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Forum Index : Solar : On and off switch for Solar Battery

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Georgen
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Joined: 13/09/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 462

Posted: 07:25pm 19 Jun 2012

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Have little 12V fan, that With Step Down Converter gives enough air flow at about 6V,
might move it up to 7V if needed.
Fan takes power straight from my little Solar Battery that produces just under 18V in full Sun.

All good up to here.

Problem is when Sun shines at awkward angle and solar battery doesn�t produce enough power.

Little MagLev fan just hums, or hums and tries to move but only trembles.

Don�t think it is all that healthy for the fan.

What can I add to the system to be on only when enough power and off when not?

George

Tinker

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Joined: 07/11/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 1904

Posted: 04:04am 20 Jun 2012

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Georgen said Have little 12V fan, that With Step Down Converter gives enough air flow at about 6V,
might move it up to 7V if needed.
Fan takes power straight from my little Solar Battery that produces just under 18V in full Sun.

All good up to here.

Problem is when Sun shines at awkward angle and solar battery doesn�t produce enough power.

Little MagLev fan just hums, or hums and tries to move but only trembles.

Don�t think it is all that healthy for the fan.

What can I add to the system to be on only when enough power and off when not?

First, try to call a solar panel 'solar panel' and not "battery" as that is confusing.

Since you don't appear to have a battery in your system the trembling fan is acceptable and I would not worry about that since not enough power to harm it is produced by the solar panel. If it 'does' annoy you, you could use a small 12V relay to turn your fan on & off. The relay would only pull in when sufficient voltage from the panel is available & turn the fan on only then. You need a relay with a high resistance coil to minimise power loss.

I suggest you do a little reading up on basic DC electricity as its very obvious from your questions that it would be a good idea

. Then, be not afraid of a bit of experimenting, you'll learn heaps more with that than by asking basic questions here. You might encounter 'magic smoke' once you progress to battery power but that is part of the learning process. When a specific problem baffles you and you cannot read up on a solution anywhere, ask here by all means but be *very* specific with exactly what you're asking.

Klaus

Georgen
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Joined: 13/09/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 462

Posted: 07:28pm 20 Jun 2012

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Thank you for help,
Could not edit my post so I retyped incorrect words.

Have little 12V fan, that With Step Down Converter gives enough air flow at about 6V,
might move it up to 7V if needed.
Fan takes power straight from my little Solar Panel that produces just under 18V in full Sun.

All good up to here.

Problem is when Sun shines at awkward angle and solar panel doesn�t produce enough power.

Little MagLev fan just hums, or hums and tries to move but only trembles.

Don�t think it is all that healthy for the fan.

What can I add to the system to be on only when enough power and off when not?

George

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