Solar power, inverters, charge controllers, wiring for dc.

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Yeah, okay. I'm starting to see rough outlines. I am starting to see where, money allowing, along with a little ingenuity and elbow grease, a decent system could be created easily and rather quickly. The more difficult aspects are designing the system,which will require understanding what I need/want from the system in the first place, wiring dc (and perhaps developing some of the dc to ac for a small number of ac outlets, if it is possible to have a "duel fuel" power system), and probably hooking up the tie-in to the grid (required to receive the government rebates which would make the system more feasible).

From what I am seeing, so far, the reason a tie-in system is more of a problem is because it involves a (pseudo, if they insist) government bureaucracy involvement (the power company, so regulated it might as well be the Post Office!). I am not sure how much red tape is involved, but just understand, whenever the government gets involved, expenses and complexity escalate exponentially. As well, your opsec is smashed. No, you can't trust your government, or to keep it's mouth shut. Telling the government anything is like putting neon signs every few miles on every road leading from your home for as far as our borders and beyond (or, telling a woman, which is often exactly what you are doing). Bah! Still, those neon lights dim in time. And in a grid down, they would go out.

I am looking at a couple of devices tonight, a grid-tie and battery back up inverter and a charge controller, trying to figure out what they mean. Sure, sure, they have descriptions. Oh, of course, it is easy to find more general descriptions of the general device, how it fits in, what it really does.

One indicates it is good for 3.6 kW at 48 volt and 45 amp DC charger and is vented. Okay. Is that, per hour? Is that per day? Do I need one, two, four, six? What in the world am I really dealing with? Is that average in a sunny place like Hawaii or Florida, is that average in the contiguous US, what? Can I even just have one, or must they come in pairs? Oh, sure, I have read, and read, and read, and... I am still reading. How can you know how much to plan to install if you don't even know how much you really need? I did see a bill from December last, electric, indicating I had used 1.3k kwHrs for the month. I suppose that is a start, but how does that relate to real daily usage. (Remember, I have some electric heat, which I use always in my en suite bathroom and any time I am here in the computer room and feel a chill (since I am in skivvies, even in the winter, that is usually:). I use far more electricity, I think, in the winter. But, what does that really mean?

Oh, why the 48 volts? I am thinking that the best place, for me, to install solar panels, is out back, on poles, stacked several on a pole, around the fenced periphery of my acre. I can't swear I need 100 yards (or is it feet), but I suspect I might. The trees would make them invisible from the front. I suppose I could put a couple (four, maybe eight) on the font south facing slant roof, but that roof is low enough that they would easily be seen on the road. I don't wish to advertise.

The second device is much more straight forward. Heck, it doesn't even indicate it is self-venting, or needs venting, or... something. What is missing, again, of course, is scale. Is this a singular device, how many kWhrs will it handle, and of course installation.

Well, this item makes more sense, though I still don't have a good grip on how much power over time it actually offers. It says 7,200 watts. Nice. Is that per hour of sunshine, per day, per minute, per... what? If it is per day on a sunny day, this is (according to my December power bill) about one seventh of what I use, currently. Did you happen to notice how much it cost. Of course, you still have to add solar panels, the charge controller, wiring, and either do or have the installation done. My guess is, if you buy your own parts, many companies will not then install or if they do, they would do so at a steep premium. Their junk or your work, most likely.

There is nothing altruistic about solar, or any other, alternative energy source. It's all about the green which has nothing to do with grass, trees, the planet, carbon footprints, or anything else. Only the foolish earth religionists can imagine that, fool themselves into any such damned fool notions. It's about backing away from a failing system and covering your own butt, or if you install and build, about getting as fat and happy as you can while the (economic) sun still shines. Right, Gore?

Is there a "Solar Power for Dummies", then a solid follow-up for more advanced, then maybe a manual for installation? Hmm, now I went and did it! Okay, that is what I need to look for. Books. I will go look. Reading online, mostly from people who are saying "Don't worry, buy this, it is the best evah!" isn't getting it.

Later.

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