Thats a great idea!
Solar Power
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Loomis
Active Member
My wife and I discussed having one of them. We can't really justify the cost with what food we have in the freezer/refridge. Our power has only gone out twice in 10 years. My little solar set up is more of a hobby than anything else.
One more reason I didn't mention and vitally important,...I have a handfull of Hand-Held CB Radios, loaded with the rechargeable AA's.....always able to recharge and communicate locally......
PhoenixPrepping
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Umm, I know I'm chiming in a little late but thought I would mention something about welding. I've welded since I got out of the Army and got my degree in welding engineering. Just a few things that I saw mentioned I thought I could help out with. One thing to keep in mind about welding is that the more you do it the better you become. When I went to a welding school I basically paid for the materials and thats about it. So before spending a bundle just pick up a welder and start welding.
1: The small boxes that you get from harbor freight most welders call 'buzz boxes'. They are great for around the house but not something you want to try really heavy duty welding with. And great for smal repairs, especially for minor repairs. You can rent, lease or buy larger welders, and welding generators from both Miller and Lincoln for REALLY reasonable rates. They have gas pwr, diesal pwr, and propane pwr.
2: How far your wire sticks out of your nozzel is called the Electrode Stick Out (ESO). When too close you will clog your nozzel and tip, which reduce the flow of electric current, and restrict the flow of sheilding gas. Too far and your wire will usually melt right at the tip and could clog the bloody thing. Ideally, you want your ESO to be about 1/4 inch.
3: Arc welding (aka 'stick welding') has an electrode that is covered in flux. At the end of each electrode, towards the end you place in your stinger, are a series of numbers. (E7018) The 'E' stands for electrode. The first two numbers (in this case 70) are the tinsel strength. In this case once two peices are welded together you have to apply 70,000 pds of pressure to pull it apart. The third number (1) tells you which positions you can use this particular electrode for. In this case 1 means you can use it in the flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions (every position you can weld in) And the fourth number (in this case 8) tells you what kind of flux is covering the rod. In this case 8 is a low hydrogen rod, meaning it has to be kept dry or else the flux will break off or allow be degraded enough that it will allow atmosphere into the weld causing defects. To start the arc with Stick welding you hold the electrode just above the material to weld, and use a 'scratch' start to ignite it. Basically a quick 'J' motion that touches the metal momentarily and starts the flow of current. Can be very frustrating because if you remain in contact with the metal too long your rod will stick. Just remember, throwing your welder into the lake is NOT productive!!
4: Mig welding (aka wire welding) uses spools of wire (from 5 pd spools up to 50 pd spools) that continuously feed wire. Once you pull the trigger the wire feeds and keeps feeding till you release the trigger. It is the most easily learned welding process and is rather cheap. Wire designation is actually a pain in the ### because there are SOOO many. Best way to know what you are buying is to go to a welding supply store and ask. Another factor that makes this process much different from Arc welding is that you have to have an inerat gas hooked up to your machine to prevent atmosphere from getting into your weld. Usually it is CO2 or a mixture of 25% argon and 75% CO2. There are other gas miztures but these are the most common. To start the flow of current simply place your wire on the metal and pull the trigger. Current starts immediately and forms the weld pool.
5: Airgas, Westco, Miller and Lincoln stores tend to have welding equipment for professional welders. Places like Harbour Freight, Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply have more around the house items.
6: Other welding processes are Flux Core, TIG, High-frequency TIG, Blast Welding, and Torch Welding. I can explain these in detail if you want but generally, Flux Core is very similar to Mig, but mostly used for industrial use, and runs hotter and faster than Mig. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) uses and non-consumable electrode in a torch and is either water cooled or gas cooled, but both use sheidling gas. Very clean and very neat, a lot harder to learn than most other processes. Hi-freq TIG uses a foot pedal to control the flow of current and can be used on materials that have low melting temps (ie: Aluminum, Stainless steel) Blast Welding is not something most people do, using explosives to fuse two dissimilar types of metal together. And Torch Welding is a torch that uses Oxy-acetalyne or propane, and Oxygen and creates a flame that is very hot. You simply place two pieces of metal in the way you want and use the torch to melt them together.
As far as welding after SHTF goes it won't be useable depending on the nature of the disaster. Personally I've been taking blacksmithing lessions and it is very educational and will be an EXTREMELY valuable skill in post-SHTF world. If your curious about it you can look up vids on youtube.
