tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25204634712305638472024-03-09T00:35:27.674-08:00Renewable Energy for the Poor ManBy desiring little, a poor man makes himself rich. –DemocritusUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-58848709322564980942020-03-07T14:32:00.000-08:002020-04-10T21:50:51.944-07:00Colloidal Silver Update - 2020<h2>
Colloidal Silver - Update 2020</h2>
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I've learned a lot about silver since 2009 and I thought it was time for some updates. First, let's talk about ionic vs colloidal. Ionic is what people typically make and it is about 80 to 90% ionic and the rest is colloidal.</div>
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<h3>
Ionic</h3>
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Ionic silver is made by using a slow cook process at room temperature. This is done my using silver electrodes in distilled water (no electrolyte) and applying about 9 to 27 volts DC to the electrodes. After a few hours, the current begins to rise but is limited by some circuit or resistor. The process can take 2 to 6 hours to complete.</div>
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Ionic silver is fantastic for bacteria and most yeast, but is <span style="color: red;"><b><u>12 times less effective than colloidal silver</u></b> <b><u>for viruses</u></b></span>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6264685/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6264685/</a></div>
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Also, Ionic silver combines with oxygen and forms silver oxides. If it is ingested, the hydrochloric acid will destroy the oxide layer and turn the silver into silver chloride salts. This can get trapped in the skin over time and is light sensitive. It can turn you blue.</div>
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Bottom line, ionic silver has a short shelf life and is good for surface anti-bacterial or anti-fungal applications. It is not good for ingestion.</div>
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<h3>
Colloidal</h3>
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Colloidal silver is made with boiling hot water and just enough electrolyte to ensure the minimum current is traversing the distilled water. The process forms mostly ionic silver, but the heat and a reducing agent is used to reduce the ions to small nano particles of silver in a colloidal solution. The electrolyte and reducing agent should be chosen based on its safety if ingested.</div>
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<h4>
Electrolyte</h4>
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The electrolyte is Sodium Carbonate (washing soda). Now, before you freak out about using a few drops of washing soda, let me explain. Washing soda is created by heating baking soda to 350F for about 30 minutes. In other words, every time you bake cookies, you are making washing soda in each cookie. So, it is totally safe to ingest.</div>
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The washing soda is mixed in distilled water and stored in a dropper bottle. A few drops are added at the beginning of the process. This ensures that a minimum current is achieved. </div>
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">A teaspoon of washing soda to a cup of distilled water makes a good electrolyte.</span></i></div>
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Reducing Agent</h4>
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The reducing agent is about 5 drops of corn syrup per liter of solution.</div>
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<h3>
The Equipment</h3>
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I personally have a homemade unit that has a magnetic stirrer, a current meter, a LED, power switch, wall adapter, etc. But, you really don't need all of that. It is overkill..but, hey, I was bored. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4drGkoDdFLiGf9IWbjZt-3GfVlwmKMG0b4mZ-OgPxYS5IvM-1zmkpizCSM-42hk1mbsmTjGe3vzUcSYuO8ar2etYZxWcdEYs1abnUDhO72H4pyQD-mhsr0ozeWCfVeGQGS7XfvQ9Cq0/s1600/IMG_20200307_132705.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4drGkoDdFLiGf9IWbjZt-3GfVlwmKMG0b4mZ-OgPxYS5IvM-1zmkpizCSM-42hk1mbsmTjGe3vzUcSYuO8ar2etYZxWcdEYs1abnUDhO72H4pyQD-mhsr0ozeWCfVeGQGS7XfvQ9Cq0/s320/IMG_20200307_132705.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbwYR9Nwmx6T-c7ISAb3Y-bf4N-VNgfNtN8A_UllgmGxQ1aCkZpyrFY4zUEvHmB_wlOPa-R048Ly9g6J6czX2mpjjyDnIJlPgx5-83o2812xQBYXmUAnbwPBsknPOHpUHjCwgHTdc6-0/s1600/IMG_20200307_132611.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbwYR9Nwmx6T-c7ISAb3Y-bf4N-VNgfNtN8A_UllgmGxQ1aCkZpyrFY4zUEvHmB_wlOPa-R048Ly9g6J6czX2mpjjyDnIJlPgx5-83o2812xQBYXmUAnbwPBsknPOHpUHjCwgHTdc6-0/s320/IMG_20200307_132611.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The simplest solution is to use a 9 volt battery and a resistor that is close to 600 ohms. You can even add a 20 milliamp LED to show that the circuit is working.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDh9bfEaJj_DYE4AJMoud9ncZVZ3_D8rZ-sCog5ZsqtQRMPS4HWvC25cUcFIsa5i0DWdlr1Rr4ZrlshZW0B7TRu3I4loyGzZINJICjAvE1omR8UGhAY2VA6qHa_aZSApt2ZZBddxgq3Ow/s1600/simple+colloidal+silver.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDh9bfEaJj_DYE4AJMoud9ncZVZ3_D8rZ-sCog5ZsqtQRMPS4HWvC25cUcFIsa5i0DWdlr1Rr4ZrlshZW0B7TRu3I4loyGzZINJICjAvE1omR8UGhAY2VA6qHa_aZSApt2ZZBddxgq3Ow/s640/simple+colloidal+silver.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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In the circuit shown above, the typical 9 volt battery will range in voltage from about 8.6 to 9.4 volts depending on its age. With a 560 ohm resistor in the circuit, the current will range from 15.4 mA to 16.8 mA, with an average of about 16 mA.<br />
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<h3>
The Process</h3>
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The process can be as complicated or as simple as you like. It is based on how much distilled water you have, the current flow through the solution, and the time of the process. I'll show the equation, but I'll keep the process simple. But, feel free to use the equation for different scenarios.</div>
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<h4>
Faraday Laws of Electrolysis</h4>
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<span style="background-color: #e2e2eb; color: #003366; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px;">m = K x I x T</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #e2e2eb; color: #003366; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #e2e2eb; color: #003366; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px;">M = mass of silver in grams</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #e2e2eb; color: #003366; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px;">K = Electrochemical Equivalent for silver = 0.00118</span></div>
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<span style="color: #003366; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #e2e2eb; font-size: 17.5px;">I = current in amps</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #003366; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #e2e2eb; font-size: 17.5px;">T = time in seconds</span></span></div>
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The goal is to produce a liter of colloidal silver with about 20 ppm concentration. To do that, we need: </div>
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<ul>
<li>1 liter of boiling hot distilled water</li>
<li>about 15 mA of current</li>
<li>about 20 minutes of process time</li>
</ul>
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Using the circuit above, we will be at 16 mA on average, so it changes the math slightly. We need the mass of silver at the end of the process to be 0.020 grams. In a liter of water, that equals 20 ppm.</div>
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M = KIT ==> T = M/(KI)</div>
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Time = 0.020 / (0.00118 * 0.016mA) = 1,059 seconds or <b><span style="color: red;">17.65 minutes</span></b>. If you always go to about 20 minutes, you will have more than 20 ppm to be sure. If you are curious, 20 minutes would give exactly 22.6 ppm.</div>
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<h4>
Steps</h4>
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<ol>
<li>Heat 1 liter of distilled water in a clean glass container using the microwave. This typically takes about 4 to 5 minutes. It should be just beginning to boil.</li>
<li>Connect the above circuit to alligator clips.</li>
<li>Connect the other end of the alligator clips to the silver electrodes. Ensure the clips do not touch the water. Only silver should be in the water.</li>
<li>Connect the 9 volt battery to the circuit. At this point the LED should be Off.</li>
<li>Start adding a few drops of the electrolyte to the distilled water while stirring. Note that the LED should start to light dimly. Slowly add drops of electrolyte and stir until the LED is fully lit. Don't add more electrolyte than needed. Usually about 4 drops are used.</li>
<li>Start the timer.</li>
<li>After about 10 minutes, add about 10 drops of corn syrup. The solution should turn more yellow as the ionic silver is converted to colloidal. The heat of the water also starts this process.</li>
<li>At the 17.5 minute mark, you will have 1 liter of 20 ppm high-quality colloidal silver.</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3pb90P_lfTDve04ORBfVV7AMl1QNn5Spcyl-HUbAOOUmiS2Lm3PQOQ_4PzjcFokZ1BO-31923B51pU9KBGl9AU3Yo8JJB9K1Pw940qaAp2hRZ1-rQ-ok-CnZdfkq2_OX3oxf4jcwyX9o/s1600/00100dPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200307161238160_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3pb90P_lfTDve04ORBfVV7AMl1QNn5Spcyl-HUbAOOUmiS2Lm3PQOQ_4PzjcFokZ1BO-31923B51pU9KBGl9AU3Yo8JJB9K1Pw940qaAp2hRZ1-rQ-ok-CnZdfkq2_OX3oxf4jcwyX9o/s400/00100dPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200307161238160_COVER.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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I personally use this with an ultrasonic nebulizer to breath into my lungs when I'm fighting a respiratory illness. But, I'm not a doctor. I'll let you use it however you see fit.</div>
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If you do want to nebulize it and breath it in to treat your lungs, read this...<br />
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<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340270205_Formulations_for_COVID-19_Early_Stage_Treatment_via_Silver_Nanoparticles_Inhalation_Delivery_at_Home_and_Hospital">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340270205_Formulations_for_COVID-19_Early_Stage_Treatment_via_Silver_Nanoparticles_Inhalation_Delivery_at_Home_and_Hospital</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-35134617954803975322016-12-13T17:00:00.001-08:002019-09-19T21:57:52.366-07:00How much does solar REALLY cost?<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="333" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nWBTc1Cg5fw" width="597"></iframe>
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This is a video on youtube.com posted by <a class="g-hovercard yt-uix-sessionlink spf-link " data-sessionlink="itct=CDIQ4TkiEwiD75HhqvLQAhVb2n4KHWWdBg0o-B0" data-ytid="UCPALLPNv882MCszcUjU5DmQ" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPALLPNv882MCszcUjU5DmQ" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; height: 22px; margin: 0px; max-width: 315px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-overflow: ellipsis; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;">LDSreliance</a>. I thought it was an interesting topic and decided to check out the numbers myself. It has been a long time since I purchased solar equipment and prices have fallen quite a bit. In the video it breaks down prices based on 3 systems; Small (hobby), Medium, and Large.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OlT3dJoT_NAW8tyFPr9H08dNGXaHody-ygUB83e1XmHrwkayrJ9VafXVHt2pZg3WTLtu5en1KOUoG16BJUYyYc_Ks1K5wvCfJf3fodM3QEHnOaJgCZ40Bbr5q7nUvju1o_vDs0R3Mnk/s1600/hobby-system.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OlT3dJoT_NAW8tyFPr9H08dNGXaHody-ygUB83e1XmHrwkayrJ9VafXVHt2pZg3WTLtu5en1KOUoG16BJUYyYc_Ks1K5wvCfJf3fodM3QEHnOaJgCZ40Bbr5q7nUvju1o_vDs0R3Mnk/s320/hobby-system.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This equates to $2.50 per watt for the panel and $12 per watt for the system. I decided to check on amazon.com to see how prices compared:</div>
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<a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B019R3WTYA" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="8c4eb43bbd07efccb9bd1f801fdb2474" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="10 Watt 12 volt panel " href="http://www.amazon.com/Watt-Solar-Panel-Battery-Charger/dp/B019R3WTYA/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=poormanguid00-20&linkId=8c4eb43bbd07efccb9bd1f801fdb2474&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_1249525" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">10 Watt / 12 volt panel </a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_1249525" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=poormanguid00-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=8c4eb43bbd07efccb9bd1f801fdb2474&_cb=1482194987479" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />= $22.39</div>
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10 amp / 12 Volt charge controller = $11.99</div>
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12 Volt SLA Battery - 8 amp hours = $17.99</div>
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400 Watt / 12 Volt inverter = $23.48</div>
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I believe the wire connectors and mounts would be about $30 as stated. This means that the $120 price tag is conservative.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqFkdTvnB7g5RPacZ7TtelCMH1B11cQykIOrmzZLkPv-O2hiUj9owAKwI74r6T6t7vO6s1plepkV7LWhwhwkSnpHVFR-VXAQDgrt8sWdfAinpJome5h21NhzaSK9oKj1u3Js20LsfrgA/s1600/medium+sized.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqFkdTvnB7g5RPacZ7TtelCMH1B11cQykIOrmzZLkPv-O2hiUj9owAKwI74r6T6t7vO6s1plepkV7LWhwhwkSnpHVFR-VXAQDgrt8sWdfAinpJome5h21NhzaSK9oKj1u3Js20LsfrgA/s320/medium+sized.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This equates to $1.40 per watt for the panels and $3.20 per watt for the system. This is how the prices compared on amazon.com:</div>
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<a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B009Z6CW7O" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="b50decaef0c9f0bcf8ed43cbd68659a3" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="100 Watt solar panel - 12 volts " href="http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=poormanguid00-20&linkId=b50decaef0c9f0bcf8ed43cbd68659a3&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_6823170" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">100 * 4 Watt solar panel - 12 volts </a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_6823170" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=poormanguid00-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=b50decaef0c9f0bcf8ed43cbd68659a3&_cb=1482195028920" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />= $416 ($104 each)</div>
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60 amp charge controller - 12 volts = $45</div>
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Batteries - 450 amp hours at 12 Volts = $700 ($350 each)</div>
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600 Watt sine wave inverter = $89</div>
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Wire, connectors, mounts, etc. = $100</div>
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TOTAL = $1,350</div>
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The price was a little higher than expected, especially the batteries. A better option might be to desulfate some forklift batteries and save lots of money. I explain how to do that in <a href="http://poormanguides.com/wind.html" target="_blank">my wind power ebook.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwgHyetlnRJpp4uHVkCHndcNK-Bc0V9y8BO0596TLU8hEPKur794J_YHZzX6xU_4lcaiS8Em0Y_7sIuan9lQMtCYSHqtl2589iHZkDaX8geXUECRv7hCYqBt0Isl1xK7vRwp8CKlx_y4/s1600/large+production.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwgHyetlnRJpp4uHVkCHndcNK-Bc0V9y8BO0596TLU8hEPKur794J_YHZzX6xU_4lcaiS8Em0Y_7sIuan9lQMtCYSHqtl2589iHZkDaX8geXUECRv7hCYqBt0Isl1xK7vRwp8CKlx_y4/s320/large+production.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This equates to <a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B01N638I5C" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="08f64394d20b75e2f80d215086e93943" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="250 w solar panels" href="http://www.amazon.com/Solar-Monocrystalline-Photovoltaic-Off-Grid-Purposes/dp/B01N638I5C/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=poormanguid00-20&linkId=08f64394d20b75e2f80d215086e93943&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_3278048" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">$1.00 per watt for the panels</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_3278048" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=poormanguid00-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=08f64394d20b75e2f80d215086e93943&_cb=1482195077472" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /> and $2.83 per watt for the system. This looks fairly close to me as well. I would probably use three of the 60 amp charge controllers at $45 a piece, for a total of $135 instead of $1,100. But, overall, I believe the video to be fairly accurate.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-59673411239498789432016-06-22T21:44:00.002-07:002017-02-12T12:00:10.507-08:00Solar Tracker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Z_XVe4o-rfKH-UEGmZ_SXBsQUnXeV7IDAKzgJKMQk2qrUdttNbrADz7oU63Xx0IqQje25KUKnJRJ6arDMzMLwT_EWYPK76bPm0Cw7-2WBLjrLAthr4QM4ETiWaSeHd1aPGJS-KRMXe0/s1600/solar-panel-1393880_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Z_XVe4o-rfKH-UEGmZ_SXBsQUnXeV7IDAKzgJKMQk2qrUdttNbrADz7oU63Xx0IqQje25KUKnJRJ6arDMzMLwT_EWYPK76bPm0Cw7-2WBLjrLAthr4QM4ETiWaSeHd1aPGJS-KRMXe0/s640/solar-panel-1393880_640.png" title="solar panel" width="640" /></a></div>
