Solar Charging/Pulsing Circuit and Variants

[Farmhand]

Hello all,
I've been messing around for a while with a very simple circuit to pulse a battery from a solar panel and make some better use of low light days (cloudy).

Here is the basic circuit.
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/...c-2.bmp?psid=1
The SCR capacitor arrangement allows the solar panel to keep the capacitors a couple of volts over the battery even in continuous conduction mode when the SCR does not switch off, in low light when the caps fill very slowly the SCR switches off and on and the circuit pulses the battery with amplified power up to 5 or 6 X, eg with 50Ma from the panels this setup pulses out up to 300Ma.

It's quite simple and works pretty good I have this basic setup boxed up so I can use it as a portable charger with a small solar panel.

I have played around with ways to force the SCR to commutate (switch off and on) and came up with the idea of adding an trifiler oscillator with capacitor discharger to the output of the original circuit which works very well and also allows the oscillator output to used alone.

Here is the final circuit that i'm using now minus the led I havn't tried that yet.
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/...1.4.bmp?psid=1
The oscillator source battery can be recharged from the panels, the capacitor dump voltage can be adjusted by the zener selection, the oscillator has frequency/power control, the SCR cap dump on the charge side of the oscillator has not been tested yet because I use a cheapo charge controller there but I think it will pulse charge the oscillator source battery as well when the oscillator is running.

The setup is self regulating to a degree in that when the oscillator is running and the setup is pulsing, the battery will stop charging at the desired voltage if the correct zener is selected eg. if the panels can only put out 20 volts max and the voltage drop caused by the zener the 1N5408 diode and the SCR gate trigger voltage equals or exceeds the difference between the battery voltage and the panel output voltage the panels can't raise the cap voltage high enough to dump so the solar power is blocked and the battery is trickle charged by the oscillator. This feature can also be used to equalise a bank by selecting a lower value zener.

I also made a battery swapper with load dump to go with it, it still has a bug so I have not labeled the zener value's and relay working voltage ratings yet.
It works ok but the zeners get warm so power is leaking where it shouldn't.
Here's some video's they are not good I will make a better one later.
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/...1.0.bmp?psid=1

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

Any idea's too improve or vary this circuit or add to it are welcome. The oscillator I use is a variant of John Bedini's design the SCR cap dump is old hat. I think that covers it so far.

Edit. I should add that the capacitors in the basic circuit could be any suitable value or number of caps you would wish or need, the zener on the SCR gate could be replaced with one or more 1n5408 diode's or a different diode or diode's could be used there and used in different combinations, a triac or even a mosfet could possiblly be used instead of the SCR anything is possible if it works.

Cheers all.

[automan]

Very nice work! I am new here but I find your posts to be very informational.All the work you put into the schematics and video, not to mention the actual assembly and testing. I am truly surprised to see no other reply yet. I only wish I had the time and knowledge to devote to electronics and engineering and such. I am testing a low-voltage hybrid Bedini motor/charger circuit design I made in my spare time, its not much to speak of but at least I'm learning. I will post it as soon as I'm confidant that it is a sound design and I get a video camera.

Cheers,
Keep up the good work!

[Farmhand]

Hello automan, Thanks for your interest. Most people that frequent the forums are already familiar with this basic circuit and it's normal not to get many reply's so soon.

I am testing a low-voltage hybrid Bedini motor/charger circuit design I made in my spare time, its not much to speak of but at least I'm learning. I will post it as soon as I'm confidant that it is a sound design and I get a video camera.

That awesome, I originally started to put together this basic setup just to see what happened and learn from it, along the way I tried more stuff and now I have a setup that works well, though i'm still trying stuff and ironing out bugs I thought I would share it and make an effort towards the cause of sustainability. I am stll learning and what I did has already been done in differnt ways. I fear that the more i learn only complicates things.

I wanted something very simple not only so I could understand it but also to test a simple and usefull circuit for a starting point of better things, by trying to keep it simple and have a simple and usefull base circuit to expand on hopefully more people from "outside" would be interested and think of other simple things. The more the merrier.

Cheers

[citfta]

Thanks again

Hi Farmhand,

Thanks again for sharing your work with us. I was going to try your simple cap pulser circuit but couldn't find any SCRs at the Rat Shack. They used to carry a lot of things they don't carry now. So I had to order some. When they get here I will be trying some of your circuits.

Thanks, Carroll

[Farmhand]

Hi all, I've been waiting for a chance to catch on video the solar setup pulsing from very low power. Today I managed to get it because it's raining again. I find it a bit strange to talk to no one while I make video it's new to me. This time I managed to not say hello folks at the start but there's still a lot of umms Sorry, not many ahh's though.

You can draw you own conclusions about the pulses but as my dear mum would say "Waste is a tool of the devil" I used a digital current meter on the output to show some numbers.

Any way I made a small mistake in the video I say the oscillator is using 150Ma and putting 75Ma into the system, however it is actually using 170Ma and putting 110 Ma into the system, I haven't actually measured its output since putting a pot on it to adjust the frequency. I measured it afterward. You can see in the vid that between pulses there is a steady 110Ma still flowing from the oscillator. It's embarrasing but i've forgotten how to work that out as a percentage.
No matter.

