by AlaskaStar » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:14 am
Bob,
Have you considered using more efficient appliances? this would reduce the load/demand of your battery banks.
Example:
Count total number of LIGHT BULBS in your residence INCLUDING outbuildings, shops, sheds, storage, yard lights, security lights, and such forth. now add the wattage up required to operate ALL those lights at the SAME TIME. now consider using the following strategy: If your lights are all 60 watts or less, and your residence total for lighting is say 6500 Sq Feet, and the total for all of that is say 1400 Watts, then you could possibly get by with a single Halogen 500 Watt Incandescent Bulb, and using a closed dome, and a TON of Fiber-optic cables, literally PLUMB the light where it is needed, and use Diffusers at the ends to spread the light to illuminate the room.
The net results are kinda spendy, but the wattage consumption at now LESS than 1/2 of previous, would allow for cheaper operating, and possibly longer lasting batteries?
Second scenario: Use Ultra Bright LED Lamps. these things consume next to nothing to operate. you can even get them in strings (bright!) for custom use in sidewalk lighting, and other applications. These can be used in the frigerator if needed.
Point here is to lower the power consumption, by using more efficient appliances, you can make better use of the power available. My favorite is to turn off my 600+ Watt Computer, and use my 60 Watt Laptop. CRT Monitors are power hungry, and LARGE 5.25" FULL HIGHT Hard-drives consume loads of power as well. add in a LASER Printer, External CD-R/RW, 2 internal DVD-R/RW Drives, and a slew of other power consuming devices such as the DSL Modem, and the Router with a NICE RF AMP (to use laptop in garage with internet) we really start racking up the power usage. I can ditch most of that crap by using my laptop. I use a 12 volt battery, from a "JUMP START" unit, and I can recharge it while driving, and allows me to use my laptop for almost 3 months between charges.
Laptop runs on 9 volt internal battery, and comes with a 19 volt power supply. so I use 12 volts, and know that it requires LESS to operate the computer.
Instead of using fans, try to open windows according to the position of the sun. you use the difference in heat to move LOADS of AIR NATURALLY. Open the windows in the shade and open the windows that are perpendicular to the side of the house that has th sun shining on it, and close the curtains on the side of the house that has the sun shining on it. We do this, because our houses are equipped for HEAT, not Air Conditioning. so since it occasionally gets over 100 degrees here, we have to cool the house using the least amount of power. and the electric bills go up about 19% to 30% every 6 months, even with no change in wattage use at the meter. Gas bills do the same.
Just my $0.02, and feel free to shoot holes in this, as I live in a different climate, were we not only see more than +100 Degrees, but we also see colder than -100 degrees (wind-chill included for those days where the local fire dept. records winds over 95 MPH-usually in winter)
Side note on climate, we are fortunate to have 24 hours of daylight. Right now it's MIDNIGHT. you can still see DIRECT SUNLIGHT on the trees. it's JUNE 1st. The LONGEST DAY of the year is June 21st or 22nd. Last year we received Termination Dust on both those days, and following that, we received over 200 INCHES of rain and COLD weather for the next several MONTHS. it literally Stopped raining when it started snowing. This year, we received our termination dust a wee-bit early. last week. we NORMALLY do not see termination dust until LATE September. but we have been having winters of NO SNOW for the past (except for last winter) 10 years! we would go past x-mas day with NO SNOW!
Climate is changing, and in my short time of earth, things went from NORMAL to "OUT OF WHACK!" in a manner of 10 years. we never has severe winds until 5 years ago, and we have them now every year in winter, the wind-speeds exceeding 100 MPH, knocking cars off the highway, tipping tractor trailers, blowing windows OUT OF NEW CARS ON DEALERSHIP LOTS from PRESSURE, knocking buildings over, in one case removing everything but the framework, some houses lose their roofs, and tons of damage from debris. Image driving along and getting your truck nailed from the SIDE with a LARGE PALLET (weight of more than 150 POUNDS) at highway speeds. have you a clue what that feels like? our forests are moving NORTH, and the Tundra is being taken over by forests, salmon are being confused, and the moose are too. we have IDIOTS fighting over whether or not drilling is allowed here there or anywhere, from people whom don't live here, and will most likely never ever set foot here or even fly over and never touch the ground. these idiots are in Washington DC. they are known as DIPSTICKS, because they never check the oil level!
We have people here whom are PROUD to drive their 9.7 Liter Gas Guzzling V-24 powered truck with eighteen carburetors rated at 900 CFM each, and they use their 15 ton truck to commute to work with one occupant (driver) and NO PAYLOAD. they would do better with a snow-machine, 4-wheeler, or even a DIRT-BIKE! but no, thy must be lacking in the bedroom as they seem to drive bigger and bigger vehicles, the price of fuel is going up and up, and I know that for every 10 gallons of fuel poured into an engine that 6 of those gallons come out the tailpipe UNBURNED, UNUSED. where do these clowns get their money???
Well it you are still awake, go ahead and shoot holes in the energy conservation part. would love to hear your take on this as far as appliances go.
I probably should put that rant in the Craigslist R&R section....
AlaskaStar
"Do we exist, or are we just an existence?"
but these were 2 years old (never cyceled) and that means new ones for backup. It's just what they do. I've tested some and the check out fine,they're 4 volt deep cycle 180 amp hour batts
I suppose there is a possibility that the metal processors around here might be persuaded to do the same for me. 
A little green contributed to the right hands can make all the difference!