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Making a solar tracker for a solar cooker or solar panels is easier than you may think. You could design one that uses a micro-controller or complex circuit. But, it can also be done with JUST small solar panels and a DC motor.<br />
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The concept is simple. You have two or four small <b>identical</b> <a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B00QRHDIPY" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="1c466c52fafc54ea722aff48f9e9d686" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="solar panels portable" href="http://www.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Portable-Battery-Cigarette-Charging/dp/B00QRHDIPY/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=poormanguid00-20&linkId=1c466c52fafc54ea722aff48f9e9d686&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_3764733" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">panels</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_3764733" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=poormanguid00-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=1c466c52fafc54ea722aff48f9e9d686&_cb=1482194284895" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /> that are each powerful enough to spin a <a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B0098WE9O4" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="9206b00b00275b5f0f07c87b92d7da40" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="small DC motor" href="http://www.amazon.com/12000RPM-65g-cm-Electric-Motor-Hobbies/dp/B0098WE9O4/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=poormanguid00-20&linkId=9206b00b00275b5f0f07c87b92d7da40&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_299210" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">small DC motor</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_299210" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=poormanguid00-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=9206b00b00275b5f0f07c87b92d7da40&_cb=1482194480799" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />. There is a divider between the panels that cast a shadow when the unit is not pointing directly at the sun. The panel that doesn't have a shadow cast on it produces all the power and turns the motor. As the shadow starts to minimize, the other side's panel starts applying reverse current to the motor and slowing it down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETB0nnF_RKyjBdM46UbXwfKZ7p7lJQAzmyJn8UXSDYnlsNfykWMCODouRUsC3t9SxFLSMO2AJzyjLa7sVMycaO3DjSDQLpKsVkL281BEowINiE96y6yc5JFMpyY1bAM2wzS3O_evZfJc/s1600/simplified.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETB0nnF_RKyjBdM46UbXwfKZ7p7lJQAzmyJn8UXSDYnlsNfykWMCODouRUsC3t9SxFLSMO2AJzyjLa7sVMycaO3DjSDQLpKsVkL281BEowINiE96y6yc5JFMpyY1bAM2wzS3O_evZfJc/s640/simplified.png" width="640" alt="solar tracker circuit" title="solar tracker circuit"/></a></div>
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You could have more than one panel each side, as shown below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQkymRRn_37mSS17TheZ_8ly9NLgkiqi24BFBUEpHNurtgPh7LezaRfuDEwmK_bbRYqVqXwFTqUxGQnfYv0xum-wn_HTcLEg3-2S_V3d9kSUP1cA8Yh9X8Eo-euvVtcwYhEB20uQRSTs/s1600/solar+tracker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQkymRRn_37mSS17TheZ_8ly9NLgkiqi24BFBUEpHNurtgPh7LezaRfuDEwmK_bbRYqVqXwFTqUxGQnfYv0xum-wn_HTcLEg3-2S_V3d9kSUP1cA8Yh9X8Eo-euvVtcwYhEB20uQRSTs/s640/solar+tracker.png" title="solar tracker circuit" width="640" alt="solar tracker circuit"/></a></div>
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Something to remember is that the motor will have to be geared down so the output is lower. Or you can find a geared motor, such as a windshield wiper motor. You could also use a smaller motor and just use a string <b>wrapped several times around the spindle or capstan </b>of the motor. The rest of the string would wrap around a wooden pulley or disk from both sides. And, of course, the string would be stretched taut.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWHFK8QFTNIQeUKNVMAZNurRBL_yHWYLXwqri0tz-0g_zupP7n0b7XKVMZY98iWCDgJ0d2uc7w045sGXNCqelW7KFTXBDLaBtwgk_-gjAK92Z-MdMA4KsZRqhmLwvoFH1gFfCWcelTa4/s1600/spindle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWHFK8QFTNIQeUKNVMAZNurRBL_yHWYLXwqri0tz-0g_zupP7n0b7XKVMZY98iWCDgJ0d2uc7w045sGXNCqelW7KFTXBDLaBtwgk_-gjAK92Z-MdMA4KsZRqhmLwvoFH1gFfCWcelTa4/s640/spindle.png" width="448"title="solar tracker" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ELECTRONICS </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><em>Then Take A Look At This!</em></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://637b4mqhoqyqcv3qirxbxqo0en.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://introductiontobasicelectronics.com/image/itbe500.png" height="320" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-4080152203446248842016-06-20T22:40:00.000-07:002016-12-19T16:53:07.939-08:00Make your own powerful and simple alcohol stove <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zUEd4HsefvQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zUEd4HsefvQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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I uploaded a couple of videos testing this <a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B00CY40FGE" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="f7a9a5b48825f85dc5b7f429daab216d" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="alcohol stove" href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-d-Stainless-Steel-Alcohol-Camping/dp/B00CY40FGE/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=poormanguid00-20&linkId=f7a9a5b48825f85dc5b7f429daab216d&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_636423" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">powerful alcohol stove</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_636423" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=poormanguid00-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=f7a9a5b48825f85dc5b7f429daab216d&_cb=1482195184325" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /> and some people have asked for instructions on making this. It is very quick and easy to make. Have fun!<br />
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RichardUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-14854979497790347682016-06-15T22:24:00.001-07:002016-06-15T22:24:14.185-07:00Weird way to furl a windmillI was watching a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aSGcqqxy0s" target="_blank">video</a> on youtube where supergokue1 was running a double windturbine on one mast and connecting the motors in series to get more voltage. The test didn't produce as much voltage as he had hoped, but I had an interesting idea about furling this windmill under higher wind conditions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjkruKANiPAAXXo4X8NrlK3O0sUG60_r9aXikULrdzXfDKmSUPPW1LdGKEH-n9JQimuzJY3ayPs2uW00srI_jEQmz-BZzqG_1zmOG00yUhZFwmJZhAxiazsv9H4WvqB3QLgfOgMTM5Gw/s1600/2+motor+wind+turbine+++YouTube.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjkruKANiPAAXXo4X8NrlK3O0sUG60_r9aXikULrdzXfDKmSUPPW1LdGKEH-n9JQimuzJY3ayPs2uW00srI_jEQmz-BZzqG_1zmOG00yUhZFwmJZhAxiazsv9H4WvqB3QLgfOgMTM5Gw/s400/2+motor+wind+turbine+++YouTube.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SuperGokue1 on Youtube.com</td></tr>
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The idea involves a physics concept called gyroscopic precession. This is a phenomenon occurring in rotating bodies in which an applied force is manifested 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation from where the force was applied. We use the right hand rule to determine the torque direction or spin vector.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYGJ5mGVAcCl6lnnTx4E4hwnCzbSp-CH63ucUEWaGJoTbcopglGn19xT6W3WzIjhZ5sX8R2zCwfYmbcAEGAfp-eXejT87BHlBehNnvjfl66ruZfN5kjDTkYFyVscBuRKQBlxvdJt3scQ/s1600/0145.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYGJ5mGVAcCl6lnnTx4E4hwnCzbSp-CH63ucUEWaGJoTbcopglGn19xT6W3WzIjhZ5sX8R2zCwfYmbcAEGAfp-eXejT87BHlBehNnvjfl66ruZfN5kjDTkYFyVscBuRKQBlxvdJt3scQ/s400/0145.GIF" width="400" /></a></div>
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Applying the right hand rule to the double windmill, based on direction of blade rotation, means that the spin vector is a force acting outward towards the wind. Each blade set is doing that so both forces are balanced. But, what if you design one of the blades so it spun in the opposite direction? And, then, you make the tail smaller? </div>
