Here is a video showing how I made my Ir perpetual solar charger. What it does is slowly recharges a battery while it runs. It works by a battery powering 2 infra red leds which shine on two solar panels in a box, the power generated by the solar panels is back fed into the main battery which ever slowly recharges. The schematic is shown in the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIgq_-OQg5k (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIgq_-OQg5k)
Funky! ;D
I noticed that on your YouTube video someone posted about having reflective surfaces to make the light bounce around more, sounds sensible.
I also noticed that you had three readings shown on your pad, the first was 1301, the second an hour later was 1303 and the final one was two hours later at 1306... You then measured it again in the video and it was the same as the last reading on your paper, had it levelled out and stopped charging at that point or is it still steadily charging up ?
What you're saying though, based entirely on your video, is the battery will become fully charged over an indeterminate length of time providing the battery has enough juice to power the two LED's ?
I'm not any kind of builder but if that's what you're saying I might just have a stab at replicating that... It's pretty simple, pretty cheap and definitely cool!
Romero posted a similar device: http://www.overunity.com/index.php?topic=10693.0
looks that he's got a plastic acrylic on top of the solar cells to spread the light from the tubes.
I saw the video and made a schematic from it.
Jesus
Quote from: nievesoliveras on June 01, 2011, 08:41:34 PM
I saw the video and made a schematic from it.
Jesus
@all
I downloaded a copy and noticed that both the solar panel/cell combo are drawn wired in series with the smaller one crossing over its leads to show this.
With 12VDC available, more LEDs could irradiate a larger area and therefore provide more excess power. Or, as an alternative, more LEDs and batteries as well could reduce charging time, if deemed worthwhile.
Just 1ea. LED would burn out as an overload while experiencing 12VDC.
Just thought I'd mention that observation.
--Lee
use Germanium Solar cells, 40 to 50% efficient.
Quote from: onthecuttingedge2005 on June 27, 2011, 06:15:19 PM
use Germanium Solar cells, 40 to 50% efficient.
You're right. Germanium and Gallium-Arsenide substrate cells are just about the best available. If they're available in your area, and you can afford them, then they're the ones for the job.
The most efficient Radio Shack cells are .55VDC @ .5A, and the cell is around 1.25-1.5 sq. in. $4.99/ea. without tax. I think these cells are one or the other above. Soldering on them would be a pain-in-the-butt, though.
--Lee
Quote from: the_big_m_in_ok on June 28, 2011, 12:32:55 PM
...I think these cells are one or the other above. Soldering on them would be a pain-in-the-butt, though.
--Lee
I tried super-gluing connections to the cells and it was too difficult to control positioning of the leads and avoiding glue messing up things like fingers and the work surface. (Soldering may not be a good idea in an apartment with thin walls and smoke detectors installed.)
The high efficiency cells were also too brittle to work with. I'll use the Radio Shack solar "panels" instead. $14.99 ea. before taxes.
--Lee