I saw an interesting ad on Craig's List the other day.....
Does anybody think I have a 'Craig's List problem'?
I can quit anytime I swear!
Does anybody think I have a 'Craig's List problem'?
I can quit anytime I swear!
Anywho, the ad was for the individual solar cells for a Solyndra solar panel.
Yes that Solyndra, the failed clean tech company that the repubs have made so
much political hay over.
The price was right, less than $8 each so I grabbed a bunch.
Yes that Solyndra, the failed clean tech company that the repubs have made so
much political hay over.
The price was right, less than $8 each so I grabbed a bunch.
Check em out
Don't they just look cool?
Closer-up view of the tubes.
They are a dark, dark purple with a silver spiral wound around the inside.
In person they are quite striking. They have the same form factor as a FL tube.
They are about 3' long and 1" in diameter.
In person they are quite striking. They have the same form factor as a FL tube.
They are about 3' long and 1" in diameter.
Thought I'd run some tests in direct sunlight.
Single one up close on a blue background.
I picked up the tube and held it at a roughly 45 deg angle so that light could hit the tube from all sides the readings changed to this.
Open Circuit Voltage
Amps
So I've got 120VDC and .040A. I supposed this supports Solyndras assertion that these tubes are omni-directional.
I will need to test these under a load but I'm not sure what a safe load would be....anybody got any ideas?
I will need to test these under a load but I'm not sure what a safe load would be....anybody got any ideas?
My Crazy Plan
These tubes are so striking that I want to use them in some sort of outdoor art piece.
Maybe the tubes charge a battery during the day and then the piece lights up at night.
Or it could be a kinetic sculpture that moves during the day when the tubes are producing power.
These tubes are so striking that I want to use them in some sort of outdoor art piece.
Maybe the tubes charge a battery during the day and then the piece lights up at night.
Or it could be a kinetic sculpture that moves during the day when the tubes are producing power.
Problems
I don't instantly know how to make use of 100-120V DC.
I'm not sure that DC-DC step down converters exist that can handle this high of an input voltage.
I need to figure out how to charge a battery from this input.
I don't instantly know how to make use of 100-120V DC.
I'm not sure that DC-DC step down converters exist that can handle this high of an input voltage.
I need to figure out how to charge a battery from this input.
Anybody got any ideas?