Inventory

 

1. Solar Panel

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
YingLi Solar Panel (XC110) MrSolar.com $590.00 2 110W, 1000W/m2, 17.5V, 6.3A
MultiContact-3 50ft Extension Cable Northern Arizona $38.00 1 Cut in half to two 25ft extension cable

2. Battery

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Deka/MK Battery 8G31 Gel Cell SolarHome.org $214.95 1 12V, 98AH
3/8" Nuts Walmart $0.10 2 Mount ring terminals onto the battery

3. Charge Controller and Load Controller

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Xantrex C35 (35A, 12/24V) NorthernTool.com $109.99 1 charge controller,bulk=14.2V, float=13.5V
Xantrex C35 (35A, 12/24V) NorthernTool.com $109.99 1 load controller, LVR=13.0V, LVD=11.1V

4. Computer

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Asus EEE PC 900 Amazon.com, Asus.com $599 (now $430) 1 Intel 353, DDR2 1GB, 20GB SSD, HD audio, 3USB, 12V, 12-36W, 22.5*17.0*3.4cm, Linux/Windows

5. Wifi Router and External Attenna

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Linksys WRT54GL Amazon.com, Linksys.com $50-$60 1 compatible with Linux, 12V, 6W
2.4GHz Omni- directional Atenna HyperlinkTech.com $38-$115 (4dBi - 15dBi) 1 optional, 
N-Male to RP-TNC Antenna Cable HyperlinkTech.com $13-$18 (10ft - 20ft) 1 customized length
Lightning and Surge Protector HyperlinkTech.com $25 1 optional, need another short cable

6 Casing

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Stanley FatMax 28" Waterproof Box Lowe's $30 1 　
Lock 　 　 1 　
Chain 　 　 1 　

7 Wires, Terminals and Fuses

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
10 AWG Red Hookup Wire Radioshack $15.99 (35ft) two 2ft wires  charge/load controller<->battery+ 
10 AWG Black Hookup Wire Radioshack $15.99 (35ft) two 2ft wires charge/load controller<->battery- 
3/8" (1/2") Ring Terminal Radioshack $1.99/pack 4 terminals one for each wire above 
30A fuse and fuse holder Radioshack, Radioshack,  $0.7, $2.69 1 between charge controller and PV(+)
1/4" Ring Terminal Radioshack $1.99/pack 3 terminal one end of the 30A fuse holder, and 2 PV(+)
1/4"-20*1/2" Screw and Nuts Walmart MS-110 $0.99/pack 1 screw&nut connect 30A fuse holder and 2 PV(+)
6' 24 AWG CABLE, 2.1mm ID, 5.5mm OD Digikey CP-2185-ND $1.74 1 load controller<->router
1A fuse and fuse holder Radioshack, Radioshack $0.50, $2.69 1 between load controller and router
6' 24 AWG CABLE, 1.7mm ID, 4.75mm OD Digikey CP-2195-ND $1.86 1 load controller<->EEE PC
3A fuse and fuse holder Radioshack, Radioshack $0.50, $2.69 1 between load controller and EEE PC
Spade Terminals Radioshack $1.99 1 optional, used on wires to charge/load controller terminals
Butt Connectors Radioshack $1.99 1 crimp two wires together (soldering is preferred)

8. Current and Voltage Sensors

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Phidget 8/8/8 Interface trossenrobotics.com $72.20 1 8 analog and 8 digital inputs. Its digital outputs can be used to control the power switch.　
Phidget 20Amp Current Sensor AC&DC trossenrobotics.com $22.56 1 connected to analog input　
Phidget Precision Voltage Sensor trossenrobotics.com $26.17 1 connected to analog input　
Project Enclosure (6*4*2") Radioshack $4.99 1 　
10 AWG Red Hookup Wire Radioshack $15.99 (35ft) 2ft wire into a circuit in series 
10 AWG Black Hookup Wire Radioshack $15.99 (35ft) 2ft wire into a circuit in series
3/8" (1/2") Ring Terminal Radioshack $1.99/pack 1 terminal for black wire 
1/4" Ring Terminal Radioshack $1.99/pack 1 terminal for red wire
1/4"-20*1/2" Screw and Nuts Walmart MS-110 $0.99/pack 1 screw&nut connect red wire and charge ctrl's black
Washer 　 　 　 　
crimp 　 　 　 　
wire 　 　 　 　
　 　 　 　 　

9. PC Controlled Power Switch

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Dual Coil Relay (4.5V, 1A) Digikey 255-2348-5-ND $4.70 1 　
.08" (size M) DC Jack UIUC ECE store, #722A $1.73 1 　
1-15/16 * 2-5/16 PERF BOARD UIUC ECE store, 16227 PB $0.79 1 　
Project Enclosure (3*2*1") Radioshack $2.29 1 　
6' 24 AWG CABLE, 2.1mm ID, 5.5mm OD Digikey CP-2185-ND $1.74 1 　
75ft 22AWG Hookup Wire Radioshack $5.99 few feet 　
2 POSITION TERMINAL BLOCK UIUC ECE store, 1546074-2 $0.51 1 　
4-40*1/4" Spacer UIUC ECE store, 2330 $0.29 4 spacing between board and box
4-40*1/2" Binder Screw & Nut UIUC ECE store,91772A110-001 $0.10 4 mounting the board

If serial port interfaced:

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
Diodes (1N4148) Radioshack $0.05 2  　
D-sub 9 pin socket UIUC ECE store, DE-9S $1.48 1  　

If Phidget hub interfaced:

Name Link/store Unit Price Quantity Info
2 POSITION TERMINAL BLOCK UIUC ECE store, 1546074-2 $0.51 2  　
3 CONDUCTOR 22 GAUGE CABLE UIUC ECE store, 8443-001 $0.31 1 　

 　

The total cost of one basic system is about $2500, half of which is of solar panels.