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Search took 0.01 seconds. Search: Posts Made By: alanmalk
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 01-14-2018, 01:03 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Continuing the experiments with solar... ...

Continuing the experiments with solar...

Today, a bright cloudless day, Jan 14, at noon, I measured the output of my portable 150 watt panel in my backyard in Denver, Colorado.

To avoid having...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-04-2015, 10:07 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Be careful. There is an old saying that I just...

Be careful. There is an old saying that I just made up...
Answers are free, correct answers cost $$$.

Remember, I said "I hope to have a working arrangement...". I'll let you know in a couple...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-04-2015, 09:38 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
My thinking exactly. Our next trip - in a...

My thinking exactly.

Our next trip - in a few weeks - will be to the Gore Canyon area of the Colorado River (aka "Pumphouse" ). I expect to get a couple of hours of low-angle sun at best. The...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-04-2015, 08:59 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
I'll second what jxoco is saying... Multiple...

I'll second what jxoco is saying...

Multiple panels play together nicely, even if one is shaded, as long as each one has an isolation diode (which is very likely installed already). And in the...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-02-2015, 08:27 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Next time I visit the trailer (in storage), I'll...

Next time I visit the trailer (in storage), I'll see if I can detect a voltage drop from A to B. And I'll check that at least one lead, either positive or negative, is long enough to reach the far...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-02-2015, 03:09 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
At the risk of alienating any forum readers that...

At the risk of alienating any forum readers that may still be following this...

At 20 degrees C, a 10 AWG wire has almost exactly .001 ohm resistance per foot.
At a nominal 10 Amps charge or...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-02-2015, 12:54 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
That's good information - Thanks! And highlights...

That's good information - Thanks! And highlights the fact that I should have read the Go Power instruction manual. These particular AGM batteries do not recommend an equalize cycle.




My...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 10-01-2015, 03:30 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
And after many months of procrastination, the two...

And after many months of procrastination, the two SLA batteries are installed in parallel. They are Sears size 31, 100 AH each. (Now out of production.)

Here is a before photo - prior to...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 05-29-2015, 10:05 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Pat, I've drawn a diagram that MAY illustrate...

Pat,
I've drawn a diagram that MAY illustrate the wiring you could use to attach your 80W panel. Emphasis on MAY because I have not traced all the wires - yet - in my Escape 21. (A few more weeks...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 05-29-2015, 02:25 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
I have the same concerns regarding the higher...

I have the same concerns regarding the higher voltages that may be present towards the end of a charge cycle. Wether or not it will harm the various electronics in the trailer - I really have no...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 05-29-2015, 12:30 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Consider moving (or bypassing) the blocking diode...

Consider moving (or bypassing) the blocking diode out of the portable panel and adding a blocking diode just downstream from the portable controller. That way the controller can't "see" the voltage...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 05-28-2015, 11:43 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Just making some educated guesses here since I...

Just making some educated guesses here since I haven't traced every wire.

If you attach the portable panel to the trailer cord, the Escape expects the same voltage that a car alternator would...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 05-28-2015, 07:21 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
I plan to have two panels in use by fall - the...

I plan to have two panels in use by fall - the roof mount plus a portable. I had Escape add a "porthole" near the current battery for that eventuality so I can bring in the wires with a minimum of...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-06-2014, 12:18 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Bubbles? How about a carbon rod, some zinc...

Bubbles? How about a carbon rod, some zinc pennies and a little electrolyte in a glass?

But if the objective is a visual indicator, I could submerge the power resistor in a glass of water and...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-06-2014, 11:53 AM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
If you are as nutty as I am, then yes. But my...

If you are as nutty as I am, then yes. But my wife would veto that in a second flat! :mad:

In the "real world" something sticking up in the air shaped like a reflector would catch the wind and...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-06-2014, 11:12 AM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Ran the above experiment this morning at 9:30am...

Ran the above experiment this morning at 9:30am on my lawn.

For the test I used my home-made 6v panel propped up at roughly 90 degrees with the sun at perhaps 40 degrees above the horizon. ...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-06-2014, 09:48 AM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Deal. Send me one of these: ::) -- Alan

Deal. Send me one of these:
::)
--
Alan
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-05-2014, 10:58 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Good idea, the light bulbs as an adjustable load;...

Good idea, the light bulbs as an adjustable load; but rats, there goes another dollar.



Awful hard to take a specific gravity from my SLA batteries. :D

--
Alan
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-05-2014, 10:34 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
I shouldn't mention this but I can't help myself....

I shouldn't mention this but I can't help myself. One of the test I envision is to send the output of the smaller of my two home-made panels into a DC-DC boost converter. Maybe go up from 3v to 6v...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-05-2014, 10:14 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Quote: Originally Posted by alanmalk The...

Quote:
Originally Posted by alanmalk
The 2:1 ratio was intentional to match the real world where big panels are typically 18v or 36v.



I probably should not have used the word "big panel"...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-05-2014, 11:34 AM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Backflow through the panel is something I can...

Backflow through the panel is something I can measure easily - and did so just now.

Using my 3v and 6v in series to simulate a 9v panel with no diodes and applying 8v to the positive terminal, I...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-05-2014, 09:43 AM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Good question. To paraphrase - two panels, one...

Good question. To paraphrase - two panels, one controller or two?

Let me start by saying that my primary interest is to draw conclusions from actual measurements, and I don't have one controller,...
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-04-2014, 10:55 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
I'll try to quantify 'the benefit of white paper...

I'll try to quantify 'the benefit of white paper in front of a vertical panel' tomorrow. Maybe worth the effort to put a reflector (snow??) on the ground, vs. grass or dirt.

--
Alan
Forum: Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane 11-04-2014, 09:36 PM
Replies: 104
Views: 19,728
Posted By alanmalk
Experiments with solar panels

I ran a little solar experiment this morning to answer a couple of questions that have been on my mind. The motivation behind this is to determine how much electricity I can realistically expect to...
Showing results 1 to 24 of 24

 
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