Newbie here-What do I need to run a server by solar power?

[fta123]

Hello all......I am very interested in learning the ways of solar energy. Can anyone direct me or tell me what would I need to run an average computer system, this system would be running 24 hours a day. I have diferent projects in mind, but I would start asking about this one.Thanks for your help

[reality]

*edited to remove foot from mouth *

Can anyone help the kind gentleman?

[Richard]

Originally Posted by reality

*edited to remove foot from mouth *

Haha, what did you post?

[reality]

Erm, just a welcome to the forum and that he might be better off posting his message in the solar forum

[Richard]

lol.

[fta123]

Can anyone help

[Theila]

Only thing that comes to mind is having your home hooked up to solar power.

[david16]

You could try some remote power packs to recharge your lap top using solar power.

http://www.advancedenergyonline.com/...ower_packs.htm

http://www.global-merchants.com/home/computer.htm

are both handy resources.

[fta123]

Thanks david...do you know by any chance what size panel I would need or how to calculate the right size panel in order to run a computer system

[david16]

Desktops draw anywhere from 50 to 200 watts, IIRC.

So make a PC power supply that has 3 external connections. One for the wall plug, of course. And two optional ones, one for a 12v solar panel and one for a battery. Then sell it with a 50w or 100w solar panel -- most importantly, the panel should not generate more power than the PC uses.

Because of that, during the bright part of the day, the panel will be providing most, or just barely all, of the power for the PC. The wall plug will provide the rest. At night, the wall plug would provide all the power. It's a grid-tie but it doesn't feed power back to the grid, it just reduces demand on it. The 100w panel takes 100w off the grid load during the peak demand times.

This url might also be useful http://www.seyboldreports.com/SRDP/0dp9/D0901010.HTM