Wet, Cold & No Birds.

[FESkent]

Feskent. We install all over the US, not just Texas. Never, ever had any problems with solar regardless of the area. Having said that, it depends on what machines/solar chargers you have? I'm only familiar with Promatic and MEC and both those machines if adjusted correctly will not throw no-birds. Just one broken target will usually result in the breakage of the next three and nothing tears arm rubbers up quicker than broken target fragments. Most problems we encounter with numerous no-birds is poor knife edge adjustment because of a change in target manufacturer or poor target handling.

This is Texas next week and Dover UK as i say we struggle to use solar during the U.K. winter.

 

[bordergun]

We still get a decent reading in complete shade with our panels, more than enough to provide a maintenance charge. I see subsidized solar being installed on domestic roof installations all over the UK, including Scotland. I wonder why?

 

[Freddypip]

Solar panels are no longer (customer) subsidized in the UK - the best you can do is offset Kw into the grid by having the latest meter and tariff.

Whilst the tech has got better they are rubbish in the middle of the UK winter with limited and poor sun hours. For my system 3Kw total today when in summer it would be over 30Kw.

Whilst politics is best ignored on a clay shooting site, the war in Ukraine had such an impact on fuel prices in the UK and rates were already going up, Many are realising household panels, batteries etc, are the best way of being more self sufficient with less reliance on any Russian energy. In summer I am self sufficient including 20 miles a day into the hybrid car. In winter we put a sweater or two on.

 

[bordergun]

My brother-in-law had them on his roof in Scotland, said they worked well. Still can't understand why they don't work on clay target machines? The POWOXI 20 W 12volt panel should work I would think?

 

[FESkent]

You also have to consider 12v leisure batteries do not like the cold, hence why most car batteries fail in the winter not the summer. The only certain way of ensuring the batteries are fit for purpose during the winter is to take them home to charge or charge via the generator.
After twenty plus years of being the Club secretary I think I have an idea of what works for us and solar is typically at best April to October only.

 

[bordergun]

FESkent You must be using the wrong batteries. I owned Annandale Shooting Ground in Scotland and managed Clifford Farm in Devon. Back then, there was no solar and keeping the batteries charged was a pain. Target launchers don't use a high amperage and you will get 5,000 throws with a Promatic Ranger machine and a 75 amp hour battery. Add a marine deep cycle and you will get a lot more. If you don't regularly use a machine any lead acid battery will die on you if it isn't trickle charged. Even in areas of the US with very similar weather to the UK I hear of batteries lasting up to 6 years with a solar charger and regulator.

 

[FESkent]

FESkent You must be using the wrong batteries. I owned Annandale Shooting Ground in Scotland and managed Clifford Farm in Devon. Back then, there was no solar and keeping the batteries charged was a pain. Target launchers don't use a high amperage and you will get 5,000 throws with a Promatic Ranger machine and a 75 amp hour battery. Add a marine deep cycle and you will get a lot more. If you don't regularly use a machine any lead acid battery will die on you if it isn't trickle charged. Even in areas of the US with very similar weather to the UK I hear of batteries lasting up to 6 years with a solar charger and regulator.

I think we will agree to disagree don’t use high amperage that’s why promatic use a 50amp rated on/off switch and a heavy duty relay to control the motor and 30amp fuses. Next your be telling me they can run from a PP3 battery .

 

[bordergun]

Not installed Promatics for years and I guess those are older machines? I don't believe MEC have those large relays. We always seem to find a way around most of the problems by either boosting the wattage with a larger panel, or a deep cycle marine battery, but 10 watt panels work in most locations. You can go up to 50 watt with a panel and don't forget also that you can position the panel up to 250 feet from the machine, outside the shaded machine position area in a patch of sunlight? This may sound like a lot of messing around but taking batteries on and off machines is very labour intensive and time consuming.