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Reproducing Solar light

Reproducing Solar light

Reproducing Solar light

(OP)
Hi, I have solar panels without specifications to test and I'm trying to reproduce the solar light or a light that would give me as much power output from the solar panel then if it is facing the sun.

So far I built a cube of 18"x18" with 4x40W Compact Fluorescent + 1x70 Metal-Halide and mylar as reflective surface. I tough this combination would have given me an adequate spectrum and intensity to reproduce sunlight. But it does not produce the expected results since I can only get 50% of the power that I get when I make it face the sun. The intensity of the box is around 85 000 lux right now.

What would you guys suggest?
Should I get rid of the compact fluorescent and replace them with 150W HPS?

Thanks
BeerBaron

RE: Reproducing Solar light

The light level on a bright sunny day is about 10,000 fc.
One lux is equal to one lumen per square meter. One lux equals 0.0929 footcandles.

RE: Reproducing Solar light

(OP)
Thanks for the reference points. But to produce light with a solar cell we do not only need intensity, we also need wide spectrum since Sillicium reacts more to certain wavelenght.

Regards
Frederic Boucher

RE: Reproducing Solar light

Unless you live on the North Pole I think it would be simpler and faster to use the Sun...


----------------------------
Please read FAQ240-1032
My WEB: <http://geocities.com/nbucska/>

RE: Reproducing Solar light

I believe the standard for sunlight simulation is usually a xenon arc tube.  We used those in physics.  You could smell the ozone whenever it was on because the UV generated it in the air.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Reproducing Solar light

(OP)
Nbucska, unfortunately if I have to wait a week for the sun to come out I'm loosing a week of potential results and It's stalling the designs. Also, going outside at -20 degrees celcius to do some tests is not what could be considered fun...

That's what we have been doing so far but at the expense of wasting valuable time.

BeerBaron

RE: Reproducing Solar light

The trouble with fluorescent or HID lamps is that certain wavelengths are missing altogether.  You might have better results with incandescent lamps and filters.  Get a color temperature meter at a camera store and experiment to get 5500K (sunlight).

RE: Reproducing Solar light

See GE Lighting's Specifying Light and Color Lighting Applicaation Bulletin.  It gives a table & shows spectra of sunlight & their various lighting bulbs. From table:  Fluorescent bulbs SPX50, CWX and C50 reproduce outdoor sunlight. C75 simulates overcast sky conditions. From the color spectra, C50 & CWX look more natural reproduction of the sunlight curve -- high baseline spectrum (rather than adding blue, green-yellow & red peaks as with the SPX50).

http://www.gelighting.com/eu/resources/learn_about_light/spec_light_color_final.pdf

Also, many info links on their 'Learn About Light' page:
http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_lighting/education_resources/learn_about_light/

RE: Reproducing Solar light

Check with a solar manfacture on methodes to test solar panels.

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