Aqua Genesis Solar Kit

$559

Solar Panel Kit and 80 Amp-Hour Battery $559

Solar Panel Kit alone $295

Specifications

Solar Panle Kit includes Solar panel, Charge controller and Stand

Solar panel:

15 Watt amorphous 1000 mA maximum current.

Durable extruded aluminum frame

Double laminated glass

Blocking diode prevents battery drain at night

Weatherproof with 10' leads

Panel dimensions: 12.40'' x 36.42'' x 0.75''

Panel weight 9.7 lb.

4 mounting clips

Female lighter plug adapter

Battery clamp adapter

Bare wire adapter for charge control connection

Charge controller:

Protects and regulates the charge of a 12 volt battery

Three LED indicators (charging, discharge, overcharge)

Three connections for battery (two-way plug), solar (two-way plug), and load (3" pigtail)

Overcharge protection at 14 volts

Discharge protection at 10.5 volts

Power input : 22 volts, 7 amps, 100 Watt Maximum

7 amp, 100 watt

Maintains batteries in full charge state to prolong life

Stand:

Adjustable height range: 26-3/4" to 42-3/4"

Black enamel powder-coat finish to resist rust

Folds for easy storage

132 lb. capacity

Folded size: 17.3" L x 2.6" W x 31.1" H

Weight 9.46 lbs

Installation:

Connect the Solar Panel Terminals to the Solar Controller Terminals

Connect the Solar Controller 0-Rings to the Battery Terminals

Optional-connect the load leads directly to an 12 volt load

12 Volt 80 Amp-Hour Sealed Lead Acid Battery

These 12 volt sealed lead-acid batteries are valve-regulated and made with Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) technology in which liquid electrolyte is suspended in a special glass mat material wrapped around each lead plate, thus makingthe batteries leak-proof. As a result, these 12V batteries can be installedin any orientation - even on their side.These maintenance free batteries will provide safe non-spillable power for avariety of 12V power applications. Measures approx. 11" X 7" X 8". Weighs 51 lbs. Made in the USA. Appearance may vary. Please note: This item not sold separately and it must ship UPS Ground and to the continental USA only .

Performance:

This solar kit is able to run your Scalewatcher for up to 3 days with no sun. Alternatively, you can make it more efficient by using an automatic timer to turn off your Scalewatcher during the 8 hours of the night when you use no water.

General information about solar electricity

There are many types and applications, but we will cover a few of the most common ones. Small stand alone systems are easy to hook-up, but larger systems that are connected to your home electric wiring should be left to the professionals.

~A solar panel is basically a battery charger. When exposed to sunlight it produces DC current much like a common battery charger that runs off standard household 110 Volt current. The solar charge controller regulates the amount of energy that the panel puts into the battery. Once the battery is fully charged it opens the circuit to prevent damage caused by overcharging. When you use some of the stored energy, it automatically closes the circuit and starts to recharge the battery during sunlight hours. A panel alone can operate DC items directly such as pond pumps without a battery or a controller. In this application the pump would only run during sunlight hours.

~Solar panels are rated in watts. For example a12 volt 15 watt panel averages about 15 watts per hour of sunlight. If you have 8 hours of sun, it will put about 120 watts into a discharged battery in one day.  Multiple panels can be wired together in most cases.  If you wire 3-15 watts panels in parallel (all 3 positive leads wired together and all 3 negative leads wired together) you would get 45 watts per hour. The voltage would remain at 12volts.  If you are trying to charge a battery that is greater than 12 volts you would wire the panels in series.

~Batteries used in solar systems should be deep cycle type. A standard car battery would be damaged quickly by deep discharge cycles. There are two common types of batteries that work well with solar. A sealed lead acid deep cycle as we offer here is the preferred type.  This type of battery recycles the gases produced during charging. This is a safety feature and you do not have to check the fluid level.  A standard "marine type" also works in well ventilated areas outside of your home. The gases given off during charging are combustible and you will have to monitor the fluid levels on a regular basis. Deep cycle batteries are rated in amp hours, this tells you how much energy the battery can store. For example a 12 volt 35 amp hour battery will store about 420 watts of power.(12Volts X 35ah =420watts). If this battery is completely discharged it would take a 15 watt panel about 35 hours of sunlight to fully charge it. A 5 watt DC item would run for about 84 hours without recharging this battery.

~Inverters are used to convert the 12 volt DC energy in the battery to standard 110 AC voltage that is found in homes in the US. You simply hook the two leads from the battery to the inverter and it will run standard AC items. Inverters are rated in watts and most will have two ratings Continuous Use and Peak.  Peak is what it can handle for a short period of time.  Many items require more energy to start than they do once they are running. As stated above once you know the wattage of the item you are trying to run, you will know what size inverter to use. There are some AC items that do not perform well with a standard modified sine inverter. These items would require a pure sine inverter and are much more expensive. Do a little research to see if your item requires it before you spend the extra money.

~ There are tax incentive available from the federal government and some states. The recent package gives you a 30% tax credit for solar. That means that if you spend $1,000 you could get $300 of it back from the federal government. Please check with your accountant or search the web to find what applies to you.  A good place to start is www.dsireusa.org (Database of state incentives for renewable energy)

~ We hope that this brief overview will take the mystery out of solar electricity. Small stand alone kits can be installed by the average home handyman. While the initial expense is still high compared to electric from the grid, once you are up and running, it should provide years of free energy. Right now it is probably a better place to invest your money than many other available options. ~This is only meant to give you a brief overview of the basics regarding solar panels, controllers, batteries and inverters. Always read and follow the instructions provided with all equipment.