Comments on: DIY solar combined kits, Harbor Freight, Sunforce, Barry’s Solar Power Center

By: pgm98387

pgm98387 — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:07:27 +0000

@SwindleFlu
Sure, if you watch that episode of the Discovery channel show “The Colony”
they scavenged 20-30 car batteries and hooked them together. The weaker ofthe batteries will bring down the others. Just don’t drain the batteries too much under 12V. Batteries I’ve learned like to be kept healthy if always charge. Run everything you can when the sun is shining. Use those batteries as a buffer. Always keep a volt meter on them.

By: pgm98387

pgm98387 — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:02:41 +0000

@aihumlay
It has been clear and sunny all day, after Iread your post i ran my 500w leaf blower on the powerbright. The cable to the positive side on the terminal was getting really hot to the touch. So…..mabe if too much current was flowing it could melt the casing…? The batteries are sealed Absorbed glass mat (AGM) They are notsupposed to vent hydrogen gas with normal use.

By: SwindleFlu

SwindleFlu — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:47:43 +0000

Nice video, question about batteries do they all need to be the same size for a battery bank? I have 4 lawnmower batterys and 2 car batterys that still work, can they be wired together? Also if anyone knows about 12v Trickle chargers, can multiple one be clamped to the same battery or do they have to be put on seperate batteries?

By: aihumlay

aihumlay — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:09:40 +0000

i have a question about wires all batteries together with cause a spark or blow it up???

By: timcat19

timcat19 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:21:34 +0000

Thanks for documenting and sharing your setup!

By: pgm98387

pgm98387 — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:03:17 +0000

@Karlillingworth

So the electron flows around the copper sruface thru the air?

By: Karlillingworth

Karlillingworth — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:23:57 +0000

Yes electron bump with increase resistance, so you’d be better to use a copper tube not solid.. Due to the way electrons flow, a tube will hold more current with less resistance.

By: pgm98387

pgm98387 — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:33:57 +0000

Why does an electrical charge permeate thru bundled stranded wire better than a solid copper bar? See the chart on resistance in the link.
Its my understanding that the electrons bump from one atom to the next thru the material. Why would increased surface area on many strands make a charge flow more effectively? I understand that stranded copper shielded is better for positioning, durability and safety to interconnect 2 devices.
The copper bar was also less expensive than buying the cables.

By: shartne

shartne — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:49:00 +0000

copper rod ? I sure you would be better off with a stranded wire like the ones you bought from Walmart. Most people think electricity flows through the wire but actually it flows along the out side of the wire thats why they use many stranded wires so your better off using the largest diameter finely stranded wire you can afford this carries more current.

By: hooptejoe

hooptejoe — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:17:45 +0000

@pgm98387 I use mine as charge control. My dad uses his as a dump load. He hooked everything up to the batteries and the dump load to the controller. he seams to loke it a lot