The next 270 watts

[peter nap]

Just about finished and ready to go to the farm Saturday,

[MountainDon]

Way cool Peter. Looks like the stands are adjustable for seasonal sun angle.  

Curious here, how many panel watts total for the system? Batteries, type, number, wired for what voltage??? Any other details you care to share about your power system?

[peter nap]

I assume your talking about just the Solar Don. I had just under 1K without these panels.
It's all 12 volts just because it;s easier for me to integrate 12volts into all the generators.

I am split into several banks. The larger is a 900 ah forklift battery split out to 12 volts.

The other bank is golf cart batteries 4 of them and if memory serves me, a total of 450 ah.

I also have several small dedicated systems for special tasks like security cameras, etc. Those are just deep cycle batteries,

In addition to the solar, I have a small home built wind generator and am working on a turgo style Hydro.

I have a 5K modified sine wave inverter (I know..we all make mistakes and when I find a deal, I'm getting a trace)
and a smaller pure sine.

I run as much on pure 12 volt DC as possible which is another reason for me to stick with the 12.

[tc-vt]

Keep your eyes out for used computer uninterruptable power supplies as inexpensive pure sine wave inverters.

Tom

[peter nap]

OOPS!
I exceeded the limits on my charge controller and melted it.
Took about 2 hours but it melted the entire top, Oh well, Tomorrow I'll order a Xantrex C-60. That should hold me for a while. :'(

[MountainDon]

That's too bad Peter.  :'(  Toasted electronics is never a good thing.

Do you think it was the current flow or the voltage that zapped it? More than likely the amps from the description you gave (... 2 hours...).

[tc-vt]

Peter,

In case you haven't yet bought the Xantrex, I've been happy with my Morningstar Tristar 60 which I bought after a long struggle with the decision of whether or not to spend the extra on max. power point tracking (Outback MX-60).

Tom

[MountainDon]

As far as PWM vs. MPPT I really do like the MPPT's higher efficiency, but balk a little at the cost difference.  :-/  Blue Sky also makes an attractive MPPT controller.

BTW, Peter, how much for the C60 where you shop? Better than 155 + 12 shipping?
http://www.affordable-solar.com/index.php

They sell all the above plus the Outback MX60

[glenn kangiser]

I want MPPT next -- have a Xantrex C45? I think

[peter nap]

Don, it was the amps. I had been running on two controllers but changed oback to one a while back to simplify the system. It was getting close then. Yesterday was just one of those perfect days and the sky was clear and intense and I had a steady wind. Everything was just running full out.

It was for the best. It could have started a fire if I hadn't been there.

Tom, I'll look at the Morningstar again.

Don. That site has the best prices I've seen yet...Thanks!

[MountainDon]

That site has the best prices I've seen yet...Thanks!

Glad to pass on the info.

I got my Sunny Boy inverter from them. Some other stuff too.

[peter_nap]

Well...I didn't get my charge controller today.

I called Don's supplier and wasn't very happy with them. I don't like using a charge card online and when I called they told me a phone order took a few days extra because they are really busy "designing systems" and their online system was automatic.....so...
I called Wholesale Solar   http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products.folder/controller-folder/xantrexC40.html

I explained that I needed it in three days ma so it had to be shipped 2end day. No problem!

Today is day 3 and I called. They looked it up and told me that it was drop shipped but it went ground.

DAMN.....$40.00 shipping and they still sent it ground.
I got the usual apology which doesn't mean squat. What in the hell has happened to service in this country?

I STRONGLY URGE THOSE OF YOU THAT NEED EQUIPMENT, not to deal with these folks. They are too undependable.

[MountainDon]

I don't like using a charge card online

I've used bank credit cards since 1970 when Visa was called Chargex in Canada. I have used a Citibank credit card since 1994. They were the first credit card company to introduce a really safe system for credit card online purchases. They offer a service they call Citi Virtual Account Numbers. Of course, to do this you first have to be comfortable with online banking. You can either access this from their webpage once you've signed in, or download a small app to your computer. It works with their Visa and Mastercard credit cards, but so far not with their American Express cards. The system provides you witha special one time use number with a short expiry date. Can't be used again by anyone.

My old employer, Bank of America, has come out with a similar service they call Shopsafe. Took 'em long enough, I suggested it years before retiring, but they never did like to listen to me.

There may be similar offerings from other credit card companies and banks. Check with your present financial institution.

But even before these product innovations I was an online buyer. I can't even guess how many years... long time. I do now take advantage of the increased security Virtual #'s and Shopsafe offer.

Personally I would rather enter my credit card info in a website than give it to some live person over the telephone. I've never had a fraudulent transaction that could be even remotely traced to any online activity. I have had fraud occur from other transactions. Many numbers that are obtained fraudulently thru online channels don't come from your actual online transaction, which passes thru encryption, but rather come from thefts or invasions of databases. Your card number ends up in such a database no matter how it was used. I should say that the vast majority of companies handling credit or debit cards handle them in responsible secure fashion. I am more worried about non-online forms of transactions.

