take out the controller altogether. The only LFP batteries I would consider have an internal BMS (battery management system) that protects against over-charging (which won't happen airborne, anyhow). I passed on solar panels altogether for my new ASH31Mi because their output was so paltry compared to the draw of my full glass panel (2A) that it was just not worth the cost ($2,500). I put in an LFP avionics battery instead (20AHr) and supplemented that with a 12AHr battery. That works fine if I remember to turn off my master.

Tom
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Any interference from the Genasun LFP solar charger controller? jfitch Soaring 2 May 18th 18 03:41 AM
Strobl Solar Charge Controller Doug[_9_] Soaring 0 June 22nd 17 09:55 PM
Flexible solar panel deal Soartech Soaring 5 June 15th 16 08:26 PM
Connecting my 2 Batteries to 1 Solar Panel Dan G[_2_] Soaring 14 January 6th 13 12:12 AM
sizing solar panel Udo Rumpf Soaring 18 February 17th 06 02:36 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:20 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.