Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 23:56:16 +1300
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Fwd: RE: "Green" solar battery charger
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Below are my message to the Australian distributor, their reply...
and at the bottom, my response.
The charge LED flashes fine even in pretty low light, but it's only
indicating that there's voltage present... however there's nearly no
current, and it's current, not voltage, which will charge a
battery... or an electrocution! (a 100mA current of 1,000,000V will
not even be felt).
Images sent to those who requested them; the list will strip them
from its copy. Any of the recipients seen these for sale?
>X-Sieve: CMU Sieve 2.2
>From: "Projecta Australia" <info@projecta.com.au>
>To: "Andrew Grebneff" <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
>Cc: "Don Tennet" <dont@narva.co.nz>,
> "Peter Griffiths" <peterg@griffiths.co.nz>
>Subject: RE: "Green" solar battery charger
>Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 09:29:01 +1100
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>Dear Andrew,
>
>A solar panel like a battery chargers output is dependent upon the battery
>voltage. This means that when the battery is flat the charger's output is
>high and as the battery becomes more charged the output decreases. You may
>find that the reason your output is low is because the battery voltage is
>high (i.e already fully charged so the charger cant put in any more power?).
>The units usually generate approx. 15-17 Volts under flourescent lights with
>no load.
>
>Your units may still be faulty and if so I would like to investigate for my
>own satisfaction. If you wish to return the unit, could you please send me
>the details of the place of purchase so I can arrange for our NZ agent to
>arrange for the goods to be returned to Australia for testing.
>
>If I can be of any more assistance in helping fix this matter with you
>please let me know.
>
>Best Regards,
>
>
>George Davies
>Projecta Sales & Marketing Manager
>
>
>
>PROJECTA
>Brown & Watson International Pty Ltd
>3 Millennium Court
>Knoxfield, Victoria, AUSTRALIA 3180.
>
>Telephone: 03 9730 6000
>Facsimile: 03 9730 6050
>Mobile: 0417 562 101
>Email: gdavies@projecta.com.au
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Andrew Grebneff [mailto:andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz]
>Sent: Wednesday, 12 November 2003 3:57 PM
>To: info@projecta.com.au
>Subject: "Green" solar battery charger
>
>
>Hello
>
>There appears to be a quality problem with the abovementioned unit.
>The first I tried developed 5 milliamps. I returned this and the
>replacement unit developed a whopping 6 milliamps. I will be
>returning this one for a refund.
>
>Two failures out of two tries is pretty damning.
>
>Andrew Grebneff
>Dunedin
>New Zealand
Hi George
Initially my battery was flat enough that it could operate only one
of the electric locks. The first charger did not help. The second,
after over a week connected, just managed to put enough charge in to
operate all of the locks... but not enough to turn the starter.
Our technician told me that theyy were putting out decent voltage;
however the claimed amperahe of 100mA wasn't quite achieved (5 &
6mA), utterly insufficient to do the job.
I returned the first unit; Repco may still have it... hopefully they
haven't just put it back on the shelf for resale! I will return the
current unit, if I have time, this weekend. I've put a label on it to
the effect that they should hold it for your agent to pick up. The
dealer is:
Repco
115 Crawford St
Dunedin
xx64 (3) 474-0300
I don't know the details of the Repco head office, unfortunately.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
