Moon power

[bellars]

Just curious, rather than any practical benefit, but while out in the garden the other night I noticed how bright the moon was so wondered if any one had observed any current generated from their solar panel from moonlight?

 

[delicagirl]

well it is the brightest moon for several hundred years this month......

 

[trixie88]

well it is the brightest moon for several hundred years this month......

apparently tonights moon is the closest its been to earth since 1948 one of the reasons its so bright. also

 

[Channa]

Normally after a full moon we get spring tides so beware of flooding if you are parking coastal. Good news for the sea fisherman good chance of an early codling.

Channa

 

[Robmac]

Normally after a full moon we get spring tides so beware of flooding if you are parking coastal. Good news for the sea fisherman good chance of an early codling.

Channa

Not so good if you're after Barbel Andy. They never feed when there is a full moon.

I just had a look outside, the Super Moon is indeed very bright, even though it is obscured by clouds.

 

[maingate]

I doubt that the Moon can generate any power for a panel.

Some people have claimed that parking under a street light can work.

 

[trevskoda]

Well strange as it may seem my s/panels were charging today in overcast sky,batts went from 12.3 to 12.9 mid day.
They say some folk are affected by the mooooooon but i doooont beleeeeve it woohooo.

 

[trixie88]

Normally after a full moon we get spring tides so beware of flooding if you are parking coastal. Good news for the sea fisherman good chance of an early codling.

Channa

could get some coastal erosion. the tides could be very rough indeed. the sky tonight will be very interesting.

 

[bellars]

The moon, a street light or even a floodlight fairly near isn't going to produce enough voltage in a solar panel. Sunlight is around 1000 watts per square metre.

Solar panels are about 17% efficient, so a 100W panel is about 0.6 square metres.

If you allow for the light to be a fifth of that power (the least that is worth bothering with), that's 200 watts per square metre or 120 onto a 100 watt panel.

So you'd need a 500W security lamp to be 25% efficient (they are under 20% in reality) and set up so that ALL its light shines onto your panel: none wasted. Ain't gonna happen, unfortunately.

And anything less bright, no chance.

Even though there's no practical benefit in terms of charging a battery, will moonlight photons theoretically generate a (micro)current in a solar panel or is there a threshold below which nothing happens?

 

[Haaamster]

Still very clear this morning :lol-053: :scared:

That's a blue moon.

 

[Debs]

Stuck my head out the window last night, but it was so gloomy and damp with heavy cloud, that it was a struggle to see the street lights, let alone the alleged very bright moon. But on a brighter note, the sun is out this morning and its a lot milder. :cool1:

 

[vindiboy]

Been watching the Moon all last week very bright and largish, last night on the big night rain and cloud cover in the sunny South [not]so no Moon sad. won't be around to see it next time :mad1::mad1:

 

[Ed on Toast]

Don't let clouds spoil your enjoyment

 

[Deleted user 48797]

Normally after a full moon we get spring tides so beware of flooding if you are parking coastal. Good news for the sea fisherman good chance of an early codling.

Channa

That's correct but it is now Autumn but that's climate change for you l suppose - ha ha..
Bd..

 

[ricc]

Oh, yes, it will work in very low light levels. That's how light meters work.

not always

some use a light sensitive variable resistance along with a battery

40 years ago it was a selenium cell that generated a voltage, and the variable resistors were refered to as cds cells, think it was cadmium di sulphide.

if i recall correctly the variable resistance cds meters worked in lower light levels than the selenium ones... but maybe things have changed recently , tis 40 years since i was into the technicalities of photography.

 

[n brown]

Still very clear this morning :lol-053: :scared:

if that's you in the middle, you're better looking than i expected !

 

[belenda]

I doubt that the Moon can generate any power for a panel.

Some people have claimed that parking under a street light can work.

think they meant plugging :cool1:`in` to a street light ?

 

[molly 2]

Solar panels at night is like fitting bid rear wheels on van so it's always going down hill,

 

[ricc]

Oi Mr Broon, last time I viewed an @rse like the middle one, a farmer was hitting it with a stick.

you need to get out more


pleanty like it to admire on the beach in fuerteventura last month.