SOMETHING.SOLAR is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and offers a wide range of off grid custom solar applications. These include boat dock power, lighting, water pumping, green houses, park benches, parking canopies, portable power and about anything your imagination might come up with. Many of our applications are available as DIY kits and some require some level of construction and installation by qualified technicians. Check out our photo gallery and contact us at info@something.solar if you have something solar that you've been thinking about. Include your full contact information and we will get in touch. Sometimes there is something new under the sun.
Known as the Arkansas Renewable Energy Challenge, this is a 1971 postal van that we converted into a demonstration electric vehicle about 25 years ago. It has been towed to over 50 schools in Arkansas teaching students (and teachers) about renewable energy with active thermal, PV and driving demonstrations. The van has served as portable power for construction projects, power for stage bands and even was a driving participant in the "Shortest Parade in The World" held in Hot Springs, AR.----The power train consisted of a 12hp forklift motor fitted to the rear axel powered by a 48v lead acid battery bank and using the controls scavenaged from the forklift. On level road it had a maximum range of five miles at 40mph. The direct drive without the use of a transmission meant that hills were out. Behind the cover door for the gas cap was a 120v duplex outlet for powering loads. The power was provided by a 48v 5kW sinewave inverter.
We built this portable power trailer in 2000. The 100w PV modules were recycled from the Meadowcreek project in Stone County and provided a 2kW array connected to 10kWh of sealed lead acid battery and a 24v 4kW Trace inverter. The array would fold in and down for travel. The trailer was also equiped with a powerful DC water pump capable of drawing water from a pond or other water source and discharging at the rate of 70gpm for aggricultural purposes. In 2005, after hurricane Katrena hit New Orlienes, we took the trailer down to the St Benard Port and it powered the temporary offices set up by the Port Authority to get the Port back up and running.
This is one of a couple of hot dog stands that we fitted with solar power. The system powered the on board water pump and refregerator.
This custom array was designed to pump water from the Little Maumelle River and irrigate some 800 seedling trees planted at Two Rivers Park Arboretum in Little Rock
This mailbox was fitted with a small PV module, battery storage and a DC pump. It serves to cirrculate fluid supplying heat to a root zone heating application in a greenhouse.
We have completed numerous off grid lighting applications. This one was installed in 1991.
This Skid represents a portable power solution for charging battery powered tools on remote projects. We mounted it on a small trailer and the PV Array collapses for travel.
This is an earlier version of our Boat Dock Power system(s). We are updating the system to include newer inverter and battery storage technology. Our kits are built with the DIY'er in mind and come prewired and ready for plug and play. A number of options are available, however the base unit is capable of providing power for boat lifts, lighting, power tools and other loads typical for boat docks. The lockable enclosures are outdoor rated and include a GFI 120v recepticle and a 20a breaker to land field wiring by an electrician or qualified technician.
