Solar panel controller
 

I am considering purchasing a Blue Sky Energy Solar Boost 2000E controller
(regulator) to use with my solar panels. The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%. Does anyone have experience with these controllers?



John Helgerson

Solar panel controller
 

"John" wrote in
:

The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%.

What nonsense. The controller turns the panels OFF at the appropriate
time. It doesn't manufacture power from thin air. I wouldn't buy his
product because he lied to me.



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

Solar panel controller
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"John" wrote in
:

The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%.

What nonsense. The controller turns the panels OFF at the appropriate
time. It doesn't manufacture power from thin air. I wouldn't buy his
product because he lied to me.



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

IIRC, Practically A Sailor did a test and review on those units, and
verified the manufacturer's claims.

Solar panel controller
 

KLC Lewis inscribed in red ink for all to know:
"Larry" wrote in message
...

"John" wrote in
:


The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%.

What nonsense. The controller turns the panels OFF at the appropriate
time. It doesn't manufacture power from thin air. I wouldn't buy his
product because he lied to me.



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.


IIRC, Practically A Sailor did a test and review on those units, and
verified the manufacturer's claims.




How do the Maximum Power Point controllers work?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

Solar panel controller
 

RW Salnick inscribed in red ink for all to know:
KLC Lewis inscribed in red ink for all to know:

"Larry" wrote in message
...

"John" wrote in
:


The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%.


What nonsense. The controller turns the panels OFF at the appropriate
time. It doesn't manufacture power from thin air. I wouldn't buy his
product because he lied to me.



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.



IIRC, Practically A Sailor did a test and review on those units, and
verified the manufacturer's claims.



How do the Maximum Power Point controllers work?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle


OK, nobody's answering me - I'll try it myself...

IIUC, the "power Point' controllers are basically DC-DC converters,
converting the 19 volts or so that the panels produce to 12.6 (or
something), thus drawing from the panels at their output voltage instead
of the battery's voltage. Presuming minimal change in current delivery,
this would represent an increase in delivered power.

OK, where am I wrong here?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

Solar panel controller
 

"RW Salnick" wrote in message
...
RW Salnick inscribed in red ink for all to know:
KLC Lewis inscribed in red ink for all to know:

"Larry" wrote in message
...

"John" wrote in
:


The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%.


What nonsense. The controller turns the panels OFF at the appropriate
time. It doesn't manufacture power from thin air. I wouldn't buy his
product because he lied to me.



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.



IIRC, Practically A Sailor did a test and review on those units, and
verified the manufacturer's claims.



How do the Maximum Power Point controllers work?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle


OK, nobody's answering me - I'll try it myself...

IIUC, the "power Point' controllers are basically DC-DC converters,
converting the 19 volts or so that the panels produce to 12.6 (or
something), thus drawing from the panels at their output voltage instead
of the battery's voltage. Presuming minimal change in current delivery,
this would represent an increase in delivered power.

OK, where am I wrong here?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle

Wish I could give you an answer, but electrically I'm just shy of being a
low-grade moron. I can follow directions and connect wires, but that's about
it.

Solar panel controller
 

RW Salnick wrote:

RW Salnick inscribed in red ink for all to know:

KLC Lewis inscribed in red ink for all to know:

"Larry" wrote in message
...

"John" wrote in
:


The manufacturer claims an increase
in current power of 30%.



What nonsense. The controller turns the panels OFF at the appropriate
time. It doesn't manufacture power from thin air. I wouldn't buy his
product because he lied to me.



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.




IIRC, Practically A Sailor did a test and review on those units, and
verified the manufacturer's claims.



How do the Maximum Power Point controllers work?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle



OK, nobody's answering me - I'll try it myself...

IIUC, the "power Point' controllers are basically DC-DC converters,
converting the 19 volts or so that the panels produce to 12.6 (or
something), thus drawing from the panels at their output voltage instead
of the battery's voltage. Presuming minimal change in current delivery,
this would represent an increase in delivered power.

OK, where am I wrong here?

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle
Assuming the panels can be modelled as an ideal voltage source with a
(variable) series resistor (they cant but its a useful approximation)
you are extracting the *maximum* power from the panel when its loaded to
half its open circuit voltage, BUT you are unavoidably wasting the
*same* amount of energy in heating up the panel. (n.b. this does *not*
work for getting maximum *energy* out of a battery). I suspect they
will actually be boosting 9.5V up to 12.6.

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & 32K emails -- NUL:
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
All varnished hot moulded wooden racing dinghy.

Solar panel controller
 

On Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:31:26 +0000, Ian Malcolm
wrote:

Assuming the panels can be modelled as an ideal voltage source with a
(variable) series resistor (they cant but its a useful approximation)

Assume what you like...

Solar panel controller
 

Ian Malcolm wrote in
:

Assuming the panels can be modelled as an ideal voltage source

Geez. If boat technology gets any better, we'll be able to run a light
bulb off the panel, shining on the panel, and the panel will have so much
power boost there'll be a surplus to charge the batteries!



Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

Solar panel controller
 

Larry wrote:

Ian Malcolm wrote in
:


Assuming the panels can be modelled as an ideal voltage source


Geez. If boat technology gets any better, we'll be able to run a light
bulb off the panel, shining on the panel, and the panel will have so much
power boost there'll be a surplus to charge the batteries!

Why not see if you can patent that idea?
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Anyway, if it was possible to get a net energy gain, you'd still be
dissipating half the energy in heating the panel so you'd burn it up for
sure if you tried to get out more than you put in.

This may in fact be a problem in real life in hot climates unless you
have very good air flow over the panels, as the MPPT controller will be
working them harder and they *will* be getting hotter. Will the
supplier stand behind their product if its connected to an advanced
controller? If they are on an elevated mount, it may well be worth
spraying the backs with the thinnest possible coat of matte black paint
to help dissipate the heat.

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & 32K emails -- NUL:
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
All varnished hot moulded wooden racing dinghy.