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EDITORIAL.
Welcome to this months issue of "DC supply".
This
month we look at free power and how for a reasonable cost, we can
generate
our own
electrical supplies in an environmentally friendly manner and keep those
unwanted
bills to a minimum if not eradicate them altogether.
Wind
and solar energy are rapidly becoming more popular with the advances in
wind
generators
and solar panels. Indeed if properly utilised, it is perfectly feasible to
run
an
entire house using one or a combination of these two elements.
There
is no doubt that electrical energy now has a more promising future in
automotive
applications
too. Recent reports suggest that a new vehicle being developed in the far
east
can reach speeds in excess of 120km per hour and last for approx 300km on
one
charge.
Charge a vehicle of this nature with solar power and wind generators
and the fuel
savings
could run into thousands of dollars per year.
Take a
look at our two feature articles for an examination and practical solutions
to
electrical power generation from two of the most prolific and FREE
energy sources
available,
the wind and sun.
We hope
you enjoy this months publication and would like to take the opportunity to
wish
you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year. We hope you have
enjoyed
our content this year and look forward to helping you get the best from
your
DC
supplies in 2002.
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Editor: Alan Fidler.
Alan is the owner and manager of CBC Design, a leading battery management
company based in the UK. He has worked in the industry for over seventeen
years and has designed charging equipment and battery monitors for some of
the world largest companies.
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ARTICLE: Free Power Sources. Author: Alan Fidler.
I don't
know how many of you have looked at your electricity bills and
thought
how nice it would be not to have to pay them, I know I have. So is
there
a
practical way of generating enough electrical energy to run an entire house
so
bills
become of thing of the past?.
In
reality it is practical albeit expensive to begin with in some cases. There
are a
number
of difficulties to overcome as well as planning and building regulations to
consider
before one can even begin looking at the actual installation. You may
need
permission from your local authority to install masts and turbines.
First
off, how will we generate enough energy to run those appliances we all
depend
upon and how can the excess be stored so it can be re-used as and
when
required?.
The
first thing to do is to decide what we use as our primary power source.
Free
power sources
include wind and solar primarily. In some countries, solar energy
will be
more abundant that wind energy whilst in others the opposite may be so.
Ascertaining
how much of each is available is the first consideration then.
Once we
have decided upon our primary power source which will be one of the
above
or a combination of the two, we need to measure our daily electrical energy
consumption
so we can calculate how much energy we need to generate.
Make
notes over the course of a week or two on every electrical appliance used
and for
how long. This will help build an accurate consumption record.
The
next course of action is to contact a local company who supply wind
& solar
energy
products and cost the installation as a whole. Get as much advice as
you can
from them along with a detailed specification for the solar panels and
wind
generators. They should be willing to help you design an efficient design
that
harnesses as much power as you require, subject to budgetary restraints
and
local planning restrictions.
With an
absence of wind and sun your electrical supplies will be derived from
batteries
that have stored up excess energy generated beforehand. Your
installation should
therefore include, solar panels and or wind generators, a
single
or number of voltage regulators to maintain the batteries in a fully
charged
state when supplies are abundant and inverters to convert your
DC
supplies into the useable AC your appliances require. You may even
require
a standby-diesel generator for emergency use.
Energy
conservation is important too. Use as many energy efficient appliances
as you
can to reduce your daily consumption and remember to turn off items
in
unoccupied rooms, particularly lights which are regularly ignored.
Costs
on an installation of the type mentioned above could run into
many thousands
of
dollars but the potential savings over a number of years should outweigh
the
initial purchase costs by a considerable margin. Of course the
environmental
savings
are substantial too not to mention the sheer satisfaction derived from
not
having to pay those electricity bills.
If you
have the space and the finances required, it is perfectly feasible to
generate
reliable electrical supplies in your own back yard that can meet the
demands
of your entire property. If you have mechanical and electrical skills,
you can
design your own wind generators and install solar arrays yourself
and
reduce initial costs too.
Which
ever source you decide to use, it is not only possible to generate
your
own electrical supplies but highly desirable in an age in which fossil
fuels
are
rapidly losing face on a planet suffering from the effects of
global warming.
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Dims single or
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Lamps
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Regular
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Go to http://www.cbcdesign.co.uk/chargers/dimmer.html
and take a look at the
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ARTICLE: Wind Generators. Author: Alan Fidler.
Wind
generators are very useful in the right environment. It the UK, there is
enough
wind to
generate electricity on most days, if not all year and they are becoming
increasingly
popular on houseboats and narrow boats to boot.
A
typical generator includes a propeller connected to a wind turbine that
generates
the electrical
energy. The electricity generated is then regulated by an appropriate
electrical
circuit and stored in batteries or used by connected appliances.
The prop
speed is generally limited using a slipping clutch to prevent
excessive rotation
and premature
failure. The assembly is normal mounted atop a metal pole or mast
that
is
fixed to a suitable surface using a bracket and a number of securing
wires. A secure
mounting
method is obviously very important if the installation is to withstand
strong
gusts
of wind when the propeller speed will of course be at maximum.
Generators
are available in a variety of ratings depending upon the application in
which
they
are designed to function. Smaller units can supply up to 100 watts of
energy per hour
or 2.4KW
per day. Larger 1KW, 1.5KW, 5KW or even 10KW units are also available
although
the cost can be as high as $20,000 dollars for the larger model. A 100W
model
could cost anything from a few hundred dollars upwards.
Do it
yourself versions are also a possibility using simple components
available from
most
hardware and automotive stores. See http://www.lookout2000.com/windpower
for a
detailed plans on how to construct your own high power wind generator. Self
made
wind generators have several advantages including ease of maintenance,
low
manufacturing costs and the sheer pleasure of building your own unit.
Of
course efficiency is an important first step in getting the best from any
electrical
supply and
you should do as much as you can to reduce your energy costs before
purchasing
a wind generator of any description.
Use as
many energy efficient items as possible and consider fitting sensors to
switch
off
appliances in unoccupied rooms. Once you have mastered energy conservation
you can
easily calculate how big your generator and battery installation needs to
be.
It is
important to size the installation so that you generate more electricity
than you
can use
if you are to avoid potential problems.
There
will be days of course when the wind speed is just too low to generate much
in
the way
of energy but most generators will function in a wind speed of 10mph or
above
and
deliver some power to the batteries or loads. Of course, it stands to
reason that
the
generator must not draw power from the batteries at very low speeds so
isolating
power
diodes will be required between the batteries and regulated supply to
prevent
unwanted
discharge.
A
detailed description of a typical installation is beyond the scope of this
article but
I hope
it has at least opened your mind to the possibilities that wind generators
present.
Realise that a 12V 100A alternator connected to a suitable impellor can
generate
as much as 1200W per hour or 28,800watts per day. That's enough power
to run
the lights in most houses with a little bit to spare for your back-up
batteries.
Use
several generators at once along with suitable batteries and
inverters and you
could
be entirely self sufficient and never pay an electricity bill again.
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CLASSIFIED ADS:
***
NEW! 12 and 24V DC Low Battery Alarm ***
Protect
your vehicle batteries from deep discharge with a low battery alarm.
Easy to Fit, Easy to Use and inexpensive!
Designed to protect batteries in cars, trucks, boats and mobile homes!
Built in warning sounder!
Goto http://www.cbcdesign.co.uk/battalarm.html and
download a data sheet or
order a
unit NOW!
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COMPETITION:
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______________________________________________________________________
READERS QUESTIONS.
Questions from Ben Crizeman! What does "Float
Voltage" mean?
The output of most mains powered battery chargers is isolated with respect
to
earth,
the output is floating at a specific potential and this is referred to as
the
float
voltage. A 12V lead-acid battery is float charged at 13.6VDC @ 20oC.
Question2! Can a floating output be earthed?
In some applications, the output negative must be earthed to meet the
requirements
of a
particular specification but specialist knowledge is required to safely
earth an
output
that is designed to be fully isolated from the input supply.
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