Solar Power - Any Info??

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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I am seriously looking into erecting some form of solar panel system on my house to start generating my own power & become self sufficient. I am having TREMENDOUS difficulty getting names & addresses/web-pages of suppliers in the DR, does anyone know of a supplier or manufacturer here??

I understand that the law allows for "Solar Panels & equipment" to be imported free of import tax, can anyone confirm this for me?

If I get anywhere with an outside of the country organisation, how many more people would be interested in getting fixed up with Solar Power? Prices are likely to be in the region of US $5,000 upwards, so please, only those who have a SERIOUS interest in following through to installing should send me their details. If we get enough interest, maybe we could get a company from the States or The US Virgin Is. across to do installations at a reduced rate!!

I'd LOVE to tell EdeNorte to go remove their meter (plus a few other choice words) so please, a good response would be helpful to get things under way. I'll gladly coordinate it all if we get the right amount of response!! - Grahame.
 

andy a

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Feb 23, 2002
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It might be an acceptable alterntive if...

Someone is at home all the time to keep them from being stolen, and...

You have a gas fridge. I've never heard of an inverter big enough to handle the initial power surge to start a refrigerator.
 

gjsuk

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Apr 7, 2003
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Hi Grahame
I looked into solar power for our Long Island house last year, not that much bigger than yours, and was looking at $20-25k installed. There are govt incentives/tax breaks in NY that reduce that by about $10k but even so it didn't make any sense. I was told that the main cost was the equipment and it seemed fairly straightforward to DIY install.

Anyways just search the web for solar (there are plenty out there) and see if they will ship a system to you or via a US PO box

If you already have found one for $5k I would be very interested!!
cheers
Graham
 

lurker

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Apr 24, 2003
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shell (formerly siemens) sells a 500 watt system for $5000 not including installation.

enough power to blend 2 margaritas a day (small blender).

doesnt make $$$$$ sense yet.
 

Tony C

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BushBaby said:
I am seriously looking into erecting some form of solar panel system on my house to start generating my own power & become self sufficient.

Can't be done. Well actually it can but only if you are willing to give up certain luxuries like refridgeration.

Out of curiosity who much is your electric bill?
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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practical stuff/the process

Bushbaby, we've been looking into alternative power for six months or so now. I found out to my astonishment that this whole thing is not as easy as what the advertisements make it sound.

You might relook the $5,000 and look at the total cost of ownership. It seems, from what we've found out, that a mix of propane and solar is the way to go. Everybody has a different set of needs however, and you may find that something else works better for you. We are currently looking at roughly $25,000 to change. This includes replacing the gasoline generator with a diesel generator and replacing all appliances with propane appliances.

I've just recently learnt from another thread that there are propane powered generators as well as 'switch over' kits to make a gasoline driven generator into a propane driven generator. Don't know too much about this yet.

For us the critical factor is our office - up to 10 computers, 3 satellite dishes and a mess of peripherals like printers and scanners and modems and so on. I'll shower cold and have no refrigeration, but the office must run.

So looking at $25,000, our first step is probably simply replacing the generator with something that is cheaper to run. Then, installation of a battery bank and inverter, then replace the appliances over time and only then install a solar system. At this point, we are still in trouble with running the pool pump and two water pumps and Richard likes to do woodwork and runs a power tool or two from time to time. You need quite a sizable solar installation to run a normal household.

I would suggest that you talk to a number of knowledgeable people about alternative power systems - with a complete list in your hand of what your power needs are. Everything, including 'she who must be obeyed' may run a juicer or a dishwasher or something from time to time. Then decide what might work for you and then get a good cost estimate and implementation plan.
 
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lurker

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anyone interested in producing their own power should start with the honda inverter series of gas generators. entry costs are low and the machines are bulletproof. most people find its no fun. you can determine where you want to go with it from there.

propane is ok but in hot weather fridges just cant keep up.
freezers are great but the maintenance must be performed.
hot water and cooking i wouldnt use anything but.
 

BushBaby

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HMMMMMmmmm!!

A LOT of good information, a LOT of good suggestions AND a lot of food for thought!! Back to the drawing board Bush!!

IF I could find a system that cost US $10,000 to run my whole house (VERY doubtful by the look of the relies here) then with my current (excuse the pun) electricity bill of RD $2,000 per month - it would take me 175 months (12.5 YEARS) to recoup my investment!!! At MY advancing years this doesn't seem like a sensible idea!!! GOD how I wish I was FILTHY rich & 30 years younger!!!

I WILL follow through on this though & if I find anything useful I will report back to the Board!! I have been reading the other thread too Chriss - VERY interesting & LOTS of information even for a layman & "Thicky" like me!! I'm the sort of guy that thought 'Jump Leads' were called that because if you touched the two wires together when they were connected to power, they made you JUMP!!!!! I understand now it has something to do with CARS & their batteries!!!!

How shocking this all is. Ohme i God, watt is the world coming to?
- Grahame.
 

m65swede

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Mar 18, 2002
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Re: practical stuff/the process

Chris said:
I've just recently learnt from another thread that there are propane powered generators as well as 'switch over' kits to make a gasoline driven generator into a propane driven generator. Don't know too much about this yet.

This gas-to-propane conversion is fairly simple and straightforward. Many of the propane delivery trucks here in the US run on propane and propane powered farm tractors are still to be found in rural America.

I'm looking into wind power for my home here on the Illinois prairie. I want to use the windmill to provide enough electricity to power a geo-thermal heating/cooling system. A number of these geo-thermal units have been installed locally with great success.

Swede
 

lurker

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Apr 24, 2003
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like solar, wind power doesnt make $$$$ sense yet. its all the other stuff you need to make a system work like inverters, controllers and the real killer - storage.

a caveat on propane freezers. only a pound or two can be added a day to freeze. if you threw in a hind moose quarter all at once it would NEVER freeze. EVER. most have their food orders frozen at the point of purchase.
 

lhtown

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Jan 8, 2002
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Whoever said an inverter can't power a refrigerator? My Trace 3.6 powers my whole house(except water heater and air) including large fridge, chest freezer and even the washing machine/or microwave. It has worked practically flawlessly for a year. It does have a large battery bank. Its peak power rating for starting motors is 3 times the continual rating of 3600 watts.

You are right about the inital high cost of solar. If you consider what that same money could be doing invested in the the stock market or other investment, it is pitiful.

It seems like someone should be able to come up with a reflective panel that runs a steam turbine that would have a lower startup cost for use in subtropical climates.

I have a friend who has a windmill he is happy with, but I am not sure that it offers a much better return.
 
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ltsnyder

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Jun 4, 2003
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If your on the grid now, then you know how much your using

If your thinking solar, remember it is expensive, and could be very costly. Imagine your playing your radio loud 3 years into your solar conversion and a next door neighbor throws a rock at your house to get you to quiet up (ok, well invent your own situation here). If a panel breaks, your out about 300 - 500 US$ right there.

Calculate this way, a refrigorator is a 200 watt item. That would take about 6 64 watt solar panels at least (since this is a can't die item).

1 100 watt light bulb running all night would take and additonal 3 solar panels.

Having 1 server up all the time (I'll estimate at about 100 watts on average) is an additional 6 panels).

If your going off the grid your better (before you go off), considering how you can conserve power, and look at your current bill, examples:

1) I know it has been said a 1000 times here, but you need a non-electric refrigorator, propane is the way to go.

2) If you are going to have computers, buy portables, even for the server, they use alot less energy and are cheaper than buying all those solar panels to power a energy hog tower server.

3) You must go floresent for all you lighting needs a 100watt equivelent only uses about 19 watts of power.

4) no blenders, power tools, or fans, and never a air conditioner (you'll need panels all over your house and yard to power that). Ok, maybe a blender but only for a little bit.

5) remember you don't get what you paid for 5 years latter, the deep charge batteries will be weaker, the solar panels will be at maybe 87% efficency.

6) Replacement is as expensive as initial startup ( and will happen before the 15 year period).

7) Remember, chances are your going to have over 25,000 US$ of equipment laying around your house, and any one from a nearby mountain will be able to see at least $5,000 US$ of solar panels on your roof.

Now I know people who don't want wood framed roofs because people will try to steal the wood due to it's value. What do you think will happen when someone figures out the value of the panels, and knows someone he can sell them too on the other side of the island, and live fat and happy for the rest of the year (in a poor dominican sort of way).

-Lee

PS: Finally, don't think of this as the ecologically sound thing to do , all those deep charge lead acid batteries are a toxic nightmare, and you know the people who reclaim these probably just dump the lead/acid solution in the batteries into the local stream near their house. So be carefull how you dispose of the batteries.