We haz even more solar tek

[cybermule]

Electric scooter is finally back in one piece ready to go for its MOT. Which I still need to book. Sigh.

Large solar panel lives in the back garden charging up car batteries, whch then go to the laptops and other portable devices via a 1kW invertor.

Small solar panel now screwed to the front wall of the house, soaking up the rays and charging a plethora of 12v batteries to go through a 200w invertor and charge phones and so on.

Would do photos, but in all honesty it's just a sea of crocodile clips and wires. Not that interesting. Will look into the big water heating domestic stuff one day though, in case I need to dispose of some capital suddenly ;)

Comments

[weemadharold.livejournal.com]

Solar tec for the win! Unfortunately anything solar-powered still brings back memories of the time I worked for a TV shopping channel which sold solar-powered lights, and the Kiwi presenter would always sing "We got solar, solar, solar, solar lights!" (to the tune of the Kiss song 'Crazy Nights'). But aside from that; post-apocalyptic technological skills rock :o)

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

[quercus.livejournal.com]

W00t! Do you have the inverters yet? Were they spendy?


I'm not a fan of solar water heating (and can woffle at length on the topic, about our plans for this place). Solar space heating is great, but a more complicated system to heat hot water costs several times as much. Then when you look at the fuel bills, we just don't spend that much on the water, our big spend is on the space heating. So I favour _simple_ (and so cheap) systems for space heating alone.

In My Copious Free Time, I want to go and do an installer course up the valley at Navitron.

Mind you, the numbers for this do break down a little in the UK. Today I could have lashing of free bathwater and I certainly don't need any space heating (if I wanted hot baths). When I need space heating though, can I get my panels to deliver so much heat in Autumn?

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Yes I do - not that spendy, in fact cheap'n'cheerful off EBay.

I'm almost tempted to go for some sort of multi-fuel boiler/burner at some point. We need to do beer and waffle at some point, probably after your festival is done and dusted.

What installer course?

[badnewswade.livejournal.com]

Sounds goood! 1kw inverters, eh? I am big with envy!

PS the big fuck-off panels are down to £40 at Maplins now.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Ooo. Can't have too many at that price. Thanks :)

Inverter was reasonably cheap off EBay. Will Chase up the link.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Yes, cheaps. Here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-1000W-12V-DC-220V-AC-Car-Power-Inverter-USB-Port-/330519257643?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item4cf47ba22b#ht_3065wt_914

Will let you know when it explodes in a puff of smoke ;)

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking forward to checking this out when I come down :)

[(Anonymous)]

Be my pleasure to show it off. It'll also give me an incentive to stick it together properly - looks a bit crazy at the moment.

[ninneviane.livejournal.com]

Excellent :D