|
|
Mr. Solar=B9s Newsletter > October 1995
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
Home page -
http://www.netins.net/showcase/solarcatalog/
Email -
MrSolar@netins.net (Charlie Collins)
AOL SolarA
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
Sale Items <> From Us to You <> Mr. Solar=B9s Current Column <>Mr. Solar=B9s
Web Page Update<>Criss/Cross update<>What=B9s New <> Used Items On Sale
(your free listings)
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
<> Sale Items <>
Go to sale page - you will find the following at a good buy until October 3r=
d.
sale on 53 watt solerax panels
sale on Catalytic radiant propane heaters
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
=46rom us to you -
We are happy to send you this - our first news letter and hope that
you enjoy it and find it informative. We welcome your comments and
suggestions as to how we can make it better as well as more informative :-)
If you know of someone that would like to be included in this
mailing let us know or if you would like to be removed from our monthly
mailing list let us know - thanks...
We were pleased to be advised that we were honored with the award
of being among the top 5% of the WWW web sights this past month (see
http://www.pointcom.com/ )
We also understand that we are in a new book tentatively titled,
"The 1,000 Best Sites on the Internet".
So I guess that we are doing something right and we want to thank
each of you for all your suggestions and help in making this possible :-)
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
A couple of Mr. Solar=B9s Current Column=B9s >
Column Subject: Problems in Vermont
Greetings from Vermont. My solar setup is up and running. Four Siemens
panels with six Trojan T105 batteries. Using a tracker, Trace 30A and
Trimetric Meter setup. The meter
sometimes reads 14 v with the charge light on and sometimes the charge
light is off with the 30A showing no charging. I assume that the 30A
disconnected the panels from the charging of the batteries but my set point
shutoff on the Trimetric is wrong?
What is the voltage of the batteries at full charge?
What should I set to achieve a cutoff and correct meter read at the cutoff
point?
Dear Jozef - your problem is like many in that they buy a product from
someone and then they are left alone as to what is happening with their
system.
=46irst you should have a good book on batteries, I recommend the book New
Solar Electrical Home by Joel Davidson which explains in detail about solar
electric systems, however it is a little advanced. Your Trace 30A and
Trimetric Meter are very good controls, however they will not disconnect
your system, should your batteries become discharged to low dangerous
point. By this I mean that you should NOT discharge your batteries below
50% of their capacity as you will greatly reduce their capacity, actually
you should only use 30% of their capacity and not let them get below 12.5
VDC in a float state. You can control your batteries discharge level so
that they will not go below this point by watching your Trimetric Meter and
disconnecting your system when the above level is reached.
You should consider your Trace 30A a control for your batteries so that
they will not over charge and not a disconnect control. You should have
your controller set to cut off at about 14 VDC as this is a full charge,
however you will need to equalize your batteries about every 2 months and
therefore you will need to throw the switch on your controller at that
time.
Your Trimetric Meter is only a meter that tells you what your voltage is at
a set time, how much you have drawn from your batteries in total amps over
a period and how much you are charging or discharging at this time. You
should use it mainly in the voltage mode and act accordingly.
I would recommend that you add a disconnect switch to your system or an
alarm which you can hear in order not to ruin your investment in your
batteries.
Charlie Collins lives in Southwest Utah and has written a weekly column for
THE DAILY SPECTRUM in St. George, Utah for the past three years.
If you have any questions, or would like more information about solar
electricity, you can contact Charlie via Email address:
(MrSolar@netins.net) or AOL - SolarA.
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
Question from Ellen Camblo, Newton, Mass.
Greetings from Mass. I have heard a lot about cooking what the sun. Please
tell me about it -- does it really work and what do I need in order to do
it?
Dear Ellen --
As you know the sun is a very hot spot in the universe and there are
several ways for you to use this heat. Of course one is to cook your meals
with solar power as we do many here on the Do It .
Please go to our WWW page http://www.netins.net/showcase/solarcatalog/
and you can see Fran using our Solar Cooker in the catalogue section in the
Appliances area.
In order to use the sun to cook you need to have some form of heat focal
collection. The simplest way to do this is for you to make a box using any
material and enclose the inside with aluminum foil so when you point the
box towards the sun it will become hot. Then you can add a pot for your
food that you wish to cook.
You can increase your temperature of your homemade cooker simply by using
mirrors instead of the aluminum foil and therefore reduce your cooking
time.
