I'm thinking about setting up a small solar charging system in my shed for my electric riding mower. I have a Ryobi 80V mower, and its charger plugs into a standard 10 amp outlet. It takes about 3 hours to charge fully. I haven't found any pinned posts that guide beginners on DIY solar projects, so I'm wondering where I should start. What resources would you recommend for someone new to this?
2 Answers
This sounds like a cool project! My partner is excited about a similar setup, and your question is just what we needed! Can't wait to see what resources others suggest.
To run your mower, you'll likely need three of those 80V 10Ah batteries, which adds up to around 2400Wh. For a functional setup, I'd suggest getting a substantial backup battery, like a 12V 280Ah. A 200W solar panel combined with a Victron 75/15 MPPT charge controller (or a 30A PWM with 300W solar if it's cheaper) would work well. Don't forget a 2000W inverter too! This should handle your needs depending on how often you mow, which I assume is maybe once a week.
Yeah, it sounds like you might only need two 80V 10Ah batteries plus possibly a couple of 40V 12Ah ones! Also, if you find it, drop a link for your mower.