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Forum Index : Electronics : Beginners - where should I start

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Snowdog

Newbie

Joined: 02/01/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 2

Posted: 01:33pm 02 Jan 2011

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Hello guys,
This is my year for "off the grid" in a manner of speaking. Northeast PA.

I didn't see any stickies or forums for "beginners" "things you need to know" "start here". Can you point me in some directions?

I have a clue but only a clue. I am a proven do-it-yourselfer and have some goals.

Power my:
1) water pump 220
2) leach field pump
3) a little left over for refrigeration
4) sell back whatever is left when not in use

Start small and add on.

Wind is more reliable here in Northeast PA but solar may be good back up.

Any help,suggestions or links to get me started would be much appreciated.

To many targets to little time

Downwind

Guru

Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 02:52pm 02 Jan 2011

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Hi,
Welcome to the forum.

Think your expectations are bigger than your able achievements

Dont be put off, but understand we all start with high ambitions and realize what it takes in wind energy to achieve our goals.

We all expect to maintain our current lifestyle with out change and learn this wont work if we want to live a RE life style.

Learn the facts and make choices forward from there.

Pete.

Sometimes it just works

Shelly
Newbie

Joined: 22/12/2009
Location: Spain
Posts: 25

Posted: 05:20pm 02 Jan 2011

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Hi
Welcome and a Happy New Year. I reckon I'm one step on from a beginner. I live off grid so can't comment on grid tied equipment but what ever you do start small! Get yourself an anemometer and find out if you do have enough wind. Keep a record of sun days, you might find there is more sun than you thought. There are many on-line shops to browse where you can pick up ideas.
I prefer solar panels, they are easier to use and I live on the Mediterranean coast of Spain where we get approx. 3,300 sun hours a year.
Which ever way you go, have fun. It's an interesting hobby.
Shelly

Snowdog

Newbie

Joined: 02/01/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 2

Posted: 05:41pm 02 Jan 2011

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My motto is shoot for the stars and you might at least get out the front door.

Any project is divided in to very small steps, this I am most familiar with. Any progress even failure is welcome on my part. I may start out with a pre-built system and build from there. There are so many to choose from http://windenergy7.com is one I looked at but I am in the learning stage. I gave my self this year to lean as much as I could before I made any big $$ moves ($3000+). Anything under that I would consider a learning experiment and well worth the cost of failure.

What I really need is a way to power my 220 well bump if we has no electric. 5 mins a day would give me enough water to live on ( I think).

To many targets to little time

VK4AYQ
Guru

Joined: 02/12/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2539

Posted: 03:47am 03 Jan 2011

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Hi Snow dog

I would recommended that you get a standby generator to run the well pump as they have larger start currents than most small systems can support, it can also be used to charge your batteries when required. a run of 5 to 10 mins for water wont cost much even at the fuel prices we have now, the option is to put a 12 or 24 volt pump down the well as these run on 10 t0 15 amps and deliver 4 gallon a minute, the next thing is refrigeration, allow 2 KW a day for a normal fridge, or better still convert a chest type freezer to a fridge by using a external thermostat and you can get by on 500 watts a day, Lighting by led lights is very economical. Other 12/24 volt systems for motor homes give you the TV and music if required.

As suggested the solar is the least trouble but more expensive, wind is OK if you have plenty over 8 MS but it can be frustrating to get a off the shelf system that works trouble free.

I think your budget wants to be expanded to $5K for a usable system.

All the best

Bob

Foolin Around

JimBo911

Senior Member

Joined: 26/03/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 262

Posted: 02:30am 05 Jan 2011

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Mr SnowDog

I am located near Chicago Illinois which means our weather is similar. If your long term goal is to be off grid or near off grid or just want to be able to tell THE MAN to shove it (like me)you may want to consider a hybrid system PV, Wind and solar thermo. Where not loacted in the sun belt winter will keep your PV production down however the wind at this time of year can be a real plus.

First and foremost get your loads as efficient as possiable.

I have built my system a little at a time over several years.
First I managed to remove my fridge from the grid (YEAH BABY)Fridge has been off grid for five years.
Then solar thermo heating both water and living space.

If your a DIY man you may want to take small steps so you can learn alone the way.

Jim

Alasdair
Regular Member

Joined: 12/01/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 62

Posted: 03:06pm 07 Feb 2011

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Hi there,
In regards to your water pump, if your terrain permits (or helps) a trick
I did was to fit a header tank up the hill as far as I could get, and
I built a simple solar powered (20watt) diaphragm pump, using
basic stuff, plumbing check valves x2, an old photocopier gearmotor
and a diaphragm made from two layers of inner tube over a brass
chamber (this I did use a lathe to make) and I get about a litre a
minute, depending on sun. I run a single line to the tank with around
17meter head, and water goes up and down the same line and means
our house wc's don't go off line when power goes out, and the mains
pump is hardly needed, only for top ups. I originally tried to buy the pump
to do this task at 12v, but could find nothing efficient, and cheap..ish,
unless I went medical grade stuff at mega dollars. The principle
of the diaphragm pump being positive displacement makes it super
efficient, less a few losses, and although slow it soon ads up to
a lot of water over the day. You could even run a battery and
larger solar panel (or wind) and run it 24hrs a day.
Best of luck, and have fun

Amc-elec

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