Solar power for the shed. Help please.

[PeteXXX]

My important shed is too far from the house to easily route a power cable too.
I was thinking of a solar panel on the shed roof to trickle charge my old car battery and utilising the leccy produced to illuminate the place & charge bike lights etc.

Obviously, it's not quite as straight forward as wiring it up.

So.. Tell me what I want what I really really want.
I wanna 🤔

 

[tom73]

Have a look at camper van websites plenty of info around. Basically it’s the same set up also tell you what power you’re going to need. They also have info on how to charge e-bikes via battery.I’ve not looked into it but your likely to need an inverter.
You can source stuff separate or as a kit. Start with working out your power needs and then what space you’ve got for panels.

Basically it panel , controller , battery

 

[Jameshow]

Go for it.

A little panel say 30w will do to trickle charge it.

If you want say 100w+ you will need a controller. But you could then have a smaller inverter.

You could make a box with usb sockets 12v sockets voltage meter etc.

 

[tom73]

Have a look at camper van websites plenty of info around. Basically it’s the same set up also tell you what power you’re going to need. They also have info on how to charge e-bikes via battery.I’ve not looked into it but your likely to need an inverter.
You can source stuff separate or as a kit. Start with working out your power needs and then what space you’ve got for panels.

Basically it panel , controller , battery

The other option is portable battery bank like an ecoflow. Not cheep (they have offers often) but gives you a really portable power source. You’d just need the panel they have built in controls and inverter. Theyd also give option to charge via mains and 12v. We have one and find it handy at home and in , out the van.

 

[PeteXXX]

Thanks, folks.
The ecoflow, or similar, seems the way to go, possibly. If I was to buy the inverter, controls etc. separately it'd end up looking a bit Heath Robinson and be more expensive in the end..

 

[sleuthey]

You wanna get a couple of 4w MR16 bulbs and take the battery in the house every 10 hours of use and charge it over night

 

[PeteXXX]

You wanna get a couple of 4w MR16 bulbs and take the battery in the house every 10 hours of use and charge it over night

But would that be any use for charging lights etc without a voltage regulator? I don't think it will be good for the lights, wahoo elemnt (or phone if I plug that in to charge) , will it?

 

[sleuthey]

But would that be any use for charging lights etc without a voltage regulator? I don't think it will be good for the lights, wahoo elemnt (or phone if I plug that in to charge) , will it?

MR16 bulbs are 12v, car battery is 12v (well 13-14 fully charged). Mine have been fine.

On eBay you can get a car USB port (12-5v) transformer for a fiver.

I also have a 12 - 230v inverter that I bought for a tenner that allows me 120w for a TV and radio.

Of your seriously interested the let me know and I'll take some photos for you

 

[PeteXXX]

MR16 bulbs are 12v, car battery is 12v (well 13-14 fully charged). Mine have been fine.

On eBay you can get a car USB port (12-5v) transformer for a fiver.

I also have a 12 - 230v inverter that I bought for a tenner that allows me 120w for a TV and radio.

Of your seriously interested the let me know and I'll take some photos for you

Thanks. I can imagine how that would work. I'll look into it later 👍

 

[Gwylan]

My important shed is too far from the house to easily route a power cable too.
I was thinking of a solar panel on the shed roof to trickle charge my old car battery and utilising the leccy produced to illuminate the place & charge bike lights etc.

Obviously, it's not quite as straight forward as wiring it up.

So.. Tell me what I want what I really really want.
I wanna 🤔

The lady cave has just sort of a system for the same reasons.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13429648...uid=ndTVsK_rRQC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media

30+ watt panel in full view of the sun most of the day. When it shines.
A "spare" car battery, not too large.

Also drives a little pump for a fountain and a scrap fluorescent light from my boating days.
The solar panel controller includes a usb outlet to charge phones, bike lights, whatever.
Use the thickest wire you can find.

 

[PeteXXX]

The lady cave has just sort of a system for the same reasons.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13429648...uid=ndTVsK_rRQC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media

30+ watt panel in full view of the sun most of the day. When it shines.
A "spare" car battery, not too large.

Also drives a little pump for a fountain and a scrap fluorescent light from my boating days.
The solar panel controller includes a usb outlet to charge phones, bike lights, whatever.
Use the thickest wire you can find.

That seems like a good deal... Thanks 👍

 

[tom73]

Cheep flexible panels don't have as long a life as better quality ones all flexible panels tend to over heat if not fitted in a way they can cool. Hot panels are less efficient and that controller is a cheep older PWM type which are not as efficient as newer MPPT type.
USB sockets trend to be 2.1V so what ever your charging will take sometime if you want to put your own set up together go for the newer faster charge 5v sockets.

 

[Jameshow]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40414905...tixoXeJTeO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

How about this bad boy!!