Solar Tours, Satruday Oct 7th, 2006

[WisJim]

If you are interested in learning more about solar energy, wind generators, etc., coming up soon are the 2006 American Solar Energy Society tours.
http://www.ases.org/tour/2006_tour/listings.htm

There seem to be tours in most states. These can be a good way to get more info on solar and wind energy, and other means of generating and conserving energy. Get out there, look at some real home-sized systems, and talk to the people living with the systems.

We participate, and have enjoyed meeting lots of people as they stop to look at our wind generator, solar electric system, solar food dryer, etc. Last year a Honda dealer brought a Honda Insight out to display, and answer questions, and some friends had a Prius there for part of the day, so a wide range of energy saving and producing technologies were available.

[ketel0ne]

cool, I found 2 houses that are close to me on a tour on the 7th.

[FormulaTwo]

thanks for the post
I wish i could go
but unfortunately i will be going on a cruise from oct 6th - 14th

[zpiloto]

Originally Posted by FormulaTwo

thanks for the post
I wish i could go
but unfortunately i will be going on a cruise from oct 6th - 14th

What, do you have to work on that cruise.

[BumblingB]

Thanks for the post! Darned if the closest thing to me is 7 hours away. Good things I have plans for that weekend anyway - I would of had to figure something out if there would of been something closer.

[QDM]

I've been living off grid with a solar PV system for 17 years.

Q

[WisJim]

I installed my first wind generator to run 99% of our home's electrical needs in 1977, first PV panels in 1980, still have it all and it all still works.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by WisJim

I installed my first wind generator to run 99% of our home's electrical needs in 1977, first PV panels in 1980, still have it all and it all still works.

I'd love to see pictures of both of these.

[WisJim]

I'll try to remember to look for some pics.

We had about 40 or more people at our place Saturday, lots on interest in PVs (photovoltaics, or solar electric panels).

At various times the cars in our driveway included a Metro XFI, at least 3 different Jetta diesels, and 3 or 4 Priuses. And I didn't look at the people coming and going very much, too busy talking about wind generators and solar.

[WisJim]

I'll see if I can show some pics of our PV and wind system.
PVs on the tracker, the top 4 panels were bought in 1980 and still work fine:


Battery box with the cover closed:

Battery box, cover open, 12-2volt 1500+ amp hour cells

Inverter, charge controller, wind generator controls, etc:

PVs installed in 2004, 12-Kyocera 125 watt panels (wind generator visible through trees on the left):

1940s vintage Jacobs 2500 watt wind generator, about 300feet up the hill from people. Blades about 14 feet in diameter: