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Solar Panels in shade
#5621754
02/26/15 04:55 PM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 194
Hair 'o dog
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 194 |
I have seen many of the higher end feeders have the solar panel protected and tucked under the cage. They do not seem to get direct sunlight. Do they gather enough charge without sun shining on them? I like the protection in cage, but concerned about gathering enough sunlight without direct exposure.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5621773
02/26/15 05:01 PM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,534
JustWingem
Gentleman Jack
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Gentleman Jack
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,534 |
They maintain the battery fine for our use. Twice a day for 3 seconds. It may be an issue if you are running more.
DON'T GET CONFUSED BETWEEN MY PERSONALITY AND MY ATTITUDE. MY PERSONALITY IS WHO I AM...MY ATTITUDE DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5622328
02/26/15 09:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 907
bholt
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 907 |
I have been building and installing them for more than 10 years and have never had an issue. I tell folks that they are a lot "gooder" than they were years ago. You will be fine I think. Get you a voltmeter and check the voltage when not connected to the battery, or monitor your battery over time while connected. I also do not think they have to point south to keep a battery charged.
Last edited by bholt; 02/26/15 09:31 PM.
B Holt Shoot-em in the ear
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: bholt]
#5622720
02/27/15 01:13 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
I have been building and installing them for more than 10 years and have never had an issue. I tell folks that they are a lot "gooder" than they were years ago. You will be fine I think. Get you a voltmeter and check the voltage when not connected to the battery, or monitor your battery over time while connected. I also do not think they have to point south to keep a battery charged. This ^^^^^^^ I have been mounting solar panels like this since the late 90's. The are squirrel and coon proof. The biggest draw on a battery is when the motor starts up to spin...while it is running is minimal draw on the battery. A fully charge battery will work if it gets a couple of hours of full sun per day IME.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: stxranchman]
#5622870
02/27/15 02:13 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,206
J.G.
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,206 |
Went to a solar cell class for the FD a couple of years ago. The rep teaching the class told us if any kind of light is hitting the cell it is generating electricity. Even if our scene lights were shining on the cell, it would be generating. Overcast, and in the shade the cell is still generating.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5623097
02/27/15 04:07 AM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,722
JeremyKS
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,722 |
My experience with solar panels on electric fence chargers has shown me that if you get a couple cloudy days it is hard for the panel to keep up. But I think with a feeder where it doesn't use near the power you won't ever notice it being a problem.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5623240
02/27/15 09:01 AM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,030
spg
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,030 |
Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are the Most Efficient and more expensive and would work for a electric fence. Polycrystalline silicon panels are less efficient but less expensive usually packaged for something like feeders.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5655971
03/18/15 03:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,788
nak
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,788 |
As long as mine gets an hour late in the afternoon at least a couple of days a week, it stays happy. Consider that the fully charged battery is good for better than a month, the panel does not need to do a lot.
The only time I needed a panel that got full was when I had a 12 volt feeder with a raccoon zapper on it.
We all need to practice Whoa more.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5656338
03/18/15 02:08 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,568
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,568 |
All the solar panels I have put on say in the instructions to point southwest. If we have several days in a row of rainy cloudy weather it will run our batteries down a little. This is on 6 volt systems with batteries that are 4-5 years old.
We used to have a lot of trouble with sun pictures coming out all white and haze etc. I reversed the logic for the solar panel and now place my trail cams southwest of the feeder/bait/trail so they point northeast and I have far better results with the cams and white out pictures from the sun.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: stxranchman]
#5656373
03/18/15 02:30 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 20,988
BuckRage
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 20,988 |
I have been building and installing them for more than 10 years and have never had an issue. I tell folks that they are a lot "gooder" than they were years ago. You will be fine I think. Get you a voltmeter and check the voltage when not connected to the battery, or monitor your battery over time while connected. I also do not think they have to point south to keep a battery charged. This ^^^^^^^ I have been mounting solar panels like this since the late 90's. The are squirrel and coon proof. The biggest draw on a battery is when the motor starts up to spin...while it is running is minimal draw on the battery. A fully charge battery will work if it gets a couple of hours of full sun per day IME. This is what I have gone to as well after STX mentioned it last year. I should have done it in the first place. They work fine
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5656668
03/18/15 04:50 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 350
Texmel
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 350 |
I have always had solar panels directly South. Never place so that they are in shade. Gotta have sun light for them to charge the battery. Sun directly on camera when it goes off will not be a good pic or whiteout.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5656777
03/18/15 05:41 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 20,988
BuckRage
THF Celebrity
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although direct sunlight is "optimal" its not a must. It'll charge just fine with indirect sunlight or partial direct sunlight.
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5672451
03/27/15 07:22 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 162
RifleDude
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 162 |
You'd be surprised at how little sunlight is actually needed for a good solar panel to keep a battery charged.
That being said, I don't like having my solar panel located below the spinner plate on any feeder setup because it pretty quickly gets covered in corn dust, which prevents a good charge. I will always try to move the solar panel higher, well above the spinner "blast zone."
Ted
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: RifleDude]
#5673677
03/28/15 08:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 22,268
7mag
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 22,268 |
This is also what I asked, I trust the braintrust of this organization so my panels will go in the cage as well. Interesting that it does NOT have to be south to catch enough?
"Laugh with many, but don't trust any"
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Re: Solar Panels in shade
[Re: Hair 'o dog]
#5673802
03/28/15 10:29 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 20,988
BuckRage
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 20,988 |
South is best but doesn't have to get direct sun on the panel.
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