A Solar Ruckus?
- Thread starter EjGlows
- Start date
bpw
Well-known member
Don't forget the panels are at 90 degrees off vertical, they would be very effective in the antarctic at the right time of year, not so much around here. I would be surprised if you could get even 20 watt/hours a day out of those panels.
bpw
Well-known member
Looking at there web-site some more, they are either clueless or con-artists. They claim 6 miles of use per 8 hours of sunlight.
No freaking way is that possible with two vertically mounted 7 watt panels. Even if you did kick the bike over and aim it at the sun you never get more then 7 watts of output since one side is always shaded. 7watts x 8 hours = 56 watt/hours. Or just about 1/10th of the batteries capacity. If there claim of 15 miles from full charge is true that is 1.5 miles for 8 hours of perfect sunlight aimed directly at the panel. Reality is going to be a whole lot less than that.
They see to have missed the basic logic that solar panels need to point at the sun to work.
No freaking way is that possible with two vertically mounted 7 watt panels. Even if you did kick the bike over and aim it at the sun you never get more then 7 watts of output since one side is always shaded. 7watts x 8 hours = 56 watt/hours. Or just about 1/10th of the batteries capacity. If there claim of 15 miles from full charge is true that is 1.5 miles for 8 hours of perfect sunlight aimed directly at the panel. Reality is going to be a whole lot less than that.
They see to have missed the basic logic that solar panels need to point at the sun to work.
stangmx13
not Stan
theres one large panel on the top of the battery box too. so 3 panels total.
really, from the size of those panels, the wattage output is terrible. maybe they know that not all of the panels could ever be in direct sunlight at the same time, so 15W is their conservative estimate or some result of testing.
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stangmx13
not Stan
assuming u did get a full 15W of charging for 8hrs, the numbers could be worse. they should have said 5 miles.
15W * 8hrs * 3600sec/hr = 432 kJ
( 6mi / 20mph ) * 3600s/hr * 500W = 540 kJ
(20mph is the supposed max speed w/ a 500W engine)
working backwards....
432 kJ * 20mph / (500W * 3600) = 4.8mi
so, ud only get 4.8mi at full bore assuming all their numbers are correct. if u went a little slower, maybe 15mph, u could probably make it 6mi on a theoretical 8hr charge. but ya, factor in the inefficiencies of charging and the fact that u wont get 8hrs... u might make it 2-3mi at a slower pace.
i think its comical that their website lists the Solar Panel as 15W/hr :laughing