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Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Micro-Air easy start
    Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 9:10am
Originally posted by offgrid

On the low light thing, there ain't no free lunch. 

You are so right on this!

Beyond that, knowing that Vmp will still be pretty low at low irradiance, you can use a MPPT to extract as much power as possible. That's the basic physics of PV devices, not something you can change, so I don't see what additional electronics can do for you. 

The two working on that portion had thoughts leading back to the Frequency/back feed recovery circuit they had devised. That was way over my head, yet they were into it.

Since low light implies diffuse light, you can tune the glass ar coating to enhance light collection at high incidence angles. That's probably what your coatings guy was working on. There are also spectral differences under low light conditions, so in theory you could tune the cell ar coating to improve low light collection, but in practice you don't really want to hurt your direct high irradiance performance in the process because even in a cloudy place most energy collection comes on clear days as direct not diffuse. 

Again, so correct. The balance was important. Basically it was becoming a  MPPT on steroids. Yet in direct sun, it had reduced input. The exercise was mainly low light/cloudy conditions.

Are you putting solar on your sleeper cap? Looks like a nice flat surface up there for it. 

No, it's just a Sleeper Cap. I wanted something I could Overland and stay for the night. I will have my portable lithium power back for lighting and basic re-charging. 


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 8:49am
That green color reminds me of a pickup camper that my dad built many years ago. It was a bit larger IIRC, with a bed above the cab. Later, they sold that and bought a commercial one that was even larger. I probably have pictures of it somewhere. What you built looks pretty good. It will be interesting to see a picture of it when it is finished.

Edit:  Nice web site. Thumbs Up
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 7:56am
On the low light thing, there ain't no free lunch. 

Bottom line is that PV cell/module Isc varies linearly with irradiance (more photons= more current). As you can't extract any power at Isc, the only thing you can do is to get modules made with the best quality cells you can.  That way they have low shunt resistance and as high a fill factor as possible so that their Vmp and efficiency doesn't fall off dramatically at low light levels. High quality mono cells work best. 

Beyond that, knowing that Vmp will still be pretty low at low irradiance, you can use a MPPT to extract as much power as possible. That's the basic physics of PV devices, not something you can change, so I don't see what additional electronics can do for you. 

Since low light implies diffuse light, you can tune the glass ar coating to enhance light collection at high incidence angles. That's probably what your coatings guy was working on. There are also spectral differences under low light conditions, so in theory you could tune the cell ar coating to improve low light collection, but in practice you don't really want to hurt your direct high irradiance performance in the process because even in a cloudy place most energy collection comes on clear days as direct not diffuse. 

Are you putting solar on your sleeper cap? Looks like a nice flat surface up there for it. 


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 6:43am
Originally posted by offgrid

Yep, if you live in NC as StephenH and I do, a/c is a whole lot more important than it is in MN. LOL

OTOH, I'm really intrigued about the eight capacitor bank and the low light solar system. I'd love to hear more about that...

Nor, in the Nor'East. We only require AC for a couple weeks a year. Typically we head for the mountains.

The low light solar was (and will be again) a experiment amongst a group of us attempting different ideas and approaches. One working films/coatings and getting interesting results, 3 of us working electronic's in different directions and 2 others as pure experimenters going where no one had before (or at least was our joke). The Group disbanded almost 4yrs back. One just dis-appeared (the AC guy I spoke of), 2 passed away the balance of us try to stay in contact and pass notes of ongoing projects. 
My bench test is built from a 15watt panel. I'll return again to this experiment at some point.

Currently I have a Sleeper Cap build I've almost completed for my pickup. Being I'm currently trailer-less.

 


   
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2019 at 4:35pm
Originally posted by Olddawgsrule

Not just any will work! As you now know. I have a eight capacitor bank on a low light solar system I'm testing. They have to be EE'd.. to fit the need. 

I don't have AC in my unit, so never went to the effort to work it out.

