back to 2023.06.24 Summer Field Day Antique Acres

3 solar and power:




I honestly expected to have a good showing with the solar power this year, but heavy overcast combined with
continuous strings of severe thunderstorms really shut down the solar this time around. The frames were very
helpful in angling the panels for improved output throughout the day, but that wind was an enormous hazard
with such large, light surfaces. We did pull in a little power, but I doubt it's going to be anywhere near what
the recently upgraded 1200w array was capable of. (I was hoping to capture 1KWh+ this year)

Bill (W0GEN) got out a few collapsible traffic cones to help mark off the solar panel area, and we also brought
out a few plastic tables to help prevent the panels from getting accidentally stepped on while the frames were
laying flat around noon.

It was a bit touch-and-go there a few times when we had to literally drop everything and run outside to save
the solar frames from taking off like Mary Poppins. We only had a few minutes warning before winds gusted up
from 5 to well over 40mph, and man-handling those frames back into the building in winds like that was
difficult and somewhat hazardous. (I managed to twist an ankle when the wind tried to turn me into a para-glider
as I struggled to get a frame through the door)

I would have liked to get more pictures of the controller, particularly how it was performing throughout the
day on Saturday and especially how it did on Sunday morning with all those hungry dead batteries, but I got too
distracted with everything else that was going on.

In addition to running power distribution lines around the perimeter of the building, we also laid down some
lines to tables in the middle, and used wide gaffers tape to cover the lines so they weren't a trip-hazard.

I wasn't prepared to charge LiFePO4 yet, which was unfortunate since we had a total of three of them this
year - mine, another 100AH someone else brought, plus Al's monster 400AH. I've since reconfigured one of
my controllers to do lithium, so I'm ready to go for the next event. It's likely that this trend will continue
and we will transition to more lithium and less lead-acid, until lead-acid is the minority battery.

I finally unpacked and got the total off the solar string combiner box and was STUNNED to see the total
solar power collected for the event. Despite constantly dealing with overcast and wind, we somehow managed to
bring in 906 watt-hours of power! I have to assume this is due to doubling the number of panels since the
last event, combined with the overcast solar in the morning and half hour or so of full sun right as we were
tearing down that had lots of low batteries to charge up. I did think it was odd when I got home and noticed
my FLA battery appeared close to fully charged, and now I think I know why. This really raises my expectations
for what it's capable of. Hopefully I'll see that 1KWh next year.


Mark-2 solar frame design2 (in solar frames)

2023.06.24 08.35.40 preparing solar frames	2023.06.24 11.44.52 light overcast trickle (not collecting much solar power since batteries are pretty full)	2023.06.24 11.45.08 controller (panels are barely loaded at 82v)	2023.06.24 11.45.10 controller	2023.06.24 11.45.16 controller	2023.06.24 11.45.42 panels flat for noon overcast
2023.06.24 13.37.00 rain rain go away	2023.06.24 14.46.48 west side angled for afternoon	2023.06.24 14.47.30 me and panels	2023.06.24 14.47.44 me and panels	2023.06.24 15.35.48 solar grid (the only shot I got of the solar controller and batts)	2023.06.25 05.09.56 east side morning
2023.06.25 05.10.02 east side morning	2023.06.25 05.10.20 east side morning	2023.06.25 07.31.10 Al's monster 400AH LiFePO4 (most of the other batteries were dead by morning)	single solar frame east side	Summer Field Day 2023 solar total 906Wh (I suspect most of this was from late Sunday morning when the sun finally came out)

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