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Solar power
Topic Started: Oct 31 2010, 12:03 PM (469 Views)
Grizzly
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Anyone Know their way around solar power? I've been checking into this cause we have nothing set up yet and what I found out so far is, It's NOT CHEAP! The next thing I found is, it's not so much how many solar panels you have, but how many batteries you have to power what you need. The amount of panels and the output wattage that you have is what charges the batteries back up. So if you run a bunch of equipment one day, you will not be able to use it the next day unless you have enough recharging ability. Small panels and small amount of output means you'll be wating awhile. The larger the panels and wattage means you'll keep running things like normal. This is the simplest explanation that was given to me and I hope it helps for those planning such a system.
Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns
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Bullmoose
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I have worked with them a little. Wired 12 and 24 volt systems on boatlifts. I just used what was supplied in the kit and it always worked. Solar power is really one of our priorities, but we don't wanna go out purchasing before we know what we should have. Another excuse I use for my procastination, I have heard recently that there were recently huge advances in solar cell technology, which will make them more efficient and more importantly, more affordable. I have been watching for these cells to hit the market but nothing so far....
It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.
Samuel Adams
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HandFarming
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A little solar use here as part of our research on Alt-energy.

I would Never depend on solar as a main source of power. 1. Emps will disable ;2. Battery power is as costly, or more costs to the system; 3. Cost pr watt

I do use it on a few things like small dedicated systems. I also like it in the winter as the snow bounces light onto them when they get put in a strategic placement.

Dedicated systems could be- powering a solar bike, attic fan units, water pumping to livestock and recharging household tanks or pumping hot water to name a few. I don't have more than a few panels and solar lights.
You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think.
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HandFarming
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As for cost coming down, there is guy on eBay who sells them by the pallet and you have to soldier them yourself but the price is the best I'seen.
You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think.
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HandFarming
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There are some tricks to increasing the solar power if you ever got panels.

1. Add a mirror on to reflect more sunlight onto the panel. You can take advantage of bounce light too. We lived on the south side of a lake and the lake bounced the winter sun into the house and warmed it. I had always thought it would be a good way to take advantage of solar. This works with passive solar in winter too but even panels can get double or triple the output if reflective materials are placed to increase its collection ability.

2. For longer battery life- de-sulfate the batteries regularly. It refreshes them and adds years to their life (along with the other maintenance of topping off distilled water and cleaning posts).

3. Keep the panels from dis-charging your batteries overnight with proper wiring components. We once hooked up batteries directly to the panels and couldn't figure out why they had power in the eve, but not in the morning...duh! Just a tip for the DIY'ers.
You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think.
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Raven
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I would have never thought of mirrors HF...great idea.
Griz will be out of work again soon and maybe after getting firewood in he will have time to dedicate to energy. Right now neither of us has the "energy" to work on energy :-)
The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand
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HandFarming
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I know the feeling. We peddle the ricksycle into town on Sunday...no motor on it yet. That's 15 mile one-way trip. And the trip back we had the bike trailer loaded with 100 extra lbs of goods. My knees still hurt! As soon as we got up the next day, we looked for motors for the bikes!
You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think.
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HandFarming
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Raven, any reflective material will work. And that includes snow=))
You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think.
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Grizzly
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Instead of sore legs from peddling, how about horse and buggy? I've been working all summer in Iowa and everyday we go by amish people hauling supplies. Looks like a long slow process but It's not costing them anything. Most businesses even have hitching posts for them. This summer their kwik trip store even put in a cement pad for them to load their buggy on instead of dirt and mud. The poor kwik trip lady had to go out daily to clean up horse crap but they must get quit a bit of business. To bad that type of thing can't be found around here.
Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns
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Mommacat
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My thoughts exactly, Grizzly. It would be a great prepping plan to have horses and buggy / wagon available. On a really grim note, if things were catastrophically horrible, you could always butcher the horses for meat. Plus, transportation, they pull plows, log skids, and a whole lot of other things a person could use help with.
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