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The result would be that higher winds will cause the windmill to yaw out of the wind slightly. This will slow the blades down, then gyroscopic procession will decrease as the blades start to spin back into the wind and the process repeats...until a sweet spot is found. This should work nicely for small fast spinning wind turbines. This should protect them in higher winds. Just imagine 40 mph winds while the wind turbine is furled sideways at a 45 degree angle and still producing safe power.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-81567637259790500122016-06-12T21:21:00.000-07:002016-06-12T21:28:03.873-07:00Survival Lilly Survives Canada<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS4LBgyn1WLSojiQI4aPjtg" target="_blank">Survival Lilly</a> came to Canada....and survived. She spent about a week in the bush, practicing her bushcraft and survivalist skills. The helicopter picked her yesterday, and yes, she was in one piece. Unfortunately, we have to wait a few days to see her video updates. I can't wait to see those.<br />
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We gave her a ride to the BC-Ferries terminal today. I have a nice Survival Lilly patch to show off now. But, don't worry, she left with a Canadian flag patch of her own. Now, she is off to her next secret survival spot to live the adventure. Rock on Lilly!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIOa6ZtIwyq9sibzGJkV-22ioHOgGZDN7QdObeSB9ItPu7dyd_qVrWxmOgriBDKlopsY0zkWvMIOznt8J-bWJBzGDary7aO5ubY-RnXiwCp-ckq1wynS00UXszeQXeUQmf9AGMBkHlu0/s1600/lilly+and+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIOa6ZtIwyq9sibzGJkV-22ioHOgGZDN7QdObeSB9ItPu7dyd_qVrWxmOgriBDKlopsY0zkWvMIOznt8J-bWJBzGDary7aO5ubY-RnXiwCp-ckq1wynS00UXszeQXeUQmf9AGMBkHlu0/s640/lilly+and+me.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy25aZ2Ky-bHWTW1T6aGyDEnVN6ofIwiqNg2C5su4QQX29U1i581hJBwAOfGp1Q08k4oSKMXAkAbXLGQICKz8BNQl9sXA4xTapTwLuNqtSFvxyAvSNLPrOzctY0F1KpvWcdRVtESLnsY/s1600/lilly+patch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy25aZ2Ky-bHWTW1T6aGyDEnVN6ofIwiqNg2C5su4QQX29U1i581hJBwAOfGp1Q08k4oSKMXAkAbXLGQICKz8BNQl9sXA4xTapTwLuNqtSFvxyAvSNLPrOzctY0F1KpvWcdRVtESLnsY/s320/lilly+patch.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS4LBgyn1WLSojiQI4aPjtg" target="_blank">Follow Lilly on youtube to see her adventures.</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-86342684942508587742016-06-10T20:11:00.003-07:002019-09-19T19:57:32.065-07:00VAWT (Savonious) Wind Turbine Calculator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have done some work on my <b><a href="http://rl-publishing.com/VAWT/" target="_blank">VAWT / Savonious Wind Turbine Calculator</a></b>. It allows you to enter parameters and compute power output, amperage to batteries or the grid, cut in speed, etc. The program can be found <a href="http://rl-publishing.com/VAWT/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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You start by selecting a battery voltage; 12, 24, or 48 volts. Alternatively, you may select 120 or 240 volts for grid tie. Weather conditions default to "moderate", but you may calculate for summer or winter as well. This is important because the temperature and density of the air can have a profound effect on the generator's cooling and therefore its maximum power output.</div>
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You can then enter the overall blade width. This is the width of the turbine as seen by its profile, not just one blade. Then enter the blade height.</div>
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The Gear Ratio field is used when your generator needs more speed to produce a usable voltage. Wind speed is entered in miles per hour. The calculations are based on this wind speed.</div>
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Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) is how fast the tips of the blades move in comparison to the wind speed. A typical horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) is usually between 3 and 10 TSR. A typical VAWT such as a Savonious is about 0.8.</div>
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The Blade Efficiency field also represents the Power Coefficient. A well-designed 2-blade Savonious has about a 24% Power Coefficient. A 3-blade has about 15%, although it does have more torque and works better at less than 23 mph or so.</div>
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The motor/generator's amp, volts, and RPM rating are usually given by the manufacturer. The generator's efficiency is a little different. Typically, a permanent magnet DC motor with brushes is about 50%. A three-phase permanent magnet alternator is about 75%, and an AC induction motor is about 90% (used for grid tie).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZwTtk6HoEv6UTLuKJ0iu5E9-o70AYzfOqPyunE-RD6R38d1Y4tZlNjTjwd9pUfe8CEQTSqCbr6LsOu8wjvUeW0RRHwfgXi8UfUc1TmapddzWncw_lPNHYSmkZUquegCjKaTM5h_k6ts/s1600/VAWT+calculator.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZwTtk6HoEv6UTLuKJ0iu5E9-o70AYzfOqPyunE-RD6R38d1Y4tZlNjTjwd9pUfe8CEQTSqCbr6LsOu8wjvUeW0RRHwfgXi8UfUc1TmapddzWncw_lPNHYSmkZUquegCjKaTM5h_k6ts/s640/VAWT+calculator.png" width="530" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-83875462821863666632016-06-06T21:09:00.000-07:002016-06-06T21:09:02.714-07:00White roof to help keep coolI've said for years that we should have white roofs. There is really no reason to have an attic get 120 to 150F. Everyone is just used to the dark shingled roof. Some do the metal roofs, but they are more expensive in the short run. But, this idea is really creative. This guy named David found he could coat his roof with lime and water (whitewash) and it lasted for a few years. Who knows how long it would last, but at $14 for materials, you could coat the roof every few years and still save a ton of money.<br />
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Note that in the picture below that the roof could use a couple more coats. But, this was just a test and it proved to work very well, even though the roof wasn't completely white.<br />
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<a href="http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooling/WhiteRoofExperiment/WhiteR10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooling/WhiteRoofExperiment/WhiteR10.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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His results were fantastic; 8F to 10F cooler in the house and 30 to 40 degrees cooler in the attic. Now, imagine mixing this idea with the <a href="http://poormanguides.blogspot.ca/2010/06/cheap-air-conditioning-part-2.html" target="_blank">cheap air conditioning idea </a>I talked about back in 2010.<br />
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<a href="http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooling/WhiteRoofExperiment/WhiteRoof.htm" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooling/WhiteRoofExperiment/WhiteRoof.htm" target="_blank">read more about the story here...</a><br />
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RichardUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-46850429861153084562016-06-05T22:28:00.000-07:002016-06-05T22:28:13.493-07:00So hot, time to revisit cheap air conditioningBeen so hot lately, I just wanted to point out the <a href="http://poormanguides.blogspot.ca/2010/06/cheap-air-conditioning-part-2.html" target="_blank">cheap air conditioning post</a> from a few years ago. Check it out.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-67048694940451209712016-06-05T22:11:00.000-07:002016-06-05T22:11:56.049-07:00Survival Lilly comes to BCI recently had the great pleasure of meeting Lilly, from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/alonewolverine1984/featured" target="_blank">Survival Lilly</a> channel on Youtube. I gave her and her adventure guide (Randall from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SurviveBC" target="_blank">SurviveBC</a>) a lift from BC Ferries. We stopped off at a great little restaurant in downtown Victoria called Vista 18. Panoramic views, good food, and interesting conversation made for a pleasurable afternoon.<br />
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Lilly is a survivalist, if you haven't gathered already. And she has traveled all the way from Austria just so she can take a helicopter ride out into the "bush" at an undisclosed location, away from the things of man. There, she will rough it for 6 days, alone, with only her camera to keep her company. He is a great listener, but the conversations are a little one sided.<br />
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She is out there now in the dark. Hopefully, she managed to get a shelter setup and maybe catch something to eat for dinner. We just won't know how things went until someone hears from her in 6 days. Fingers crossed.<br />
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RichardUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-61926894547305549132016-04-30T11:40:00.003-07:002016-04-30T11:40:49.661-07:00Off-grid Electric Arc FurnaceI found this on the King of Random youtube channel. It is very interesting and has lots of uses. This particular version uses two microwave oven transformers on 240 VAC. This outputs about 20 to 40 volts at about 40 to 80 amps.<br />
