admin answers:

Day- People relying on ventilators and other electrical equipment would die. Cars suddenly stopped work while people were driving, more deaths. Riots would start, mobs would gather and cause more death and destruction. Violence would be everywhere, people do not react well to such massive change. World economy falters and slows within a matter of less then a day

Week- More violence an death. Gangs would roam committing crimes the police could not stop. Martial lwa would have taken hold. People would be shot in the street.Since the world economy has come to a sharp halt, no goods come or go. People are starving. Since there are no power plants cold food has rotted. Water treatment plants do not work. Any generators running have most likely stopped unless the have been supplied with gas. Gas is a very hot commodity. Thefts of this and non perishable food would be high. If you live near nuclear power plant I would get away fast. People who needed life saving meds will start to die

Month-More of the same, violence and death. Most already sick people would have died. Others will still be dying. People who maneged to hide out may be all right as long as they have a major stock pile of food and weapons. Injuries and sickness that would have been non life threating could end up in death.

Year- People would be coming to terms with the situation. Of course the nuclear power plants would have melted down and anyone within several miles would be dead, and the death and distruction would be carried even further by the winds. So you better be far away from that. People would have figured how to grow food and barter and trade just like they used to for most of human history. Money would be usless as there would be no bank to back it up.Life wuld not be easy it would be like people who lived 2 centuries ago only without the knowledge those people had to live there life. Infrastructure would start to fail somewhat, roads would crack and weeds would grow. Pipes would burst and buildings would flood. Whole towns would floods from dams bursting, eventually.There would be darkness and despair, violence and more death. The strong would live and the weak would perish just like in nature.

5 years- Things may have gotten better, there may have been a attempt to establish more law. People would learn to communicate as was once done by letters and maybe a telegraph. People would still be dying of things that could have once been saved but I would thin that there may be a attempt at “country medicine” like might have been done centuries ago. I Buildings and man made objects would start to decay w/o human hands to fix them, though for many it would be longer before the fell down. Cars would rust, etc. I would think that people would be tring to make electricity again of couse.Maybe using wind or solar power, if that for whatever reason was impossible life would go on if however limited

Despite having lived without electricity for most of human history people would loose it and not know how to function, at least in the beganning. Some people would figure it out though. Humans are like cockroaches, there always will be some who survive. I would hope the survivers would make a better world but I doubt it. Humans forget history and are far to greedy with the “me, me, me” mentality. There would be less pollution though, and wild animals would be better off

admin answers:

Outdoor works light power source,

so for example you are out on a farm, in the middle of field,
putting up a christmas tree, with no power for lights,

use low wattage lights that only require battery power, LED diodes are used and can light up fairly well,
http://www.brite-lite.com/Products/LEDchristmas.htm

then for power supply you could use automotive battery, the power could hold enough power for all night and then some,
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/3/Batteries.jsp?locale=en

you can look at what they would use on boats at sea for electric power as well,
http://www.canadiantire.ca/search/search_results.jsp?bmForm=form_endeca_search&bmFormID=1293046597301&bmUID=1293046597301&bmIsForm=true&bmPrevTemplate=%2FAST%2Fbrowse%2F4%2FAuto%2F3%2FBatteries.jsp&bmHidden=OMNITURE_FROM&OMNITURE_FROM=Search&bmHidden=event26&event26=true&bmText=quick_search_term&quick_search_term=boat+battery&bmSubmit=quick_search&quick_search=Search&bmHidden=PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441897583&bmHidden=FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672400

there are portable backup booster battery for helping to start cars in the cold, those may be useful
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/3/BatteryAccessories/BatteryBoosting/PRD~0111558P/Motomaster%252B500A%252BBooster%252BPack.jsp?locale=en

if you use automotive emergency worklights those do not require 110 volt /amps the same as houshold bulbs,
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/BulbsSwitchesRelays/AuxiliaryAutoLighting/PRD~0379405P/Cordless%252BAC%25252BDC%252BLamp.jsp?locale=en
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/BulbsSwitchesRelays/AuxiliaryAutoLighting.jsp

Flashlights are portable , for extended amount of time you would want quality batteries, and possibly larger six volt type, or rechargeable’s,
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/SafetySecurity/Flashlights/PRD~0653004P/Garrity%252B6%252Bvolt%252BFloating%252BLantern/CROSSSELL~0542948%20Jobmate%2B18V%2BFlashlight.jsp?locale=en
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/Camping/Flashlights/PRD~0542948P/Jobmate%252B18V%252BFlashlight.jsp?locale=en

other idea is to use solar power cells as source of power, much like garden or lights, so they are charged all day, and turn on at sun down , some have batteries, with solar power the source is daily, but may run down over time in cloudy or snowy weather,
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/2/OutdoorLiving/GardenLighting/SolarGardenLights/PRD~0524014P/Westinghouse%252BSolar%252B3X%252BHigh-Output%252BLED%252BSpot%252BLights%25252C%252B2-Pk.jsp?locale=en
http://www.canadiantire.ca/search/search_results.jsp?quick_search_term=Solar+Garden+Lights&searchRefinementEvent=event21&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442204391&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672827&bmUID=1293046105686
..

admin answers:

Actually, check out some of the links on http://www.builditsolar.com

If you are going to do much of the work yourself, you will be sadly disappointed by what is available in print:

Homepower magazine http://www.homepower.com for example, it most often reads like a sales brochure, because “hands on” to a number of people usually means buying most of the system ready made in a kit. Hands on for me is breaking out the soldering iron and doing point to point wiring on components to construct the regulators (often called charge controlelrs.) Too much chaff for a hands on person to find useful. Some of the ads are useful.

Nuts and Volts http://www.nutsvolts.com/ is a bit better, but their topical coverage is far ranging so you do not always get as much as you would like. Spendy, might be better to sheck it out at the bookstores and buy it off the newstand when a decent article appears.

Mother Earth news http://www.motherearthnews.com is pretty good, but the best bang for the buck there is to buy their archives on CD rom, which is 3 disks, broke down by decade. There is a fair amount of substance, sometimes you encounter an article that sought to convert one item over to another, only it would have been much less work and cost for them to have started out from ground level and construct (with used parts) the same thing, which they sought to construct in the first place, a solar charged electric tractor is one specific item I have come to mind as one the author of the article could have done better. You might find the book they published “The Mother Earth News Handbook of Homemade Power,” which is not real good for specifics in some areas, but is good for some ideas if you are good at working from thumbnail sketches, you can fill in the blanks where there are gaps in detail. The book was written more as a “primer” than a complete compillation.

For your wind systems, there is a lot to be found at http://www.lindsaybks.com Hugh Piggott has written a few good books on the home construction of windmills. The LeJay Manual is a good reprint that has a lot of good info for home constructing- down to the wooden propeller profiles. As well as the book “Generator Secrets.”

One of the good sources for materials and tools supplies and systems is Northern Tool http://www.northerntool.com

One thing on propeller materials- never us ABS and never use PVC. As tempting as those can be they break. When they break, the blades will go for a great distance in modest winds. They can kill too.

admin answers:

Get a backup generator with enough fuel to last until power comes back. Keep the freezer door closed. That might mean you can’t sell ice cream to your customers until the power returns. Or you could take an armful of ice cream out of the freezer and have a blackout sale – “I must sell all this ice cream now”.

Solar is a good way to reduce the amount of power you draw from the utility, but it’s not steady enough to be a backup source.

Adding salt to ice reduces its freezing temperature and makes it melt faster. That’s a great way to chill something quickly (like when making ice cream) or melt ice from a road or sidewalk, but not so useful for maintaining cold temperature over time.

admin answers:

This is a question with several differant answers…..

Depending on consuption if its going on a consuming structure co-generating

or a stand alone generation station. The most cost effective would be a hybrid

thermal/photovoltaic

the thermal would heat a closed contained liquid and make steam to turn large turbine.

$150,000US will get u quite the little generator. $1,000,000US u have a major player

my general rule is $15us per sq ft of heating/cooling space.

I am presently puting together the single largest solar project of its kind. Entire subdivisions of low cost modular homes with the entire roof as the mini-generating station. So if u put up say 400 units. When this hole subdivision comes on line u have a major Generating Station.

Maitaining a plant with no moving parts to wear-out, well except to send some one to clean the panels off once every 6 months wound not be much up-keep……

The panels have 20 to 25yr warrenties and 30yr life

some put up in the late 60’s r still generating.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_does_it_cost_to_build_and_maintain_a_power_plant_for_generating_electricity_with_solar_energy#ixzz1eVJOFNPl

admin answers:

Hey Wm, a 250 watt Hi Energy Discharge light? Is that outdoors for security? You said 3 to 18 hours per day, so I guess you’re thinking indoors. You can make a lot better use of lighting indoors if you use task lighting instead of whole house. I’ve wired a number of barns and outbuildings for friends and myself with solar, but we never use such a large light bulb.

For discussion, let’s assume that HiD will be on 6 hours per day. 250 watts X 6 = 1.5 kwh per day. If you have average solar insolation of 4 hours per day, then in theory you would need 400 watts of solar. In reality, there are always some losses at the battery, and inverter, plus you need to have extra to recover from several days of clouds. Something closer to 600 watts would be more accurate. Next question is how many days without good sun will you need the light? Let’s say three for example, (This is called “Days of Autonomy,”) Your battery will need 4 days worth, or 6 kwh. You could pull this off with 6 golf cart batteries, just barely.

If you’re wondering about cost, 600 watts of solar will probably run $2,000 USD, the batteries another $600, and maybe $ 200 for parts and an inexpensive inverter. Kind of expensive for one light bulb. The barns I’ve wired use 4 golf cart batteries and one 120 watt panel. Since the panel has a maximum current of 7 amps and the batteries hold 440 amp hours, we don’t need a charge controller. The rule of thumb is nothing over 2% of the battery AH capacity, so 440 AH X 2% = 8.8 amps maximum solar current. You can read more about this in Richard Perez’s book, I’ll list it below. Then we use a 750 watt modified sine wave inverter to run a few circuits of 18 watt CF outdoor spot lamps in standard sockets. This makes the entire project easy to wire up, with parts that can be purchased inexpensively off the shelf. And since we have a couple long strings of spot lamps in 2 places, plus a couple work area lights, and maybe a trouble light on a long cord, we don’t need 1.5 kwh per day, it’s more like one third that amount. The panel, batteries, inverter and other wiring parts cost less than $1000 USD. Then, in the daytime, we also have the ability to run small hand tools with the same inverter, like a drill or hand saw. Also, at night, we can plug in several strings of LED Christmas lights for partys, or whatever. You just can’t run these things all night every night. Another advantage of using 12 volts as the battery bank voltage is if you run low, you can recharge with a vehicle and jumper cables for a spell, or a small generator. So you have more flexibility with less cost.

Another consideration is low voltage LED lights. Our home uses small 12 volt strips under the kitchen cabinets, and in the bedrooms. They use very small amounts of power, maybe 1 or 2 watts per string, never burn out, and don’t cost any more than 20 watt hockey puck lights with holagen bulbs. There are lots of possibilities, but I’d think twice about that behemoth of a light you’re planning on using. I’ll list some good sources below to check out. Take care Wm, Rudydoo

admin answers:

It work work but compare the sun the to the flash light. Which one gives off more light, the sun by alot. Solar panels work by converting the protons in the light to electricity. I think either way I asked the same question to my teacher when we learned about solar panels and the problem is the flash light just would give off enough light to power anything, even powering itself. Even if you got a bigger light your just wasting more energy than you gaining. But I know it’s a cool thought, it possible in the future if they get better lights, hope I answered your question. Keep it real

admin answers:

They used solar for both residential and commercial water heating systems, space heating, and to dry crops and lumbers, also to distribute solar powered electricity to power homes in remote areas.

admin answers:

I’m currently building a windmill, and just finished a solar setup for my garage. It’s really a practice run. We have some property in Hawaii that is off-grid and I’m planning to build there next year. The solar cell for the garage charges a deep cycle battery that I got from the local golf course (its out of a golf cart). And it holds enough juice to keep the lights going. I’m currently trying to add some load to it to see how much drain I can put on it.

The nice thing about the windmill, is that when the sun isn’t out, the wind is still blowing so the battery will charge 24 hours a day when I finish. You can build the generator from a car alternator, but I just bought it from eBay for 80 bucks. I do want to try to make my own, but I was feeling lazy,,,lol.

I got the instructions from

http://www.off-grid-wind-solar.com

admin answers:

Because Hawaii has a lot of sun, our solar powered phones are located on the side of roads in case someone has car trouble.

We also have combination solar/wind generator lights installed at the Hanauma Bay parking lot.

admin answers:

Generator is a vague word. Assuming you are using it to mean motor-generator sets which have a gas or diesel engine driving an alternator.

No, you can’t charge a motor generator set, it runs on gasoline or diesel fuel, you can’t convert sunlight or electricity to fuel.

But, you can use excess power during the day to charge batteries that can be later used to supply power. Note that battery storage can be expensive, and needs a lot of space and maintenance.

.

admin answers:

Yes. There are ways including wind, gravitational (rain falling into spouts, turning generators). You can also heat your water by taking aluminum/tin foil and shaping it into a semi-circle by hand and aiming the sunlight at your hot water pipes.

admin answers:

There are some cars that already do this, but it is not piratical for commercial uses.

admin answers:

Hey turingschild,

I think you have a good idea there. I am also interested in solar energy. I just saw a film called “A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash” and agree that oil will soon run out. My interest in energy is purely investment oriented. Energy stocks make up the greatest portion of my portfolio. And year-over-year, the energy stocks have outperformed all of my other holdings (including real estate stocks and physical real estate).

In my profession, I get to analyze real estate investments and figure out how the investment will perform in short-term and long-term durations.

My answer to your question is this, analyze all factors leading to the purchase of solar products. You will want to find information about the following:
physical boundaries of your particular location
size of location
population
population growth
employment rate
incomes
disposable incomes
housing costs
busiest retail locations in your particular location
any competition?
Where are the hardware stores?
Can you open close to a home depot or Lowe’s?
Will they end up carrying the same products you want to carry?
Where can the current population go to purchase solar products?
How is your pricing compared to online stores
what’s your marketing and advertising plan?
Do you think just having a store open is enough?
Can you use the press to get publicity?
Can you work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week?

These are variable I try to figure out when I analyze an investment. I also do a sensitivity test by guesstimating the expenses and then increasing all expense items to see what the worst case scenario would be.

Hope that helps.

admin answers:

.
I think solar power will one day be perfectly feasible and able to power devices which require a lot less power then they do currently (think of the different power requirement for light between an incandescent lightbulb and quantum dots for example).

I think the insane part, though, is when people assume that you can somehow force solar and wind on to the country and world as a whole when it is nowhere near at the stage when it can supply the electricity we need. Nuclear is the only sensible way to go for power at this moment, unless you want to go back to coal.
.
When solar and wind can compete genuinely, then they will win naturally.
.

admin answers:

Yes, that is how battery based solar systems work. The charge controller manages putting the energy from the solar panels in the battery, while the inverter converts it to AC and allows appliances to run off it.

If you are interested in learning more about solar electricity, check out the free video on the AltE Store. Http://www.altestore.com/store/Books-Classes-Educational-Videos/Educational-Videos/Educational-Video-Solar-Electricity-Basics/p6053/. No catch, it’s free.

admin answers:

More watts is more power, because watts are a measure of power. Most solar panels produce the right voltage to charge a car battery, but you should really have a charge controller too. See the source for some ideas.

admin answers:

I’m a huge fan of solar, but if your purpose is just to cover yourself during a power outage, I would suggest that you just get a gasoline-powered generator from a hardware store (some are less than $100), and run that to a power strip. If outages are frequent or long, you might want to get a better built generator. That will cost several hundred dollars, but will still be less expensive than the equivalent solar. Keep a 5-gallon can of gas handy, and you can have power for days.

admin answers:

I would recommend looking into a combination system that uses solar and wind power and possibly a back-up diesel generator. All with a battery bank for storing power during times of low production. Do you need 6000w a month or is this a daily requirement? That would be a huge difference in the size of the system you would need. If it is only 6000w a month that could be handled easily by a reasonably priced system.

Some companies will ship to overseas locations so you could possibly order the system over the internet.

Here is a listing of suppliers by country
http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byP/solar/byB/wholesale/byGeo/byC/byC.shtml

admin answers:

You must have:

•Your electricity supply with the company to which you wish to sell back electricity (in most cases).
•A renewable generator installed with annual generation greater than 500kWh (a 1.4kW domestic wind turbine could have an annual output of 2000kWh) and accredited by OFGEM to receive ROCs (Renewable Obligation Certificates) See www.ofgem.gov.uk
•Compliance from your local distribution company for connection of the renewable generator to the national grid.
•An OFGEM approved gross generation meter that measures all the output of your system,
•An export meter to register the amount of electricity you feed into the electricity network. (£75 plus VAT)
•A special inverter (called a Windy Boy) to synchronise the varying voltage from your wind turbine to the stable grid supply. This is individually programmed on-site to optimise power exported to the grid and to ensure network safety by disconnecting if the grid fails.

admin answers:

Look at www.dol.gov, and it will give you a wealth of information. Especially under the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It will give you the education needed, job outlook until 2014, salary, work conditons, hiring companies, etc. We need more alternative energy available and I want to commend you for looking into this field. Good luck and Peace.

admin answers:

It depends on your interests. Electrical engineering (including power transmission) and software engineering are used in this field, but it might take awhile to get a job with an energy-related company. Obviously chemical engineering is a big part of developing cheap but efficient solar panels. But if quantum mechanics and differential equations scare you too much (they are quite learnable with the right background, attitude and teachers), then there are options outside of engineering.

Architecture is needed to actually design buildings to incorporate passive and active solar energy. A lot of time would also be spent on HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and building materials, just as important for a green building.

You could also go into sales or business fields and then pick your industry afterward.

admin answers:

The one EV car I currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also) I converted from a vw bug and is free to charge. As I live completely off the grid all my electricity comes from solar panels and 2 wind generators, which I also built.

However I did charge up at Costco in Carlsbad California (I actually only drove up there to fill up) if I remember right it was around $2.00

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing it yourself, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I’ve converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford ban, and a vw bug) and a few for neighbors. I’ve also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

– The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.
– Electric components are then installed in exchange.
– A battery bank is built and incorporated.
– Existing starter and driving systems are connected.
– Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.
– The system has normal automotive top speeds and acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph and your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.
If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at www agua-luna com

My last EV conversion ran me about $1400. Everything is available online. I have a how to do it yourself guide available at www agua-luna com that will walk you step by step through the process. If you have ANY questions feel free to contact me through the site. Here’s a list of what you’d need…

Advanced DC Motor
The motor is an 8″ Advanced DC series-wound motor. It weighs 107 pounds and is rated at 68 peak horsepower. These motors are available in several sizes.

Adaptor plate
The adaptor plate mates the motor to the transmission. It is constructed of 1/2 inch aluminum and is pre-drilled with bolt hole patterns for both the motor and transmission. An aluminum spacer is also used for proper spacing between the shafts of the transmission and motor. Adaptor plates are available for many cars.

DC Motor Controller
The controller regulates current going to the motor. It is a solid-state device that uses a pulse width modulator (PWM) that sends short bursts of current to the motor at a rate of 15 kHz. Controllers are available from both Curtis and DCP.

Potbox (Potentiometer)
The potbox is a 5K ohm throttle between the controller and the accelerator, similar to the way a sewing machine pedal works. The potbox’s lever arm is attached to the existing accelerator cable.

Main Contactor
An electric relay that serves the same purpose as the ignition switch in a gas car. When the key is turned to the start position, the contactor closes the circuit to allow current to flow to the controller.

Circuit Breaker
A safety device that shuts down power for servicing or during an emergency. The circuit breaker is installed under the hood and can be switched both off and on from the drivers seat with an extension or cable.

Main Fuse
The main fuse protect the system from high voltage spikes. A fuse should be installed at each battery box or group of batteries.

Shunt
A shunt is placed in series within the wiring as a means to connect meters. Shunts are available in different sizes for both high and low power configurations.

Charger interlock
A relay that keeps the circuit open so nobody will inadvertantly drive off with the charge cord plugged into the car.

DC/DC Converter
The DC/DC converter is similar in function to a gas car’s alternator. It charges the 12 volt accessory battery by chopping voltage from the main battery pack down to 13.5 volts.

If you interested I offer several DIY alternative guides to walk you step by step threw EV conversion process at agua-luna com or

www agua-luna com
Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin
Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular Peop

admin answers:

The one EV car we currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also, 1 Ethanol & 1 Biodiesel) we converted from a vw bug & is free to charge. As The Ranch is completely off the grid all electricity comes from solar panels & wind generators, which we also built ourselves.

However I did charge up at Costco charging station in Carlsbad California (I actually only drove up there to fill up) if I remember right it was around $2.00

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing it yourself, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I’ve converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford van, & a vw bug) & a few for neighbors. I’ve also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol & biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

– The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.
– Electric components are then installed in exchange.
– A battery bank is built & incorporated.
– Existing starter & driving systems are connected.
– Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.
– The system has normal automotive top speeds & acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph & your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.
If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at www agua-luna com

My last EV conversion ran me about $1400. Everything is available online. Here’s a list of what you’d need…

Advanced DC Motor
The motor is an 8″ Advanced DC series-wound motor. It weighs 107 pounds & is rated at 68 peak horsepower. These motors are available in several sizes.

Adaptor plate
The adaptor plate mates the motor to the transmission. It is constructed of 1/2 inch aluminum & is pre-drilled with bolt hole patterns for both the motor & transmission. An aluminum spacer is also used for proper spacing between the shafts of the transmission & motor. Adaptor plates are available for many cars.

DC Motor Controller
The controller regulates current going to the motor. It is a solid-state device that uses a pulse width modulator (PWM) that sends short bursts of current to the motor at a rate of 15 kHz. Controllers are available from both Curtis & DCP.

Potbox (Potentiometer)
The potbox is a 5K ohm throttle between the controller & the accelerator, similar to the way a sewing machine pedal works. The potbox’s lever arm is attached to the existing accelerator cable.

Main Contactor
An electric relay that serves the same purpose as the ignition switch in a gas car. When the key is turned to the start position, the contactor closes the circuit to allow current to flow to the controller.

Circuit Breaker
A safety device that shuts down power for servicing or during an emergency. The circuit breaker is installed under the hood & can be switched both off & on from the drivers seat with an extension or cable.

Main Fuse
The main fuse protect the system from high voltage spikes. A fuse should be installed at each battery box or group of batteries.

Shunt
A shunt is placed in series within the wiring as a means to connect meters. Shunts are available in different sizes for both high & low power configurations.

Charger interlock
A relay that keeps the circuit open so nobody will inadvertently drive off with the charge cord plugged into the car.

DC/DC Converter
The DC/DC converter is similar in function to a gas car’s alternator. It charges the 12 volt accessory battery by chopping voltage from the main battery pack down to 13.5 volts.

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online & on-site workshops, seminars & internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

admin answers:

Electric motors produce mechanical power from electrical power. If the power is 1hp, the power is 746 watts. The motor needs more than 746 watts of electrical power to produce 746 watts of mechanical power. However it only produces 746 watts of mechanical power if it is driving a load that needs that power.

The motor bike spark plug may require 10-15000V certainly, but that is not electrical power, it is only voltage. Electrical power has 2 components, voltage and current. The current in the spark may be only 2 milliamps. Thus the peak power is 10,000V x 0.002A = 20W. Additionally that is only for a brief part of the time. There is just one spark every 2 revolutions of the engine, maybe 25 sparks a second, so a spark is a small percentage of the time. The energy (in watt-seconds) is very small.

If the motorbike has a battery, it is charged by a small generator on the motorbike. This is 6V or 12V battery, a far more suitable source of power to drive an electric motor. However this battery would usually be too small for a 1 or 2 hp motor.

Working out the power for the motor, lets say 1000W of electrical power is needed to produce 746W (one hp) of mechanical power. With a 12V battery the current = 1000W / 12V = 83A. You need a battery that can deliver 83A per hp for as long as you wish to run the motor. You need something to charge that battery. An 80Ah battery would run for 1 hour in theory, but more like 20 minutes in practice. You would use a higher voltage and bigger battery for better efficiency, maybe a 24V battery and motor. It is possible to charge this battery using solar panels or a home generator. However it is more efficient (cheaper) to run the suitable motor directly from the generator, than to use the generator to charge the battery and run a motor.

You are asking a lot of questions, good to learn, but you should explain the big picture, what you actually want to do. What is the motor for? How long to run? What power source is available? Power from electricity suppliers is usually the cheapest.

admin answers:

The big “hidden” problem with wind and solar power generation is that we can’t store electricity in the amounts necessary to keep everything going when the wind stops or sun goes down. This means that when the wind stops blowing or the sun is hidden by clouds (or at night), some other means of production of electricity has to exist. We cannot run cities and factories on batteries charged when it’s windy or when the sun is shining. This means that EITHER we have to maintain the “old, polluting” systems such as coal, gas, water and nuclear OR we have to DO WITHOUT through rationing via brownouts, blackouts, use restrictions, etc.

Assume that you live in an area that uses 1000Mw of power. Right now, you have two coal fired plants and a hydroelectric plant (dammed river & generators) to produce the 1000Mw needed. Joe Thompson, billionaire, decides to start a wind farm. At peak capacity, his 1000 wind turbines produce 500Mw of power. So, when the wind turbines are running at full capacity, one coal plant can be shut down and the other can go to 75%. This allows for 1000Mw of power to be fed to the electric grid. Without shutting down the coal plants, there would be more electricity on the grid than demand, which is a no-no.
Now, the wind stops for a few days. The coal plants kick back in and go to 100% production to maintain the 1000Mw on the local grid.

Since the coal plants are unable to be profitable at 0% and 75%, the owners of the coal plants shut them down and stop producing. The hydroelectric and wind production are all that remain. Joe Billionaire builds enough wind turbines to replace the coal plants (while the wind is blowing). Everything is green, until the wind stops and the amount of power available drops to 0 (or whatever the hydro plant is producing).
Then, everything stops and everyone is in the dark.

Power supplies HAVE to be stable. Nuclear, Coal, Gas, and hydroelectric have been and can continue to be stable steady suppliers. Wind and solar will ALWAYS be temperamental and will require backup production by the sources they’re supposed to replace. If those backup sources have to be maintained, the price of electricity from “free” wind will skyrocket. Having idle power facilities is like having a Ferrari in your driveway as a backup car for when your Prius breaks down. It still has to be washed, insured, and paid for, but you get nothing out of it. Eventually, you get rid of the Ferrari. Then your Prius breaks and you walk.

admin answers:

I think the only down side is that no electricity is generated at night.

As for other answer mentioned energy used to produce panel, here is a interesting fact:

The energy payback time (i.e., the time it takes for a PV system to generate the same amount of energy that it took to manufacture the system) for PV systems is 2 to 5 years. Since a well-designed and maintained PV system will operate for more than 20 years, and a system without moving parts will operate for close to 30 years, PV systems produce far more energy over their useful life than we use to manufacture them.

admin answers:

Nope. The only solar power that works adequately all through the night is solar therm. The sun’s heat melts salt. The molten salt boils water, water produces steam drives a turbine connected to a generator. Since the salt gets VERY hot and takes a long time to cool down a MSR solar therm reactor [as opposed to a MSR Thorium nuclear reactor] can operate all night long.

An offset is a financial instrument – it is like a stock certificate; it is in fact a commodity forward and the commodity is electricity. It allows you to spend credits produced in generating solar power on electricity generated from the grid. In this case you are not generating energy from the solar cells but from some other electricity plant. You are just getting your electricity for free by spending your offsets.

Not sure but I think a hospital will require large amounts of electricity – too much for solar cells to produce????

admin answers:

The electric utilities can’t hold us hostage the way the petroleum companies do – because you have more choices with electricity.
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If electricity prices get too steep, you can put up your own solar panels, or your own windmill, and make your own electricity. Or you can go to Home Depot right now and buy a generator that makes electricity from a natural gas hookup.
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Sure, solar panels and windmills are expensive, but you’d do it if you got mad enough at your electric bills. Utilities would be nuts to let prices get high enough for this to happen.
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Right now, electric utilities love the idea of electric cars. For the first time, they have people willing to buy electricity in the middle of the night. My own utility (here in Michigan) gave me a free electric car charger for my garage, and a special half-rate for overnight charging.
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Here’s a study that shows there’s enough electricity available overnight for nearly everyone to switch to electric cars:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061211221149.htm

admin answers:

You could certainly do some physics experiments with sound waves:

– Resonant frequencies of open and closed pipes, as a function of length. Can use cheap (black ABS plastic) pipe, at the plumbing isle of a Home Depot store.

– Resonant frequencies of guitar strings as a function of length, tension, mass of string.

Resonant frequencies of a cavity like a hollow-body (acoustic) guitar or violin. Compare how “harsh” the violin string sounds alone (without wood body), vs. The much more pleasing sound when the string’s harmonics are filtered by the resonance of the hollow-body.

– Resonant frequencies in a room in your house. There are multiple resonant modes, in a room with parallel walls, closed door. These are “standing waves”, so by moving the microphone to different points in the room, some points will have maximum intensity & other points will be a “null”.

Gadgets to use – Resonances: Use a variable-frequency sine generator, audio amplifier, speaker to generate the frequencies.

Gadgets to use to observe frequencies of guitar strings: You could use an oscilloscope and microphone to measure frequency. Can also observe harmonic structure of sound (shape of waveform, vs. Sinewave, as observed on an oscilloscope).

There are many possibilities. I’d recommend reading an introductory book on “musical acoustics”. For example, Chapters 1 of “Master Handbook of Acoustics” by Everest ($ 20), explains the basics of sound waves.

Note: As you compete in science fairs in subsequent years, you can continue to expand your investigation of sound waves to increasing levels of sophistication.

-> For example, you can investigate properties of human hearing — how our binaural hearing can determine the distance and angular location of a sound source. Ben Burtt at Lucas Film did pioneering work in this field, to create the 3D “soundfields” in the original Star Wars film.

-> As another example, you can investigate the relationship between construction techniques used to build violins, and subtle changes in the sound produced by the best violins.

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admin answers:

Coal is primarily used as a solid fuel to produce electricity and heat through combustion. World coal consumption is about 6.2 billion tons annually, of which about 75% is used for the production of electricity.[citation needed] China produced 2.38 billion tons in 2006 and India produced about 447.3 million tons in 2006. 68.7% of China’s electricity comes from coal. The USA consumes about 1.053 billion tons of coal each year, using 90% of it for generation of electricity. The world in total produced 6.19 billion tons of coal in 2006.

When coal is used for electricity generation, it is usually pulverized and then burned in a furnace with a boiler. The furnace heat converts boiler water to steam, which is then used to spin turbines which turn generators and create electricity. The thermodynamic efficiency of this process has been improved over time. “Standard” steam turbines have topped out with some of the most advanced reaching about 35% thermodynamic efficiency for the entire process, which means 65% of the coal energy is waste heat released into the surrounding environment. Old coal power plants, especially “grandfathered” plants, are significantly less efficient and produce higher levels of waste heat.

The emergence of the supercritical turbine concept envisions running a boiler at extremely high temperatures and pressures with projected efficiencies of 46%, with further theorized increases in temperature and pressure perhaps resulting in even higher efficiencies.[8]

Other efficient ways to use coal are combined cycle power plants, combined heat and power cogeneration, and an MHD topping cycle.

Approximately 40% of the world electricity production uses coal. The total known deposits recoverable by current technologies, including highly polluting, low energy content types of coal (i.e., lignite, bituminous), might be sufficient for 300 years’ use at current consumption levels, although maximal production could be reached within decades (see World Coal Reserves, below).

A more energy-efficient way of using coal for electricity production would be via solid-oxide fuel cells or molten-carbonate fuel cells (or any oxygen ion transport based fuel cells that do not discriminate between fuels, as long as they consume oxygen), which would be able to get 60%–85% combined efficiency (direct electricity + waste heat steam turbine).[citation needed] Currently these fuel cell technologies can only process gaseous fuels, and they are also sensitive to sulfur poisoning, issues which would first have to be worked out before large scale commercial success is possible with coal. As far as gaseous fuels go, one idea is pulverized coal in a gas carrier, such as nitrogen. Another option is coal gasification with water, which may lower fuel cell voltage by introducing oxygen to the fuel side of the electrolyte, but may also greatly simplify carbon sequestration.

I hope i helped…

admin answers:

Could it be imaginable, that Saturn is a generator for the sun?

No. If it were as you say, then it would be igniting other bodies also in the solar system (including Earth).

A very suitable and testable explanation for the production of energy in the Sun was already proposed in the early 20th century by Arthur Eddington. If you have an alternative, testable explanation, then please describe it so that it can be tested. Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b240PGCMwV0#t=0m37s

How can we know exactly what’s inside Saturn?

“Exactly”? We can’t.
But you can look at what happens in the parts we can see (above the surface) and compare with predictions of what would be expected for different kinds of things in the deep. Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b240PGCMwV0

Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn#Internal_structure
and follow the links there.

admin answers:

I would address your question by saying that yes, I would certainly install it if I owned a home that I intended to stay in for at least 10 years. I think it takes a while before you make the money back on the installation investment. I wish I had it… Maybe my next house!

Solar Energy Advantages
Saves you money
After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
Financial incentives are available form the government that will reduce your cost. (visit www.dsireusa.org to find out about incentives available in the state you live in!).
If your system produces more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This nifty little scheme is called “net-metering”.

It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.
Solar energy does not require any fuel.
It’s not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
The savings are immediate and for many years to come.
The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.
Environmentally friendly
Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generation does.
Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.
It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.
It’s generated where it is needed.
By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.
Independent/ semi-independent
Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.
A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independently, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.
The use of Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or international events and so contributes to a sustainable future.
Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.
Low/ no maintenance

Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.
Once installed, there are no recurring costs.
They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.
More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family’s needs grow.

More about Solar energy advantages disadvantages

Solar Energy Disadvantages

The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one.
The cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming more common, solar energy is becoming more price-competitive.
Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency.

The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.
The production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air.
Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem. See www.dsireusa.org for details on how net metering allows you to save electricity and money.
As far as solar powered cars go – their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught up in today’s rat race.

As you can see there are many Solar Energy Advantages
Disadvantages can be found in any product or system, but it
is important to know that they can be managed in this case.

admin answers:

What you are asking about is not only possible, it has been in use in limited applications for a while. These devices are based on the Peltier–Seebeck and Thomson effects:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltier-Seebeck_effect

Thermoelectric generators have been used on deep space probes for several decades:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator

These devices use radioactive materials as a heat source. The Soviet Union also used similar devices to power remote beacons and lighthouses:
http://www.bellona.no/bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/navy/northern_fleet/incidents/31772

There are also small thermoelectric devices designed to work at lower temperatures for common applications:
http://www.dts-generator.com/gen-txe.htm

admin answers:

If it were me, I’d buy a power inverter for the van, and use it to run the computer and printers. They’re available at most truck stops, auto parts stores, etc. If you combine that with a couple of small solar panels that plug into the cigarette lighters and charge the batteries, you shouldn’t need to run the motor more than a few hours a day to charge the van batteries.

Buy a deep cycle battery, and keep an eye on the power levels. You don’t say how remote the location is. If getting help or a jump is a problem when you run completely out of battery to start the van, buy a small generator for emergency starting. Like they said, they’re not at all expensive. You could probably set up the whole thing for less than $500.

Good luck.

admin answers:

Hi there … You can get a whole house generator which will cover all your needs for between $3-8000 or you cab get a portable one and have a swtich fitted to your house so that you basically plug it in….
Here in florida… I have two … A small 1000w and a bigger 8000 watt. The higher the watts the more it will run in your house. For example .. The only things the 8000w wont run in my house is the air conditioning and the stove…. It will run everything else….. It cost $1300
The 1000 w will run the refrigerator… And a few lights… Or the tv and lights and fans … It cost…. $299.
There is also the thing called starting watts… The 8000 wat gernerator has a starting watt of 13500. What this means is that when certain electrila appliances start they need more electricity than when they are constantly running… Like acceleration in a car… More gas to get up to speed…
The site below has a section sizing your generator and it wexplains how to work out what you need…