Yep, if you live in NC as StephenH and I do, a/c is a whole lot more important than it is in MN. LOL

I think we've probably run the easystart discussion to ground at this point, I for one am not taking mine apart. It does what its supposed to do, so I'm a happy camper. My cardinal rule is, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

OTOH, I'm really intrigued about the eight capacitor bank and the low light solar system. I'd love to hear more about that....


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2019 at 3:52pm
Sorry, I got pulled away..

It would be interesting if someone that has a Easy-Start, that is beyond warranty, to open it up and see what capacitors are actually in there.

Think about this folks. In order for a developer of a product he wants at least 150% of his costs (ideally 200%) for the product to be viable to produce. Then comes marketing and outlets (re-sellers) to get said product out to the masses (us). The reseller to handle and promote wants 150% of his costs.

With some give and take, and of course now for them mass buying power. That puts the unit somewhere in the area of $100- 150 for us to copy. If so learned as to how. Is all the other electronic's required. Not in my mind... Bells and whistles for regulations so the unknowing do not hurt themselves. 

Just my humble opinion on the matter.

You folks deffenently have a greater need for AC then I... 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2019 at 3:17pm
Originally posted by StephenH

I tried a hard-start capacitor and sure enough, it made the AC hard to start. Without, the iX2000 would start the AC. With the HS, it immediately put the generator in overload. The HS capacitor got removed and returned ASAP.

I installed the EasyStart. What a difference! The AC does not have that same jolt of the compressor when it starts. It is much smoother. Admittedly, it is somewhat subjective as I have no hard data, just what my ear hears.

Not just any will work! As you now know. I have a eight capacitor bank on a low light solar system I'm testing. They have to be EE'd.. to fit the need. 

I don't have AC in my unit, so never went to the effort to work it out.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2019 at 9:42am
I tried a hard-start capacitor and sure enough, it made the AC hard to start. Without, the iX2000 would start the AC. With the HS, it immediately put the generator in overload. The HS capacitor got removed and returned ASAP.

I installed the EasyStart. What a difference! The AC does not have that same jolt of the compressor when it starts. It is much smoother. Admittedly, it is somewhat subjective as I have no hard data, just what my ear hears.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2019 at 8:45am
Greetings:
I have installed a 30 amp receptacle both at my home and at the family lake cottage.  I used 10 gauge wire for both with a 30 amp breakers.  I dry camp usually in the fall and use my Honda 2000.  I seldom have much need to run the air.  I don't like all the noise that it makes. Of course I live in MN.  We had only a few 90 degree days this summer.  If I were to replace my Honda, I would most likely buy a Champion 3000 watt inverter.  I'm not a fan of solar.  
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2019 at 6:48am
I've looked into Hot Spot before, they're not too far from me. Basically it is a pretty normal mini split a/c unit with a modified motor drive inverter. All the high efficiency mini splits already use variable frequency inverter motor drives to run variable speed ac compressor motors, that's how then get the high SEER efficiency values.

So the Hot Spot a/c has a modified inverter to take dc rather than ac into its AC motor drive, or both for its 12KBTU unit. That one is interesting as it is advertised to be able to run in hybrid mode using solar and 220Vac in parallel. Could be a good way to go for a a grid tied home system where you have 220Vac continuously available and want to mostly use solar for daytime a/c operation, without needing a battery pack. 

They also have a 48Vdc input unit for straight off grid operation which would be more appropriate for boon dock RV'ing. The problem with this is that you're working with a very small company and paying a high price for a customized a/c unit. For my rPod project, I think I'm better off with a conventional inverter and OTS high efficiency mini split from a major company like Mitsubishi or Panasonic. The mini spit price difference will more than pay for the inverter, I can use the inverter to run the microwave and any other AC loads, and I can select an inverter that will run at the battery voltage I want for a Li pack, in my case 24Vdc. 

Haven't seeing the dc airco product but it looks to be a similar configuration. They are targeting industrial and military mobile markets so they ain't exactly gonna be cheap...

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