Decided to run my ebikes on solar

[usclassic]

I have 200 watts of solar in the back yard which I started using to keep my parked car's battery topped up using a charge controller.

Since I no longer drive and moved it out of the garage that works very well but certainly is over kill. So I bought an EcoFlow Delta 3 classic portable power station

Which I can charge with the panels using this cable when recharge is needed

So I will just plug the bike chargers into the EcoFlow to charge the ebikes in the garage. This will take my ebike charging completely off grid and easily solar sustainable for all my riding errands

 

[sc00ter]

The early version of the solar panel battery floaters sucked! They'd overcharge the battery or flat out murder it. I can't recall the brand I used but one of the trucking companies I drove for had us mount the panels on the dash whenever the truck sat. You'd most likely return to messed up batteries. I understand the new versions are MUCH better. I've been wanting to try a small power station so I look forward to updates in the future!

 

[usclassic]

I decided to run two solar power lines, one to the car and one to the power station in the garage at the same time so I would not have to switch around. I cancelled the short connection cable and ordered these instead.

 

[usclassic]

I now have three more 100w panels inbound to add to the system. Hard to believe now they are so much cheaper than a few years ago, like half the price I paid for my old ones. Today I am getting around 175 watts and am charging my Kobalt 40 v battery after mowing the front and back yard. Now getting 150 watts in and the charger is using 98 watts. Ecoflow battery is up to 72% now after being a 18% this morning and still charging. Buried the wires going to the house with topsoil and planted flower seeds over it.

 

[usclassic]

Got one new panel installed in series with one old panel other two new panels should arrive tomorrow

Charging the Radwagon 5 now using 108 watts with 219 watts coming in.

New panel outperforms the old at half the price.

 

[usclassic]

Now waiting for the angle mounts to finish up. Last panel still hooked up to the car charger for now till the car is sold.

 

[scrambler]

welcome to energy independence

 

[MrClortho]

I am really liking what you are doing here and had looked into doing something like this on weekend camp rides to re-charge my Trek Rail 7, Gen 3.

Assuming a 75% charge of 625Wh, or 470Wh being the goal, accounting for an overall efficiency of about 70% due to losses, I calculated the need for about 670Wh to charge the battery in roughly an 8 hour period. Assuming also about 4.5 hours of that are full sunlight, I would need about 150W of panels. We know the real world is not perfect so lets call it 200W. Then there is a MPPT controller to feed a 12V buffer battery, hooked to an inverter to AC.

Or, to make life easier, but a bit up front cost...
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Gene...93&sprefix=jackery+solar+,aps,155&sr=8-4&th=1

 

[usclassic]

So much wasted solar now as batteries charge up quickly. I made morning coffee with solar and will 3D print with solar now too.

Still waiting for the angle mounts

 

[usclassic]

I am really liking what you are doing here and had looked into doing something like this on weekend camp rides to re-charge my Trek Rail 7, Gen 3.

Assuming a 75% charge of 625Wh, or 470Wh being the goal, accounting for an overall efficiency of about 70% due to losses, I calculated the need for about 670Wh to charge the battery in roughly an 8 hour period. Assuming also about 4.5 hours of that are full sunlight, I would need about 150W of panels. We know the real world is not perfect so lets call it 200W. Then there is a MPPT controller to feed a 12V buffer battery, hooked to an inverter to AC.

Or, to make life easier, but a bit up front cost...
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Generator-Portable-Off-Grid-Emergency/dp/B0D2L1G66J/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1DDY9J34KEQDG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mJsm5u1STNDf24ixnjqIbypF6cO1AU-3ZwAMnGW8MmifFRNHhq9AWwjfKnferqyfw0yqn2uBCREwF9f9dSVtLBK3cQ7vSnttdq3R3dkYA1KgJdBVeLaJpjY4YqjMl3mYkdBJ-ixd6eGxiIKoku0FhR_u7-rGlg_0IlPdI741o0y9nSOdqzxjUjRqbe9a27fGwYcS9xPB52zic0jxCacxSpd7O9ZDi1jR3jrcIcgsHZM.kZhcNVWlOkprGWC0vxLUkvJtgs28zMq_FyrQ1fNLBK4&dib_tag=se&keywords=jackery+solar+generator&qid=1773845193&sprefix=jackery+solar+,aps,155&sr=8-4&th=1

 

[usclassic]

Next most used appliance is my microwave and I thought about wiring it up to the ecoflow but that involved cutting holes in garage drywall and running extension wires. So I took the easy way out and ordered this.

to run off solar. True it will mean a few extra steps out of the kitchen but so worth it to capitalize on all the solar available now.

 

[usclassic]

didn't want the turntable so got this instead.

 

[McApple]

Coffee, microwave....looks like you're planning on moving into your garage.

 

[usclassic]

Coffee, microwave....looks like you're planning on moving into your garage.

not to mention 3d printer, lawn equipment, and Dyson vacuum charging.

 

[usclassic]

didn't want the turntable so got this instead.

View attachment 207439​

rats this one has turntable too. oh well

 

[PedalUma]

The problem with wind and solar is that they cannot be commodified and have the price manipulated by insiders. They are also free. That is why some so strongly object to them. And that is the big advantage of oil.

 

[usclassic]

The problem with wind and solar is that they cannot be commodified and have the price manipulated by insiders. They are also free. That is why some so strongly object to them. And that is the big advantage of oil.

free to observe but not free to harness use and collect.

 

[Chargeride]

We really need to be personally energy independent, they are introducing outrageous price hikes for slighty going over new usage caps in peak hours.
State provided renewables are going to be very fragile indeed.
They will have to introduce more and more conditions to keep a stable grid without fossil.
Its not really difficult with the internets smart meters, and we can install our own offgrid storage and production, but they will code the F out of it.

If I was offgrid I would morph into Scrooge Mc Duck watching my batteries drop in the winter.

Get the candles James.

 

[usclassic]

We really need to be personally energy independent, they are introducing outrageous price hikes for slighty going over new usage caps in peak hours.
State provided renewables are going to be very fragile indeed.
They will have to introduce more and more conditions to keep a stable grid without fossil.
Its not really difficult with the internets smart meters, and we can install our own offgrid storage and production, but they will code the F out of it.

If I was offgrid I would morph into Scrooge Mc Duck watching my batteries drop in the winter.

Get the candles James.

It will help once data centers are moved out into space

Data centers currently consume approximately
4.4% to 4.5% of total U.S. electricity as of early 2026, driven largely by the rise of artificial intelligence. This usage is rapidly increasing from roughly 1.9% in 2018, with projections estimating that data centers could account for 6.7% to 12% of total U.S. power demand by 2028

 

[Chargeride]

Im starting to feel they might just turn them off and have a fire sale of chips.