Extension cables for solar panels and lights

[billd766]

I am thinking of installing some solar panel lighting indoors but I have come across problems.

 

1   Stage 1. Most solar panels seem to have fairly short cables between the panel itself and the light. What I need (I think) is a selection of extension cables perhaps 1, 2 5 and 10 metres long to fit on the end of a solar panel to the next stage.

 

2   Stage 2. one end of the extension cable will need to go to a simple (really) off/on switch in the house and another cable from the switch to the solar light.

 

3   Stage 3. The original solar panels will have to be replaced with much larger panels, as some of the lights will be switched on for perhaps 16 hours out of 24 and mostly daylight hours. They will need to be discharging and charging more at the same time.

 

4   Does anyone think that this is possible? Does anyone know of a place and prices where I can order stuff like this.

 

I live in rural Kamphaeng Phet, about 65 km from KPP city and about 350 km from Bangkok and Chiang Mai on the western side of Thailand.

 

I am 79 and hoping to do this before I die to cut down on the electricity bills for my wife after I pop my clogs.

 

Any information or help will be much appreciated.

[bluejets]

All depends on not what you did say but what you did not say.

Things like size of the panels(physically and wattage) , what voltages are involved, what load current do you expect at the far end of your long runs?

Do you intend the solar panels to go to an off line inverter first or are you talking unregulated DC from the panels?

Does the solar array currently power some kind of inverter or load?

 

Best draw a basic block diagram showing the components for solar panels and loading, length of run, only one load or several and how you intend to connect these together etc

Even then. expect more questions....

 

Overall, I think you are approaching this idea of "cost cutting" with the wrong ideas on what is possible.

An example is, if it is all this bother just for a few lights,(which draw bugger all)  there are much better/cheaper alternatives.

If you want to install a system to save your wife some money in the future(and naturally now), get a grid connect system installed by professionals.

Again, the size of the system would depend on what you need to power.

 

[Denim]

25 minutes ago, bluejets said:

 

Overall, I think you are approaching this idea of "cost cutting" with the wrong ideas on what is possible.

An example is, if it is all this bother just for a few lights,(which draw bugger all)  

 

 

Tend to agree. Lights don't use that much power. If the OP has fluorescent lights indoors then simply changing to LED lighting will reduce power consumption and give brighter light. All our mains lights are now LED.

 

What really consumes power are heating or cooling appliances like air con , kettles and irons. You can turn everything  off in the house then stand by the electric meter and turn different  things on. When you turn on the lights the disc in the meter barley  moves. As soon as you turn on the air con or kettle it will visibly speed up.

 

Where indoor solar lights are useful is when there is a power cut. When you buy solar lighting they always come with a remote to turn them on or off or adjust how long you want them today run.

No wall switches needed.

 

Having said that the best place to get the cables and advice you need is a specialist electric appliance shop. My local one is excellent.  I just tell them what I want to do and they supply the correct equipment and draw a circuit plan for me as when I fitted a ceiling extractor fan in the bathroom. Even came home with me to show how to connect the first LED light.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, bluejets said:

All depends on not what you did say but what you did not say.

Things like size of the panels(physically and wattage) , what voltages are involved, what load current do you expect at the far end of your long runs?

Do you intend the solar panels to go to an off line inverter first or are you talking unregulated DC from the panels?

Does the solar array currently power some kind of inverter or load?

 

Best draw a basic block diagram showing the components for solar panels and loading, length of run, only one load or several and how you intend to connect these together etc

Even then. expect more questions....

 

Overall, I think you are approaching this idea of "cost cutting" with the wrong ideas on what is possible.

An example is, if it is all this bother just for a few lights,(which draw bugger all)  there are much better/cheaper alternatives.

If you want to install a system to save your wife some money in the future(and naturally now), get a grid connect system installed by professionals.

Again, the size of the system would depend on what you need to power.

 

This will be a long post so I will go offline, write and amend it in MS Word, then do a copy and paste to your helpful response. Thank you.

[billd766]

5 hours ago, billd766 said:

This will be a long post so I will go offline, write and amend it in MS Word, then do a copy and paste to your helpful response. Thank you.

Solar panel cable extension cables v01
Questions from bluejets.
All depends on not what you did say but what you did not say.
Q1   Things like size of the panels (physically and wattage), what voltages are involved, 
Q2   What load current do you expect at the far end of your long runs?
Q3   Do you intend the solar panels to go to an off line inverter first or are you talking unregulated DC from the panels?
Q4   Does the solar array currently power some kind of inverter or load?

Best draw a basic block diagram showing the components for solar panels and loading, length of run, only one load or several and how you intend to connect these together etc
Even then. expect more questions....

Overall, I think you are approaching this idea of "cost cutting" with the wrong ideas on what is possible.
An example is, if it is all this bother just for a few lights,(which draw bugger all)  there are much better/cheaper alternatives.
If you want to install a system to save your wife some money in the future(and naturally now), get a grid connect system installed by professionals.
Again, the size of the system would depend on what you need to power.