There is so much info I have on welding and a lot of experience to draw upon if anyone wants to know more let me know. And if you have a project you want some suggestions on I can help there as well.
Hope you guys like this. Sorry it was so bloody long.
1: The small boxes that you get from harbor freight most welders call 'buzz boxes'. They are great for around the house but not something you want to try really heavy duty welding with. And great for smal repairs, especially for minor repairs. You can rent, lease or buy larger welders, and welding generators from both Miller and Lincoln for REALLY reasonable rates. They have gas pwr, diesal pwr, and propane pwr.
2: How far your wire sticks out of your nozzel is called the Electrode Stick Out (ESO). When too close you will clog your nozzel and tip, which reduce the flow of electric current, and restrict the flow of sheilding gas. Too far and your wire will usually melt right at the tip and could clog the bloody thing. Ideally, you want your ESO to be about 1/4 inch.
3: Arc welding (aka 'stick welding') has an electrode that is covered in flux. At the end of each electrode, towards the end you place in your stinger, are a series of numbers. (E7018) The 'E' stands for electrode. The first two numbers (in this case 70) are the tinsel strength. In this case once two peices are welded together you have to apply 70,000 pds of pressure to pull it apart. The third number (1) tells you which positions you can use this particular electrode for. In this case 1 means you can use it in the flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions (every position you can weld in) And the fourth number (in this case 8) tells you what kind of flux is covering the rod. In this case 8 is a low hydrogen rod, meaning it has to be kept dry or else the flux will break off or allow be degraded enough that it will allow atmosphere into the weld causing defects. To start the arc with Stick welding you hold the electrode just above the material to weld, and use a 'scratch' start to ignite it. Basically a quick 'J' motion that touches the metal momentarily and starts the flow of current. Can be very frustrating because if you remain in contact with the metal too long your rod will stick. Just remember, throwing your welder into the lake is NOT productive!!
4: Mig welding (aka wire welding) uses spools of wire (from 5 pd spools up to 50 pd spools) that continuously feed wire. Once you pull the trigger the wire feeds and keeps feeding till you release the trigger. It is the most easily learned welding process and is rather cheap. Wire designation is actually a pain in the ### because there are SOOO many. Best way to know what you are buying is to go to a welding supply store and ask. Another factor that makes this process much different from Arc welding is that you have to have an inerat gas hooked up to your machine to prevent atmosphere from getting into your weld. Usually it is CO2 or a mixture of 25% argon and 75% CO2. There are other gas miztures but these are the most common. To start the flow of current simply place your wire on the metal and pull the trigger. Current starts immediately and forms the weld pool.
5: Airgas, Westco, Miller and Lincoln stores tend to have welding equipment for professional welders. Places like Harbour Freight, Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply have more around the house items.
6: Other welding processes are Flux Core, TIG, High-frequency TIG, Blast Welding, and Torch Welding. I can explain these in detail if you want but generally, Flux Core is very similar to Mig, but mostly used for industrial use, and runs hotter and faster than Mig. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) uses and non-consumable electrode in a torch and is either water cooled or gas cooled, but both use sheidling gas. Very clean and very neat, a lot harder to learn than most other processes. Hi-freq TIG uses a foot pedal to control the flow of current and can be used on materials that have low melting temps (ie: Aluminum, Stainless steel) Blast Welding is not something most people do, using explosives to fuse two dissimilar types of metal together. And Torch Welding is a torch that uses Oxy-acetalyne or propane, and Oxygen and creates a flame that is very hot. You simply place two pieces of metal in the way you want and use the torch to melt them together.
As far as welding after SHTF goes it won't be useable depending on the nature of the disaster. Personally I've been taking blacksmithing lessions and it is very educational and will be an EXTREMELY valuable skill in post-SHTF world. If your curious about it you can look up vids on youtube.
There is so much info I have on welding and a lot of experience to draw upon if anyone wants to know more let me know. And if you have a project you want some suggestions on I can help there as well.
Hope you guys like this. Sorry it was so bloody long.
Clyde
H.M.F.I.C.
Thanks for this post! It was extremely helpful!Umm, I know I'm chiming in a little late but thought I would mention something about welding. I've welded since I got out of the Army and got my degree in welding engineering. Just a few things that I saw mentioned I thought I could help out with. One thing to keep in mind about welding is that the more you do it the better you become. When I went to a welding school I basically paid for the materials and thats about it. So before spending a bundle just pick up a welder and start welding.
