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General Issues > Power Supply

Experience with Solar Power

At first glance, solar power seems to be a good candidate for a seismic network in a state where the sun usually shines. Looking at the technical details of this solution more closely, however, there are at least two clouds in the sky:

• Unfortunately, rechargeable battery systems don´t like the sun´s heat at all. Some current figures: a premium-quality lead acid cell (e.g. the CYCLON) features exactly ten years of design life if the battery is held at a constant temperature of 20° C. However, this life expectancy shrinks dramatically in the heat of the summer. It can become less than a year at a temperature of 50° C. What would be the operating temperature of the battery pack inside a cabinet directly exposed to Californian sun?
• Larger panels of high-quality solar cells are expensive. Additionally, they need rigid support so that the cells face south, and they attract birds, dust, snow, thieves, and vandals. Frequent intervention may be necessary, and in the wilderness, this can be a major cost factor.