Sunny
Junior Member
Posts: 59
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Post by Sunny on Apr 19, 2005 3:25:34 GMT -6
hehehe, wanna know how to read a diode (current flows one way) or resistor (limits the amount of current)? 0 Brown 1 Black 2 Red 3 Orange 4 Yellow 5 Green 6 Blue 7 Violet 8 Grey 9 White Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Goes Willingly hehehe...a bit of VERY non-PC trivia I picked up from the ex 100 years ago...the stripe end goes in your left hand, the plain end goes in the right and that's the direction the current flows from....oh, and if there are purty silver or gold stripes that has somethin' to do with the tolerances (?).............hah! I don't hardly never get to spout that off no more, lol  (an' a capacitor will hold a charge and will ZAP ya!  OW!!) |
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12vman
Junior Member
"This is Where it's At"
Posts: 93
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Post by 12vman on Apr 19, 2005 3:26:13 GMT -6
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Sunny
Junior Member
Posts: 59
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Post by Sunny on Apr 19, 2005 3:29:54 GMT -6
hehehe, once upon a time all that stuff had to be looked up in BOOKS! Now, even books have gone in the direction of the slide rule.  Sure saves on shelf space, lol. |
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Post by lilithb on Apr 19, 2005 7:42:01 GMT -6
No, I live in an apt.
I would like to eventually, live in a yurt , I have seen some unbelievable ones but so far I am here on the 8th floor looking down.
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Post by olhillbilly on Apr 19, 2005 10:13:38 GMT -6
Volts x Amps = Watts, darlin' ... Watts / Volts = Amps I'm looking for output, not input. and my tester dont have a Amp setting. Ok, let me try this again. Say one of yer panels is rated at 50 watts. and puts out 12v. How do they come up with the 50watts. Orrrr, the lil wind-gen on yer dingy is crankin out 300watts on a windy day and is either 12v or 24v. How do you know the wattage? Meybe why i wasnt good at math. I could understand the need but not the howcome. Sometimes I can make simple things complicated. Bleeah ~pulling on hairs~ oh an thanks for the link, 12v. Looks handy. I like things where I dont havta figger. Used to, youd havta safteypin a custom pocket in yer jacket to smuggle in a calculator, in school. now they let em use computers  |
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12vman
Junior Member
"This is Where it's At"
Posts: 93
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Post by 12vman on Apr 20, 2005 18:39:13 GMT -6
I hate math too.. I squeezed through college and that's about it.. The panels are rated at 50 watts. The current (amps) is around 4. The rated charge voltage is 12.. 12x4=48.. Close enough for me.. ;D When I figure what size charge controller to use, I just look at the current of the panel array then go from that. All panels have a charge rating on them in amps and it depends if you are using the panels for 12 volt or 24 volt charging. Most panels are designed towards 12 volts but there are 24 volt panels too. 2-12 volt panels can be used to charge 24 volts if they are connected in series.. |
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Sunny
Junior Member
Posts: 59
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Post by Sunny on Apr 21, 2005 3:44:15 GMT -6
Hilly, I spent over 1/2 hour typing all kinds of info for ya last night...and when I hit "post" the whole thing zapped  The rating of a solar panel depends on how many little round silicon wafers it has. Each wafer is able to "process" a certain wattage (2.4? I forget), so the more wafers, the merrier. (A 120w one is more than twice the square footage of a 50w one) I cheated along the line and found you a formula (yep, your favorite thing) using resistance and ohms - or was it amps? - to figure out 1 volt. I forgot that already, too.  My experience is mainly from living on a sailboat with "McGiver"...BUT we had some kitchen (galley!) appliances, TV/VCR/radio/cassette deck/VHF radio/DVD player...fans in all the cabins, both 12v and AC power tools, soldering gun, pressure water pump, bilge pump, flourescent and incandesent lighting, running lights, chargers for cell phones, flashlights and the Makita drill, laptop computer, sewing machine, vacuum cleaner, Christmas lights, lanterns...just "normal stuff" (except things like microwave - even a 600 watt is too "intensive", toaster, hair dryer or iron) No refrigerator (just an icebox), A/C or heat, though, but we had trade winds and tropics to keep us comfortable (who needs clothes?) With solar panels and the battery bank and inverter, you just learn to estimate total wattage being consumed, kinda automatically. You also learn to do do "power gobbling things" in the daytime when it's sunny. In the evening, we learned quickly that it wasn't wise to run 3 fans, the TV, the VHF, 2 flourescent lights and one incandesant AND the mast light...while doing dishes or the inverter craps out before the end of StarGate. We DID have a backup to the 4 solar panels (+/- 350 watts total? Something like that)...we had the diesel engine with a bigass alternator. Lots of times we'd run it for 12-15 minutes in the evening to heat up the water for 2 showers (if the solar shower had cooled off too much by then). The bonus there was that it topped off the batteries. We only had two (then 3) 12v batteries, unfortunately, because of cost and SPACE. One always had to be isolated and kept in reserve for engine starting, but we often swapped 'em, as long as one was "reserved". We experimented with regular deep cycle ones and gel-cels (which are "hybrids")...the gel-cel was probably the better, more reliable one for engine starting and not getting corroded in a marine environment, but the deep-cycles were WAY cheaper and probably held their charge longer...because of the usage pattern, it was rough on the batteries plus the boat was only used 6 months in the winter every year. Yep, new batteries were a "given" annual expense. Wiring up a tiny meter (or actually 2) is pretty easy...and you get used to monitoring them throughout the day and evening. "Green" is "good"  We rewired a lot of the 12v system with special low(?) resistance marine-compatible wire and the boat was also wired for AC (usually for shore power)...found special STAINLESS cigarette lighter outlets through WestMarine which greatly reduced the tendency for them to screw up from corrosion. We probably had a dozen or so scattered around the boat and on deck. (I fussed to have a few extras based on the length of the 12v vacuum cleaner cord ;D) I STILL hate flourescent lights, even if they do consume teensy watts...I'd opt to "watt-splurge" on one decent truckers "mood light" rather than having that overhead unit shining in my eyes. (C'mon, I'm OLD...flourescents not only flicker in tired eyes, but they're hell on highlighting wrinkles!! I still have a CERTAIN amount of pride...) Candles are a nice alternative, but NOT-NOT-NOT on a boat! A wind generator was going to be the next step....but then I met G~ and the rest is history. Oh, when things are in question or doubt, read the instruction book (that was my job, lol) |
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Post by preliator on May 26, 2005 0:12:30 GMT -6
hey 12,
I always love when you talk shop, this stuff is so interesting. I keep learning a bit more every day. I have a small plan for a system going on now. I am in the middle of planning a build for a 14' gazebo that will actulally become a small off grid cabin in yard for me to test all the things i want to make on a bigger scale.
although the oil lamp lights the area needed nicely. Have learned much from you
thanks buddy,
anthony
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12vman
Junior Member
"This is Where it's At"
Posts: 93
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Post by 12vman on May 26, 2005 4:13:44 GMT -6
Hay pre..
When yer ready to start, get ahold of me. I can point ya to some cheap, working toys to play with. Are ya gonna use those star plates? I'm gonna build one with them..
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Post by preliator on May 26, 2005 9:06:08 GMT -6
hey 12,
Yeah I am planning to use the starplates that i got from ebay. I am going for the 8 foot struts will gice me a diameter of about 13 feet. that will mirror pretty much what I am lookin to do for a small weekend cabin on the property if this deal goes through. figure I can work out all the bugs down here and not up in the sticks were i have less acess to help or materials if need be.
I am pretty much going with the same plan i had for the ice fishing house 9we crushed that idea uncle sold house on lake so nowere to use it without all sorts of permits) couple of led lights. 12v stero cdplayer (auto type) built into a cabinet as well as a 12v tv for the kiddies. small wood stove for heat and cooking, and in the weekend place an rv refrigerator. nice and simple will run a small battery bank on exterior (well insulated and vented) use small solar array to top of and have the 1000 watt yamaha to run big stuff like tools and compressor and to top off battery bank (has a 12v charging system just need plug with clips for batteries)may consider a 12 ceiling fan as well just help move air. but plan to make cabin nice and tight no drafts cept for a small fresh air vent for woodstove , pleanty of insulation for both heating and cooling purposes.
Also desigined a small solar water heater that will work cept for the wintertime when its real cold. in winter i can use a storage tank on side of wood burner. water will run by means of small 12v bilge type pump from storage tank(above counter area) and to a grey water tank outside of cabin.
I figure i would build the gazebo/cabin here at house. install 2 windows i have and the rest would be screened in. I plan to build a wall half way up the triangles. in winter i will insert solid panels with foam insulation in them were the screens were to close to weather. Ill use that one for entertaining in nice weather and a getaway place from the wife and kids when i need peace and quiet lol....
anthony
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Post by olhillbilly on May 26, 2005 9:16:20 GMT -6
Hey, I just happen to have in stock, one 12v fan. Got it back when I had a variety store. Its the kind that goes on a newer model car to cool the radiator. I hung onto it thinkin it'll run on batteries. Just a thought Since Pre was talkin bout fans an such. I'll go back to my hole, now. |
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Post by woodsrunner on May 26, 2005 9:43:39 GMT -6
Hey 12v
Tell us more about these used batteries you can get from work. Do they sell them? Might be a good way for someone just building a system to save some start up money.
As for me. I like solar. But, having grown up in the north east, I'm looking at places with an eye towards microhydro. Or maybe a site with the possibility of both solar and hydro.
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12vman
Junior Member
"This is Where it's At"
Posts: 93
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Post by 12vman on May 26, 2005 20:41:00 GMT -6
When they change the systems out, I usually get them for free. I would help anyone out with them if they wanted them. The shipping would cost as much as new batterys. That's the downfall.. Hydro is good if you have a creek or stream on the property. Solar is more simple and less upkeep. The costs would be near the same. |
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sweetwench
New Member
Of all the things I've lost throughout the years, it's my mind I miss the most!
Posts: 16
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Post by sweetwench on Oct 22, 2006 18:31:36 GMT -6
12V,
I may need brain surgery .. NOT! I'm not real smart but I'm hoping to get off the grid someday. I've been reading Mother Earth News Mag since... well way back and it has all kinds of ideas and how to's in it.
Hey everyone, thanks for the links...and if i come up/across something good from the magizine, I'll share it with you-all.
HB.. "Herd the ticks and look for mushrooms" I swear you crack me up all the time. Toooo funny. I'm gonna use that one next summer.
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12vman
Junior Member
"This is Where it's At"
Posts: 93
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Post by 12vman on Oct 28, 2006 18:28:44 GMT -6
Yea.. Mother Earth News ruined me in the 70's, Talkin' about these thingies that the sun shines on that can charge batteries. I didn't get to "Play" with this stuff 'till 20 yrs. later.. Ah, Well.. I'm a doin' it now.. Better now than never, huh.. |
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OW!!)
