Street Solar Panels

I just took this photo as an example. These solar panels are attached to the street poles and can be found all over (at least in my area).



First time I saw it in front of my home, I thought they were installed as an alternative source of electricity for the street lights. Then Superstorm came, we lost power and all was dark. No street lights. So, my first question was why the solar panel didn't provide energy to the light bulb. But that's not the main reason I'm posting this.

I wonder if is possible in CASE OF EMERGENCY, and you find yourself and family isolated with zero chances to evac, run a wire from the solar panel terminal to the house. If that is possible, maybe skilled members here can provide details of how this can be done.

I know that under regular circunstances it may be considered a crime, but it also seems totally stupid to have a source of energy available right in front of you and stay without electricity and heat for many days in winter.

Short answer is no. Research AC and DC electricity. Long answer is yes, BUT.....

That is very small solar panel, you could maybe use 1 light bulb with that

The panle looks to be 145 to 200 watts, depending on if it's polycrystalline or mono...

But yeah, You hae to have a charge controller to modulate the power.

Originally posted by Thebel
That is very small solar panel, you could maybe use 1 light bulb with that

This is just a WAG(wild a$$ guess), but going by the pic I would guess it is a 145 watt panel. Depending on your location and time of year etc... you could charge a couple 12v batteries with it and use that with an inverter to recharge your laptop, some LED lights, and other things.

Originally posted by Thebel
That is very small solar panel, you could maybe use 1 light bulb with that

Under extreme conditions, that could make the difference. One bulb light in the middle of the dark can be spotted by rescue teams.

In case you don't notice-that panel is lighting up the Pole Lamp. We have them all over the place in my subdivision.
You could probably run at least a few lights in your home off that for sure.

Reminds me of the end of "Kurt Vonnegut's" Player Piano.

The machines cause all sorts of havoc and everyone swears, never again.

But then at the end they start taking the machines apart and making new improvised machines.

Player Piano, author Kurt Vonnegut's first novel, was published in 1952. It is a dystopia of automation[1] and capitalism, describing the dereliction they cause in the quality of life.[1] The story takes place in a near-future society that is almost totally mechanized, eliminating the need for human laborers. This widespread mechanization creates conflict between the wealthy upper class—the engineers and managers who keep society running—and the lower class, whose skills and purpose in society have been replaced by machines. The book uses irony and sentimentality, which were to become a hallmark developed further in Vonnegut's later works.[1]

Wiki

Originally posted by samlf3rd
In case you don't notice-that panel is lighting up the Pole Lamp. We have them all over the place in my subdivision.
You could probably run at least a few lights in your home off that for sure.

edit on 4-11-2012 by samlf3rd because: more info

Yeah, I noticed that. That was the reason of my first question. Why the lamps didn't turn on ?

Originally posted by samlf3rd
In case you don't notice-that panel is lighting up the Pole Lamp. We have them all over the place in my subdivision.
You could probably run at least a few lights in your home off that for sure.

edit on 4-11-2012 by samlf3rd because: more info

He said the lights didnt light up when power was off. So what the hell?.

Originally posted by davjan4
The panle looks to be 145 to 200 watts, depending on if it's polycrystalline or mono...

But yeah, You hae to have a charge controller to modulate the power.

Doesn't it suppose to have one already?

here in Australia we have these on school speed zone signs.

In a SHTF situation I plan on using these, if they are undamaged.

Originally posted by amraks
here in Australia we have these on school speed zone signs.

In a SHTF situation I plan on using these, if they are undamaged.

I think one day I could say I'm so lucky to have one right in front of my window.

reply to post by Trueman


Why can't they just mix in magnetite "crushed" and have and unlimited magnetic/battery source...maybe even hover cars....solar panels, by size, are to weak and frail, would be very very hard to maintain...keep up with your PM's preventative maintanence issues...


ETA oops...bit off topic I mistook thread as "streets" to be the solar panels.....my bad...

Here you go: www.nytimes.com...

Apparently they are grid tied. Producing energy when the sun is out and putting it into the grid. Ingenious, really.

My current solar power system is not grid tied. But on days that my batteries are happy, I could get another inverter of the grid tie variety and put some back. Grid tie inverters are now plug and play. Charge controller to grid tie inverter and then plug the inverter in to a regular plug. Instead of taking energy out, it puts a little back in.

Originally posted by davjan4
Here you go: www.nytimes.com...

Apparently they are grid tied. Producing energy when the sun is out and putting it into the grid. Ingenious, really.

My current solar power system is not grid tied. But on days that my batteries are happy, I could get another inverter of the grid tie variety and put some back. Grid tie inverters are now plug and play. Charge controller to grid tie inverter and then plug the inverter in to a regular plug. Instead of taking energy out, it puts a little back in.

Thank you so much for that info. So, in other words, those panels are not suppose to supply energy for the bulbs next to them. If the panels are feeding the power grid, I supose one of the boxes in the back side is an inverter.

When the SHTF all those panels will disappear quickly so get them while the getting is good when you need it. But you need to have a battery array charge controller and inverter too or it will be useless to you except as barter.

In fact part of preparedness should be to note where several of these panels are located near you so you can get them while the rest are down at the grocery store fighting each other over cans of beans...

Originally posted by hawkiye
When the SHTF all those panels will disappear quickly so get them while the getting is good when you need it. But you need to have a battery array charge controller and inverter too or it will be useless to you except as barter.

In fact part of preparedness should be to note where several of these panels are located near you so you can get them while the rest are down at the grocery store fighting each other over cans of beans...

I didn't considered the battery array charge controller, hmm....I might need to find an answer for that.

Maybe it's a way to calculate the time needed to charge a battery based in the input capacity of the panel?

Then, all we need is to plug the inverter to the battery.

It's powering surveillance equipment...

reply to post by RocksFromSpace


haha.....I wouldn'd be surprised.