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But, instead of using transformers and wall power, what if you used two reclaimed car batteries wired in series? And, what if you charged them with solar? This would make for a great off-the-grid metal furnace. And, with car batteries and bigger electrodes, you could have a much bigger furnace.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-47727284628538328092016-01-17T23:19:00.003-08:002019-09-19T18:54:43.866-07:00Battery Desulfator - Capacitive Voltage DividerA few years ago, I posted this video showing my first crude battery desulfator.<br />
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This works like a champ, but I wanted to point out there are a few ways to make this safer. The one in the video had no protection and it put out up to 170 volts pulsed DC at 1.1 amps. <b><span style="color: red;">This one MUST be connected to a battery when you turned the power on.</span></b><br />
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I wanted to make it safer and limit the voltage to about 55 volts. This is done <b>without</b> a transformer and uses just run-type capacitors. You could also use a transformer, but, hey...this is just interesting. Besides, you can swap out capacitors to get different currents. Also, a transformer isn't constant-current like this circuit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Update - the fuse should be on the hot side.</td></tr>
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The <b>top</b> capacitor basically controls the amperage. This one would be 1.1 amps at 120 VAC at 60hz. The <b>bottom</b> controls the voltage. If the bottom capacitor is rated the same as the top, then the output will be cut in half. In this case, there is 120 VAC coming in and the output will be one-third of the input, or 40 volts AC. Actual DC is 1.4 times the AC value, so the full-wave bridge's output will be 56 VDC pulsed at 120 times per second.<br />
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Here is a real-world example. Let's say you have lots of 25 MFD run-type capacitors that you picked up from the local HVAC shop. You could use 5 of them as shown below. This gives you one fifth the input voltage that goes to the rectifier. If you start with 120 VAC, this gives 24 VAC to the rectifier. Multiply that times 1.4 and you get 33.6 VDC. This example could charge any lead-acid battery up to and including 24 volts with no problem. It would do it at 1.1 amps.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Update - the fuse should be on the hot side.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: red;">IMPORTANT: This is not a smart charger. It will keep trying to charge a battery and it is like the terminator, it will not give up. You have to monitor the battery voltage and fluid levels. You don't want to overcharge or dry out the cells. OR, you could use an Arduino to monitor the voltage for you and switch this circuit off with a relay.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-10034738927540163972016-01-10T20:00:00.000-08:002016-12-09T15:12:14.389-08:00Arduino: Micro Processing Renewable Energy - Part 4 - Control the BIG stuff!<h4>
Control the Big Stuff</h4>
I have always been amazed that a little fragile computer chip, that could easily fry from static electricity, could control a massive 400 amp solenoid to activate a dump load for a massive wind turbine. I'm just as impressed when that little processor switches on five 60 watt light bulbs.<br />
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In this fourth and final installment, I'll be discussing how to pull this kind of thing off. Before you know it, you'll be controlling the big stuff.<br />
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<h4>
Theory</h4>
The Arduino can only handle a maximum of 40 mA of current on its output. This would work for a small relay, well, except for the fact that the Arduino's output is only a maximum of 5 volts. And, I really hate to push the Arduino like that. It just generates a bunch of heat and is more likely to overheat with time. I love electronic circuits that run cool and efficiently. You know, those circuits that are reliable, not those circuits that fail after 2 days of use.<br />
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So, what we need is a way to take a 5 volt signal from the Arduino and input it into something that has a large resistance/impedance. That way, very little current is drawn from the Arduino and it continues to run cool. The trick is transistors.<br />
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<h4>
Transistors</h4>
There are many types of transistors, but I will just talk about 2 here; the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and the MOSFET. And, just to keep it even simpler, I'll only refer to the NPN type of BJT and the N-channel MOSFET.<br />
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Basically, a transistor is just a switch. If you apply a small current or voltage (depending on which type) to the gate/base, it allows current to flow between the other two connectors.<br />
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<h4>
BJT</h4>
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The BJT of this size can switch about 500-600 mA of current max, but I wouldn't recommend that because it will get very hot. If you can keep it to about 150 mA or less then that would be perfect. A typical relay that this could drive would draw about 70-120 mA, which is perfect for this transistor. The circuit might look something like this.<br />
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To limit the current coming out of the Arduino into the base of the transistor, I used a 1k resistor. Since 5 volts divided by 0.005 amps equals 1,000, I used a 1k resistor. The transistor will turn on using just a 1 or 2 mA or so. Even at 5 mA on the base, that should still switch at least 150 mA through the junction.<br />
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I also wanted to limit the current to the 12 volt relay from the battery. I picked 80 ohms to limit the current to 150 mA. The 80 ohm resistor isn't standard, so you can use a 81 ohm at 5% tolerance. Also, keep in mind that at 150 mA, the resistor would be dissipating 1.8 watts. You would have to use a 5 watt power resistor. The better option would be to use a fuse, maybe a 250 mA rated fuse.<br />
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<h4>
MOSFET</h4>
Note that the MOSFET can be used the same way the BJT is used. The gate on the MOSFET has a high impedance so the 1k resistor isn't technically needed. But, I like to keep it just in case, mainly to protect the Arduino if something is not connected right, or the transistor shorts out internally after a failure.<br />
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I also placed a diode across the relay coils. When the relay turns off, the magnetic field collapses and a high voltage reverse pulse is released. The diode will absorb that pulse to protect the transistor.<br />
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But, you may want to just use the MOSFETS as a relay and skip the whole "moving parts" idea. Typical MOSFETS can handle 10 to 80 amps or so. They need to have good heat sinks attached for heat dissipation. You can parallel as many as practical. If you had a MOSFET that could handle 30 amps, then using 10 in parallel could handle 300 amps. You get the picture.<br />
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<h4>
Small 5 volt relays</h4>
There is another option that should be mentioned here. A small 5 volt relay is available that can connect to the Arduino. If you use these, make sure they have (or you use) a freewheeling diode and optocoupler to protect the Arduino.<br />
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This particular example can be cycled 100,000 times and switches 10 amps at up to 250 VAC. The optocoupler ensures that the Arduino is protected. It basically connects the Arduino to the relay via light. It uses an LED that activates a photo-transistor, all inside a small chip. It also ensures that only a few milliamps will be drawn from the Arduino output .<br />
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I would not recommend paralleling relay boards, though. When they activate, they don't turn on at exactly the same speed. This means that one may turn on a few micro seconds before the rest. That one set of electrical contacts will be temporarily carrying the entire load. Let's say that you have a 100 amp load and you are using 10 relays each capable of 10 amp switching. Then, for those few initial micro seconds, one relay is carrying 100 amps. This will start to burn out the contacts, or worse, weld the contacts closed. That would be very bad for a dump load controller. It would drain your batteries and kill them. And we don't harm batteries here...not here...ever.<br />
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<br />
<div style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ELECTRONICS </span><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><em>Then Take A Look At This!</em></span></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-52449887724269486832016-01-03T22:51:00.001-08:002016-12-09T15:12:50.023-08:00Arduino: Micro Processing Renewable Energy - Part 3 - Measuring RPMs<h3>
