Solar/Wind and the weather

Discussion in 'Off Grid Living' started by Nadja, Apr 9, 2011.


  1. Nadja

    Nadja RIP 3-11-2013 Forum Leader

    Well, here in N.E. Az, this morning, it is overcast , breezy and supposed to snow. My solar is working at about 1/2 normal output , but my wind generator is working about double or better then normal for this time of day.

    What I am getting to is this: If your solar is assisted by wind, then on days like this when we are braceing for a storm, the wind will sometimes make up for the loss in sun power. Generally speaking this is the ideal set up, even then at times you will still need a good reliable back up gennie for when you don't get either wind or sun. If the economy would get even a little better, I would be putting up my second wind gennie. But, it does take money, and that is in short supply right now. But soon, if at all possible , it will be ordered and headed up into the sky. Those of you just still in the thinking mode, may want to consider some of both also, rather then just concentrating on solar alone. Thoughts of the day is all.
     
    hank2222 likes this.
  2. hank2222

    hank2222 Monkey+++

    my friend tells me it all ready a 100 degrees down in the valley and his solar is going full time with the wind system and it getting better now that the summer time weather is all ready here ..

    they say that the Valley of the Sun get 300 days of sunshine there and the area we are in gets just over 260 days of sunshine ..do you belive that number
     
  3. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    That is why they call it Arid-zonia.... Not much moisture and lots of sun....
     
  4. hank2222

    hank2222 Monkey+++

    Oh come on it a dry heat and in the summer time you learn to cook in the morning or the evening never in the daytime
     
  5. Nadja

    Nadja RIP 3-11-2013 Forum Leader


    Bruce, at least our fingers and toes don't turn black and fall off LOL
     
    hank2222 likes this.
  6. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    That only happens to Drunks, and Idiots, that pass out in Snow Banks.... Regular Folks are smart enough to not get in those situations....
     
    hank2222 likes this.
  7. spud

    spud Monkey++

    Good luck prepping
     
    Nadja likes this.
  8. Nadja

    Nadja RIP 3-11-2013 Forum Leader

    Hello Rancher. There is a gentleman in Oklahoma doing just that right now. I will try and call him in a couple of days and see how it is working out for him. He is going side by side with two wind gennies he bought from the frozen north. (Bruce Land) LOL
     
  9. spud

    spud Monkey++

    Thank you, that is nice of you ;-)
     
  10. beast

    beast backwoodsman

    have any of you played with earth batteries?
    ive been doing some small experiments with it
    it does look viable if you have space
    the larger your electrodes, the higher the amperage
    more cells in series gives more amps yet
    cells in parallel give more voltage
    the best electrodes are zinc for -
    and carbon for + (unless you can afford platinum )
    set your + electrodes north of your - ones for the best power gain
     
  11. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    You got it just a bit wrong beast......
    More cells in series, equals higher voltage....
    Bigger plate surface area, equals more amperage
    more cells in parallel, equals more amperage

    basic Physics 101
     
  12. beast

    beast backwoodsman

    lol, so my brain was half aswleep :p
     
  13. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    No fear, beast.... It is easy to forget, if you aren't doing this stuff daily....
     
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