PV Gap

Geraldine Said:

What are really modern homes made out of?

We Answered:

junk, toxic junk for the most part. today we are by far the worst, most irresponsible builders who have ever walked the earth, especially in the US.

Geraldine Said:

Solar Panel Wiring in SERIES?

We Answered:

If the panels are the same, there is no problem in putting them in series. If you examine the panels, they will be made up of about 36 identical cells in series. Ok, now you have 72 cells in series, fine if they are the same.

You need (at a minimum) a diode in the line so that when it is dark, the panels do not draw current out the batteries (it wont be much but you might as well block it).

You say the panels are rated 5 amps? Those are pretty good sized panels! Unless you have a charging regulator, I guarantee that they Will overcharge the batteries (unless the batteries are huge, like the size of a refrigerator).

Did you maybe mean 5 watts? About a foot square? If so, the output is about 300mA (0.3 amps) which will not overcharge a battery as long as it is at least as large as a garden tractor battery. At a 300mA charge rate, it will take a longgg time to recharge.

Kathryn Said:

Really, only 2 lightbulbs out of 1 solar panel?

We Answered:

Hey Wish, there is a lot more going on here than how many 40 watt bulbs can be powered by a 120 watt solar panel. In our home, the lights aren't on during the daytime, and the solar power is stored to run them at night, for just a few hours. So a 120 panel can easily light up an entire kitchen if it is done right. To give you a larger example, our home is completely powered by the wind and sun. It is small by many standards, 1100 square feet, but we do have laundry machines, a small freezer and home sized refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave and so on. Yet our solar array is only 1600 watts. By reading the situation as you have, it would appear that we could barely run our coffeemaker by itself with our entire array. But the array runs all day, the coffeemaker for 10 minutes in the morning. It is the storage batteries that make it work.

If you really want to learn more about it, there are some great publications and links you can check out, I will list a few below. The prices you saw in that catalog were a little on the high side. Solar today in the US runs around 3 to 4 dollars per watt, so a 120 watt panel might cost $450 depending on the manufacturer and where you bought it. I'm not saying you'll come out ahead on money in a project like this, utility power in the US is really pretty cheap. In our case, it is more of a hobby. Some people grow tomatoes even though it's cheaper to buy them in the store, we just grow electrons in our garden. There is also the fact that non of our electricity use adds carbon to the environment. Most of the electricity in our state is coal based, and burning coal is probably the dirtiest way to make electricity. In addition to the ash, smoke and carbon, it emits mercury that is trapped in our lakes and oceans after a rainfall, something you were trying to avoid by not using CF lights. A CF light can be recycled after use and the mercury recaptured if people didn't throw them in the trash, but that is a matter of education, not environment. You also have to realize that a 60 watt CF light does burn the same energy as a 60 incandescent, but emits over 4 times the lumens, that is why most CF lights are in the 15 to 18 watt range. The packaging always uses the light wattage equivelant, which serves to confuse most consumers. Next time you are at the store, read the packaging on a CF light closer, a 60 watt CF usually uses only 14 watts, ours do. The incandescent bulbs you prefer are generally manufactured in the same sweat shop as the CF's are, I only know of a few specialty lamps that are regularly made in the USA today.

In short, there is a lot to this issue, don't throw the book out now and give up, look a little deeper down the rabbit hole. Good luck Wish, and take care, Rudydoo

Marlene Said:

How to make a home-made clock?

We Answered:

If you don't want to bother with making circuits or mechanisms, you should start with a clock movement from a hobby store.