Solar panels?
-
Marc Clifton wrote:
batteries were really expensive
Here in Ireland you don't really need batteries because you can just feed the power back into the main grid. We get paid back if our meter is wound back below zero instead of us paying at all.We have a wind turbine though(5kw) so it's capable of doing that. :-D This doesn't make your house independent though because it has to shut off when the grid cuts off because of regulations. :sigh:
buachaill cliste wrote:
This doesn't make your house independent though because it has to shut off when the grid cuts off because of regulations
Even out in the sticks?
-
buachaill cliste wrote:
This doesn't make your house independent though because it has to shut off when the grid cuts off because of regulations
Even out in the sticks?
Well if you're connected to the grid yeah,because if you leave it pumping into the grid when it's supposed to be off then you'll have some fried electrician. But if you're that far out in the sticks you'll need alot of batteries :-D
-
Well if you're connected to the grid yeah,because if you leave it pumping into the grid when it's supposed to be off then you'll have some fried electrician. But if you're that far out in the sticks you'll need alot of batteries :-D
buachaill cliste wrote:
Well if you're connected to the grid yeah,because if you leave it pumping into the grid when it's supposed to be off then you'll have some fried electrician.
Odd, I am pretty sure my system has a controller that prevents pumping power into the grid during an outage.
buachaill cliste wrote:
But if you're that far out in the sticks you'll need alot of batteries
:)
-
buachaill cliste wrote:
Well if you're connected to the grid yeah,because if you leave it pumping into the grid when it's supposed to be off then you'll have some fried electrician.
Odd, I am pretty sure my system has a controller that prevents pumping power into the grid during an outage.
buachaill cliste wrote:
But if you're that far out in the sticks you'll need alot of batteries
:)
Chris Austin wrote:
Odd, I am pretty sure my system has a controller that prevents pumping power into the grid during an outage.
I think that is what his shutoff comment was about.
-
Chris Austin wrote:
Odd, I am pretty sure my system has a controller that prevents pumping power into the grid during an outage.
I think that is what his shutoff comment was about.
I took it as if his turbine had to shutdown...I need to sleep more.
-
So the other day I was reading some technical article as a result of googling... :doh: as a result of using google search. Up popped an article about building your own solar panels for $200. Anyone in CP actually do this? I don't mean heat water. The electricity goes into batteries where a power inverter converts it to 120V (here in the US).
Charlie Gilley Will program for food... Hurtling toward a government of the stupid, by the stupid, for the stupid we go. —Michelle Malkin This crap sandwich is all yours.... 2009 "Stimulus Bill"
When solar panels are used to power the factories making solar panels, I'll buy them also.
-
charlieg wrote:
Up popped an article about building your own solar panels for $200.
Got a link?
charlieg wrote:
Anyone in CP actually do this?
Never made a solar panel, but I bought a 120W panel (around $600), charger system, batteries (1KWh), meters, switches, and an inverter a couple years back and am able to pretty much run a couple laptops and external monitors "off the grid" most of the time. Most of the time meaning, I set the system to turn off the monitors after 2 minutes of inactivity, and I power down the whole computer after 10 or so minutes. Otherwise, not much gets into the batteries. :) It's a fun "hobby", but there's no way I'm going to recoup the close to $1500 I spent (batteries were really expensive). Marc
http://www.buildyoursolarpanels.com/buildyoursolarpanels.php?tid=solardiycontent4&gclid=COuV4bm9lpoCFR9hnAodr3xKMw[^] is one.... just getting started into this. See, I added on to the house a few years back, and I have about 500 sq ft of roof that would be perfect for solar panels
-
dan neely wrote:
How's that work?
Not sure what you mean but, we looked at our average monthly usage (kwh) and wanted the system to supply most of it. Since solar intensity is interment we hedged upward and purchased more square feet of panels to try and have a reliable output that is close to our needs. Depending on the load our home is using the inverter and controller will route power to where it is needed. If it is producing more power than we are using it charges the batteries. And, when the batteries are charged and the panels are producing more power that we are currently using it is "pumped" into the grid and the utility credits that to us at some percentage of the market rate; I forget how it is figured.
Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece. --Ralph Charell
-
When solar panels are used to power the factories making solar panels, I'll buy them also.
-
bryce wrote:
and that sir is a very salient point you make
As always... :)
-
how does the cost benefit work out for you? i.e. other than the feel good factor - is it worth doing? cheers Bryce
bryce wrote:
how does the cost benefit work out for you?
It's about a 14 year ROI assuming flat utility rates and regular maintenance on the system. Also, we could probably upgrade the panels in the future and accelerate the return. Even today as it's raining where I live we didn't draw a single bit of power from the grid except when the sun went down.
bryce wrote:
i.e. other than the feel good factor - is it worth doing?
Ours wasn't a feel good thing. More that we are unhappy relying on poor customer service and annual rate hike from the utilities. Prior to making the decision to install the system we had cut our electrical usage by about 20% yet we were still hit with a ~10% increase in our bill. Stuff like that pisses me off. Plus, it's pretty darn cool.
-
I have spent a lot of time researching this last year (trying to build something with enough power to supply my PC 24/7) and I have come to the conclusion that unless you live in California where electricity costs > 4 times what it does in most places and also get a government subsidy you will most likely spend more money for the solar panels and equipment than it will generate in its entire 20 year lifespan. One reason for this is the panels are rated for maximum output and this will only happen when the sun is directly lined up with the panel and there are no clouds or anything else blocking the light. Also remember that during 1/2 of the hours you get no output, inverter is not 100% efficient, batteries take energy to charge, waste energy on discharge, clouds get in the way of the sun ... Expect to get less than 1/4 of the rated output on average of a panel.
John
modified on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 3:49 PM
John M. Drescher wrote:
trying to build something with enough power to supply my PC 24/7
I think bicycle pedals connected to a dynamo would be better in this case. The more you pedal, the more your computer stays on. Then you could also add some kind of USB connection to the computer, and force-feedback to the pedals, controlled by a program selection software, like they have on those bicycles at the gym.
-
John M. Drescher wrote:
trying to build something with enough power to supply my PC 24/7
I think bicycle pedals connected to a dynamo would be better in this case. The more you pedal, the more your computer stays on. Then you could also add some kind of USB connection to the computer, and force-feedback to the pedals, controlled by a program selection software, like they have on those bicycles at the gym.
:laugh: I am not Lance Armstrong. Have you ever been on one of those bicycles that light up bulbs depending on how much power you are delivering? I mean pedaling to generate 110W for more than a few seconds is not that easy..
John
-
:laugh: I am not Lance Armstrong. Have you ever been on one of those bicycles that light up bulbs depending on how much power you are delivering? I mean pedaling to generate 110W for more than a few seconds is not that easy..
John