New Tesla Solar set up - 'Powerwall'

[Marblehead]

Why? Easy example

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/solar-refrigeration/

 

The Toronto Zoo uses low nighttime electricity rates to generate ice which then supports cooling during the day. Scalable, local ... and easy to reverse if your "cheap" energy arrives during the day. 

Well, if it works why hasn't it caught on?  I have seen examples of cooling and heating that supposedly work but no one is doing it.  There has to be a reason why.

[Nungali]

Why? Easy example

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/solar-refrigeration/

 

The Toronto Zoo uses low nighttime electricity rates to generate ice which then supports cooling during the day. Scalable, local ... and easy to reverse if your "cheap" energy arrives during the day. 

 

Yes, refrigeration has been one of my issues.   A gas one is v.expensive for a good size.  I use mains electricity (at the barn)  to freeze ice in 4 lt containers and then take it to the cabin ( solar powered)  where I have a chest freezer that I converted to an ice chest ... I had used  a fridge, but the door on the front allows all the cold to flow out each time it is opened. The freezer has a top lid, so that doesnt happen, also it is inside now and the whole thing gets cold on the outside and helps to keep the cabin cool. In winter when I have the fire on inside, it will go back outside into the cold air. 

[mostly_empty]

Well, if it works why hasn't it caught on?  I have seen examples of cooling and heating that supposedly work but no one is doing it.  There has to be a reason why.

 

http://ice-energy.com/technology/

http://www.calmac.com

 

So... it is working and it is being deployed.

And not so different then your grandparents or great grand parents who (depending where they lived) stockied enough ice each winter, by covering blocks of it with sawdust to use it all summer. 

 

Why don't people do this on a personal scale? Because 1) lazy or ignorant and 2) the cost savings is so low because the true price of energy is not often on their bill.

 

In other countries where electric rates are higher they typically use much less refrigeration at the personal scale - they spend the energy going to a market every day or few. Freshness over refrigeration. 

 

I do, however, use a do-it-yourself scale of this by placing my freezers in a cold garage.

 

Cheers.

Edited December 11, 2015 by mostly_empty

[Nungali]

Well, if it works why hasn't it caught on?  I have seen examples of cooling and heating that supposedly work but no one is doing it.  There has to be a reason why.

 

 

" As with most technologies, the efficiency of such absorptive refrigeration depends on the degree of engineering (and expense) brought to bear. "

 

? 

[Nungali]

http://ice-energy.com/technology/

http://www.calmac.com

 

So... it is working and it is being deployed.

And not so different then your grandparents or great grand parents who (depending where they lived) stockied enough ice each winter, by covering blocks of it with sawdust to use it all summer. 

 

Why don't people do this on a personal scale? Because 1) lazy or ignorant and 2) the cost savings is so low because the true price of energy is not often on their bill.

 

In other countries where electric rates are higher they typically use much less refrigeration at the personal scale - they spend the energy going to a market every day or few. Freshness over refrigeration. 

 

I do, however, use a do-it-yourself scale of this by placing my freezers in a cold garage.

 

Cheers.

 

But you, like me, are using mains power ( even though off-peak) to freeze the ice.    The fridges mentioned in your link are in areas where there is no electricity, the freezer runs off direct solar, with no electricity ?    (my link keeps dropping out to the article )   or are they saying they produce solar power and use that for freezing ?

 

I am very interested in direct solar to fridge .... it must work by  focusing the sun's rays onto the heating element of the refrigeration plant ?  

[Nungali]

When I went and bought my broken down freezer to use as  an ice chest ( $10) ... the crazy dude at the white goods recyclers showed me how a fisher and pykel washing machine is set up electronically and how one can extend the central shaft to a wind turbine, make a couple of simple changes, turn the thing sideways and you have a  wind generated  AC power source. 

[Marblehead]

http://ice-energy.com/technology/

http://www.calmac.com

But those are for rich people. 

[mostly_empty]

But you, like me, are using mains power ( even though off-peak) to freeze the ice.    The fridges mentioned in your link are in areas where there is no electricity, the freezer runs off direct solar, with no electricity ?    (my link keeps dropping out to the article )   or are they saying they produce solar power and use that for freezing ?

 

I am very interested in direct solar to fridge .... it must work by  focusing the sun's rays onto the heating element of the refrigeration plant ?  

 

I have seen two direct solar to fridge systems; one is basically a rework of a classic propane design and the other is an ammonia phase change design. Although these things get build by students fairly routinely, I don't know of anyone actually using them so can't comment. Solar is not reliably great where I live... 

 

The ones I provided links to are larger scale devices simply to reply to an earlier comment that these things weren't practical. They are, but electricity is so cheap here that personal savings from making some shift makes them unpopular.

 

The leader in practical small fridges and freezers in NA is probably SunDanzer. They use a PV panel to DC run a pretty standard electric model modified to be functional and reliable at low levels of power. 

Edited December 12, 2015 by mostly_empty

[thelerner]

sorry I used 'generic you'  ...  I meant  ;  But if     you are  one is      not sensible or thrifty and want 'green  street cred' admiration ;

Yo yo yo, we got a 10 year old Prius;

You give us any lip

We run you down with ip.

 

It won't make no sound

when it puts u

in the ground.

s u c k a h !

 

 

I got your green creds

right down here- baby.

 

 

sorry, they had some top notch booze at wife's company's holiday party.

drinking and dancing always brings out the slang in me.

Edited December 12, 2015 by thelerner

[Nungali]

I bought a little  fuel cell kit today  ( like a kids science learning kit) to see how it works. It says it runs on salt water.  Surprised if it works ... after reading the instructions I can see why this system would not be viable .... i dont even think it might be viable to build the model  

 

Thing is, it doesnt just run on salt water, it actually runs on sheets of magnesium that wears out and needs replacing, and the whole thing has to be disassembled and washed with pure water after use as the cell will corrode  ... and ... and ...and  ... then it pumps out a trickle of current .    But then again the fuel cell is about as big as three half postage stamps stacked on one another . 

 

Then again, magnesium is expensive .... and maybe more polluting to get than  petrol ? 

 

I am still running the cabin lights and day power here on the 2nd hand panel I bought that came  off a boat  about 20 years ago for $200  ! 

[Marblehead]

Yo yo yo, we got a 10 year old Prius;

sorry, they had some top notch booze at wife's company's holiday party.

drinking and dancing always brings out the slang in me.

My electric conversion Honda is 31 years old.  Still serving my well even with the batteries now getting older.  Still getting the equivalent of 70 MPG.  (I was getting 90 MPG when the batteries were new.)