Solar powered firewood

[British Red]

Today, we completed a tiny self reliance step with which I am inordinately pleased

Log stack by English Countrylife, on Flickr

The logs here are sustainable local wood. Blowdowns, dead trees, line hazards etc. The crates are old veg crates too rickety to use for harvest but fine for log stores. There are 8 of them (two rows of 4, back to back) making a pile 2m x 5m x 2m. That's a years worth of heat & cooking for us.

What I like most is the roof of the stack

Solar log stack by English Countrylife, on Flickr

These are 4 x 400W solar panels. They cost only £200 (for 4, delivered). Installation & wiring by us.

The panels recharge a very large power station now installed in my workshop. Even today we were getting nearly 1kW off the panels.

The power station powers a mains electric chainsaw that (of course) fills the log store

Solar Chainsaw by English Countrylife, on Flickr

I have enough surplus power to run lights, chop saw, drill press, table saw, log splitter etc.

Aferiy P31p by English Countrylife, on Flickr

This feels like another step towards self reliance

 

[Broch]

Can you diret me to the source of those panels please?

 

[British Red]

Can you diret me to the source of those panels please?

Sure. I don't think they have this exact model at the moment but they have many good deals

Solar PV Panels | City Plumbing

Browse all Solar PV Panels available at City Plumbing. Buy online and collect from your local branch

www.cityplumbing.co.uk

 

[HillBill]

Great idea. Me likey.

 

[Brizzlebush]

Huge satisfaction in all that Hugh. That's right up my street, very well done and good for you.

 

[demented dale]

That looks good but the angle of the panels looks way to shallow for winter. How does that work? or perhaps it doesnt. Curious . dd x

 

[HillBill]

That looks good but the angle of the panels looks way to shallow for winter. How does that work? or perhaps it doesnt. Curious . dd x

Angle is relative isnt it? Its never the same given the hour. So if they are set up to catch the strongest 4hours of sunlight, do the rest matter? Sure, you can keep moving them during the day... for diminishing returns. Never had a solar set up myself, but seems to me you can pick several options on a stationary set up. Which 4 hour period would you use? The weaker light of dawn? The strongest light of midday or the (weaker than midday, but stronger than dawn) evening?

Edit to add, the white walls probably reflect a decent amount. I'm guessig this was Hughs first time doing this.. there's always room to improve. But first you must observe. And before the solar panels.... there was nothing of value other than directing the water away from the wood.

 

[British Red]

That looks good but the angle of the panels looks way to shallow for winter. How does that work? or perhaps it doesnt. Curious . dd x

I wanted them flat because the winds here are fierce (and they roof the firewood). They are putting out over 50% of rated capacity in Winter so I'm not unhappy

 

[Kadushu]

I find on overcast days (of which there are a lot in winter) the angle is pretty irrelevant, you just need more panels. I'm considering making a near horizontal setup specifically for overcast days when you need extra area to achieve the same output. My current panels are something like 25 degrees from vertical facing south which has served me well giving the optimum angle in winter when it's needed and sub optimal output in summer when there's a surplus.

 

[TLM]

Panels work well enough if they are within 15 deg of the straight line to the sun. Here in the north a follower panel gets over twice the amount of energy in comparison to a stationary one around midsummer.

 

[demented dale]

interesting. I find that the amount of power I get from my solar panel is winter is about 15% of what I get in summer.. I like the idea that the panels are the roof for the wood but I would be tempted to to have the panels hinged and so they can be raised and lowered if the wind gets up. It would be no effort to make a wooden roof on the top of the veg crate to secure the panels to. However if it meets the power needs at present then nothing needs to be done. I am thinking and writing as someone who has no electricity and therefore must maximize everything. dd x.

 

[Woody girl]

Oh I like that very much. Wondering where I could get a crate like that to store my firewood. I've been looking at commercial ones that are either too small, if they are affordable, or far too expensive if the right size. I reckon two would sort me nicely.

Ps, what size are they? I've had a look at wooden crates online and it's hard to ascertain the sizes of the many crates on offer compared to yours.

 

[TLM]

It is not a very difficult calculation to do for your latitude, calc what is the highest angle at midsummer and put your panels 20 deg lower than that. It would give you a fairly good stationary angle and close to stat optimum. Follower panels are good for about 4 months, outside that stationary is quite ok.

It would be a good idea to look for the sunniest spot and generally the higher the better because that avoids shade from various bushes and trees ...

 

[British Red]

Oh I like that very much. Wondering where I could get a crate like that to store my firewood. I've been looking at commercial ones that are either too small, if they are affordable, or far too expensive if the right size. I reckon two would sort me nicely.

Ps, what size are they? I've had a look at wooden crates online and it's hard to ascertain the sizes of the many crates on offer compared to yours.

They are, roughly 2m x 1m x 1m. They are "retired" crates from veg harvesting