Measuring RPMs</h3>
Let´s face it, sometimes we just need to know how fast something is spinning. Sure, we can eyeball it to some extent, up to a few hundred RPMs, but after that it becomes a little bit hairy. And, even then, it isn´t very accurate. The Arduino is perfect for quick and easy projects like this, when you just need to do some quick tests.<br />
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Measuring RPMs is basically just counting pulses per revolution over a given time frame and extrapolating out to one minute. But, what pulses and how do we do it? There are many ways I can think of, but two very common methods are used; <b>hall effect sensors</b> and <b>optical</b> (photo interrupters). So, let´s dive right in.<br />
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<h4>
Hall Effect Sensor</h4>
A hall effect sensor works on changes in magnetic fields. Basically, if you have a magnet attached to the rotating object that you want to measure, every time it passes the hall sensor, a voltage is created on the output. The Arduino can detect the change and count it as a pulse. If you get 50 pulses per second, for example, that equates to 3,000 RPMs.<br />
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You can use a circuit board like this one and it will work fine. You could also use the hall sensor directly, as shown below. The 10k resistor is a pull-up resistor to keep the normal out put state high or close to 5 volts in this case. When the hall sensor is triggered, the output goes down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m3W6543j4j1xP8ldtvs6Fsf-9UnCoqIjSSVxc0NNRz0fdO95Rxi24siCR5EbBtqmW1SI5eC-tJO_NCu6yI3KnAUBoEezhxgXq5m65ypJ4awcpBhv3No0AchRNoNrBqrIf1Bta5sHQ9U/s1600/EasyEDA+++Web+Based+EDA++schematic+capture++spice+circuit+simulation+and+PCB+layout+Online.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m3W6543j4j1xP8ldtvs6Fsf-9UnCoqIjSSVxc0NNRz0fdO95Rxi24siCR5EbBtqmW1SI5eC-tJO_NCu6yI3KnAUBoEezhxgXq5m65ypJ4awcpBhv3No0AchRNoNrBqrIf1Bta5sHQ9U/s320/EasyEDA+++Web+Based+EDA++schematic+capture++spice+circuit+simulation+and+PCB+layout+Online.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Something to keep in mind is balance. Putting one magnet on a high speed rotating device might make it out of balance. You could consider putting two magnets on the rotor across from each other to balance it. Opposite poles could be pointing out to make the changes in poles more distinct and to give better accuracy.<br />
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<h4>
Optical Photo Interrupter</h4>
This one is like it sounds, you are interrupting a beam of light. Typically, these use a rotary encoder disc which are discs with slots cut out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyfzxcxJYDH2kCevx01OgCWi2xr0cBHpq03vuhHcvPs8M_gRW8Ng4QJnRGqTRJXTsTAdq924UiuOx3AoaKp71qrZZJfGH7s3eFKK-qOdtOWDUEnP_2PNGkxWfLr_lynZSB8O4KhD0xl4/s1600/photo+interrupter+disc+++Google+Search.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyfzxcxJYDH2kCevx01OgCWi2xr0cBHpq03vuhHcvPs8M_gRW8Ng4QJnRGqTRJXTsTAdq924UiuOx3AoaKp71qrZZJfGH7s3eFKK-qOdtOWDUEnP_2PNGkxWfLr_lynZSB8O4KhD0xl4/s320/photo+interrupter+disc+++Google+Search.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The optical sensor sits straddled over the disk. A built-in diode shines a light while a photo-transistor senses that light. An On or Off signal is then generated for the Arduino.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQIceNSZBEChji-epJET992xotT8rEQ5iTWl6mJrLLvzFuwlfXxMdPOctnbP954sg4grJ2ZS2NAA6z7w9dm0pg6m8U6xHJWJZHdJtoubtW_1vBJJ2yFOyHI1-fMJL7Ub1tlfQFGUosn8/s1600/Arduino+Analog+Pins++Setting+Up+A+Photo+Interrupter++or+Slotted+Optical++For+Digital+Pins++Part+2++++Utopia+Mechanicus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQIceNSZBEChji-epJET992xotT8rEQ5iTWl6mJrLLvzFuwlfXxMdPOctnbP954sg4grJ2ZS2NAA6z7w9dm0pg6m8U6xHJWJZHdJtoubtW_1vBJJ2yFOyHI1-fMJL7Ub1tlfQFGUosn8/s1600/Arduino+Analog+Pins++Setting+Up+A+Photo+Interrupter++or+Slotted+Optical++For+Digital+Pins++Part+2++++Utopia+Mechanicus.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of utopiamechanicus.com</td></tr>
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Be aware that you don´t need a disc with this many slots cut in it, especially when measuring high RPMs. For low RPMs, the example above would be perfect and very accurate. But for higher RPMs, something like this would be much better.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpPa98anLSYiSjJOwWCZNiFnQQoaCpU5w3CywZqpdwgkg4TOUmWCMeGj-BjTQG6RA1c9cN__cKxUsLBrT_19OqSeKtwTVGV_OhFOzX1Daa05fFAxJkWxTXiaTtcZ-33JYyezucZepris/s1600/photo+interrupter+disc+2++Google+Search.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpPa98anLSYiSjJOwWCZNiFnQQoaCpU5w3CywZqpdwgkg4TOUmWCMeGj-BjTQG6RA1c9cN__cKxUsLBrT_19OqSeKtwTVGV_OhFOzX1Daa05fFAxJkWxTXiaTtcZ-33JYyezucZepris/s320/photo+interrupter+disc+2++Google+Search.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-78514819120040336912015-12-28T00:42:00.000-08:002016-12-09T15:13:22.147-08:00Arduino: Micro Processing Renewable Energy - Part 2 - Measuring Current<h2>
Measuring Current</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuysfIJHL9rlUfYON1-f44sdawOXEUyxpkXZGArQ6amJfWPQk9A-NgMIsrdzcxD7YEJXAefmCvZhYV1T7fwSut_frfpxC_zhyxkJ7E9qteWtXDXZhHzCZcvKGoccc5Nqdt6lBn3gJJUfE/s1600/part2-5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuysfIJHL9rlUfYON1-f44sdawOXEUyxpkXZGArQ6amJfWPQk9A-NgMIsrdzcxD7YEJXAefmCvZhYV1T7fwSut_frfpxC_zhyxkJ7E9qteWtXDXZhHzCZcvKGoccc5Nqdt6lBn3gJJUfE/s200/part2-5.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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A microprocessor can't really measure current directly. It can only read voltage. There are many ways to create a voltage that can relate to a current. The most basic being a shunt. A shunt is just a known resistor that is used in the circuit to be measured. When the voltage drop across the resistor is measured, Ohm's Law can be used to solve for current.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">V = I x R</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">or</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I = V/R</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">V = Voltage</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I = Current</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">R = Resistance</span></i></div>
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For instance, if you have a 1 ohm resistor in a circuit, and you measure a voltage across the resistor of 3.7 volts, then the current flowing through that resistor is 3.7 amps (3.7 volts / 1 ohm). That resistor would be pretty hot, though. Since power is equal to the current squared times the resistance, that resistor would be emitting 13.69 watts. A typical resistor that you would see on a small circuit board can only hand a quarter watt, so nearly 14 watts would blow a hole through it and shoot flames out its sides. Not a pretty picture.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5NBffUOcSvs9KHrm60s_IXErqoQgw29H9PHqtYJEwWH627B_ztKSGh8SqjW3aKXi7EauXyQuYqkUejmOP3nb2D2Q89pKHkscxriDirYXIBkvUlIPnNQzUbxlIOD59pUfWjVuTQJAnos/s1600/part2-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5NBffUOcSvs9KHrm60s_IXErqoQgw29H9PHqtYJEwWH627B_ztKSGh8SqjW3aKXi7EauXyQuYqkUejmOP3nb2D2Q89pKHkscxriDirYXIBkvUlIPnNQzUbxlIOD59pUfWjVuTQJAnos/s400/part2-1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burning resistor as seen on http://www.bvsystems.be/</td></tr>
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A more appropriate resistor would be like this 25 watt one.<br />
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But, that seems like a lot of wasted heat just to check the current. And the resistor actually limits the current slightly. What if we used a resistor with much less resistance? How about a 0.001 ohm? Then, every milivolt we detect across the resistor would equal one amp of current. For wasted heat, that would be great, only 14 mW instead of 14 watts. Wow, 1/1,000th of the original wasted heat.<br />
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There would be a problem though. The Arduino only reads 0 to 5 volts and it does it in 1,023 discreet steps. The lowest value it can detect after zero would be 4.9 milivolts or 0.0049 volts. You could only detect 0 amps, 4.9 amps, 9.8 amps, etc. Not a great solution. There are a few ways to compensate for this though; <span style="background-color: yellow;">oversampling</span>, <span style="background-color: yellow;">op amp</span>, <span style="background-color: yellow;">hall effect</span>, or use a <span style="background-color: yellow;">different resistor</span> at 0.01 ohm.<br />
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<h3>
Oversampling</h3>
There are many scholarly articles written on oversampling, so I won't go into excessive detail here. I'll just cover the basics. In the above example using a 0.001 ohm resistor, we can only detect a change of 4.9 amp increments. This is because we are reading the voltage at a 10-bit resolution. But what if we somehow (magically?) used 14-bit resolution? That would be 16, 383 steps, each step to 5 volts would be equal to 0.0003 volts or 0.3 mV per step.<br />
