Solar, Wind, and Water

What Voltage Should My Battery Bank Be? 12, 24, or 48.

August 14, 2018
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The most common question I get as a solar consultant is… What voltage should I use for my battery bank? And Why? Almost everyone who is new to solar, wind or micro-hydro assumes that 12 volts is the way to go. It seems obvious. You can buy 12 volt lighting, 12 volt coffee makers, 12 […]

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Why Renewable Energy Isn’t For Everyone | In Fact Almost No One!

August 13, 2015
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In the developed world we have become accustomed to having unlimited electricity. We turn on a light switch and a light turns on. We leave the light on for two weeks straight and the light stays on for two weeks straight. Even if we do leave a light bulb running for two weeks it affects […]

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Making a Solar Electric Water Heater | Can it Be Done?

April 1, 2015
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As the price of photovoltaic modules (solar modules, solar panels) continues to drop there are many discussions about using solar electric modules to heat water. No more leaks, messy and complicated plumbing, heat exchangers, controllers to fail, pumps to maintain and fluids to freeze. Solar hot water has been plagued with leaks, freezing (or poisonous […]

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Our Steam Engine / Battery Charger

December 8, 2014
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We bought a stream engine in 2011 with the hopes of someday using it as a backup for charging batteries if gas and oil were ever to become in short supply. Our biggest problem has been to find a wood boiler that can produce enough steam to operate the engine for long periods of time. […]

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Using Your Generator to Charge Your Batteries

September 28, 2013
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There are going to be many times when the sun isn’t shining, the wind isn’t blowing and your batteries are low. The only choice you might have is to charge your batteries using your fossil fueled generator. As you may already know, there is not a more expensive method of battery charging than using a […]

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The Best Choices for Your First Solar Battery Bank

September 18, 2013
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You will make a lot of mistakes in the beginning of your “off grid” adventures and your batteries will pay the price whether they are deluxe and expensive models or decent quality and cost effective. If your solar installer/designer tries to sell you a “high end” (and very expensive) battery bank for your first energy […]

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Dump Loads for Solar, Wind and Microhydro

May 2, 2013
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Dump loads a.k.a. diversion loads are are an important part of the off grid electric system. Almost all wind and water turbine installations will require them and most solar installations can benefit from a dump load. As we discussed in the dump load intro, a dump load is simply an electrical device (load) to send […]

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Solar Module Efficiency

April 25, 2013
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As manufacturers improve their processes, solar module efficiency increases. But the real question is “Who cares?”. A solar module’s efficiency is stated in a % (percentage) of how much energy is captured per square meter of solar panel. The module on the right is considered high efficiency with a rating of 20.2%. Solar modules are […]

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Skystream Automatic Disconnection

April 22, 2013
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Southwest Windpower’s Skystream can be used to charge batteries but a circuit must be present that will shut the turbine down as the batteries reach a full state of charge or a circuit to dump the extra power. If you could hire someone inexpensively to shut the breaker off as the batteries “top off” that […]

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Add a Diversion Load to a SkyStream

April 18, 2013
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There are a few methods to add a diversion load to your Skystream. The best methods are shown below (option #1 or option #2) but it assumes you either have a charge controller/ inverter with a programmable relay driver/output or you will purchase a diversion controller. Outback Power, Schneider Electric and Magnum Energy. Midnite Solar, […]

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Skystream Battery Charging How To

April 18, 2013
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The Skystream made by Southwest Windpower is a grid tie wind turbine that is designed to produce 240 volts AC at 60HZ (or 50HZ)  no matter what speed the wind is blowing. It does this by taking the wild AC from the alternator, rectifying it to DC and inverting back to AC. It is quite […]

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Dump Load / Diversion Load Intro

April 16, 2013
Solar doesn't NEED a load but it can be handy if your battery bank is full and you want to make some free hot water.

Since there is a lot of confusion about diversion loads, we will discuss what they are and why they are used. A dump load is nothing more than a resistor (heating element) that is used for dumping electricity when it is not needed or to prevent your battery bank from being overcharged. It could be […]

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Using an Electric Heater as a Dump Load

April 12, 2013
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A common question I get asked is “Can I use a standard 120/240 AC heating element or hot water heater element as a DC dump load for my wind turbine/water turbine/solar system?” (Wondering what a dump load is? Click here) (More advanced diversion load info for solar, wind and water power) The answer is yes […]

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