solar bike

[Daox]

How many amp hours is your battery on the bike? Divide that by the .6A charge rate and you'll be able to see how many hours of good sunlight you'll need to recharge the pack. My guess is it won't be great, but it will help.

[Bicycle Bob]

I think he means you should Divide the amp-hours by the amps to get the hours.

[Daox]

Yes, you are right. I fixed it.

[ragez0r]

thanks guys but if its this complicated ill just forget the solar panels
sorry for the hassle every1

i simply dont have the know-how to put this together

[Bicycle Bob]

Neither did we, but we kept learning.

[Weeks]

Very cool idea! I want one!

[myzter]

Well, Im continuing with my solar bike build ...

One of the issues with a solar bike or solar in general is shading, a solar bike having PV cells facing the sky at different angles and directions and not always facing the suns direction can reduce the string output so low to the point of being useless.. The problem is that the PV cells which have direct exposure to the suns rays are trying to pass their current through the shaded cell/s. To avoid this you would need a bypass diode on the cells which are prone to shading.

Bypass diodes available

4 watt cells @ 8A (6"x6")
310mV @ 9A / Voltage - Forward
Digi-Key - 95SQ015-ND (Manufacturer - 95SQ015)
$3.30 usd

1.75 watt cells (3"x6")
370mV @ 5A / Voltage - Forward
Digi-Key - CMS04QMCT-ND (Manufacturer - CMS04(TE12L,Q,M))
$0.88 usd

1.5 watt cells @ 3A
370mV @ 3A / Voltage - Forward
Digi-Key - CMS01QCT-ND (Manufacturer - CMS01(TE12L,Q,M))
$0.75usd

when the shaded cell/s voltage drops below .31 or .37 volts the diode conducts

wiring a solar cell with a bypass diode
- the diode is wired in series with the cell/s, only reversed polarity

[Daox]

The first one is doable, but very expensive! The other two are surface mount and I doubt you'd be able to solder them yourself since they are 2x1.5mm. Also, what happens when all the cells are shaded? Short circuit to the battery?

[ragez0r]

the only way i could really do it is if it was removable or lockable somehow.. its just dawned to me that im not exactly living in the safest neighbourhood in montreal.. yes i know my city was rated safest city in 2008 but.. thats only homicides.. theft happens even in the richest countries in the world.....

i had put a tote in the back where the trunk(boot) used to be but after a few suicidal rides with a 18.0 Litres (umm 5 gallons ?) water bottles, the tote finally ripped open so thats 2 panels i have no room for.. and yes i can replace the tote.. but.. i put so much work into making sure it was secured to the ebik that i dont want to do all that work again...the good news is... it stayed on the bike

[ragez0r]

link please ?