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We can do that through oversampling. We just take multiple samples and average them to come up with a new, more accurate value. For instance, take a light in your house, that either turns on or off. That is 1-bit resolution. If you flick the light off and on and record those readings, you can then average 4 readings to get 2-bit resolution. Values would include 0, 0.33, 0.66, and 1.0. Another way to express that is OFF, 33%, 66%, and ON.<br />
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The rule of thumb is to accumulate 4^n 10-bit samples, where n is the desired extra number of bits in the resolution. For example, to get 14-bit resolution, that is 4 more than 10, so 4 to the 4th power would be 256 samples taken, then divide the result by 256. To get 16-bit resolution, take 4 to the 6th power (4,096) samples and divide by 4,096.<br />
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This approach works only because there is almost always some RF or electrical noise in the system to make minor variations occur while taking the samples. More info can be found at <a href="http://www.atmel.com/images/doc8003.pdf">http://www.atmel.com/images/doc8003.pdf</a>.<br />
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<h3>
Op Amp</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiXPawjjczuljetEh7OushFS2UO5XdNf0s7rcdTC9ZfSd96M_cHhifRtWoT826mCBtyFw4OgX5DI3tOzMZk-A-YDHiKmVJqgT_l4ePDpTAY08Y1thFezFdCaFwBrnALksfXaDZdJqEc0/s1600/part2-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiXPawjjczuljetEh7OushFS2UO5XdNf0s7rcdTC9ZfSd96M_cHhifRtWoT826mCBtyFw4OgX5DI3tOzMZk-A-YDHiKmVJqgT_l4ePDpTAY08Y1thFezFdCaFwBrnALksfXaDZdJqEc0/s320/part2-3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Op Amp, or operational amplifier, is an electronic chip that takes an input and amplifies the output a number of times. In the above example of using a 0.001 ohm shunt resistor to measure current, we could just amplify the voltage reading to get something more appropriate to the Arduino. If, for example, 30 amps is the max current we expected, we could make that equal 5 volts to the Arduino input pin. The voltage drop across the resistor would be 30mV. So, we would have to set the Op Amp to amplify the output by 167 times.<br />
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<h3>
Hall Effect</h3>
Many times you can buy a hall effect current measuring device that will measure AC and DC current in either direction. This one will measure 30 amps. <span style="background-color: yellow;">There is a trick to make this 30 amp version measure much more. For instance, to double its capacity, just place a jumper wire across the terminals to shunt half of the current. </span>You may have to experiment with the thickness and length of wire to use as the bypass, and you would also have to adjust a variable in your Arduino program to get the accuracy where it should be.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63_TkXJOVfGrmUxwh0n7cw2zMdCvwGhxamo0iDc4R78iKQAtGaNJw25PUF1sHdQ-gfRsBIb2pZpJxnW9XlWQ28C43NwZDgNn47fF64zAe2_7MtvN0Lf8A9BElzrnTov4oacRGk2BABns/s1600/part2-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63_TkXJOVfGrmUxwh0n7cw2zMdCvwGhxamo0iDc4R78iKQAtGaNJw25PUF1sHdQ-gfRsBIb2pZpJxnW9XlWQ28C43NwZDgNn47fF64zAe2_7MtvN0Lf8A9BElzrnTov4oacRGk2BABns/s320/part2-4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Resistor</h3>
The simple solution to the initial problem is to use a 0.01 ohm resistor instead of a 0.001 ohm resistor. Instead of 1 mV being equal to 1 amp, 10 mV equals 1 amp. Since the Arduino can normally read in 5 mV increments, this would be good enough to measure current in half amp increments. At 3.7 amps, that would be 37 mV. The Arduino could only see 35 mV or 40 mV, so the resolution wouldn't quite be there. Your program would just have to report it as 3.5 amps.<br />
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<h3>
Which solution to use?</h3>
Well, they all have their place depending on the scenario. I've used all of the above. One of my favorites is to mix the hall effect with oversampling. Then I add a shunt around the hall effect to up my current capacity. This gives me the best of all worlds, 14-bit accuracy with over 100 amps of measurement on a 30 amp hall sensor budget.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ELECTRONICS </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><em>Then Take A Look At This!</em></span></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-61430461719023163492015-12-26T22:07:00.001-08:002015-12-26T22:09:26.602-08:00How to Store Lead Acid Batteries for a Very Long TimeHere is some good information on storing lead acid batteries for a long time without having to trickle charge them. I found this on Cody's Lab channel on youtube.com<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-74906370434398470312015-12-15T15:13:00.000-08:002019-09-23T08:04:25.553-07:00Arduino: Micro Processing Renewable Energy - Part 1 continued - Reading Voltages<h3>
Resolution</h3>
As discussed previously, the Arduino has a 10-bit resolution on its analog read capabilities. That means it can read a voltage between 0 and 5 volts and report a value between 0 and 1,023. If it read with 8-bit resolution, it would generate a value between 0 and 255. If we divide the maximum voltage of 5 volts by the highest resolution value (5/1,023 and 5/255) we get 0.00488 and 0.01960. That number represents the milivolts (mV) for each step in the range. For example, if we have a 8-bit input and we read a value of 134, then that represents 2.6264 volts (134 x 0.01960).<br />
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This looks like plenty of resolution. It is obvious from the above examples that 10-bit has 4 times the resolution as 8-bit, but how do you tell if you have enough resolution? Well, it depends on your application. If you are trying to detect if voltage is present, then 1-bit would be enough. That bit could be a 0 or a 1, ON or OFF. But, what if you needed something more precise?<br />
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For example, you are trying to charge LiFePo4 batteries and you want to stop charging at exactly 3.65 volts. You definitely want to tell the difference between 3.64 and 3.66 volts to do that. In other words, you need 1/100th of a volt resolution, or 10 mV resolution. If we are using an 8-bit analog input, then the first step after zero volts would be 0.0196 volts, or 19.6 mV. And since 19.6 mV is larger than our minimum requirement of 10 mV, then 8-bits just won't work. But, 0.00488 volts or 4.88 mV would work just fine.<br />
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<h4>
Voltage Range</h4>
So, using a 10-bit analog input will give us a resolution of 4.88 mV when we are reading 0 to 5 volts. But, what if we want to read up to 15 volts? If we take 15 volts and divide by 1,023 steps, we get 14.6 mV which is larger than our previous requirement of 10 mV. The problem gets worse with higher ranges. If we tried to read 0 to 60 volts, we would get a final resolution of 58 mV.<br />
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There are some tricks you could use to fix your range so it is more tight. For example, when we measure a 12 V battery, we expect a range of about 10 to 15 volts. That is a 5 volt range, it just happens to start 10 volts too high. Alas, there is a way to fix that!<br />
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We can just add a 10 volt zener diode to the circuit. It will drop about 10 volts off of the input, resulting in 0 to 5 volts going to the Arduino.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3salRk7LzQQqriBoKL0mo_i6ZaIev-iTik6sxQWhyphenhyphen_Dql-UfcX5DVlpyMIoxgNLisfmGnkJnt6i-cwUkb-PnY8bde2Z8U5oCRRFMsskJHp2dhxPoPF0O1ipMFVIY7T0Z_RPtc44qeIY/s1600/Voltage-resolution1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="car battery voltage reading" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3salRk7LzQQqriBoKL0mo_i6ZaIev-iTik6sxQWhyphenhyphen_Dql-UfcX5DVlpyMIoxgNLisfmGnkJnt6i-cwUkb-PnY8bde2Z8U5oCRRFMsskJHp2dhxPoPF0O1ipMFVIY7T0Z_RPtc44qeIY/s640/Voltage-resolution1.png" title="car battery voltage reading" width="640" /></a></div>
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You could also make a circuit like below to read up to a 48 volt battery bank, which could be upwards of 60 volts. In that case, the 40 to 60 volts would be sent through a pot that would be adjusted until 40 volts in would equal 10 volts out. The zener diode would knock off that 10 volts. But, what would the high end of that range be? Since the pot was adjusted to make 40 volts into 10 volts, there is a 4 times reduction in the pot being used as a voltage divider. That means 60 volts is translated to 15 volts. This works perfectly as an input to the 10 volt zener and will give us 0 to 5 volts as the circuits final output.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQtFSVeeLy4iBjX2T-hkLI6Q0YValVVcDtpOm4cXfpbdFwHcvscelku7dgcM2SrUhhP9RU9JnWSPYZZUyPdoAK7aKOT2krHG6UfkM2_H-wxRrhPkYWv4qmv19IKjlofpz9Kd9yefp-2o/s1600/Voltage-resolution2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQtFSVeeLy4iBjX2T-hkLI6Q0YValVVcDtpOm4cXfpbdFwHcvscelku7dgcM2SrUhhP9RU9JnWSPYZZUyPdoAK7aKOT2krHG6UfkM2_H-wxRrhPkYWv4qmv19IKjlofpz9Kd9yefp-2o/s640/Voltage-resolution2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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You also might want a more modular circuit that can take an input from different battery bank sizes. This circuit is meant to measure one battery bank at a time. If you want to measure more than one at a time, duplicate this circuit and apply it to several different Arduino input pins.</div>
