PV Gap

Ricardo Said:

what kind of sensor would i need for this project?

We Answered:

It seems to me that you want to measure voltage and current from the solar panel to compute power in, and voltage and current out into your environment to calculate power required.

You need 4 a/d inputs, possibly built into a single chip uP that you use for control, such as the ATMEGA128 or smaller.

2 uP inputs measure scaled voltages from the input and the output.
2 uP inputs measure current from the input and the output by voltage drop across a sample resistor.

Good luck.

Naomi Said:

240 and 110 on the generator?

We Answered:

1. The reason the button pops out is too much current going through the circuit. The breaker may be worn out. Run the generator more often for a shorter time.
2. The 240/120 plug will provide the 120 voltage or the 240 voltage, but only one at a time.
3. Get a larger generator a 7 KW is not large enough to run a home, rather it is minimum size for emergency use only. We have used a 5 KW in emergencies several times but that is pushing the capacity. Also check your batteries for full water level on a daily basis.

Chad Said:

Can I charge a deep cycle battery while it is under load?

We Answered:

You are correct in believing that the load will fool the charger into remaining in the absorption phase and never drop into the maintainance phase.

The ideal solution would be to install a make before break automatic transfer switch and a operational power supply to support the load and remove the load from the battery set when A/C power is present and switch back to batteries in milliseconds when the A/C drops out.

A massive cap bank - around 2 to 3 farads - can cover the transition from a/c to battery for the 20 - 30 ms that it will take the transfer switch to reconnect the batteries to the load.

With out examining your existing solar arrangement I can not determine why the output is so low.

Yvonne Said:

Which microwave oven models use the least electricity?

We Answered:

All the models of the same power rating are pretty much the same. You can save a little bit by buying the ones without clocks and other extras if you can find them. The big difference will be in the power rating. You can get microwaves from 300 watts to 1200 watts. The smaller the wattage, the less the draw. Of course, it takes longer to cook something. Still, the slower you draw from your batteries, the better off you are. So I would suggest a smaller watt oven. Batteries can deliver more watt hours at lower current draws than they can at higher current draws as the internal resistance of the battery has a bigger effect at higher current draws. Also, the lower current draw has less chance of shutting down your system.

It will also help if you unplug appliances when you are not using them. Many appliance have small power draws even when not being used. While each appliance is not much, when added together over time it will add up.

Congratulations of being off the grid.

Joe Said:

What does Energy Independence mean to you?

We Answered:

barak obama say this concerning this matter

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the country that faced down the tyranny of fascism and communism is now called to challenge the tyranny of oil. For the very resource that has fueled our way of life over the last hundred years now threatens to destroy it if our generation does not act now and act boldly. We know what the dangers are here. We know that our oil addiction is jeopardizing our national security - that we fuel our energy needs by sending $800 million a day to countries that include some of the most despotic, volatile regimes in the world. We know that oil money funds everything from the madrassas that plant the seeds of terror in young minds to the Sunni insurgents that attack our troops in Iraq.”
U.S. Senator Barack Obama Speech on Energy Policy: Watch the Video or Read the Text
May 07, 2007 The Detroit Economic Club



in other link you can read

A powerful idea is spreading through America. It is a call to this generation to take action and decide the course of history by declaring and fighting for American Energy Independence.

Following the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the idea of energy independence captured the imagination of the American people. Then during the 1980's, increased automobile fuel efficiency and new oil discoveries created a surplus of oil on the world market, and America’s enthusiasm for energy independence faded into memory. Now, more than thirty years after the oil embargo, re-awakened by the terrorist attack on 9/11 and war in the Middle East, the idea of American energy independence has returned with a vengeance, becoming a powerful force shaping the political views of a new generation of Americans.

Oil is no longer viewed as just another commodity. In the minds and hearts of the American people, oil has become associated with terrorism, political corruption, corporate greed, and global warming.

The 1973 Arab oil embargo interrupted the flow of oil causing severe gasoline shortages and long lines at gas stations. The embargo exposed America's growing oil dependence and gave the American people their first warning of the price they would pay for continued dependence on imported oil. The 1979 Iranian revolution interrupted the flow of oil again — this was the second warning, signaling the urgent need for American Energy Independence. The 1991 Persian Gulf War was a military intervention to stop one dictator from taking control of Middle East oil — this was the third and most severe warning. Failure to make energy independence the nation’s highest priority after the Gulf War demonstrated that the United States did not have the political will to free itself from dependence on foreign oil.

September 11, 2001 was a preview of America's future – one possible future.

America stands at a crossroad, a choice between two very different futures. One choice leads to increased dependence on foreign oil and a future dominated by terrorism and war. The other choice leads to American energy independence and a world economy that is no longer desperate for oil.

Today, the world consumes over 80 million barrels of oil every day (over 30 billion barrels per year); the USA alone consumes over 20 million barrels per day (over 7 billion barrels per year). At $100 per barrel, the global petroleum industry is a three trillion dollar a year business. Development of alternative energy to free the world from oil dependence will create a seismic shift within the economic foundation of the world.