Galen Hekhuis wrote:

Except a car battery won't work.

Right...

What will probably be needed is a several
batteries in parallel to provide that much current overnight.

yes.

This will be essential, and matching the regulator to the type of
batteries you have (so as not to overcharge or something harmful to
the life of the batteries) is critical, if battery life is to be
maximized.

No, these days solar charge controllers are practically off-the-shelf items,
with at least a jumper to select flooded or sealed batteries, and often a
little adjustment for optimum maximum charge.

and we're in the 2 kilo-dollar
neighborhood.

Probably a lot more.

No, that sounds about right.
--
derek

Paul wrote:


"Derek Broughton" wrote in message
...

Actually, my whole point here was that the idea of powering a pond pump
with PV cells would be cost prohibitive for all but the _money is no
object_ ponder.

Yeah, I'm agreeing with you
--
derek

Pete C wrote:

How about part PV, part wind power?
http://www.unlimited-power.co.uk/Aer...enerators.html

For instance. When it's sunny, it's rarely very windy.

Do they teach that in meteorology school?

You get wind in
poor weather.............all night too

I guess it's true that it isn't "very" windy on sunny days here, but it
tends to be windy enough. otoh, when it's stormy, it's often _too_ windy
to get any power. My 400W South West Wind Air-X stops operating completely
in most real storms, and gets blown around by wind gusts in lesser weather,
so it generates the most power on windy but stormless days.

A wind turbine is a cheaper alternative than solar panels, but solar panels
won't annoy your neighbours, shouldn't be restricted by any local
ordinances, and requires _much_ less maintenance. I'm on my second, as I
broke the first one.
--
derek

Pete C wrote:

How about part PV, part wind power?

otoh, I should have mentioned, if you want to move water with wind, why
would you generate electricity? A genuine wind _mill_ is much more
efficient.
--
derek

On Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:22:40 EDT, Derek Broughton
wrote:

Galen Hekhuis wrote:

Except a car battery won't work.

Right...

What will probably be needed is a several
batteries in parallel to provide that much current overnight.

yes.

This will be essential, and matching the regulator to the type of
batteries you have (so as not to overcharge or something harmful to
the life of the batteries) is critical, if battery life is to be
maximized.

No, these days solar charge controllers are practically off-the-shelf items,

This is kind of picking nits, but the type of charge controller a
person is likely to wind up with "off-the-shelf" is an automotive,
marine, or generator type regulator, which is likely to be unsuitable
for photovoltaic use. Such regulators often have no jumper or
selection capabilities as they expect the battery to be a conventional
lead-acid automotive type. Note the original poster's inclination to
use a "car battery."

with at least a jumper to select flooded or sealed batteries, and often a
little adjustment for optimum maximum charge.

and we're in the 2 kilo-dollar
neighborhood.

Probably a lot more.

No, that sounds about right.

I'd spend more than that in solar panels alone.

Galen Hekhuis

Galen Hekhuis wrote:

No, these days solar charge controllers are practically off-the-shelf
items,

This is kind of picking nits, but the type of charge controller a
person is likely to wind up with "off-the-shelf" is an automotive,
marine, or generator type regulator, which is likely to be unsuitable
for photovoltaic use.

No, really. I can buy _photovoltaic_ charge controllers for 12V systems off
the shelf at my local auto parts store (Canadian Tire). They're not what I
use for my critical system (Xantrex charge controller and Outback inverter
on a 24V system), but for an auxiliary 12V system I have, it's perfect.
--
derek