As my first foray into Solar DIY, I’d like to try to power a 5V computer fan with a solar panel. My goal is to run it for at least several hours per day. My understanding is that I’d need the solar panel (duh!), a fan, a charge controller, and a battery. As a newbie, I’d like to run my setup by this community since you know better than I do. Please let me know if this makes sense:

Steps:

  1. Strip end of solar panel wire and attach to charge controller
  2. Connect micro USB cable to battery bank and strip the other end to connect to charge controller
  3. Strip end of computer fan and attach to charge controller

Parts:

  1. 10W, 5V Solar Panel:
    https://web.archive.org/web/20231107180209/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004587476483.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.72bbaAk6aAk6KS&algo_pvid=4fe1d766-427c-4c24-978d-094fb385b2b9&algo_exp_id=4fe1d766-427c-4c24-978d-094fb385b2b9-1&pdp_npi=4%40dis!CAD!39.69!17.07!!!28.30!!%402101fb1116993792757332890e8301!12000029732119781!sea!CA!177099580!&curPageLogUid=tN1l84mY50ZP

  2. Spare cable that terminates in micro USB

  3. 10A Solar Charge Controller:
    https://web.archive.org/web/20231107180717/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005210165491.html

  4. 5000mAh, 5V 2A Input, 5V 2.1A output Battery Bank (one I have laying around similar to this):
    https://web.archive.org/web/20231107175655/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001322867876.html

  5. DC 5V, 0.75W, 0.15A fan (also a part I have laying around)

  • Pretzilla@lemmy.world
    1·
    1 year ago

    You can connect that 5v panel directly to the charge input on the power bank - they are both 5v. There is a charge controller built into the bank already.

    If the bank has pass-through charging that can accept a charge at one end while delivering power out the other, you are all set.

    But some power banks don’t allow that.