SOLAR PANELS!!

[ConcernedCanuk]

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I bought 3 damaged solar panels, 15W each for 50 bucks, worth almost $400 new - actually they ARE new, but the guy fell on them, cracking(but not breaking) the glass.

I had a friend epoxy the backside for strength, then seal them with a clear coat for aluminum wheels on the front(sun) side at a cos to another $40.

AND THEY ARE WORKING - pumping out 3W an hour, charging up my battery which takes me $6 worth of gas on my generator - 3 hours on the generator, 2 days on the panels.

I didn't have the money to make up a frame to post the panels on a revolving stand, so they are mounted on the south-west side of my trailer - only getting about 1/2 the sun that is available - -

but hey

at $6 per charge - they'll pay for themselves in less than a month!

[kestrel91316]

1. I call that a WIN!

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. ME TOO!!

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:silly:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Nice!

[yourout]

3. I built a solar powered WIFI repeater/WDS.

My brother could not get broadband but I was able put together a repeater system that hops 4 legs covering 3 miles from my folks house to my brothers. Took a little tweaking the ack timing but he gets the full 1.5 mbs and it has been rock solid so far.

Tomato firmware and Linksys WRT54GL routers make a killer WDS system.

[druidity33]

5. wow, that sounds awesome...

I live in a rural community that has only Satellite options for TV and internet. The state legislature has been trying to "expand" broadband, but the expansion seems to be moving only along major roads. I would love to propose that the town do wireless nodes, there is grant money available. Ever built a larger repeater system? Would it work town wide? This is hilly country, so there are problems (no cell service out here either)...

:shrug:

[yourout]

6. How many nodes would you need? Do you have line of sight with most of them?

All of the ones I have done are small scale.

You would need some bandwidth to work with.

I am not sure what the leagal ramifications are or if you could form a Co-op and make a deal with a carrier to share a high speed connection with multiple clients.

[Kolesar]

11. hops 4 legs?

what does that mean?

[damntexdem]

A local project involved having students in a high school science lab refurbish solar panels.

They were then taken to Mexico and installed on the roofs of schools that had been given computers but that didn't have electricity to run them. A solar panel would power a PC and a light bulb, providing access to education to students who would otherwise have lacked it.

[Nihil]

12. Nice one!

Not just educating/training the kids in science & technology
but also building the empathy with less fortunate children
and providing the satisfaction of helping their fellow man.

Full marks to the teachers as well as the students!

:applause:

[keepthemhonest]

4. good job! Nt

[glinda]

7. I am envious!

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. Congratulations!

If you're a tinkerer (and it sounds like you are) you might be interested in building a DIY tracker (or 3.)
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PV/pv.htm

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. Excellent link!

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I like this pic!



that's at least 4x what I have,

and if they are the higher quality

maybe ten times or more

Makes camping a whole new experience!

[Kablooie]

13. You can take smashed panel chips and wire them into a fully functioning solar panel.

Get a bag of chips for 3$.
Instructions here if you're interested.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-high-powered-solar-panel-from-broken-solar-/

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Solar-Panel/