--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCE00001 Date: 08/09/96 From: ROY J. TELLASON Time: 08:36am \/To: CHRIS HARPER (Read 3 times) Subj: Steam CH> I've been considering grabbing up a bunch of foot square mirror CH> tiles I've seen going pretty cheap and setting CH> something like this up. Could use advise. I'll bet those "cheap" tiles aren't particularly flat... --- * Origin: TANSTAAFL BBS 717-432-0764 (1:270/615) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCE00002 Date: 08/09/96 From: BILL BAUER Time: 06:46am \/To: RAUL ALMQUIST (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: FS: 1kw 120VAC Inverter > I will post a followup with all the particulars tomorrow under this > same topic, but basically I will sell it via the best Emailed bid, I will > start the bidding at $50.00. > and YES, this does work just fine! That's a heck of a price. I have 8 or 9 1000 watt UPS systems and what I do is to run a couple of heavy wires out the window to 8 car batteries connected 4 in a bank and paralleling the 2 banks with 4 more 7 AH gelcells internal to the units. Gives me a long, long running time after the power goes off. Don't know exactly how much time running my computer, monitor, a TV and a VCR, but it's substantial. At least 8 hours or more. Bill Bauer --- DB 1.58/004358 * Origin: -=[MAGNA CARTA NEWS SERVICE]=-(405)631-1664 (1:147/113) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCE00003 Date: 08/09/96 From: LORIN POTTER Time: 02:33pm \/To: CHRIS HARPER (Read 3 times) Subj: PHOTOVOLTAIC AIR CON CH> On Tuesday July 30 1996, Tim Hutzler of (1:119/88) wrote to Cathy Hettinger: TH> Ya know, from time to time I read of these 'break thorughs' in TH> photo-voltaic production technologies. But I don't see the price drop TH> all that much. Are cheap PV cells being kept from us, or are they TH> being snached up as soon as they pop out of the toaster? CH>They're being snatched up. By power companies, no less! I believe they are >"protecting their investment". Another conspieracy? Guess everyone is really out to get you Chris. Thanks, Lorin Potter -- SPEED 1.40 #1891: Without my ignorance, your knowledge is meaningless --- FLAME v1.1 * Origin: Files R Us BBS - Cedar Rapids, Ia. (319-378-8257) (1:283/125) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00000 Date: 08/10/96 From: ROY J. TELLASON Time: 09:37am \/To: BILL BAUER (Read 4 times) Subj: FS: 1kw 120VAC Inverter BB> That's a heck of a price. I have 8 or 9 1000 watt UPS systems BB> and what I do is to run a couple of heavy wires out the window BB> to 8 car batteries connected 4 in a bank and paralleling the 2 BB> banks with 4 more 7 AH gelcells internal to the units. Is it a matter of concern that the batteries may not always be equal in charge? I've often wondered about that, and whether some sort of isolation between them wouldn't be a bad idea. I've seen a few setups where several batteries were just tied together, and it gets interesting when one of the set has a shorted cell. This happened in one of those "big rigs" which had four fairly hefty (group 31) batteries attached, and when I put the tester across them I was measuring a little under 12 volts (11-something...). Disconnecting the grounds allowed me to find the bad one, which was pulling the others down. Amazingly enough, the truck would still start okay. BB> Gives me a long, long running time after the power goes off. BB> Don't know exactly how much time running my computer, monitor, BB> a TV and a VCR, but it's substantial. At least 8 hours or more. Sounds good to me! I'd eventually like to get a setup like that going, but not here... --- * Origin: TANSTAAFL BBS 717-432-0764 (1:270/615) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00001 Date: 08/06/96 From: JIM DUNMYER Time: 07:26am \/To: ROY J. TELLASON (Read 4 times) Subj: LOOKING FOR THE SCHE >JD> One thing you must remember is to equalize your battery(s) now >JD> and then by giving them an overcharge. It should be at a rate > > I have not been in the habit of doing this, and should probably > look into it at some point... I use a couple of farily large UPSs on my computer equipment, bought very cheaply because of their internal