Anyone use "alternative" power?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone use "alternative" power?

Posted: 9/6/2004 8:51:35 AM EDT

I'm not talking about a calculator...

I mean for your home or something large scale like that. I know in Florida solar [water] heating is fairly common. What about for electricity... using those large solar cell/panels?

-Are the [solar] panels expensive?
- Do they quickly pay for themselves?
- How many do you need to get a reasonable output?
- What happens when the sun goes down... are they hooked up to capacitors or something so you can run off stored energy/power that was "collected" by the panels?
- What are the drawbacks?
- Maintenance? Do they lose a lot of the efficiency if they get really dusty or if it is overcast?

This has always fascinated me.

How about wind or hydroelectric?

Posted: 9/6/2004 8:52:44 AM EDT

[#1]

This is related to your other topic is it?

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=271338

SGtar15

Posted: 9/6/2004 8:56:25 AM EDT

[#2]

I have a bunch of illegals running in man-sized ratwheels.

It doesn't generate electricity but its fun to watch.

Man oh man can they run!

- BG

Posted: 9/6/2004 8:56:52 AM EDT

[#3]

I keep a couple dozen armadillos hopped up on minithins running treadmills in the garage.

Posted: 9/6/2004 8:57:38 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I have a bunch of illegals running in man-sized ratwheels.

It doesn't generate electricity but its fun to watch.

Man oh man can they run!

- BG

Do you dangle a green card from a stick in front of them too?

SGatr15

Posted: 9/6/2004 10:17:55 AM EDT

[#5]

We use solar at our mountain place. It provides most of the power. We hook it up to a bank of batteries. On a string of cloudy days, we do have a generator backup.

The whole system cost around 20K five years ago but it is probably a lot cheaper now.
Expensive, but cheaper than having the utility lay lines 4 miles to our place.

Posted: 9/6/2004 10:19:30 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
We use solar at our mountain place. It provides most of the power. We hook it up to a bank of batteries. On a string of cloudy days, we do have a generator backup.

The whole system cost around 20K five years ago but it is probably a lot cheaper now.
Expensive, but cheaper than having the utility lay lines 4 miles to our place.

Not much cheaper

Luck
Alac

Posted: 9/6/2004 10:30:28 AM EDT

[#7]

Posted: 9/6/2004 10:41:22 AM EDT

[#8]

1.21 Jiggawatts, I like it

Posted: 9/6/2004 1:45:23 PM EDT

[#9]

check out www.homepower.com

Posted: 9/6/2004 2:17:09 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I have a bunch of illegals running in man-sized ratwheels.
It doesn't generate electricity but its fun to watch.
Man oh man can they run!
- BG

I suppose responses like this are evidence of karma... all the times I give smart ass answers on other people's threads who are asking a serious question hoping for serious response.

Having said that... did I miss the mail-order ad in the back of Pop-Sci for the illegals and wheel contraption. Sounds like a good investment. I'd probably give up TV to watch that...

Posted: 9/6/2004 5:36:41 PM EDT

[#11]

tag

Posted: 9/6/2004 5:48:44 PM EDT

[#12]

In the mountain valley where we are, solar systems like us are getting more popular. The electric utility charges very high minimums every month plus our low population density means slow repair times when power goes out.

Posted: 9/7/2004 4:59:43 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
In the mountain valley where we are, solar systems like us are getting more popular. The electric utility charges very high minimums every month plus our low population density means slow repair times when power goes out.

Details? What kind of system do you have? What kind of output does it get?

Posted: 9/7/2004 9:48:57 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Quoted:
We use solar at our mountain place. It provides most of the power. We hook it up to a bank of batteries. On a string of cloudy days, we do have a generator backup.

The whole system cost around 20K five years ago but it is probably a lot cheaper now.
Expensive, but cheaper than having the utility lay lines 4 miles to our place.

Not much cheaper

Luck
Alac

Are you kidding? For most locations it's ALOT cheaper! The utility loves to bend people over to put up a couple poles and pay a couple guys their years wage for one days work.

S.O.

Posted: 9/7/2004 9:59:16 PM EDT

[#15]

Just burning wood and stuff during winter for heat/sometimes cooking.

I used to burn mummies but they are getting hard to find.

Posted: 9/8/2004 2:46:52 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
I used to burn mummies but they are getting hard to find.

What kind of mummies? Crack-whore, welfare mummies?
Switch to mommies... they're in abundance.

Posted: 9/8/2004 3:11:14 AM EDT

[#17]

I have a small solar electric (PV - PhotoVoltic) system. Just two panels (about 4 amps) and one set of batteries. A small 800 Watt inverter (12v - 120) I'm looking to expand it. It provides power to about one room of my amateur radio equipment etc. There's a ton of information on line. Search or Solar Electric or PV systems.

Cool Stuff.

KAC

Posted: 9/8/2004 4:03:06 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
I'm not talking about a calculator...

I mean for your home or something large scale like that. I know in Florida solar [water] heating is fairly common. What about for electricity... using those large solar cell/panels?

-Are the [solar] panels expensive?
- Do they quickly pay for themselves?
Not really if you are in Michigan
- How many do you need to get a reasonable output?
- What happens when the sun goes down... are they hooked up to capacitors or something so you can run off stored energy/power that was "collected" by the panels?
- What are the drawbacks?
- Maintenance? Do they lose a lot of the efficiency if they get really dusty or if it is overcast?

This has always fascinated me.

How about wind or hydroelectric?

I recently purchased a house with a large (20'x16') heat collecting solar array. The original owner used it for heating in the winter, but did not plumb it for preheating the hot water. That is something I plan on doing when I replace the hot water heater.

Michigan (where I am anyway) has too many cloudy days and there just isn't enough sun for practical electricity generation in the fall/winter/spring.

My neighbor is really into wind power, he is putting up a 100 foot pole with a 20' diameter windmill generator on top.

Posted: 9/8/2004 5:04:44 AM EDT

[#19]

Is the power output for wind pretty good... or at least woth the investment in short/long term thinking?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone use "alternative" power?

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