1: The small boxes that you get from harbor freight most welders call 'buzz boxes'. They are great for around the house but not something you want to try really heavy duty welding with. And great for smal repairs, especially for minor repairs. You can rent, lease or buy larger welders, and welding generators from both Miller and Lincoln for REALLY reasonable rates. They have gas pwr, diesal pwr, and propane pwr.
2: How far your wire sticks out of your nozzel is called the Electrode Stick Out (ESO). When too close you will clog your nozzel and tip, which reduce the flow of electric current, and restrict the flow of sheilding gas. Too far and your wire will usually melt right at the tip and could clog the bloody thing. Ideally, you want your ESO to be about 1/4 inch.
3: Arc welding (aka 'stick welding') has an electrode that is covered in flux. At the end of each electrode, towards the end you place in your stinger, are a series of numbers. (E7018) The 'E' stands for electrode. The first two numbers (in this case 70) are the tinsel strength. In this case once two peices are welded together you have to apply 70,000 pds of pressure to pull it apart. The third number (1) tells you which positions you can use this particular electrode for. In this case 1 means you can use it in the flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions (every position you can weld in) And the fourth number (in this case 8) tells you what kind of flux is covering the rod. In this case 8 is a low hydrogen rod, meaning it has to be kept dry or else the flux will break off or allow be degraded enough that it will allow atmosphere into the weld causing defects. To start the arc with Stick welding you hold the electrode just above the material to weld, and use a 'scratch' start to ignite it. Basically a quick 'J' motion that touches the metal momentarily and starts the flow of current. Can be very frustrating because if you remain in contact with the metal too long your rod will stick. Just remember, throwing your welder into the lake is NOT productive!!
4: Mig welding (aka wire welding) uses spools of wire (from 5 pd spools up to 50 pd spools) that continuously feed wire. Once you pull the trigger the wire feeds and keeps feeding till you release the trigger. It is the most easily learned welding process and is rather cheap. Wire designation is actually a pain in the ### because there are SOOO many. Best way to know what you are buying is to go to a welding supply store and ask. Another factor that makes this process much different from Arc welding is that you have to have an inerat gas hooked up to your machine to prevent atmosphere from getting into your weld. Usually it is CO2 or a mixture of 25% argon and 75% CO2. There are other gas miztures but these are the most common. To start the flow of current simply place your wire on the metal and pull the trigger. Current starts immediately and forms the weld pool.
5: Airgas, Westco, Miller and Lincoln stores tend to have welding equipment for professional welders. Places like Harbour Freight, Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply have more around the house items.
6: Other welding processes are Flux Core, TIG, High-frequency TIG, Blast Welding, and Torch Welding. I can explain these in detail if you want but generally, Flux Core is very similar to Mig, but mostly used for industrial use, and runs hotter and faster than Mig. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) uses and non-consumable electrode in a torch and is either water cooled or gas cooled, but both use sheidling gas. Very clean and very neat, a lot harder to learn than most other processes. Hi-freq TIG uses a foot pedal to control the flow of current and can be used on materials that have low melting temps (ie: Aluminum, Stainless steel) Blast Welding is not something most people do, using explosives to fuse two dissimilar types of metal together. And Torch Welding is a torch that uses Oxy-acetalyne or propane, and Oxygen and creates a flame that is very hot. You simply place two pieces of metal in the way you want and use the torch to melt them together.
As far as welding after SHTF goes it won't be useable depending on the nature of the disaster. Personally I've been taking blacksmithing lessions and it is very educational and will be an EXTREMELY valuable skill in post-SHTF world. If your curious about it you can look up vids on youtube.
There is so much info I have on welding and a lot of experience to draw upon if anyone wants to know more let me know. And if you have a project you want some suggestions on I can help there as well.
Hope you guys like this. Sorry it was so bloody long.
Loomis
Active Member
Here is an update: March 5, 2013
1) Everything ran great until the cloudy weather came along. Sun lately has not been sufficient to keep batteries charged.
2) A 600 Watt dc to ac inverter shorted out and zapped the battery.
3) One of the Harbor Freight charge controllers lost the digital display. Controller still works thou.
4) In order to keep the batteries charged on cloudy days you MUST have a WIND TURBINE, set to the size of your battery storage and a wind charge controller.
BillyJack
New Member
On a side note the cheap eBay solar charges work awesome! I picked one up to power my apple devices, under 20$ shipped. Right out of box I plugged in my iPhone cable and it did its job. A similar kit at sportsman's was 70$. So if anyone has been hesitant to pick one up because they fear of being ripped off. I can charge my ipad,iPhone,etc even while primitive camping. About an hour for a full charge, about the same as my house charger. Have to start somewhere!
jimLE
A True Doomsday Prepper
thats where i got my head lamp and pocket flash light for $5.00,as well as my chain sharner for my chain saw chains..pluse i've gotton other things there as well..great store to do buisness with..
jimLE
A True Doomsday Prepper
Krime
M.I.A.
Not only that but like Craftsman, all harbor frieght tools are lifetime guarenteed
Clyde
H.M.F.I.C.
I recently purchased the Yeti 1250 from Costco. This is an amazing solar powered generator! You can run a refrigerator with it. I ran our fish tank for 4 days on it with a single charge.
I hope to take it camping in september/october time frame and give a full report on it then. in the mean time here is a photo and the specs.
Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Generator
USAGE
Charges the following: - Approx. Charge Time:
AC Wall Charger (80W) Included......................16-20 hours
Goal Zero Boulder 30 x 2, not included.............20-24 hours
Car Charger (30W), not included.......................40+ hours
INPUTS
2 x 8mm Charge Ports........................................16-20V, 10A max
Power Pole Charging Port..................................16-48V, 20A max
(240W max total input between both 8mm and power pole connection.)
OUTPUTS
3 x AC standard US outlets 110V AC 60Hz pure-sine wave, 1200W max total continuous, 1500W max short-duration
Female 12V port 11-14V, 10A max (120@), unregulated
2 x 6mm 12V ports 11-14V, 6A max each (72W), unregulated
12V Power Pole port 12-14V, 30A max (360W), unregulated
3 x USB ports 5V, 1.5A mx (7.5W) each, regulated
INTERNAL
Battery Type..........................Lead-acid (AGM)
Battery Capacity....................1250Wh (12V, 100Ah)
Battery voltage range............11-14.8V
Life Span...............................Hundreds of cycles
Fuse.......................................200A (4x50A fuses in parallel)
Inverter..................................1200W pure-sine wave inverter
Charge Controller..................20A MPPT
GENERAL
Shelf Life...............................Charge every 3-4 months
Chainable...............................Goal Zero Yeti 1250's and other 12V AGM batteries
Weight....................................103 lbs
Dimensions............................16 x 11.5 x 14.5 in (410 x 305 x 370 cm)
Warranty.................................12 mos (6 mos on battery)
Certifications..........................FCC, CE
Operating useage Temp..........20-105 F (6-40 C)
Optimal storage temp.............70 F (21 C)
I hope to take it camping in september/october time frame and give a full report on it then. in the mean time here is a photo and the specs.
Goal Zero Yeti 1250 Solar Generator
USAGE
Charges the following: - Approx. Charge Time:
AC Wall Charger (80W) Included......................16-20 hours
Goal Zero Boulder 30 x 2, not included.............20-24 hours
Car Charger (30W), not included.......................40+ hours
INPUTS
2 x 8mm Charge Ports........................................16-20V, 10A max
Power Pole Charging Port..................................16-48V, 20A max
(240W max total input between both 8mm and power pole connection.)
OUTPUTS
3 x AC standard US outlets 110V AC 60Hz pure-sine wave, 1200W max total continuous, 1500W max short-duration
Female 12V port 11-14V, 10A max (120@), unregulated
2 x 6mm 12V ports 11-14V, 6A max each (72W), unregulated
12V Power Pole port 12-14V, 30A max (360W), unregulated
3 x USB ports 5V, 1.5A mx (7.5W) each, regulated
INTERNAL
Battery Type..........................Lead-acid (AGM)
Battery Capacity....................1250Wh (12V, 100Ah)
Battery voltage range............11-14.8V
Life Span...............................Hundreds of cycles
Fuse.......................................200A (4x50A fuses in parallel)
Inverter..................................1200W pure-sine wave inverter
Charge Controller..................20A MPPT
GENERAL
Shelf Life...............................Charge every 3-4 months
Chainable...............................Goal Zero Yeti 1250's and other 12V AGM batteries
Weight....................................103 lbs
Dimensions............................16 x 11.5 x 14.5 in (410 x 305 x 370 cm)
Warranty.................................12 mos (6 mos on battery)
Certifications..........................FCC, CE
Operating useage Temp..........20-105 F (6-40 C)
Optimal storage temp.............70 F (21 C)
Loomis
Active Member
That's a nice set up, pure sine wave too. How many watt refridge is it rated for? How many watts on those panels?
