[Rhodes22-list] Solar panel inquiry

[jimtracyjohnston at centurytel.net]

Charles,
In simple terms an electrical energy has two basic units, voltage and 
amperage. Voltage is force or pressure on the electron to move in a 
conductor, think of water pressure PSI. The amperage is the quanitiy of 
electrons that are moving in a conductor. A squirt gun can have a great 
deal of pressure (volts) as it squirts water, however, there is very 
little volume or gallons per minute. The amperage is the quanity of 
electrons that are moved i.e. gallons per minute. You need BOTH for a 
useful electrical circuit. A test of your solor panel might indicate 
the presence of voltage, however, if there is no amperage or quanity of 
electrons being produced by the solor panel it can not refill your 
battery. What would fill your bath tub first, a squirt gun with 100 PSI 
(volts) and one pint/min. or a garden hose with 30 PSI max. but 5 
gallon/min.? You can test a battery for voltage and get a reading, 
however, it is "dead". Note the rating on batteries amp hours. You will 
need to test for both voltage and amperage. Connect your solor panel to 
any load (one wire to each end of a resistor) You measure the voltage 
by putting a volt meter at each end of the resistor this is parallel. 
Parellel means the electrons has a choice of going thru the resistor or 
volt meter. Now to measure the amperage you must take one wire off the 
load (resistor)  and put an ampmeter between the wire from the solor 
panel and the load (resistor). This called in series and the electrons 
have no choice, it must go thru the ampmeter and load to complete the 
circuit. Even if there is voltage present the battery might not be 
getting any electrons. Normally a power source will be rated watts. 
This is the volts times the amps. Even if you have 12 volts but no amps 
this means NO power. 12 volts times zero amps equals zero power. Good 
Luck

Quoting PBR <pbryanriley at gmail.com>:
> Charles,
> There are some previous posts about batteries, panels, and charge
> controllers.  A charged battery should be able to run your instrument
> panel only for days easily especially with solar panel(s).  So
> something is amiss.  Check your water levels.  Do you have a charge
> controller?  If not, that may have contributed to earlier battery
> degradation.  Four years is not bad, but with your light use I would
> expect them to last longer.  To test you solar panels you can check
> open circuit voltage with a voltmeter.  Disconnect the panels or
> disconnect you battery with everything else off.  In good sun your
> panels voltage shout produce an open circuit voltage significantly
> higher than battery voltage, say 15-20 volts. 
> -PBR
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 14, 2012 at 1:48 PM, Charles Nieman
> <blue66corvette at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > So I left the instrument panel on when I left the boat a few days 
> ago and came
> back to dead battery!! The penalty for being stupid. 
> >
> > Hooked up a trickle charger to the battery and am now recharged. 
> >
> > The question is, what is the best way to verify if my solar panels 
> are still
> operational (I think they are original equipment and few things last 
> forever)?
> >
> > And how much charge would one expect to get from fully operational solar
> chargers?
> >
> > The batteries are dated 2008, how many years could one expect these 
> to last?
> (boat does not have electric motor hoist or electric start on outboard;
> batteries only power lights, AM/ FM radio, and compass/depth 
> gauge/knot meter). 
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> >
> > Charles Nieman
> > 98R22
> > DayDream
> > __________________________________________________
> > To subscribe/unsubscribe go to
> http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
> >
> > For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and 
> archives go to
> http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> > __________________________________________________
> __________________________________________________
> To subscribe/unsubscribe go to
> http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
>
> For the list Charter and help with using the mailing list and archives go to
> http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> __________________________________________________
>