Hi guys, I was looking for a few ideas for how to efficiently "power share" - the scenario is:
I will have some DC grow lights, about 36V (but this can be changed) 100w+ . I would like to get as much as possible of the power for these from one or more solar panels, and then top up the additional "missing" power with a mains - DC power supply. (For when it becomes cloudy or in order to extend the "daylight" hours.
The easiest option would be to have a battery system that is charged by both mains and DC, but I want to avoid this as all in all with the set up cost and lifetime of the battery it would simply be cheaper running the whole thing from the mains directly!
Im thinking the solution might be along the lines of a 2-phase switching type regulator. Storage capacitors are fist charged with 1 cycle from the solar panels, and then one "top-up" cycle from the DC supply.
But any ideas? I guess something like this exists already?!
I will have some DC grow lights, about 36V (but this can be changed) 100w+ . I would like to get as much as possible of the power for these from one or more solar panels, and then top up the additional "missing" power with a mains - DC power supply. (For when it becomes cloudy or in order to extend the "daylight" hours.
The easiest option would be to have a battery system that is charged by both mains and DC, but I want to avoid this as all in all with the set up cost and lifetime of the battery it would simply be cheaper running the whole thing from the mains directly!
Im thinking the solution might be along the lines of a 2-phase switching type regulator. Storage capacitors are fist charged with 1 cycle from the solar panels, and then one "top-up" cycle from the DC supply.
But any ideas? I guess something like this exists already?!