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Re: Solar panel information



At 04:26 PM 7/2/2004, you wrote:
Hello all:

A colleague was able to rescue several solar panels used to keep VW car
batteries charged when in transit to the dealership. They are place on the
windshield and plugged into the car's DC output (cigarette lighter). She
wanted to use them on a unit on alternative energy sources with elementary
children, probably connecting them to an electric motor to create a
mobile. I am not sure it will work, though. It is rated 18.8 V and 170 mA.
It will be even less on an iluminated classroom indoors. As you know, that
is not a whole lot of current. I found a small $1 personal fan that uses
two AA batteries and it does not work, probably because each battery
should supply much more current than 170 mA.

Any ideas as to what we could use these panels for? Is there an
inexpensive DC motor that runs on 170 mA?

As always, your insights are appreciated.

Wilson J. Gonzalez-Espada, Ph.D.


Though the impedance match is poor, the fan motor should have moved
on one of these solar panels, if it was reasonably illuminated.
Did you check the terminal volts of the panels?
Did you try the voltage when loaded with a 120 ohm resistor?
It should have been greater than 13.8 volts if the panel were really rated
for 170 mA at 18.8 volts..... The panels may have been discarded for a
reason.


Brian Whatcott Altus OK Eureka!