Here's the vid- YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

I'll try to make time tommorow to demonstrate the function of the battery swapper on a couple of good batteries, I have a load dump set up but it's only two fans, if the sun is out they might get fried if they can't handle 18 volts.

Cheers

citfta I forgot to respond to your post sorry. I had a bit of trouble finding SCR's too locally, you won't be dissapointed if you do try one, one thing to watch out for is the SCR terminals can get confusing when you use them on the negative line, the annode must go to the battery and the cathode to the caps, the diode must go from the SCR annode to the gate. It dosen't look it but it was confusing for me I got it all backwards and sideways a couple of times, it was very frustrating. I labeled them on the first drawing for those like me who are easily distracted and confused.

[totoalas]

Solar Charger

Hi Farmhand
Simplicity is the best circuit for beginnners like me
I have a circuit from Groundloop for the auto iight switch

Solar charging with regulation/ voltage swapper from your circuit and the above circuit integrated will be a SUPER JOULLE THIEF SLAYER/FARMAND/ GROUNDLOOP COOL. POWER /LIGHT//CHARGER rolled into one

Im aiming for a solar cell from caculator and the above circuit in scale down design using only 1 aa battery to power the circuit

Hope you can give this a thoughtfull insight
cheers

totoalas



http://www.energeticforum.com/renewa...tml#post113829

[Farmhand]

Hi totoalas, I like the way you think power/light/charger, there really is a lot of very usefull and unique things a person can build from the knowledge they gain reading these forums, the circuit you link me to is very interesting I think i know what it does from it's name and how by the parts of that thread I have read before. But I have one question before I go study it some more.

Where is the light? I don't see it.

As i see it L2 is pulsed at very high frequency and L1 and L3 resonate with it like three aerials. Oh boy there is three again it's everywhere.

I think i might be distracted again for a while I am intrigued I think I want one of those on my bench. I must try to understand it.

Make that two questions. What is the purpose of the transistor Labeled "NC" between L1 and the positive ? It's emitter not connected.

Sorry to ask questions straight back to you.

I will go and read up on it. Thank you very much for showing me that.

Regards

[totoalas]

Hi totoalas, I like the way you think power/light/charger, there really is a lot of very usefull and unique things a person can build from the knowledge they gain reading these forums, the circuit you link me to is very interesting I think i know what it does from it's name and how by the parts of that thread I have read before. But I have one question before I go study it some more.

Where is the light? I don't see it.

As i see it L2 is pulsed at very high frequency and L1 and L3 resonate with it like three aerials. Oh boy there is three again it's everywhere.

I think i might be distracted again for a while I am intrigued I think I want one of those on my bench. I must try to understand it.

Make that two questions. What is the purpose of the transistor Labeled "NC" between L1 and the positive ? It's emitter not connected.

Sorry to ask questions straight back to you.

I will go and read up on it. Thank you very much for showing me that.

Regards

Hi Farmhand
thanks for your swift reply
The lamps are wireless radiant energy ignites the gas in fluorescent lamps
neon lamps and la bunch of leds 30 0r more with avrenko plug(conected to ends of a series connection led with reversedirection andends connected together
NC not connected
MPSA06 easily fried above 100 ma or ore so this serves as current limiter
i can go up to 180 ma 2 16 volts with controlled heat for 16 hours straight load of 4 8 watts 1 20 w atts and 40 leds

Hope to have your input in this

thanks

totoalas

[Farmhand]

Ok I think I see now one wire of the bulb gets connected to NC ?

What is LDR Connector ?

It's late here and i'm very tired so i'll have to crash.

Tomorrows another day.

Cheers

[totoalas]

Hi Farmhand
LDR is a photocell Light detecting resistor if am right

Have a good night sleep
its also 11 49 pm here
Sweet dreams

Thanks mate

totoa las

[Farmhand]

Hi Totoalas, I had a close encounter yesterday with a very large venomous brown snake while I was looking for a missing baby chicken it must have been 8 to 10 feet long, a very effective killer, I found the chicken but it was inside the snake, I was very lucky to see it in time in the long grass. I was standing looking and listening when I happened to look down in front of me about two feet in front of me it was coiled and ready to strike and big enough it didn't feel the need to move. So I stared it in the eyes for a few seconds then retreated very slowly. Pheww. They always take the one's I want to keep for breeding. It will be a good feed for it, it was a hybrid meat chicken and was to be my new breeding rooster. That one snake has set back my breeding program by six months.

Anyway I have some people coming here to help me clean up around the buldings, and so I must focus on that for a day or two. I am putting some thought into the Power / Light / charger idea, all of that in one box and portable would be very usefull. I will be back after the weekend.

Cheers.

