Power Supply Advice?

[Adrid]

Just a bare minimal idea of what I'm working on, if I need to provide more details feel free to ask for them.

So I'm currently working on a school project, and have decided to make the Arduino Uno R3 the base microprocessor for my project. Connected to this Arduino will be a motor shield ( Adafruit Motor/Stepper/Servo Shield for Arduino v2 ) and connected to the motor shield will be a set of servos to adjust position of sensors. Haven't made a solid decision on the servos yet. Back to the arduino, It will have other sensing chips attached to it, to record information and a micro SD card shield to store data. (Adafruit Assembled Data Logging shield for Arduino). It will have some other little things attached to it to provide basic high or low signals, however they will be powered by other means.
Now to my problem... I need this to sustain its self off of solar panels and battery power for a few weeks. My Idea was to use these parts to develop a power supply circuit for my arduino and all of it's parts:
- USB / DC / Solar Lithium Ion/Polymer charger - v2
- Huge 6V 5.6W Solar panel
- Lithium Ion Battery Pack - 3.7V 4400mAh

This has to run during the night as well. So I'll probably have solar panels connected in series and parallel to increase over all voltage and current provide. This will be going through the Polymer charger, to charge several of the lithium ion batteries. I've chosen the larger solar panels, and a battery with higher current, because I am still unsure of what types of servos I will have to move and what current ratings they will require to work.

I'm probably making this extremely confusing and not directly asking a valid question. However do you's think this is a feasible idea? and that the Polymer charger could support enough current and voltage to keep the arduino uno R3 working all day and night without the system going dead on me? That's if I had enough solar panels and batteries rigged up properly. Or should I look into finding a different power supply system for my project. Everything I design / make myself adds to my over grade on my thesis project too...

Thanks for reading this and any advice or information on the subject of solar powered supplies would be extremely helpful.

[adafruit_support_bill]

So I'll probably have solar panels connected in series and parallel to increase over all voltage and current provide.

The charger will only accept up to 6v. When connecting solar cells in series and/or parallel, you need to use bypass and/or blocking diodes to maintain efficiency and protect against damage in the case of a shaded panel.

You servos will be your largest current consumers. Depending on the size of the servo, they can draw anywhere from a few hundred mA to over 1A when moving. If you application permits, you can minimize the standby current demands by stopping the servo signal when not moving the servo.

[Adrid]

Thanks for the Reply Bill.

I've decided to use the "Analog Feedback Micro Servo - Metal Gear" These Servo's will only turn slighting, mm's to a cm or less, every half hour to hour depending on readings from the sensors. These Sensors, and arduino however will be running most of the time, Recording data from the sensors, and adjusting the servo's when needed.

http://www.adafruit.com/products/1450

However I've decided to use my own charger circuit, To support the use of a larger battery, and a larger current / voltage level coming from the series / parallel solar cells. I've been pounding out the details of this on OrCad simulator, and everything seems like it should work as I have planned.
Progress on this thesis is still on going, and as the final layout comes together. I'd enjoy it if I could throw some ideas of parts at someone when I have completed all the theory work. This to hopefully give me a better idea of what I could use, should use, and may or may not be forgetting.

[greyf350]

A few things to keep in mind--you want to run it for a few weeks...do you assume there will be full sunlight conditions or cloud/rain? The panels will not produce full power in the latter nor will they produce full power throughout the whole day if it's in a fixed position. Depending on where you live and what season it is, you can get as little as 4 or 5hrs of sun. Batteries are typically 85% efficient also.

You'll need to calculate how much power you need to keep things running and figure how much power is needed to run the servos to see if you have a surplus of juice to be good .

I haven't looked, but if the arduino Can be put to sleep and wake up periodically to do its thing, that might be the best thing to conserve power

[adafruit_support_bill]

I haven't looked, but if the arduino Can be put to sleep and wake up periodically to do its thing,

Yes. This is possible.