batteries being shot. My procdure is to remove those batteries, install binding posts on the rear, then connect a pair of Group 27 RV/trolling batteries with welding cable. This gives me a LOT of backup power; I can run 2 or 3 computers for over an hour if ecessary. However: I've been doing this for some time, and have experienced what I feel is very short life for these batteries. As in about 3 years. (!) They are seldom discharged to any degree (our power is pretty reliable), and are maintained by highly-regulated chargers in the UPSs. Said chargers are capable of only about 1 amp of current, but that's sufficient to restore the batteries after a use, albeit over a fairly long time. However, they never equalize the charge, and some cells die eventually. Due to this, I'm instituting a program to equalize the batteries periodically, probably every other month. I set my home-made charge to 5 amps and the timer to 5 hours and let 'er rip. I have batteries in other applications that go much longer; the pair on the sawmill engine went 10 years before needing replacement, the one in my old forklift was 8+ years old when it finally croaked, and even my seldom-used backhoe batteries last longer than 3 years. Interestingly, the gel-cell on my COCO lasted about 6 years before rolling over. It has that silly constant-rate charge mentioned in my other message. --- FLAME v1.1 * Origin: Telnet toltbbs.com or call 313-854-6001, Boardwatch #55 (1:234/2) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00002 Date: 08/10/96 From: ROY J. TELLASON Time: 11:38am \/To: JIM DUNMYER (Read 4 times) Subj: LOOKING FOR THE SCHE >JD> One thing you must remember is to equalize your battery(s) now >JD> and then by giving them an overcharge. It should be at a rate > > I have not been in the habit of doing this, and should probably > look into it at some point... JD> I use a couple of farily large UPSs on my computer equipment, JD> bought very cheaply because of their internal batteries being JD> shot. My procdure is to remove those batteries, install binding JD> posts on the rear, then connect a pair of Group 27 RV/trolling JD> batteries with welding cable. That's what I've got here, a pair of Exide Nautilus Gold group 27's... Dunno if I'd use welding cable (sounds seriously heavy-duty ), as the actual current flow to/from the batteries wouldn't be more than a few amps, would it? JD> This gives me a LOT of backup power; I can run 2 or 3 computers JD> for over an hour if necessary. I know that the UPS I have here, which uses a couple of 10 AH 6V gel cells, doesn't seem to want to hold the system running for real long. Mostly it's nice to have for the occasional glitches we get during a storm or whatever, but there's been one or two occasions when we lost power for some hours, and the running time in those instances is not very good. I was real tempted to hook up an external battery connector of some sort to this unit, but having called APC on it one time the tech (?) I spoke to said that this wasn't a real good idea, that the inverter in there would "burn up" as it wasn't rated to run for any extended period of time like that. One of these days I'll have to pick up an inverter someplace and see if I can't come up with a better arrangement here... JD> However: I've been doing this for some time, and have JD> experienced what I feel is very short life for these batteries. JD> As in about 3 years. (!) They are seldom discharged to any JD> degree (our power is pretty reliable), and are maintained by JD> highly-regulated chargers in the UPSs. Said chargers are JD> capable of only about 1 amp of current, but that's sufficient JD> to restore the batteries after a use, albeit over a fairly long JD> time. However, they never equalize the charge, and some cells JD> die eventually. Due to this, I'm instituting a program to JD> equalize the batteries periodically, probably every other JD> month. I set my home-made charge to 5 amps and the timer to 5 JD> hours and let 'er rip. Hmm. Sounds worthwhile to me. I wonder if this is a good idea with gels as well? JD> I have batteries in other applications that go much longer; the JD> pair on the sawmill engine went 10 years before