Clyde
H.M.F.I.C.
each panel is 45 watt, and I can hook 4, possibly 8, of them up in a chain. I still need 2 more
When running a fridge on it, you loose no power at all unless the compressors are running.
I will have to look into what it is rated for, but i do know it will run my full size
Loomis
Active Member
Your 2 45 watt panels should chage up that batter in one day. I have 4 15 watt panels so we are dealing with 90 watts. The surge power on my fridge is astronomical, and it's not a big one either. You might have to up that dc to ac converter to run a fridge off it, or you'll find the inverter shutting off on you. I don't think a 1200 watt inverter is enough. You may end up buying a 5000 watt inverter. However you can run a lot of things off what you have and the quality of the Goal Zero is tops.
Warriorhealer22
Member
In a bug out situation, sure weight is an issue. What will your electricity requirements be at that point in time? It would prove useful in a vehicular bug out, or those that are willing to carry the weight. There are smaller products that are more portable to charge up small batteries and such.
Loomis
Active Member
90 Watt solar arrays are more for fixed locations.
Loomis
Active Member
Solar update:
I expanded my set up to 100 watt and connected 2 12v batteries together to make a 12v system.
In my house I changed all the bulbs and some fixtures to more energy efficient ones. I've used solar power from my batteries to run plant light and my laptop and charge a few cell phones.
I received an energy consumption review from my power company. It says I used 9% LESS energy than last year. We have had a lot of rain this year too so my panels didn't get used for a whole month. Still, it's not a lot but it is something. I'll have to build or buy some kind of outside structure to house the batteries and inverter. I have no idea what though. I think it's time to start to bring the wire into the house, instead of an extension cord thru the kitchen window.
Also Wind will not work here. It's considered calm.
I expanded my set up to 100 watt and connected 2 12v batteries together to make a 12v system.
In my house I changed all the bulbs and some fixtures to more energy efficient ones. I've used solar power from my batteries to run plant light and my laptop and charge a few cell phones.
I received an energy consumption review from my power company. It says I used 9% LESS energy than last year. We have had a lot of rain this year too so my panels didn't get used for a whole month. Still, it's not a lot but it is something. I'll have to build or buy some kind of outside structure to house the batteries and inverter. I have no idea what though. I think it's time to start to bring the wire into the house, instead of an extension cord thru the kitchen window.
Also Wind will not work here. It's considered calm.
Gazrok
A True Doomsday Prepper
We tend to have wind when it storms, so when solar isn't around. Which is why I'd love to have both options at some point.
Ever check into leasing solar power? This is a pretty cool option as you don't pay the startup costs (but don't get the fat rebates either).
Ever check into leasing solar power? This is a pretty cool option as you don't pay the startup costs (but don't get the fat rebates either).
jimLE
A True Doomsday Prepper
well loomis...sounds like your doing all the good with what you've done..
gazrok..i agree with that.on acount there are days here where solar won't work from to much cloud cover...and when ever it's clouded up n looking like it's gonna rain.then it's windy as well...and if the creek here was close enough.i'd consider water power as well..
gazrok..i agree with that.on acount there are days here where solar won't work from to much cloud cover...and when ever it's clouded up n looking like it's gonna rain.then it's windy as well...and if the creek here was close enough.i'd consider water power as well..
Loomis
Active Member
First of all how many Watts or Kilowatts are we talking about leasing? Any more watts than you can easily store you would have to put in a pure sign grid tie inverter and sell it back to the power company, after they came out to your house and put in a meter, thereby hooking up to the grid. The power goes out, so does your system. Thats why I keep my system small, so I can use it. I also use amorphous panels, only 10% effective I know, but they do work on cloudy days and you can block up to 50% of the panel and watt output stays the same, no reduction or shut off. I would not consider leasing.
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