shed project with a twist

[numpty with a crowbar]

Having finshed my shed build, installed power to it, and kitted it out with kettle, little heater for the cold nights, beer fridge etc etc, I'm getting restless for a project other than doing the garden (and you can only dig / build walls / plant stuff for so many hours a day).

Having stumbled across an opportunity to get hold of a pair of good sized (exact size still TBC) solar panels for zero cost, I'm considering pairing them up with a set of hefty (brand new) 12V UPS batteries I just happen to have found lying round at work and using it all to set up a nice little alt-tech garden and shed lighting setup.

What I'm thinking of is fairly simple really - arrange solar panels one on each side of shed roof (one facing east, the other west as the gables run north south) for maximum charge potential, have the panels trickle charging the batteries, then run a feed out that branches off in 2 directions (1 for shed 12 volt downlights / spots, and the other going back out of the shed for garden lights.

Now the absolute joy of this is that being 12 Volt it's non-notifiable, so I don't have to do it 18 months ago (and actually - thinking about it even if I used an inverter since it's a non "from the mains" set-up is it notifiable). But where should I begin? I'm wanting to incorporate some kind of meter to indicate charge / discharge rate of the battery, Plus one to show battery condition (amps & volts), and maybe a big red button to shut down all drain (just for show really )

So - anyone got any suggestions of where to start?? Was thinking maybe maplin for the meters. should I be wiring the panels direct to the battery, then taking off a feed from that to the meters and off to the lighting load?

 

[Dellsmp]

Try someone like towsure or a caravan manufacturer/equipment supplier for 12v related items.

 

[Adam_151]

This guy on ebay has Digital panel voltmeters, ammeters and shunt resisters for the ammeters

Yes, have the panels chargeing the battery (either directly or through a device that monitors the state of the battery and stops it being overcharged etc), and take the feed to the devices to be powered from the battery

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Now the absolute joy of this is that being 12 Volt it's non-notifiable

What makes you think that?

 

[Steve]

Now the absolute joy of this is that being 12 Volt it's non-notifiable

What makes you think that?

. . . . i was going to say . . . .

 

[numpty with a crowbar]

Now the absolute joy of this is that being 12 Volt it's non-notifiable

What makes you think that?

Ooh - was wondering if anmyone would challenge that... OK - I feel it's none notifiable because
1) It's all 12 volt only - won't step up above that voltage, and reading the P guidance on prescotts site it states none-notifiable includes "Telephone or extra-low voltage wiring and equipment for the purposes of communications, information technology, signalling, control
and similar purposes" Admittedly I'm a DIY'er so the exact definition of what constitutes "Extra low" could be wide open to interpretation, but 12 volts sounds extra low to me
2) It's totally stand alone - 2 solar panels, 1 battery, and a few lights running off it - no connection to the grid, no kick up to mains voltage etc etc
3) If 12 volt stand alone is notifiable in a non-grid situation, then why haven't all the sparks here de-camped over to the cars section to mumble about part P (not that I'm criticising you for for it - it's always a good giggle watching the uninformed get ragged when they say they want to re-wire themselves ) being required every time some miscreant youth fits a neon light to the underside of their bumper. Though if it helps I can fit some wheels and fluffy dice to the shed and call it a car
4) I want to make it mobile - I want to have the charge / discharge meters etc all fixed to a board that can be unplugged and removed, and the panels will be padlocked to a framwe on the roof so the whole thing can be easily unplugged and removed and taken away for use at green events / demo's etc - making the whole set-up no more than a glorified self powering torch (Unless prescott incorporates maglites into part P - the scumbag ). So it's not fixed wiring
5) Is buying a generator and plugging in some garden lights / clip on downlighters to it notifiable? As this is just a green alternative on that
6) When (if) I move house I'll be taking it with me so won't show up on any buyer / sellers pack (and BC haven't started using black helicopters to survey homes from the air just yet)
7) If it's still notifiable I did it in December 2004
Don't get me wrong, just coz it's all 12 volt I'm not going to take the p1ss installing it - it'll all be done to a decent standard and such - just not notifiable...

So anyway BAS - to throw it back what makes you think a 12 volt installation as described above IS notifiable?

 

[Steve]

Just a couple of things:

Telephone or extra-low voltage wiring and equipment for the purposes of communications, information technology, signalling, control and similar purposes

You are using ELV to POWER something. Not for data signalling or control.

then why haven't all the sparks here de-camped over to the cars section to mumble about part P (not that I'm criticising you for for it - it's always a good giggle watching the uninformed get ragged when they say they want to re-wire themselves ) being required every time some miscreant youth fits a neon light to the underside of their bumper.

such neon lights are illegal - they contravene the road lighting act, and thus would never be approved by anybody!

 

[numpty with a crowbar]

Just a couple of things:

Telephone or extra-low voltage wiring and equipment for the purposes of communications, information technology, signalling, control and similar purposes

You are using ELV to POWER something. Not for data signalling or control.

I'll conceed that

then why haven't all the sparks here de-camped over to the cars section to mumble about part P (not that I'm criticising you for for it - it's always a good giggle watching the uninformed get ragged when they say they want to re-wire themselves ) being required every time some miscreant youth fits a neon light to the underside of their bumper.

such neon lights are illegal - they contravene the road lighting act, and thus would never be approved by anybody!

OK - bad example (and FWIW They're god-awful - sadly the police don't sem to want to clamp down on them tho) - what about beefed up stereos - install of capacitors / additional amps / bass boxes etc - all involve modifications to the 12 volt systems. I think if that was all notifiable BAS would explode if he went onto the max power site

 

[JohnD]

Just a couple of things:

Telephone or extra-low voltage wiring and equipment for the purposes of communications, information technology, signalling, control and similar purposes

You are using ELV to POWER something. Not for data signalling or control.

Let me just check this... I buy a 6v lantern battery, a metre of bell-wire, and a torch bulb, and rig it up in my shed...

Is someone going to tell me it's notifiable?

 

[Steve]

I just thought - electrics in cars aren't modifications to a domestic electrical installation

JohnD, i never said that it was notifiable, just telling Mr Crowbar that the quote he gave doesn't apply to his situation

 

[RF Lighting]

Sorry but "Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems" are included in "Special locations and installations" and therefor is notifiable.

Rob

 

[Chris.J]

You must prevent overcharging. The usual way is to use a "shunt" regulator (rather than a "series" one).
These basically consist of a power transistor (on a heatsink) shunted across the battery, and a voltage sensing cct. that turns it on when the voltage reaches 13.8. Google for "solar panel regulator" or, as you seem to like to do projects, make one!
Note that once operational, the battery/regulator must not be disconnected BEFORE disconnecting the panel from the load, or the load will get overvoltage!
RS Components used to publish a good data sheet on solar panel systems, it will allow you to set the correct elevation for your latitude (for best winter performance).