On Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:51:06 -0800, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:03:10 -0500, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

If it's the Harbor Freight panel kit you are lucky to get 30W from
it.
The 45W rating is into a 17V battery. They deliver the same current
to
a 12V battery.

It is. I have no hard and fast ideas as to what it can do until I
get
it outside and working, with everything set up.

Reasonably priced meters:
http://www.futurlec.com/Panel_Meters.shtml
I have the APM3A, 3ADC analog meter in series with the charger, and
another (surplus) one I can use to aim the panels for peak output.

Good idea, and worth the money, I'm sure. I'm starting to read about
the open projects for solar tracking setups


During our last long outage I could run this laptop or a small TV
about two hours a day from the panels, enough to keep up with the
local weather forecast and NWS radar, which was more useful when I
needed to know whether to repair or cover up roof damage. The image
tells a lot more than "scattered".

Which reminds me to fix that old laptop I bought the battery for but
never fixed... I wonder if DSL would stay up here if the power went
out. I could add the little 400W inverter and run the PK5000 with the
laptop for inet access. The ammeter would help me track power for the
12v toys I have, too, wouldn't it? Back to Futurlec...

If it doesnt..you always have the ability to "tether" your computer to
your cell phone..if you have a smart phone.

I got on here for at least a year or more by tethering to my smart
phone

http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/pho...-tethering.htm

http://junefabrics.com/android/

Gunner


The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie