Posted by Ulysses on July 8, 2005, 9:28 pm
> >
> [snip]
> > > Now I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails, and I'm sure
there
> is
> > > some philosophy behind your choice of battery/solar. But the biggest
> bang
> > > for the buck, by far, is from a small AC generator. This is a terrific
> > unit:
> > > http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/442/0/home.aspx
> >
> > Finally someone who likes the Yamaha generators. I am considering a
> EF2800i
> > to replace my Honda eu2000i but the only reviews I could find were from
> > people in Florida who *plan* to use it during the next hurricane (may be
> > soon now) but haven't actually used it much.
> >
> What happened to your Honda? There have been reports (on this group?) that
> inverters have failed with very little provocation, and the cost of the
> module is so high that repairs are prohibitive.
The engine simply wore out. It had (conservative estimate) 12,000 hours on
it. I have it at a repair place and I'm awaiting the verdict buy the guy
who would have looked at it died last weekend. The ballpark estimate I got
so far is around $375 so I may just take it apart myself and find someone to
bore and hone the cylinder and determine what rings and bearings or whatever
to get. And of course I'll need to get the shop manual. I don't even own a
micrometer.
The little Honda was supposed to only have to last until we got our solar
panels etc. It turns out, however, that the lender (we are building a
house--eventually) rejected our loan because we were going to do solar
instead of the grid. The loan broker never bothered to tell us that.
Meanwhile the grid is getting closer and it will now cost less to get onto
it than to do solar, and it well be easy to get a loan.
The inverter seems to be OK on the Honda eu2000 but I don't understand how
it's hooked up. Must be a dual polarity system because it has 3 inputs. It
would be nice if I could hook it up to some batteries and use it just as an
inverter but if I recall correctly the owner's manual doesn't give any
voltages or polarity etc at the coils on the schematic.
> My Yamaha EF3000 has hair-trigger overload protection, but perhaps that's
> why it has a better reputation for reliability.
> As for my experience, it's built like a jewel, and the quietest generator
> I've ever heard. However, certain loads that inject noise into the line do
> trigger the protection circuit. It would not work with the generator input
> of my SW4024PLUS until I put a very substantial noise filter in between
the
> two. A scope on the line disclosed the reason: high amplitude transients
> coming out of the input of the SW4024PLUS.
Posted by Christian M. Mericle on July 8, 2005, 6:01 pm
On Fri, 8 Jul 2005 00:38:06 -0400, "Robert Morein"
[snip]
>12V panels don't actually put out 12V. Depending upon the brand, the load
>and intensity of sunlight, they put out anywhere from nothing to 18 volts.
>Even a small panel can cook your battery!
>Here's a small, cheap charge controller:
>http://www.icpsolar.com/specifications.php3?id_article40
>and a 21 amp version
>http://www.icpsolar.com/specifications.php3?id_article41
>I have a spare 21 amp version I'd sell cheap.
>Sure, you can use an AC charger instead of solar. I was just over at Lowe's,
>where they're selling an 8 amp Vector smart charger (AC) for $40!
I was worried about proper charging so I'll get one of these. In the
meantime, I'll sitck with the car charger.
>Now I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails, and I'm sure there is
>some philosophy behind your choice of battery/solar. But the biggest bang
>for the buck, by far, is from a small AC generator. This is a terrific unit:
>http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/442/0/home.aspx
>They appear frequently on eBay:
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category 6437&itemu27282995&rd=1
>In your application, it will actually last longer, because a battery dies
>whether you use it or not. ONE BATTERY is heavier than this generator,
>harder to store, and stores a negligible fraction of the energy of can of
>gasoline.
There is a philosophy behind my choice...
1) Someone gave me a fairly new car battery.
2) I already have a small solar panel.
3) I already have a power inverter.
4) I'm short on cash. (The generator is nice but many times more
expensive than what I'm putting together.)
Thanks!
-- Christian
Save Darfur -- http://www.savedarfur.org/
World Vision (Darfur) --
http://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section 025&item72182
ICC (Sudan) -- http://www.persecution.org/Countries/sudan.html
Posted by teamdebus on July 8, 2005, 7:24 pm
You'll find the very best set of plans for building your own, in the
Mother Earth News, Feb/Mar 1998 (Issue No. 166), pp. 80-82.
It's a well thought-out concept, easy to build, and looks good in any
home or RV. It doesn't get any better than that.
TD
Posted by Ulysses on July 8, 2005, 9:31 pm
> On Fri, 8 Jul 2005 00:38:06 -0400, "Robert Morein"
> [snip]
> >12V panels don't actually put out 12V. Depending upon the brand, the load
> >and intensity of sunlight, they put out anywhere from nothing to 18
volts.
> >Even a small panel can cook your battery!
> >Here's a small, cheap charge controller:
> >http://www.icpsolar.com/specifications.php3?id_article40
> >and a 21 amp version
> >http://www.icpsolar.com/specifications.php3?id_article41
> >
> >I have a spare 21 amp version I'd sell cheap.
> >Sure, you can use an AC charger instead of solar. I was just over at
Lowe's,
> >where they're selling an 8 amp Vector smart charger (AC) for $40!
> I was worried about proper charging so I'll get one of these. In the
> meantime, I'll sitck with the car charger.
> >Now I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails, and I'm sure there
is
> >some philosophy behind your choice of battery/solar. But the biggest bang
> >for the buck, by far, is from a small AC generator. This is a terrific
unit:
> >http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/442/0/home.aspx
> >They appear frequently on eBay:
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category 6437&itemu272829
95&rd=1
> >
> >In your application, it will actually last longer, because a battery dies
> >whether you use it or not. ONE BATTERY is heavier than this generator,
> >harder to store, and stores a negligible fraction of the energy of can of
> >gasoline.
> There is a philosophy behind my choice...
> 1) Someone gave me a fairly new car battery.
> 2) I already have a small solar panel.
> 3) I already have a power inverter.
> 4) I'm short on cash. (The generator is nice but many times more
> expensive than what I'm putting together.)
Huh. Sounds a lot like my situation. My wife insists that I should figure
out how to charge the batteries without spending more than $20. I insist
that it would be much easier to put a new generator on the credit card. So
far she's winning.
> Thanks!
> -- Christian
> Save Darfur -- http://www.savedarfur.org/
> World Vision (Darfur) --
http://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section 025&item=1
072182
> ICC (Sudan) -- http://www.persecution.org/Countries/sudan.html
Posted by Kiwi John on July 11, 2005, 12:51 am
have you looked at computer mods for lighting etc its all 12 volt
> On Thu, 7 Jul 2005 16:28:36 -0400, "Robert Morein"
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I live in rural eastern New Mexico. High winds combined with fragile
>>> transmission systems create occassional power outages.
>>>
>>> I want to put together a simple, inexpensive emergency power supply
>>> and want some suggestions.
>>>
>>> Here's what I have in mind...
>>>
>>> 12V battery (standard, eventually deep-cycle)
>>
>>As the other posters say, keep everything extremely low drain. Buy
>>appliances that run off of 12V. If you have a laptop, use a 12V power
>>adapter. Don't try to run household appliances. A non-deep-cycle battery
>>will last perhaps ten cycles.
>>
>>Make up a list of needs:
>>radio
> Have a battery powered local/worldband and a handcrank local (w/
> flashlight) so I won't have to rely on this setup for those.
>>light
> On the list.
>>clock
> Wristwatch. {:o)
>>laptop
> Need to get a 12V power supply.
>>razor
> Never could use an electric razor.
>>cellphone charger
> Need one of these, too.
>>charger for portable appliance batteries
> Can I get a 12V version? If so, any thoughts on where?
>>In your list, you do not mention a charge controller. However, this is
>>necessary to get even minimal life out of the battery, unless you are
>>willing to stand over it during the charging process.
> Will I need a charge controller w/ the 12V solar panel or just if I
> charge w/ a 110V charger (if it doesn't have one built in)?
> Thanks!
> -- Christian
> Save Darfur -- http://www.savedarfur.org/
> World Vision (Darfur) --
>
http://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section 025&item72182
> ICC (Sudan) -- http://www.persecution.org/Countries/sudan.html
XML site map
> [snip]
> > > Now I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails, and I'm sure
there
> is
> > > some philosophy behind your choice of battery/solar. But the biggest
> bang
> > > for the buck, by far, is from a small AC generator. This is a terrific
> > unit:
> > > http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/442/0/home.aspx
> >
> > Finally someone who likes the Yamaha generators. I am considering a
> EF2800i
> > to replace my Honda eu2000i but the only reviews I could find were from
> > people in Florida who *plan* to use it during the next hurricane (may be
> > soon now) but haven't actually used it much.
> >
> What happened to your Honda? There have been reports (on this group?) that
> inverters have failed with very little provocation, and the cost of the
> module is so high that repairs are prohibitive.