Is anyone familiar with "self regulating solar panels"? I would like to
hear from someone who has installed one without a regulator and how
well it keeps the batteries up.

Thanks,
Gary

Gary wrote in news:uVSyg.273940$IK3.20678
@pd7tw1no:

Is anyone familiar with "self regulating solar panels"? I would like
to
hear from someone who has installed one without a regulator and how
well it keeps the batteries up.

Thanks,
Gary



As long as the AH created by the solar panels is LESS than the AH needed
to keep the batteries charged up full, you don't need a regulator. Ours
puts out 5 A in bright sunshine, hardly a battery buster to two banks of
L16H beasts who simply digest it and feed it to the pumps and lights...
(c;

The solar panels aren't "self regulating", per se. Their open circuit
voltage is around 18V in bright sunshine. Their internal resistance,
which makes the cells get hot when charging the batteries, drops the
difference between 18V and what voltage the batteries are producing at
the time, like 13V. 5V X 5A = 25W across the whole panel. You'll notice
old panels that have been powering stuff for a few years turn brown on
the part of the silicon that's producing the power because of the heat.
Around the edge, they're still blue like new where it doesn't produce
power. Silicon melts at a very high temperature, but you can damage the
cells by causing migration of the doping across them if they get too hot.
If any cell isn't in the sunshine, like a shadow from the
boom/mast/rigging, output drops like a rock as that cells voltage, around
..3V to .6V depending on the sun, is lost. The stupid idiots who run
South Carolina DOT put up solar power panels along the interstate to
power the radars and traffic cams. Of course, true to their idiotic
thought, they put the panels on the NORTH SIDE of the pole the radar/cams
are on so the panel has a shadow that moves across it all day. Dumb,
very dumb.

Gary wrote in news:uVSyg.273940$IK3.20678@pd7tw1no:

Is anyone familiar with "self regulating solar panels"? I would like to
hear from someone who has installed one without a regulator and how
well it keeps the batteries up.

Thanks,
Gary

I've never heard of a self-regulating solar panel, but I would suggest that
you need one. The problem occurs when your boat is plugged into shore power
and the batteies are fully charged. If there's nothing drawing any current,
then the additional amperage will easily bring your batteries way above
charging voltage

What you need is a regulator that runs in diverter mode. In this mode it
senses the voltage and when it goes above the level that you've set, it
diverts some of the wattage to a resistive load (in my case, a water heater
element in my hot water tank). There is absolutely no loss when running in
this mode. This regulator controlls both my solar panels and my wind
generator.

I would suggest looking at charge controllers from MorningStar. I went
through several Trace/Xantrex and finally scrapped it. It seems that once
they started buulding the units in China that the reliability went to hell.
I went with MorningStar TriStar unit and have been very happy with it.

-- Geoff

"Geoff Schultz" wrote

What you need is a regulator that runs in diverter mode. In this mode it
senses the voltage and when it goes above the level that you've set, it
diverts some of the wattage to a resistive load (in my case, a water
heater
element in my hot water tank). There is absolutely no loss when running
in
this mode. This regulator controlls both my solar panels and my wind
generator.

I would suggest looking at charge controllers from MorningStar. I went
through several Trace/Xantrex and finally scrapped it. It seems that once
they started buulding the units in China that the reliability went to
hell.
I went with MorningStar TriStar unit and have been very happy with it.

Geoff,

I have been looking at the Tristar but couldn't figure out what to divert
to. How did you wire up the water heater to isolate the Tristar from the AC
shore power?

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote:


"Geoff Schultz" wrote

What you need is a regulator that runs in diverter mode. In this mode it
senses the voltage and when it goes above the level that you've set, it
diverts some of the wattage to a resistive load (in my case, a water
heater
element in my hot water tank). There is absolutely no loss when running
in
this mode. This regulator controlls both my solar panels and my wind
generator.

I would suggest looking at charge controllers from MorningStar. I went
through several Trace/Xantrex and finally scrapped it. It seems that once
they started buulding the units in China that the reliability went to
hell.
I went with MorningStar TriStar unit and have been very happy with it.

Geoff,

I have been looking at the Tristar but couldn't figure out what to divert
to. How did you wire up the water heater to isolate the Tristar from the AC
shore power?

We divert the excess solar power (and wind power) to little fans that
run in the cabins and keep the air circulating. We can tell when the
batteries are charged if the fans start to run. If the boat is on the
hard and we aren't aboard, it helps to have the air circulate. YMMV

Gary wrote:
Is anyone familiar with "self regulating solar panels"?

Quote from: http://www.solaronline.com.au/page/technical_notes.html

"A self-regulating module has a limited number of cells connected in
series, normally 30 or 32. This limited number allows the module to
only produce a maximum of 14.5 Volts, thus making it difficult to
overcharge the battery.

Using a self-regulating module does not automatically assure that a PV
system will be self-regulating. Battery capacity, use of the loads and
temperature must be considered. Generally, self-regulating modules can
be safely used when the battery capacity is large. If the capacity is
small, there is still the possibility of overcharging the battery."

That being said, self regulating panels are much less efficient in a
battery charging application, as the charging voltage is considerably
lower than a regular 36 cell module.

Geoff Schultz wrote in
6:

What you need is a regulator that runs in diverter mode.

Naw.....What you need is a TOWEL to throw over the panel to keep it in the
shade at the dock. What's that cost? $1.39?....(c;

Mark wrote:
Gary wrote:

Is anyone familiar with "self regulating solar panels"?


Quote from: http://www.solaronline.com.au/page/technical_notes.html

"A self-regulating module has a limited number of cells connected in
series, normally 30 or 32. This limited number allows the module to
only produce a maximum of 14.5 Volts, thus making it difficult to
overcharge the battery.

Using a self-regulating module does not automatically assure that a PV
system will be self-regulating. Battery capacity, use of the loads and
temperature must be considered. Generally, self-regulating modules can
be safely used when the battery capacity is large. If the capacity is
small, there is still the possibility of overcharging the battery."

That being said, self regulating panels are much less efficient in a
battery charging application, as the charging voltage is considerably
lower than a regular 36 cell module.

Thanks. What I am trying to find out here is if anyone has any first
hand experience with self regulating solar panels.

Gary

Larry wrote:
Geoff Schultz wrote in
6:


What you need is a regulator that runs in diverter mode.


Naw.....What you need is a TOWEL to throw over the panel to keep it in the
shade at the dock. What's that cost? $1.39?....(c;

That is what the book says as well!

Gary

Gary wrote in
news:5Y7zg.278047$Mn5.49928@pd7tw3no:

Naw.....What you need is a TOWEL to throw over the panel to keep it
in the shade at the dock. What's that cost? $1.39?....(c;

That is what the book says as well!

Gary



I suppose, in keeping with the "nautical motif", we should have a custom-
made blue cover with a ship's wheel, anchors or flags boldly emblazoned on
the cover with the boat's name underneath for, say, $350?

Naw, belay my last.....that old towel that we found in the lazerette will
do....

Just toss it over the panel and hold it down with a few "empties". After
all, this IS the party boat, right? We must keep up appearances to
maintain our status!