Advice for minimum requirments to build starter PV system. - Page 5

 wrote:


Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

  ...

I roofed my shed with clear polycarbonate panels from Home Depot on
the north side and use a little solar shed light from Harbor Freight
to light it at night. The PVC roofing panels are cheaper but break too
easily.

Jim Wilkins

 

   Some of them also seem to suffer from UV exposure, curling and becoming
brittle after a year or two.  While not specifically designed for the job and
more expensive, clear plastic hurricane panels would last much longer.

Vaughn

 wrote:

These do have a UV coated side. They have only been up two summers so
I don't know how long they last, but others in direct sun 6 hours a
day seem OK. I put the polycarbonate panels right over the stiffer PVC
ones because we get heavy snow here. The corrugations are shaped
differently but the spacing matches. I want to use material that is
readily available locally so it can be replaced quickly if a branch
falls through it. I have spares but they can be damaged in storage as
well.

The Harbor Freight shed light's solar cell puts out 90mA as is, 70mA
with a polycarbonate panel over it. I might move the NiCads from the
panel into the light fixture to make it portable.

Jim Wilkins