Solar panels. Useless or the future?

petros

petros

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Solar hot water systems are dirt cheap.

I actually made money from the EcoEnergy program under the Harper Govt.

These days under Trudeau going green is a f-cking ankle grabber.
 
Tecumsehsbones

Tecumsehsbones

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JamesBondo said:
I have a sleep apnea machine that needs 1.5 amps (at 12volts). I love camping so i wanted to see if i could camp with my cpap for more than a few days without needing a wall charger or generator...

....i think you are thinking what i am thinking....

A SOLAR PANEL!!! What can be sweeter than having a solar panel and making free power, right?

So I went to canadian tire and bought a 25 watt solar panel for $100. In theory, i would have 2 amps of charging capability but im told to be careful because that is 2 amps in ideal conditions out in the arizona desert.

OK, I understand. YMMV, right? Buyer beware, right?

No problem. Even at 1 amp, i could recharge a 6 hour sleep with a 9 hour charge. And, Ive got almost 15 hours of daylight to get 9 hours worth of charging.

So off to my first campout i go....first night, wonderful...the next morning i get up early and put the solar panel on the battery, it charges all day until sunset..the next night, my battery goes dead just after midnight.....WTF!?!?!?!

Obviously, the solar panel isnt delivering 1 amp, ie half of its 2 amp rating.

So i go home under slept and grumpy. I pull out my multimeter. I want to do an experiment. How much current can i get from my solar panel when it is outside but not pointed directly at the sun?

Any guesses?

In my case, i measured it, and I got 0.2 amps.

Yup. Only 10% of the rated capability of the panel.

So how long will it take to recharge 1 nights use of my CPAP? My math tells me it will take about 2 and a half days.

So what will it cost to buy enough solar panels to fix my problem? About $400 to $1000 depending on what i buy. But now im looking at a solar panel system so big, im stuck car/truck camping. But if im stuck camping near a car,then why wouldnt i just run the car for an hour? Or buy a lunchbox sized honda generator. Honda sells a 1000watt generator, it has a 10 amp charger on a motor that is quieter than most cars.

Friends, do you get the impression that solar panels are extremely wimpy and useless? I do. The next time someone tells me that solar panels are the future, i plan to tell them to stop try to blow smoke up my arse.

Just saying.
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I bought a used car once. It was crap. Spent more time in the shop than on the road, and in the first six months it cost me more in repairs than the purchase price.

From this, using your logic, it is clear that all motor vehicles are crap and cannot possibly be reliable or useful.

It's called "arguing by anecdote."
 
petros

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
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anecdotally speaking...Motors are electric, engines run on hydrocarbon fuels so yes, motor vehicles are crap.
 
J

JamesBondo

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Mar 3, 2012
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Tecumsehsbones said:
I bought a used car once. It was crap. Spent more time in the shop than on the road, and in the first six months it cost me more in repairs than the purchase price.

From this, using your logic, it is clear that all motor vehicles are crap and cannot possibly be reliable or useful.

It's called "arguing by anecdote."
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No doubt about it. By definition, it is anecdotal because it is my story and my facts.

I cant insist that you believe me, but i did take a picture of the charge current.
 

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Tecumsehsbones

Tecumsehsbones

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JamesBondo said:
No doubt about it. By definition, it is anecdotal because it is my story and my facts.

I cant insist that you believe me, but i did take a picture of the charge current.
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I completely believe you. I just noted the flawed thinking in presuming your experience was typical, which I demonstrated with my car analogy.

You're welcome.
 
J

JamesBondo

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Tecumsehsbones said:
I completely believe you. I just noted the flawed thinking in presuming your experience was typical, which I demonstrated with my car analogy.

You're welcome.
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I apreciate your analogy, but i noted that it might conclude that ANY conclusion that i make from my factual experience would fail your logic.

So instead of following your carefully created and accurately placed logic, i decided to fall back on a little bit of basic common sense...

Here goes...

When i experience 10% of the rated output current simply by doing something totally irrational like simulate a scenario where the solar panel is not enjoying direct sunlight(note the sarcasm here)....

....i would say my logic is less flawed by being disappointed in my results than if i chose to use my other flawed logic that tells me that this is a freaking awesome solution for my CPAP.

My advice if you chose to copy me? Expect problems, but logically you should ignore my anecdotal evidence and draw your own flawed conclusions based on your own experience.

Tecumsehsbones said:
I bought a used car once. It was crap. Spent more time in the shop than on the road, and in the first six months it cost me more in repairs than the purchase price.

From this, using your logic, it is clear that all motor vehicles are crap and cannot possibly be reliable or useful.

It's called "arguing by anecdote."
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If you want me to use my logic on your exerience, all you need to do is ask.

Your choice in cars suck. Next time ask me for some advice so you can be less flawed.
 
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DaSleeper

DaSleeper

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I had a 150 watt solar panel on my fifth wheel trailer an two deep cycle rv batteries and I still needed a small portable Honda generator if we got two rainy days in a row...
When we had sunny days we could watch a couple of hours of tv every day using a DC to AC inverter.
 
J

JamesBondo

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Mar 3, 2012
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Heres another thought. From time to time various people will tell you that you actually can put 30 thousand dollars worth of solar panels on a house and after 30 years or so you will see a net savings of 40 thousands. Then they go on to tell you that people are greedy and the only reason they wont spend this kind of money is they don't like to spend big bucks up front.

Well. If you actally take a step back, it is easy to see that this is all bulls hit. If solar panels were economically viable, then we would see leasing schemes out there that would capitalize on the average person that only wants a monthly payment.

After all, if I could mover my electric bill to a leasing company with no increase in liability or monthly payment, I would do it. Who wouldn't? I think we would hit critical mass on solar panels within a couple years.

Another reason why I know it is all bulls hit is because what we are describing for a leasing company would be the new version of a blue chip stock. Investors would flock to it. They would immediately pump 10 percent of their asset's into this with full knowledge that the demand for this would sky rocket and they would be able to invest even more in a few years.
 
Retired_Can_Soldier

Retired_Can_Soldier

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Mar 19, 2006
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Musky said:
Solar is one part of many.

Again I don't get why people hate renewables.
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People don't hate renewable energy, they just hate bullsh!t.

If you buy a Volt and a Tesla and you have to plug it in, you have to ask, "Where is that energy coming from?"

If you pay carbon taxes to your government you have to ask, "Where is that carbon tax going? Is it going into R&D for technology that will advance renewable energy? Or is it just another tax going into general revenue?"

I think most people would like these things. I know I would.
 
DaSleeper

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
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Retired_Can_Soldier said:
People don't hate renewable energy, they just hate bullsh!t.

If you buy a Volt and a Tesla and you have to plug it in, you have to ask, "Where is that energy coming from?"

If you pay carbon taxes to your government you have to ask, "Where is that carbon tax going? Is it going into R&D for technology that will advance renewable energy? Or is it just another tax going into general revenue?"

I think most people would like these things. I know I would.
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You do know you are quoting a guy with a personality disorder don't you?
 
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