Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: bekboo on March 11, 2008, 12:03

Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: bekboo on March 11, 2008, 12:03
I have an allotment and would love to set up a solar power system but on a very tight budget! Anyone know of a reclaimed solar panel supplier in the Midlands? I can't afford new  :cry:
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: jimroden on March 11, 2008, 13:46
I dont think you will be lucky enough to find any second hand ones to be honest. Unfortunatly you will be better off using a petrol or deisel generator down there. To get solar pannels that will generate enough power to run power tools your looking at 2.000+then you need a converter and a storage capacitor thats another 1,000+. Unfortunatly it is not cost effective enough yet to justyfy the money spent.

Jim
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: poultrygeist on March 11, 2008, 16:27
If you look on ebay, you can get a panel to run maybe a 10watt light bulb for about £20 but that's about as good as it gets.
You could try boat yards but I would imagine they hold their price if they're working ok.
What were you hoping to power ?

Rob
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: compo on March 11, 2008, 16:41
Aldi were doing a petrol generater for 50 quid, knocked out 700 watts as well, enough for most power tools.
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: poultrygeist on March 11, 2008, 16:46
Depends if your plot is near houses. They might not appreciate a gennie going for hours. Or are they a lot quieter than they used to be ?

Could maybe build an acoustic casing for it with just the exhaust poking out. Now there's a nice little project.

Rob
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: bekboo on March 11, 2008, 19:07
Thought of a gennie but trying to be as green as possible and certainly don't want deisel fumes wafting over everything! :evil: I basically want a low wattage lamp in the chicken house and maybe low heating if we get deep snow (ha ha), and maybe a pump for irrigation? Can you get 12v pumps from anywhere?
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: poultrygeist on March 11, 2008, 19:20
In your part of the world I'd have thought a canal boat chandlers might be a good place to go.
They use a lot of 12v kit. We were thinking of doing the canalboat living thing a few years back and you can get just about everything, including a microwave which must need one hell of a think cable.
Ebay might have some 2nd hand gear. Your other option is a wind turbine but I don't know what output they give. Might trickle charge a car battery or 2.
Camping shop is the other obvious place. Lots of 2nd hand stuff available.

Rob
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: bekboo on March 11, 2008, 19:44
Thanks Poultrygeist, I'll try the local camping place good idea :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: robbobnbill on March 11, 2008, 21:56
I found this site its got loads of great articles on solar, wind turbines and renewable energy in general

http://www.reuk.co.uk
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: bekboo on March 11, 2008, 22:12
Quote from: "robbobnbill"
I found this site its got loads of great articles on solar, wind turbines and renewable energy in general

http://www.reuk.co.uk

Thanks robbobnbill info is great but I still can't afford the prices (£1000 for a lighting system?) looks like I might have to resort to charging car batteries up at home then using 'em on lotty :cry:  :cry:  :cry:
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: poultrygeist on March 11, 2008, 22:16
I wonder if you could adapt this on their website

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Solar-Powered-Poultry-Lighting.htm (http://www.reuk.co.uk/Solar-Powered-Poultry-Lighting.htm)

They reckon £100

Could charge a battery or 2.

Rob
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: robbobnbill on March 11, 2008, 22:29
i dont think it'll cost a great deal, there are kits on Ebay for £69.99 for the equivalent of a 40W bulb solar kit but if you managed to cobble something together from freebies i reckon you could do it for miles le$$, the most expensive part i guess would be the battery, there are even solar cells for less than a tenner, but its if there fit for purpose?

Theres also a 12V irrigation article on that site btw

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Solar-Powered-Irrigation.htm
Title: Solar panels please help!
Post by: bekboo on March 11, 2008, 23:22
Quote from: "robbobnbill"
i dont think it'll cost a great deal, there are kits on Ebay for £69.99 for the equivalent of a 40W bulb solar kit but if you managed to cobble something together from freebies i reckon you could do it for miles le$$, the most expensive part i guess would be the battery, there are even solar cells for less than a tenner, but its if there fit for purpose?

Theres also a 12V irrigation article on that site btw

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Solar-Powered-Irrigation.htm

 8)  8)  8) It is such a lot of info on the site but thanks!! I'll look into these ideas. I'm so motivated now.....all i have to do is find the £££££'s :cry: