Where to order cheap solar panel 5w?

[el_walto]

I don't know too much about solar panels (yet).

I have a linksys wireless webcam that uses around 5v 1 amp. Any suggestions on a cheep way to hook this up to solar. It doesn't have to be up 24 hours a day, so it would be cool if i could directly hook it up to a small panel.

I guess the first step would be to measure how much current the camera is actually drawing. I see a lot of 5W 12V cells on ebay for a good price.

I guess i could run three of thesehttp://cgi.ebay.ca/Solar-Panel-Powe...cmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Solar?hash=item2a068c951b in series for $99:

camera: http://homesupport.cisco.com/en-us/wireless/lbc/WVC54GCA?referrer=www.linksysbycisco.com

 

[vanilla ice]

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-watt-solar-battery-charger-41144.html

Should probably go for this for ten more bucks..
http://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-12-volt-solar-panel-96418.html

Oh, you want direct.. nevermind! I was thinking battery setup.

 

[dak664]

You would pay a premium for three small panels and you could probably get a single 12volt@1amp watt panel for <$50. With a linear 5volt regulator that would give you 5 watts, with some spare capacity to charge a 12 volt battery to keep things running when a cloud passes. Extra capacity is always nice, i'd go by the physical size limitations on where it needs to go rather than current power needs.

 

[vanilla ice]

Dc-dc converter would help with voltage fluctuation due to light changes too I would think.

 

[Drunkskunk]

a 5 watt pannel is going to give you 5 watts at noon, on a clear day, in what ever hemosphere the sun happens to be directly over head in. Around 3-4 in the afternoon, you get about half that. If you're running a voltage stabalizer or converter to get 5 volts, strip another 20% off in loss.

Minimum you need then is a 11 watt to run your 5 watt camera. bigger would be needed to handle clouds, or winter sun.