Using the acs712 hall effect current sensor module part 1
Using the ACS712 current sensor to measure current in a circuit. Benefits are that it can measure current in the…
How useful is a 1.5w solar panel?
This low-cost (£10) solar panel is rated at 1.5W and is designed to keep a car battery topped up when…
Shorting out 140 volts – crazy or what?
Shorting out around 140 volts from these small solar panels produces an interesting result. Disclaimers: Don't do this at home.…
20w solar panel / 21w bulb – a perfect match? part 3
Using a switched mode DC/DC converter to transform voltage down and current up. This helps match the load to the…
20w solar panel / 21w bulb – a perfect match? part 2
All the numbers, graphs, calculations and theorems!
20w solar panel / 21w bulb – a perfect match? part 1
What happens when you connect a 21W light bulb to a 20W solar panel? A bright shiny light? Perfect synergy…
Capacitor wars: tantalum vs ceramic
After blowing up a tantalum capacitor by inadvertently connecting it the wrong way round, I thought I'd investigate high value…
Mppt solar charge controller #1 – introduction and voltage measurement
I'm building a test rig which will measure solar panel voltage, current and power. With it I'll do a series…
Wellsee mppt solar charge controller – teardown
After the unimpressive garden tests I thought I'd take this thing apart and see how it works. The secret black…
Wellsee mppt solar charge controller – garden tests
The WellSee MPPT solar charge controller is much criticised for being a fake. I thought I'd put it through a…