Topic: Solar

[Libertas]

Throwing this out there in case somebody has done anything along these lines.  I'm not looking to go full conversion by any means, just looking at ways I could generate small amounts of electricity to run to some LED's as a way to have emergency lighting in case of electrical outage.  Have generators to run appliances as needed, thought a simple solar rig of some sort might be a good way to go for minimal lighting needs.  Is there a weather-hardy brand of solar panels to go after?  Good battery system to store a charge during daytime for use at night?  Any special considerations for wiring?

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[AmericanPatriot]

I think you can buy solar dusk to dawn or motion detector lights
Not terribly expensive.

Now, to remember where I saw them

[John Florida]

Northern has a couple of things that may interest you:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200396364_200396364?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top%20Sellers-_-Product%20Page




 They also carry solar panels you could possibly use to charge bateries.

[Libertas]

Thanks JF!  I didn't think of NT, looks like a few options there I can explore.

 

[John Florida]

  I have to say that last night I just didn't see how really a complicated question that is. But this morning I was sitting outside having coffee and was thinking about this question and I have come up with a couple of things if nothing else will give all of us something to think about.


  The rechargeable lights all have one thing in common,Batteries. The question the becomes what's the best way to charge then? Solar certainly is an option but is it THE option? Well it could certainly help but at what cost in dollars and work and efficiency?


  This is the least expensive system I found at Northern Tool and it comes in at 2800 dollars.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200350822_200350822
 I just don't think that it's worth that kind on money to put out enough power to run 36 one hundred watt light bulbs.


 I think you would be better served if charging batteries is the end game to invest in battery chargers and converters to power up you systems when you don't want to run generators.

 We know you have to buy enough batteries to do what you want so the cost of those is a constant and if lighting is what you're after the you either have to run 12 volt lights or 120 volt lights. If 12 volt is what you want then we know that you can get self charging solar light and are readily available.If 120 volt lights which you probably already have are what you want to run then you could go with an Inverter set up for a hell of a lot less that that solar system IE: 
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200347895_200347895

Which gives you  the ability to run 25 100 watt bulbs for a fraction of the cost.

 Since you will be running generators for at least part of the day why not invest in battery chargers that you can run off a generator and charge every battery all at once off the same generator that's running anyway and use solar battery maintenance panel just to keep the unused batteries up to full charge here again for a fraction of the cost:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200422047_200422047


 And this unit will also slow charge batteries in a pinch or used to top off batteries.

 Just some food for thought and hopefully discussion. I'm not playing expert  because lord knows I'm NOT but when you guys comment I learn a little more every time. So I'm looking for advice more than giving advice.And one of my goals is to try and keep costs to where almost anybody can do it.

 So I'll be waiting with great interest.

[Libertas]

Thanks JF.  Right now I am trying to get my clan to think about worst case scenario - no gasoline, no electrical grid, zip zero nada.  Most of this entails going back to our ancestors basics - life before electricity and refridgeration.  What to do?  We have been investing in canning supplies and looking into ways to cure and store meat, expanding the garden and getting into heirloom seeds for food and seed cultivation, stuff like that.  I am trying to get them to understand that we should minimize our electrical needs to just transceivers (HAM/FRS), radios (AM/FM/SW) and flashlights and the like.  We have solar packs that can charge small devices like this.  I am next moving on to inexpensive ways to generate low-watt lighting options for inside, nothing extravegant, just enough to be able to navigate without further straining flashlight batteries which will be better used outside or in emergencies.  So far I think solar could do the trick.  But I will consider other alternatives if they seem practical and affordable.

[John Florida]

 If that's the case look to copy motor homes. They run off three batteries of which one is for the motor the other two run the lighting and are charged by the engine or a generator but the lighting I believe is all 12v and that could all be done with solar like the last one I listed above that charge 5 watts per hour. and you will need enough batteries(12v) to rotate. The inverter could power a fridge if need be but your power source would be solar.

  You could also use boats as a source for 12v lighting.If you had a stream available that had water year round you could look to making power with a water driven generator.

[Pandora]

Bank of golfcart batteries, inverter, solar panels.

[Glock32]

It might be interesting to study the various ways steam power can be harnessed. You have a virtually unlimited supply of fuel for that (firewood). I would think with a bit of mechanical aptitude, you could get a crude steam turbine hooked to a generator in place of the gas engine. The biggest challenge would be the torque and speed being different and less consistent than the gas engine.

[Libertas]

I didn't think of that.  We have a ton of lake water we could draw upon.  Would be a longer-term project, but something to think about.

[John Florida]

I didn't think of that.  We have a ton of lake water we could draw upon.  Would be a longer-term project, but something to think about.

 No stream close by?

[Libertas]

Nope.

[John Florida]

That steam thing may be someting to be careful of.If that goes side ways somebody is getting hurt bad.

[Libertas]

Oh sure, scare me with disaster now!   

Just when I was day dreaming about building a super-cool aqueduct from the lake to the garage!   

[John Florida]

Oh sure, scare me with disaster now!   

Just when I was day dreaming about building a super-cool aqueduct from the lake to the garage!   

 Then you have a stream and you didn't know it.

[Libertas]

Oh sure, scare me with disaster now!   

Just when I was day dreaming about building a super-cool aqueduct from the lake to the garage!   

 Then you have a stream and you didn't know it.

Maybe.  My imagination is one thing, reality...could be something else!   

But I love the brainstorming.  Everything starts with an idea! 

[Glock32]

That steam thing may be someting to be careful of.If that goes side ways somebody is getting hurt bad.

In the rural South we know all about construction and operation of "extracurricular" steam boilers and condensation tanks. 

[Libertas]

Panther breath?

Mmmm!

 

[John Florida]

Water Wheel 3kw Generatator 280V

[John Florida]

This could be fun:

Power House Micro Hydro 20 KW Pumps as Turbine Motor as Generator