Emergency Power With SOLAR ELECTRICITY
Need Justification?
It would have been nice to have an emergency source of electricity during the East Coast Blackout, or the loss of power experienced by Hurricane Katrina and those following ( It just keeps happening). I wonder whether the Solar Panels could survive hurricane force winds, probably nothing else would have.
After the East Coast blackout, the report said that the System performed as designed. A fault is disconnected from the grid to protect the system. The domino effect happened with too many overloads. We also learned the the System was nearing capacity and more of this kind of blackout could be expected.
Aside from natural disasters, we have grown too big for the power system and major changes will have to be made before we can eliminate effects such as blackouts.
Along with everyone else, losing all electricity is a major problem. Now, we have an emergency source that eliminates the major problems of a motor generator. The main advantage is that we do not have to buy or store fuel. Second to that is having some electricity already paid for, when we bought the system, so we use it, every day.
Lights, power for the wood pellet stove, and the computer ( I am a writer- that's important ) cannot be cut off by a blackout. We go on with our lives. Of course, using a Passive Solar Space Heater gives us grid-free, cost-free heating, ( It cut or heating bill in half. ) Practicing what we put in the book, Energy Tips helps too. Take a look at those books.
To our way of thinking, Solar Power has paid for itself many times over. During a blackout, we are still the only house in the neighborhood with lights and no heating problem. In the Northwest, that is something.
So much for justification.
Building a solar electric system sounds complex and highly technical. It could be. There are ways to do it with the average knowledge and skills of today’s home owner. Today, it is possible to get all the technical help about sizing, hookup, and component selection from the technicians that most solar suppliers employ. You can also go to a solar contractor and tell him to build a solar system. He can do it to satisfy your needs.
Or you can take on the task yourself and build a system to satisfy both your needs and financial resources. That’s what this book is all about. You don’t have to be an engineer, or an electrician. You should know how to use tools and be able to do a creditable job, whatever the undertaking.
We undertook to build a solar electric system as an emergency electricity supply in place of a motor generator and still remain cost- competitive. Here it is. It doesn’t require engine maintenance, doesn’t require fuel storage, and above all, it is quiet. Although its purpose was as an emergency power source, it still generates electricity every day, so we use it. Our office and its computer are permanently connected to the solar system.
It’s all here, and like Ritchie’s other books, it was written from experience. To benefit from that experience, buy the book, then study it. It’s as simple as that.
Contents:
Preface.
Introduction.
Log of an adventure. Meeting a need. Scope of the book.
Ch.1. System Selection. What to choose? How big? Dollars versus Size. Feasibility. Capability.
Ch.2. Glossary. All the Solar and Electrical terms you need to know. Maintenance and repair.
Ch. 3. Preparation. Preparing people. Preparing the house. Why? Living With It.
Ch. 4. Basic Electricity. From the beginning. Water Analogy. No Electricity? Self-sustaining Electrical supply. Using The sun’s Energy. Recap. Safety. Electrical codes. Insulators. A simple Circuit. Ammeter. Voltmeter. Law of Electricity. Ohm”s Law. Power Law. Electromagnetism. An Electrical Meter. A Motor. Using An Electric Meter. A Multi-meter. Semiconductors. Photo-voltaics. Electrical Diagrams. Voltages and Currents. AC and DC Circuits. AC Circuits. AC Ohm’s Law. Air As A Conductor. Arcs. Lightning. Electric Welding. Switches. Review. Importance of Safety.
Ch. 5. System Details. Component Descriptions. How it all fits together.
Ch. 6. Batteries. What’s Available? Battery Selection. Battery Performance. Maintenance. Physical Aspects of Batteries. How Does A Battery Work?
Ch. 7. PV Panels and Arrays. Panel Ratings and Characteristics. Panel Specifications. Actual Performance. Making and Mounting an Array. Selecting The Proper Panel. Guarantees. Voltage and Current Requirements. Cost versus Capacity. Mounting an Array. Measuring Performance.
Ch.8. Motor Generators. Solar Backup Power. Increased System Capability. Introduction- Choice and Use of Generators. The Plan. Furnaces and Heat Pumps, Clothes Dryers. Furnace Operation With A Generator. Running Time. Extended Service. Long Term Service. Maintenance. Engines. Utilizing Generator Heat. Using A Generator In The House. Support for Your Emergency Generator. System Testing. Fuel Use and Storage. Safety. Generator size. Connecting A Generator To The Home. Transfer Switches. Load Reality. Wells, Power Equipment. Generator Power Output. Engine Noise.
Ch.9. Electrical Hardware. Terminals. Wire. Insulation. Liquid Tape. Electrical Boxes. Choice of components. Electrical Conduit. Flexible conduit. Fuses. Surge Protectors. Lightning Arresters. Thyristors.
Ch. 10. Performance. Metering Diagram. Caution. About Meters. Inverter Metering. Remote Meter Station. Power Measurements. Recording Wattmeter. Electronic Power Meters. Get Used To Using Meters.
Ch. 11. Maintenance and Troubleshooting. Troubleshooting. Troubleshooting Routine. Periodic Maintenance. Spare Parts.
Ch. 12. Potential Improvements. Selling Your Excess Electricity Adding More Batteries. Adding More PV Panels. Another Generator. Appliance Update. The Energy Efficient Home.
Ch. 13. What To Do With Excess Power? Heating Water. Pumping Water. Selling Back To The Grid.
Ch. 14. Living With It. Electrical Culture. Electrical Machinery. Excuses. Relative Energy Costs.
Bibliography.
Sources.
ISBN: 0-939656-88-4, $31.95.
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December 13, 2008
This page contains the copyrighted works of Ralph W. Ritchie and Fern J. Ritchie