There is a powerful four quarts conical 3=B9 diameter reflector that focuses
the sun=B9s rays on a cylindrical axis solar cooking stove on the market tha=
t
is very simple to operate. It has a galvanized sheet metal reflector coated
with reflective film and a sturdy steel gambols with feet. We have mounted
ours on a 2=B2 pipe mounted in concrete so that we do not have to take it i=
n
after use.
We have found that cooking with a solar cooker greatly improves the taste
of the food. Fran and I really do not understand why. As an experiment we
have cooked potatoes four different ways, in our oven, in our pressure
cooker, in water and in our solar cooker. The potatoes were all from the
same batch and we all definitely realized a much more earthly taste with
the solar cooked potatoes than those cooked any other way. We have also
found that meat as well as other foods does definitely taste better in our
solar cooker, why I really do not know. If any of you readers have had the
same experience, please write us and let us know and what you think the
reason is for this -- thank you.
Another definite advantage of having a solar cooker is that should your
power go off then you will always have hot meals, as long as we have sun on
our planet.
Charlie Collins lives in Southwest Utah and has written a weekly column for
THE DAILY SPECTRUM in St. George, Utah for the past three years.
If you have any questions, or would like more information about solar
electricity, you can contact Charlie via Email address:
(MrSolar@netins.net). Charlie will respond to your questions in the next
couple of days and, if your question is good enough, it may find its way
into his "Ask Mr. Solar" column.
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
Mr. Solar=B9s Web update<>
* * * * * *
Added to =B3our catalogue/appliance section=B2 several items - including
Instant Hot water heater
Catalytic area heater
cross section picture of the 2000 washer
and reduced prices on several items in that section :-)
* * * * * *
Added to =B3Happenings on Our Planet=B2
November 30 -12/ 2, 1995 - The Dallas Marriott
Quorum, Dallas Texas - The International Council on Information for
Sustainable Development (ICISD ) - The theme of the conference is the role
of information in the socioeconomic development of nations and communities.
Information is available from the conference coordinator, Dr. Seyoum
Zegiorgis, e-mail:seyoum_zeg@etsu.edu.
* * * * * *
Please give us your input on Sale items - Let us know what you
would like to see on sale and maybe we can do it next time - the more that
ask for an item the better chance you have of seeing it :-)
* * * * * *
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
Criss/Cross update<>
We are in the process of setting up a Criss/Cross for all interested people
WORLD WIDE - what it is a listing (free) of those who want to know more
about solar electricity and those who live it - Please visit our home page
then to > Mr. Solar's Global Network (Join Mr. Solar's worldwide network
"Criss/Cross" of alternative energy powered homes, businesses & villages)
- then give us your input :-)
It is our hope that this will help all of us grid-less people :-)
* * * * * *
Help - the following areas have people that want to see and visit with
people in their area that are using solar/hydro or wind to give them
electricity - do you know of anyone in the following areas ?
- North Texas / Dallas
- homeowner-builders in the Toronto or Ottawa area of Ontario, Canad=
a.
- Mayne Island which is situated
between Vancouver, BC Canada and Vancouver Island
- Calgary, AB. Canada
- Central Visayas in the Republic of the Philippines
-
* * * * * *
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
What=B9s New <>
* * * * * *
Zomeworks has just announced that they are now making larger track
racks. These new racks will hold up to 40% more panels at only an increased
cost of about 30%.
As an example their largest track rack for M 55 siemens held only
16 panels and now they make one that will hold 22 panels.. . . .They use to
have their largest rack would hold approximately 80 square feet of solar
panels and now their new ones are available to hole up to 105 square feet
of panels :-)
Another example you may wish to compare using solerax 60=B9s - thei=
r
largest old rack would only hold 12 and now their largest track rack will
hold 18.
I think that this news is great as now we can sell a assembled
tracking rack at a reasonable cost and not have to spend 1/2 a day or more
putting one together :-)
I will be changing the sizes and information in our catalogue
shortly, however in the mean time if you would like a quote please email us
and we will be happy to advise you your cost.
Speaking of solar panel racks - look out for a BIG sale later this
year on them :-)
* * * * * *
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
Used Items On Sale (your free listings)
This is an area for you to list your used items that you have for sale - If
you will email us a description of your items that you wish to sell with a
description - condition and any other information that you have about your
product - we will list it FREE for you with your Email address - so you
will have a good chance to sell it and others will have a good chance to
buy it at a fair price - therefore all are
:-)
* * * * * *
Let us have your items by the 25th of the month for listing for the
following month - mark =B3used items=B2 in the subject area -
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
<<<>>>