Marblehead Posted May 23, 2014 Yep. Still lots of potential in solar. I just a couple days ago finished improving on my solar system in order to make it more efficient. (Replaced a couple weak batteries and reallocated load points.) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted May 23, 2014 cool...so the ever present question... Â what's it going to cost? Â oh, right, we can just print more monopoly money to pay for it. let's get movin! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted May 23, 2014 Pretty cool! Â But... Â Ummm... Â Don't hold your breath on this one. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted May 23, 2014 Useless at night. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) Useless at night. Oh, no, that's not correct. Stored solar energy is just as useful as the direct solar energy gained during the day. (Sure, the batteries are an added expense and add to the break-even point regarding cost-benefit.) The key is efficient energy storage. Edited May 23, 2014 by Marblehead 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted May 23, 2014 I'm afraid it'll scare the moose'ss. And be very very expensive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 23, 2014 The mooses will adapt. Â Yes, it wil be very, berry expensive. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted May 23, 2014 my questions, what sort of grid upgrades would be required, which could perhaps be as much as all those panels themselves. Â Â and....how they gonne handle a carrington event? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted May 23, 2014 my questions, what sort of grid upgrades would be required, which could perhaps be as much as all those panels themselves. Â Â and....how they gonne handle a carrington event? Infrastructure additions/changes would be mind-boggling. Â Carrington event? What Carrington event??? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) hey, did you see one missed us back in '12 and slammed the stereo craft, they had a press release recently with analysis....whole zone got cleared out by a CME 4 days earlier, then a double whammy dont know X strength, but 1 week earlier and it would have plowed us...right, I think I posted about that in my solar thread... Edited May 23, 2014 by joeblast 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted May 23, 2014 'Forces' are turning against and discouraging solar here. A while ago it was supported and schemes and funding started ... then the arse fell out of them and funding withdrawn and assistance made harder ... then a new scheme where you get financial assistance for a set up, but now its in the down swing again ... it got too popular and mains electricity consumption has gone down and they dont like loosing the money ... subtle eroding has started to appear and people are trying to f up the solar systems we might end up with a version of this ... it seems to be heading that way  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/04/alec-freerider-homeowners-assault-clean-energy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Foote Posted May 23, 2014 Meanwhile, on the battery technology front: Â http://www.caradvice.com.au/287241/dual-carbon-battery-promises-quick-recharging-longer-range-improved-safety/ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harmonious Emptiness Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) It would revolutionize a number of things in the economy, such as corrupt road contracts, which makes it difficult to implement for sure. I like the idea that it produces up to 3 times more power than current needs, and that it will do something with recycled junk. Â It would cost lots, but, save even more. Â I think a country with free power would be at a huge military advantage just due to the fact of how much extra cash they would have. I can't see the costs exceeding current unnecessary military costs. They would just have to use the same factories or something to keep from causing too much disruption. Edited May 24, 2014 by Harmonious Emptiness Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 24, 2014 Meanwhile, on the battery technology front: That sounds promising. Lithium batteries are still too expensive for me to upgrade the pond system or the electric Honda. I do have some other things that are powered with lithium batteries though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted May 25, 2014 (edited) These 'green' energy wheezes maybe OK but here in Blighty, so far: they have been a huge flop. We don't get enough sun for solar, either not enough wind or too much for windmills and tidal barrages just kill off molluscs first then the local bird life. We are sitting on some 500 years worth of coal here but due to 'green' legislation we can neither mine it nor burn it. Drax power station sits right on top of our biggest deepest coal field ( that's why they built it where it is) but had to shift from coal to wood chip. The wood chip comes in huge container ships from Canada and the USA. There's 'green'. Edited May 25, 2014 by GrandmasterP 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted May 25, 2014 That sounds promising. Lithium batteries are still too expensive for me to upgrade the pond system or the electric Honda. I do have some other things that are powered with lithium batteries though. Â My electric bike has lithium batteries in some sort of series array. Not sure how but from the size of the long and rectangular casing I reckon they are mobile phone sized cells stacked up. It's good for about 20 miles unassisted, further using pedal/ battery combo. Takes forever to charge up from flat though. Overnight minimum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 25, 2014 My electric bike has lithium batteries in some sort of series array. Not sure how but from the size of the long and rectangular casing I reckon they are mobile phone sized cells stacked up. It's good for about 20 miles unassisted, further using pedal/ battery combo. Takes forever to charge up from flat though. Overnight minimum. Yeah, the batteries, likely about twice the size of a "AA" battery would be wired in series. Each battery likely at 4.7 VDC. Those became popular (and still are as far as I know) down in Key West quite a few years ago. No idea why the long time for recharge - likely the technology as well as safety over-charge, over-heat protection. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trunk Posted May 25, 2014 I first checked their indiegogo page about this time yesterday and happened to notice the amount $833,000. Now they are up to $1.1million. They raised $267,000 in 24 hours! (6 days left.) Freakin' amazing, the power of sharing via social media, the web, grassroots funding + high tech. Â They are starting with driveways and parking lots. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted May 26, 2014 Sounds great. Anything we can do in this area of our life will not only help us now but will help future generations as well. Â Sure, there are some down side to solar but it is still an excellent source of energy. Â Â A BTW: Â Yesterday I was dozing in front of the TV and my cmmercial power went off. This woke me up fully. So I'm wondering what to do. I know, I want a cup of coffee. So I get my extension cord out of the work shop that is connected to my solar system, plug the coffee pot into it and brew a short pot of coffee. Â So I'm sitting there drinking coffee and getting hot because the AC isn't working. The extension cord is still in the house. Aha! I unplug the coffee pot and connect it to the window AC unit. (That was the first time I ever used the AC off the solar system. It worked great!) What a life!!! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted May 26, 2014 I first checked their indiegogo page about this time yesterday and happened to notice the amount $833,000. Now they are up to $1.1million. They raised $267,000 in 24 hours! (6 days left.) Freakin' amazing, the power of sharing via social media, the web, grassroots funding + high tech. Â They are starting with driveways and parking lots. Driveways and parking lots are good starting points for something like this, I think. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted June 20, 2014 Doesnt sound like they're going to make it past driveways and parking lots...that at least cuts out the led requirement... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