Answers

I will number your questions and do my best to answer them.

Q1   Things like size of the panels (physically and wattage).
A1   The size of the current 3 solar lamps I have is, solar panel is 134x217x6.5 mm. Battery capacity - 2200 mAh, 3.7V, Voltage from solar cell - 6 Volt / maximum 3-Watt, Wire length - 4 meters, Maximum brightness - 250 LM.
Dengo brand.  Model name Solar Bright 60W is what I am using outside currently.
Q2   What load current do you expect at the far end of your long runs?
A2   That would depend on how many and what kind of lamps I would use? Downstairs in the lounge I would use 2 by 75 or 100W solar lamps, my bedroom downstairs 1 by 75 or 100W, upstairs 1 or perhaps 2 by 75 or 100W solar lamps, 1 by 75 or 100W in 2 other bedrooms, outside 3 by 75 or 100W spotlights. In the house would probably be circular ceiling lamps and outside would be spotlights. The outside spotlights would need no extension cables, and if I bought 3 of the same type, any of the remote controllers would work all of them. Inside however would mean perhaps 2 extension cables for each light, perhaps 2 by 5M extensions or 1 x 5 and 1 x 10M cables. The drawback to the inside lights currently, would mean that somebody has to go outside and use the remote to turn the light off, hence the thought for light switches. The other problem is that I would end up with a heap of unused remotes, if I used internal switches. Another problem is that 2 downstair lamps are currently running from around 06:30 to 22:30 and the third is on 24/7, so the solar panels need to be big enough to charge the lamps for 18 hours a day, and the batteries for night time and power outage use as well.

Q3   Do you intend the solar panels to go to an off line inverter first or are you talking unregulated DC from the panels?
A3   No.

Q4   Does the solar array currently power some kind of inverter or load?
A4   No.
Solar panel cable extension cables v01.docxSolar panel cable extension cables v01.docxSolar panel cable extension cables v01.docx

[billd766]

10 hours ago, Denim said:

 

1   Tend to agree. Lights don't use that much power. If the OP has fluorescent lights indoors then simply changing to LED lighting will reduce power consumption and give brighter light. All our mains lights are now LED.

 

2   What really consumes power are heating or cooling appliances like air con , kettles and irons. You can turn everything  off in the house then stand by the electric meter and turn different  things on. When you turn on the lights the disc in the meter barley  moves. As soon as you turn on the air con or kettle it will visibly speed up.

 

3   Where indoor solar lights are useful is when there is a power cut. When you buy solar lighting they always come with a remote to turn them on or off or adjust how long you want them today run.

No wall switches needed.

 

4   Having said that the best place to get the cables and advice you need is a specialist electric appliance shop. My local one is excellent.  I just tell them what I want to do and they supply the correct equipment and draw a circuit plan for me as when I fitted a ceiling extractor fan in the bathroom. Even came home with me to show how to connect the first LED light.

1   After 20 years living in the house I have replaced most of the lights by LEDs on failure.

 

2   The kettle only gets switched on 4 or 5 times a day. I have 2 wall fans running about 16 hours a day to keep me cool and the downstairs a/c is on about 5 or 6 hours a day in March and April, my bedroom a/c is on about 8 hours a night. We also have 2 fridge freezers, 1 freezer and some other odd fans and lights on during the day and evening. My lazy crazy BIL is living in my MIL old house and uses fans and lights for I don't know ho long. The problem with checking the meter is that it is about 40 metres away on a pole outside the property and it would be a 2 person and a 2 mobile job to do.

 

3   We get power cuts regularly several times a week, anywhere from 10 seconds up to 2 or 3 hours for a serious one. The problem with solar lights and remotes is that I end up with a big heap of remotes and tend to use only one for the 3 outside spotlights I have now.

 

4   I live about 65 km from Kamphaeng Phet city where there is one proper shop selling all sorts of lighting and solar stuff. There used to be a good shop for that in Nakhon Sawan which is 130 km in the other direction, though I have no idea if it is still operating as I haven't been there in years.

 

5   I have thought of getting an external solar network built outside as we have the room for it, but I think the cost would be too much. My monthly/daily usage in Kw/h this year was, (December) January 589/19 units, February 590/19.03, March 502/16.19, April 669/21.58 and the current one is 978/31.55 units and probably mostly in the daytime.

 

I think that I would need perhaps a network that will generate about 50 Kw/h daily to cover my current usage and still charge the batteries in the daytime with room for expansion if necessary.

 

At 80 years old in a couple of weeks, I will never see a ROI and I have no doubt that my wife, who is 59 will be faced with several sets of solar panels and batteries to replace over the years.

 

I have just looked back at my old electricity bills going back to 2016 and it seems that they are going up at between 4 and 5,000 baht per year, which is about right for inflation.