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Post by plantsnobin on Sept 19, 2008 21:34:52 GMT -5
I know it isn't garden related, but after all the weather issues we have had this year that have taken out the power, I think it would be prudent to look into alternatives. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this? It is hard to know what companies are reliable, and it is confusing for someone like me who doesn't get the difference between AC and DC. Though, for those of you who like to rock I can say that ACDC will be in concert in Indianapolis Nov 3. Tickets go on sale in the morning! Anyway, I would like to find a source on energy that would at least power our well. Not having lights is one thing, but the going without water for several days during spring in the greenhouse would be a real disaster.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Sept 19, 2008 21:57:03 GMT -5
Karen, I've always thought that this property would be perfect for Wind Generated Power. It's elevated and across from a lake which creates a great wind tunnel effect year round. Alas, I was the only one in this household who thought that this was worth looking into. Paintman didn't think that we would see enough of a return on the investment required. So I never followed through with researching the possibilities. But what we do have here that you might look into is an old fashioned hand pump on the well. We've used it on several occasions. Not only just for short term incidences where the power is off for a few hours or more, but there have been two separate occasions in our 15 year stay here, that natural disasters caused outages in the longterm. In 1996 there was a tornado that damaged local power generating equipment and kept the area in the dark for two days. We not only handpumped enough water for our own livestock (30 sheep, 12 cattle and a couple of horses), but also for a flock of 50 sheep next door as well as several households in the area. Then in 1998 there was an Ice Storm that caused millions of homes in Quebec, Ontario, NYS and I believe VT to lose power for up to 3 weeks. We were only without hydro for short periods of time, but many on the sideroads behind us were out for 2 weeks or more. Again, we had the ability to provide water for many who didn't have their own. And have you thought of installing rainbarrels or one of the larger rainstorage systems on your house? It's surprising how much water can be collected. www.3riverswetweather.org/f_resources/nmr%20report/App2_barrel_size.pdf |
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Post by orflo on Sept 19, 2008 23:51:58 GMT -5
I don't know if this will be helpful, but my electricity comes from solar panels, and it's great, one of the best decisions of my life....But I guess the Belgian firm won't export to the US.....
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Post by plantsnobin on Sept 20, 2008 7:32:35 GMT -5
Blue, sounds like your lake location would be great for wind. My husband ususlly doesn't go for any new ideas, but after this last storm, when I said it might be time to look into alternatives, he seemed interested. We had been to an old tractor show a couple of weeks before, and they had a windmill pumping water. I will have to post some pics from that event. My dad was a well driller, and I bought the 'homeplace'. We had an extra well that my dad had dug, but several years ago when that little Jessica girl fell down the well in Texas, my husband measured our two year old and decided that she too might fit down an 8 inch pipe. He filled it in with concrete. Dumb ass. I sure wish we had that well to put a hand pump on. Of course, our wells are 180-200 ft deep, so I don't know if a hand pump would work or not. Orflo, it is great that you use solar panels. Does it provide all your electricity, and what kind of climate do you have? Any info is much appreciated. Karen
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Post by Jim on Sept 20, 2008 13:42:13 GMT -5
Ok I'm an engineer but not an electrical engineer but I can help a bit on this one. Karen what do you want to accomplish? I mean do you want to supplement your energy needs or go totally off the grid. If you wish to merely supplement your energy you can get a few solar pannels or windmills and feed them into dedicated dc ( direct current like battery power ) power circuits. This is the easiest cheapest way to go. You could also get a transformer to take the dc to ac ( alternating current like your normal house power) but you will likely only be able to run limmited things off of it. Mother earth news has some really great articles on this. If you can define your goals I'd be glad to point you in the direction of some good information.
Jim
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Post by Jim on Sept 20, 2008 13:43:38 GMT -5
After reading your post again I see you want to run your well. Can you find out how many amps your well pump draws. This is the basepoint for determining how much power you need.
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Sept 20, 2008 21:02:37 GMT -5
I've looked into windmills before, lots of money. But you live in a pretty good place to catch some wind. Getting an average of over 12mph is one thing I learned. Around here that is pretty much impossible, at least at ground level. You have to put up a big tower to catch that kind of wind.
Solar is much easier to do. But expensive too.
You might just look into a generator...
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Post by orflo on Sept 22, 2008 6:54:44 GMT -5
A word of info on my situation: we bought the panels in 2001, Flemmish gouvernement sponsored part of the installation of solar panels (they still do). We used about 1000 kW each year (which was really low), and we bought panels, giving us about 2000 kW each year. We changed some things (for example, we changed the gas oven into an electric one), but we still have too much electricity. One of the conditions for sponsoring was that we had to put the surplus of electricity on the net, meaning we 'produce' electricity. Up to now, the panels have given us more electricity than we were promised, even in really bad years, they give about 4 % more. Check out how much electricity you use every year, check out how much the panels cost (over here prices are depending on the amount of kW they produce, if you buy panels for let's say 1000kw, you should pay about half of panels for 2000 kw), and calculate how much you need and can spend. We have no electricity bills any more, and we get paid a sort of green power certificate each year, so we even earn a bit of money on these things. But conditions in the US are different, so I can't tell anything about that. Solar panels do produce energy in short days or in dull, grey days. They use the diffuse (I hope this is an English word  )light , but , off course, productivity is higher when the sun shines.The panels produce a low voltage electricity, which is converted by special converters into the 220 Volt that's common over here, that way we didn't have to buy special new machinery or radio or computer or whatever, and it can be guided directly to the net. |
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)light , but , off course, productivity is higher when the sun shines.The panels produce a low voltage electricity, which is converted by special converters into the 220 Volt that's common over here, that way we didn't have to buy special new machinery or radio or computer or whatever, and it can be guided directly to the net.