[totoalas]

Hi Totoalas, I had a close encounter yesterday with a very large venomous brown snake while I was looking for a missing baby chicken it must have been 8 to 10 feet long, a very effective killer, I found the chicken but it was inside the snake, I was very lucky to see it in time in the long grass. I was standing looking and listening when I happened to look down in front of me about two feet in front of me it was coiled and ready to strike and big enough it didn't feel the need to move. So I stared it in the eyes for a few seconds then retreated very slowly. Pheww. They always take the one's I want to keep for breeding. It will be a good feed for it, it was a hybrid meat chicken and was to be my new breeding rooster. That one snake has set back my breeding program by six months.

Anyway I have some people coming here to help me clean up around the buldings, and so I must focus on that for a day or two. I am putting some thought into the Power / Light / charger idea, all of that in one box and portable would be very usefull. I will be back after the weekend.

Cheers.

Hi Farmhand
Gud instinct to stare at the snake
In the Philipines we usually throw our shirts to the snake so as it concentrate on biting it

We usually catch snake 5 per week on an old fishing net wrapped around the fence with the chickens freely roaming our garden
A dog and goose usually augment the security

Take care

totoalas

[Guruji]

Circuit

Hi Farmhand sometimes bad luck should be taken in good luck cause maybe the chicken was not in the snake stomach maybe you could be his target when you faced that snake.
Please inform us when that circuit of yours would be ready from bugs that you're experiencing cause I am ready to build replicate it.
Thanks

[jbsolar]

Hello all,
I've been messing around for a while with a very simple circuit to pulse a battery from a solar panel and make some better use of low light days (cloudy).

Here is the basic circuit.
http://7iprpq.bay.livefilestore.com/...c-2.bmp?psid=1

The SCR capacitor arrangement allows the solar panel to keep the capacitors a couple of volts over the battery even in continuous conduction mode when the SCR does not switch off, in low light when the caps fill very slowly the SCR switches off and on and the circuit pulses the battery with amplified power up to 5 or 6 X, eg with 50Ma from the panels this setup pulses out up to 300Ma.

It's quite simple and works pretty good I have this basic setup boxed up so I can use it as a portable charger with a small solar panel.

I have played around with ways to force the SCR to commutate (switch off and on) and came up with the idea of adding an trifiler oscillator with capacitor discharger to the output of the original circuit which works very well and also allows the oscillator output to used alone.

Here is the final circuit that i'm using now minus the led I havn't tried that yet.


The oscillator source battery can be recharged from the panels, the capacitor dump voltage can be adjusted by the zener selection, the oscillator has frequency/power control, the SCR cap dump on the charge side of the oscillator has not been tested yet because I use a cheapo charge controller there but I think it will pulse charge the oscillator source battery as well when the oscillator is running.

The setup is self regulating to a degree in that when the oscillator is running and the setup is pulsing, the battery will stop charging at the desired voltage if the correct zener is selected eg. if the panels can only put out 20 volts max and the voltage drop caused by the zener the 1N5408 diode and the SCR gate trigger voltage equals or exceeds the difference between the battery voltage and the panel output voltage the panels can't raise the cap voltage high enough to dump so the solar power is blocked and the battery is trickle charged by the oscillator. This feature can also be used to equalise a bank by selecting a lower value zener.

I also made a battery swapper with load dump to go with it, it still has a bug so I have not labeled the zener value's and relay working voltage ratings yet.
It works ok but the zeners get warm so power is leaking where it shouldn't.
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/...1.0.bmp?psid=1
Here's some video's they are not good I will make a better one later.

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

Any idea's too improve or vary this circuit or add to it are welcome. The oscillator I use is a variant of John Bedini's design the SCR cap dump is old hat. I think that covers it so far.

Edit. I should add that the capacitors in the basic circuit could be any suitable value or number of caps you would wish or need, the zener on the SCR gate could be replaced with one or more 1n5408 diode's or a different diode or diode's could be used there and used in different combinations, a triac or even a mosfet could possiblly be used instead of the SCR anything is possible if it works.

Cheers all.

Great work!

[Farmhand]

Hi jbsolar, and welcome to the forum welcome also to automan, and thank you all for the kind words.

I have good news, I found my baby rooster this morning. Guruji made me think I shouldn't give up on it so easily and assume the lump I seen in the snake was it, So I look and look and I find him he was stuck under a upturned water tub. I am so happy about that. Thanks Guruji if it were not for you his fate would have been worse than being eaten.

Anyway my visitors got to laugh at me before they left.

Last night I dragged my little toy three pole Bedini out to demonstrate to people so I make a small video, it has some pretty lights and spins pretty fast.

YouTube - AlternateFarmhand1's Channel

I am determined to demonstrate the battery swapper today, I have finally got a firewire connection in this computer, for better vids hopefully.

Totalas I have been thinking that with an exciter in your circuit you would maybe be able to use a "plate P" setup, a (Tesla radiant energy receiver) instead of a solar panel. I don't really know but I think the exciter would make it work better than normal. It might not work good enough but I think it should be tried. I get good results putting mine near a AC Flouro, enough to charge a 6v battery very slowly. It may even be able make the setup self sustaining.

It's a fine day today.

Cheers all.