GrahamC Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 http://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/red/catal ... 44&aid=256 Any reason why this wouldn't work with a solar panel ( 12V )? Amperage is not stated ... Just thinking of summer coming soon, and some way of aerating my bath tub with fish. I tried a RCD with a mains powered air pump but the RCD no longer works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaSa Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 Not designed to run continuously. Will overheat and cylinder will seize up after a while. 12V applications like a fridge (which is basically just a compressor) also have a realy high initial voltage. Chances are good that this thing won't even start off your solar panel. But if you go panel => solar controller => batterie => compressor it could work. The batterie will buffer and provide the high initial voltage and after that it's back to low voltage - but see first two sentences ... JaSa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 why not use a battery powered aquarium pump running off the solar panel, maybe with a voltage controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 I've got a battery powered air pump but it's 3V, and I can't find a 3V panel. Stepping a 12V panel down would just be reducing the efficiency by 75%. If it's not designed to be run 24/7, then no more to be said. I would have hooked this up in parallel with a car battery. I take it you meant a solar regulator to prevent the battery from being over charged? Maybe I can use this one http://www.jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=ZM9200 to run a small fountain instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 http://www.futurlec.com/3V3_Regulator.shtml ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Cheap enough ... Jaycars often a 25 year warranty on their solar panels so I might drop by today and see what they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 most solar panels put out low voltages anyways, and should have an inverter to bring them up to 12V modifying the inverter should fix the issue also an option would be a wind generator made out of a medium sized stepper motor connected to an inverter to a battery system. Avoid car batteries as they have a very short lifespan if used this way, you will need a deep cycle battery to get decent lifespan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 3V "battery" airpump... What voltage are the little solar garden light units? could hack a couple of those up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 most solar panels put out low voltages anyways, and should have an inverter to bring them up to 12V modifying the inverter should fix the issue that might be beyond my skill set at present also an option would be a wind generator made out of a medium sized stepper motor connected to an inverter to a battery system. Avoid car batteries as they have a very short lifespan if used this way, you will need a deep cycle battery to get decent lifespan I had the first wind turbine in Karori about 13 years ago. I was threatened with a $30k fine if I left it running .... noise in peak wind was about 100 db! :slfg: Inverter is now in the shed. Gel batteries have gone flat due to non use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 3V "battery" airpump... What voltage are the little solar garden light units? could hack a couple of those up.... Pretty much all the solar garden lights I've ever owed have died on me. The solar panels get corroded or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 the cheap one are made with amorphous cells, cheap but die very quickly. You want a mono crystaline panel for longest life span, but they very expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony law Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 what about useing a train set controller as you can set the volts form 1.5 to 12 + or a voltage reg.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 Does it use a bunch of resistors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 train set uses a diode based system to create AC current, and a variable resistor to modify the voltage Silicone chip did a good, VERY easy one a while back, I think its at my parents tho. could try their website siliconchip.com.au/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 found exactly what your after in the junk mail today http://www.innovations.co.nz/Product_Detail.aspx?ParentCategoryID=176&CategoryID=31&ProductID=90719 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 Cool ... I would guess the panel won't last long but I could always replace that when the time comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 its 3w so you could replace it with a couple of cheap garden light ones eventually Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 its 3w so you could replace it with a couple of cheap garden light ones eventually The garden light ones are only good for like 100-200mw Why stuff around with the time and materials needed to wire together 30 of them when you could get a single, more reliable panel for a few bucks more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted August 5, 2012 Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 because mucking around with things is fun, that is how I ended up with an 8kW yamaha jog using a modified 2L coke bottle and a model airplane engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted August 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2012 There is a lot of scope to muck around in this hobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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