Thread: Solar Panel Help
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Unread 25-05-2009, 09:08
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Re: Solar Panel Help
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz View Post
Agreed,
Actual usable current for this size solar panel is actually much less than the 0.2 amps. It cannot supply enough power to run a pump directly but could be used to recharge a small battery during daylight hours. The biggest problem is the 12 volts AC for the pump. I would bet that the pump is likely a 12 volt DC pump with some diodes internal to allow it to be connected to a 12 volt AC lighting system. Of course the only way to tell for sure would be to open the pump and I am not recommending that. Warranties get voided that way. If the pump was a DC pump, then bypassing the diodes would get you a simple solution to part of the problem.

If the pump were indeed a DC pump with a set of diodes to rectify the AC the pump could be hooked directly to a 12volt battery with no further circuitry needed.

-Mike AA