needing JD> replacement, the one in my old forklift was 8+ years old when JD> it finally croaked, and even my seldom-used backhoe batteries JD> last longer than 3 years. Interestingly, the gel-cell on my JD> COCO lasted about 6 years before rolling over. It has that JD> silly constant-rate charge mentioned in my other message. Interesting stuff, there. I'll be looking forward to what other folks have to say on the subject of how to treat batteries as well... ttyl --- * Origin: TANSTAAFL BBS 717-432-0764 (1:270/615) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00003 Date: 08/10/96 From: JEFFREY MERRILL Time: 10:53am \/To: IVY IVERSON (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: Free Alfalfa hay??? simple solution to non lubricated dry gas: add a light weight oil to compressed holding tanks...before use:store upside down. --- Platinum Xpress/Wildcat! v1.2j * Origin: E-Source BBS : 512-463-6257 (1:382/503) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00004 Date: 08/10/96 From: JEFFREY MERRILL Time: 11:05am \/To: ALINDA HARRISON (Read 4 times) Subj: Steam they been experimenting with it in arizona...i dont remember exact.. but i think it was around 25% more efficient than pure solar. --- Platinum Xpress/Wildcat! v1.2j * Origin: E-Source BBS : 512-463-6257 (1:382/503) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00005 Date: 08/09/96 From: IAN WOOFENDEN Time: 11:40pm \/To: ALINDA HARRISON (Read 4 times) Subj: Hello :) On (07 Aug 96) Alinda Harrison wrote to All... AH> Hi there :) Greetings from Tacoma, WA. We just started AH> carrying this echo. My husband and I run The Aurora BBS here. AH> I'm interested inn all forms of alternative energy...and would AH> love to get out from under the grip of the electric company. AH> Unfortunately, living in the city, we're stuck with their AH> sewers and water :-/ AH> My main interest is the non-polluting and available to all AH> solar energy. I don't know how well it would work in this AH> climate though...the ducks like the weather though ;) Alinda, It works just fine here. We're about 120 miles north of you, and powering our house and shop on solar and wind power, with a backup propane generator. Get yourself a copy of _Home Power_ magazine. It's the best resource there is. Ian Ian ... Solar energy - do the bright thing. ... "Living in a cardboard box, like saving hot water by not bathing, saves energy. But I do not expect the homeless or the filthy to receive substantial conservation rebate checks from PG&E, do you?" - Steve Baer --- PPoint 1.96 * Origin: Woof Point West (1:101/525.3) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 272 HOME POWER Ref: DCF00006 Date: 08/11/96 From: RAUL ALMQUIST Time: 09:26am \/To: BILL BAUER (Read 5 times) Subj: Re: FS: 1kw 120VAC Inverter > I will post a followup with all the particulars tomorrow under this same > topic, but basically I will sell it via the best Emailed bid, I will > start the bidding at $50.00. > > and YES, this does work just fine! > BB> That's a heck of a price. I have 8 or 9 1000 watt UPS systems and what BB> I do is to run a couple of heavy wires out the window to 8 car BB> batteries connected 4 in a bank and paralleling the 2 banks with 4 BB> more 7 AH gelcells internal to the units. Gives me a long, long BB> running time after the power goes off. Don't know exactly how much BB> time running my computer, monitor, a TV and a VCR, but it's BB> substantial. At least 8 hours or more. Yup, I know, but I no longer need this particular one, as I landed a heck of a deal on a 2nd hand AT&T 10KVA UPS unit that I now have wired into my system providing me a LOT of AC (about 80+ amps at 120VAC) at a VERY cheap price (they thought the unit was trashed and sold it to me for $300, I fixed it up for under $100 , protection failed the unit and the AC inbound (from the grid line) coiling of the main transformer was cooked, but this affected the inverter part of the UPS not one bit, the $ I invested was just to re-enforce the protection circuits), I came extremely close to picking up a supposedly damaged AT&T 20KVA UPS, but they fixed that one... sigh! --- MacWoof 1.5.3 * Origin: ShadowMAC.Org - Minnesota (1:282/62.105)