1. A card of mine was cloned by a restaurant employee.    Do you ever what happens to your credit or debit card when you hand it to the waitperson? (I can be so PC) In this case the card was scanned with a small cell phone sized device by the restaurant employee. (These things are available online... wonder if they accept CC#'s for purchases?) The number was sold and coded to a fraudulent card. The card was used overseas. The police investigation caught some of the involved. Citibank never even charged me the $50 they could have by law. Restaurants are now about the only places I use cash

2. My credit card number was stolen by an employee of a cell phone company. I gave the number to them over the telephone for a purchase. My card suddenly had a bunch of large purchases. The police investigation discovered that the phone company employee had been selling numbers. Citibank covered me no problem.

I also hardly ever use personal checks for anything anymore. One of my jobs at BofA was related to check fraud, not always stolen paper checks, but the use of stolen/copied checking account numbers to make purchases.

When you make an online purchase the CC account number is never seen by a live person. Sure there are methods that could be used to steal numbers from databases, but I believe that to be less likely than by methods such as outlined above by live people.

In general I prefer CC to any other form. It's much easier to dispute a CC transaction than a debit card transaction. I done that a few times. I also like the float.

As always YMMV.

Do you know one reason why you should always cut up an old card before discarding? Even if the account number is canceled or expired. Stolen card number information is sometimes encoded to the magnetic strip on the back of the card. It doesn't matter that the embossed card number is different or that the embossed date has expired. If the card passes the electronic acceptance have you ever seen a store clerk check the number or date?

[peter_nap]

It depends on the Merchant Don. A few years back I was looking for some specs on a new steel I was thinking about using. I deal with a supplier in Washington state....anyway, I looked to see if he had the data in an FTP file and nosed around his system. Low and behold, there were all his orders for all his customers complete with CC numbers, in an unsecured FTP directory. I had always used online ordering so I assume it was just an SQL file that logged the information. Never made an online transaction after that.

I always like having a human to threaten

Even then, I like to use American Express. My company accepts them and they are a royal PITA. Make a complaint to Amex and they send a media retrieval ASAP and if you don't have a signed receipt.....chargeback.
Unfortunately, neither of those companies took Ame which I understand since it costs the merchant almost 5%.

[MountainDon]

American Express..... 5%.

That's the reason lots of businesses don't accept Amex, and I don't blame them either. Citi changed my Visa to an Amex a while back touting all the "advantages" to me. I let them know I was not pleased etc but told them I'd give it a try. Two weeks and 4 businesses that did not accept the Amex later, I had them switch it back to the Visa.

That guy's non secure file was likely an anomaly, but scary nonetheless.

[peter_nap]

I guess I just haven't kept up with the new cashless society Don. I don't like it. I was at my bank one day withdrawing cash (I pay all my local bills in cash) and the Branch manager was on his high horse about why I didn't have online bill payment, yadda, yadda.......When I don't have a jacket on, I carry a little Derringer in 45 long colt, in my right front pants pocket.

I told him that if someone stole my money online, all I could do was call the police. He of course, said, but you cold be robbed with that much cash.

I reached in my left pocket and said, I always carry my cash in my left pocket (reached in the right) and said and my gun in the right....and keep a hand on each. That shut him up.

[MountainDon]

....and my gun in the right....and keep a hand on each. That shut him up.

45 colt in hand like that would make a big enough bang to scare the crap out of anyone even if you missed.    How's it kick? Curious... 45 Colt's my favorite handgun caliber, favorite gun being a titanium Taurus in 45 Colt.

I've always been an early adopter when it comes to computers and stuff. Got my first computer in 1980.

One reason the banks promote online services is it costs them less to process that sort of thing. Benefits I like are it's easy to monitor accounts anytime. Using billpay means that if the bank messes up and doesn't deliver the payment on time you have them between you and the folks who say they never got the payment. Post office doesn't do that for ya', not that that's a common occurrence, but I have one personal event like that. Saves stamps, envelopes. Sorry Peter.... I get carried away, sound like I'm still a banker.    To each his own, live and let live and all that.  

Question for you though. As a cash user would you use $2 bills if they were promoted in circulation? How'd you like a dollar coin in place of the $1 bill? (like Canada, except they have a $2 coin in place of the paper.) Saves the government money printing costs. Just curious... it was and I guess still is a pet topic of mine. forgive me for drifting the drift.

[peter_nap]

The kick is just horrible Don. I shoot a 454 Causell on a regular basis and that little derringer kicks worse. If that's not bad enough, it shoots .410 shotshells also. They kick much worse. It is a 5 yard gun but is very effective.

I wouldn't mind 2 dollar bills but I hate coins. I always have my pockets and belt loaded anyway and don;t need change to add to it.

[MountainDon]

Have to be careful you don't shoot your fingers off. I've never handled a derringer before... similar to a double action in operation??

I don't like the coins either. Hate them when I go to Canada. But they do last forever compared to a paper bill. I forget the savings when the long coin life is taken into account. Substantial. The only way they got the coins to be accepted was to withdraw all the paper $1 and $2 bills from circulation as they wore out. The US has coins but the only place I see them is from the stamp vending machines the Post Office has.