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Be aware that R4 is only useful when your zener is reverse biased at something less than 10 volts. A typical zener is rated at 5%. That means a 10 volt zener could start passing reverse current at anywhere from 9.5 to 10.5 volts. But, whatever voltage that zener starts at, it will be consistent at a given temperature. For example, if your zener conducts at 9.7 volts, it will always start conducting reverse current at 9.7 volts. So, you could go through a batch and test zeners until you get ones that are the closest to what you want. In this circuit, you should go slightly under 10 volts instead of over. If you have a true 10 volts coming in to R4 and your zener doesn't start conducting until 10.3 volts, no amount of playing with R4 will make up that 0.3 volts.</div>
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Some of you are wondering why I chose the 1k resistor (R1) before the zener diode. Well, I'm assuming a worse case connection is 60 volts into the 12 volt input that has been calibrated for a 12 volt battery. I'll get 50 volts coming out of D4 zener and D2 will redirect 45 volts to ground. And, 45 volts divided by 1000 ohms is 0.045 or 45 mA. The power would be current times volts, or 0.045 amps x 45 volts = 2.025 watts. I'm using a 4 watt zener and I like to limit the power to about half. If you were using a 1 watt, then you would want at least a 4k resistor for R1.</div>
<a href="http://poormanguides.blogspot.ca/2015/12/arduino-micro-processing-renewable_28.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://poormanguides.blogspot.ca/2015/12/arduino-micro-processing-renewable_28.html" target="_blank">Continue to Part 2 - Measuring Current</a><br />
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<br />
<div style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ELECTRONICS </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><em>Then Take A Look At This!</em></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://637b4mqhoqyqcv3qirxbxqo0en.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://introductiontobasicelectronics.com/image/itbe500.png" height="320" width="288"></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-35011333060664432172015-12-14T21:31:00.001-08:002017-03-30T22:19:39.336-07:00Arduino: Micro Processing Renewable Energy - Part 1 - Reading Voltages<h2>
Arduino, what the heck is it?</h2>
Arduino is a small electronic board containing an easily-programmed microprocessor.<br />
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Arduino_Uno_-_R3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Arduino_Uno_-_R3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This little board comes in many flavors, but basically allows you to interface with the real world by reading sensors and inputs and controlling things with outputs. I won't get into all the programming ins and outs of the Arduino or Arduino clones in this blog. There are thousands of websites and videos that talk all about it.<br />
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But, from this blog's perspective, renewable energy as it pertains to the Arduino isn't talked about that much. There are many questions that the newbie will have such as:<br />
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<li>My Arduino only reads up to 5 volts, how can I read a 12 volt battery or even bigger?</li>
<li>How do I measure current?</li>
<li>How do I measure the RPMs of my wind turbine?</li>
<li>How do I control power to larger devices?</li>
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These questions will constitute my four part series coming over the next few weeks. Starting with the first question, as this is part 1 of my series, let's discuss measuring voltages.</div>
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Part 1 - Reading Voltages</h3>
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The question is simple, "My Arduino only reads up to 5 volts, how can I read larger voltages?" The answer is simple as well. Use a voltage divider. Well, that sounds simple, but in theory, it takes more explanation.</div>
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A voltage divider comes in two types; resistor or capacitor. The capacitor type isn't that relative here because it is used to divide AC voltage. But the resistor type is very relevant. It is used to take a DC input voltage called Voltage In (Vin) and reduce its output voltage called Voltage Out (Vout). Quite simply, it is made up of two resistors in series connected from the positive of the voltage source to the negative. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGBUBjZ9ougqwg6OiQ4T1ffF5fEDL_DV9njF6pKTNW03135FbXE4uBxMewmIz4IjdVIMXGQ2-WF3inFGHXSJX5Y3okG0b3CPvWPSxI0NshcQnbfpFmosuaW1lax0IhhfIJJPwFoDjj6E/s1600/Voltage-divider1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGBUBjZ9ougqwg6OiQ4T1ffF5fEDL_DV9njF6pKTNW03135FbXE4uBxMewmIz4IjdVIMXGQ2-WF3inFGHXSJX5Y3okG0b3CPvWPSxI0NshcQnbfpFmosuaW1lax0IhhfIJJPwFoDjj6E/s400/Voltage-divider1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple voltage divider</td></tr>
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As you can see, the current flowing from the Vin connection will be flowing through our voltage divider. Using Ohm's law, we can deduce how much current that will be. </div>
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<b>Current = Voltage / Resistance. </b></div>
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Assuming 13.5 volts at Vin and 2,000 ohms (R1 + R2), we get 0.00675, or 6.75 mA.</div>
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You could figure out power losses as well. </div>
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<b>Power = Current ^ 2 * Resistance</b></div>
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The current through one resistor is the same as the other, so we can use the resistance of one resistor in the equation. This way we solve for power for each resistor. We get 0.0455 watts, or 45.5 mW of power. The small quarter watt resistors can handle up to 250 mW, but I'll tell you now that those two resistors will get fairly hot just sitting there as they use up power from your battery. </div>
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And, what if you had it hooked up to a 48 volt battery bank? Let's say your battery is sitting fully charged at 54 volts. That gives us 27 mA and 729 mW at each resistor. That is three times the ratings for those quarter-watt resistors!</div>
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But, what if we used much larger resistors, like 50k instead of 1k resistors? Then we would have 14 mW instead of 729....much cooler. And then we could use a 100k potentiometer (often called a pot) in place of the two resistors. That gives us control on our output voltage. The output would range from 0 volts up to full Vin voltage.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30iCCZqQ7R7jDm-2WHFXYnpt2mOB-4CEEGZ1hyphenhypheni-S8Hm8MfTr736Po4EHxazZOdCxxV6X3E84wmXmXWRquQyyJ6oqERXTPYKNGGg6KLIbyKBcvK31NR4YiSVCswMLfJpTgCnu1avieLs/s1600/Voltage-divider2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30iCCZqQ7R7jDm-2WHFXYnpt2mOB-4CEEGZ1hyphenhypheni-S8Hm8MfTr736Po4EHxazZOdCxxV6X3E84wmXmXWRquQyyJ6oqERXTPYKNGGg6KLIbyKBcvK31NR4YiSVCswMLfJpTgCnu1avieLs/s400/Voltage-divider2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100k Potentiometer used as voltage divider</td></tr>
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Just think of the pot as two resistors always adding up to the total rating of the pot. You use one every time you use a volume control or balance knob. If the pot is at its half way mark, then each of the two resistive sections has 50k ohms. If you turn the knob all the way counterclockwise, then the first resistive section would be 0 ohms while the second section would be 100k ohms. The opposite is true if you turn the knob all the way clockwise.</div>
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In your voltage-sensing circuit, it would be best to use a precision trim pot like this one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiuW5kbkabTyGl4Kc_bCpguqTv-Iowb9AXcmvvD1HmX_S3eTSzFmshOnDVuLcXply8xJKK5SYkKSwKz5Flx9zetZWKetWMtkEExixHDOrwq84QLaG1wKD1Wpx4H3-ujPU4RyijCrf1N0/s1600/150x150-14107.Jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYiuW5kbkabTyGl4Kc_bCpguqTv-Iowb9AXcmvvD1HmX_S3eTSzFmshOnDVuLcXply8xJKK5SYkKSwKz5Flx9zetZWKetWMtkEExixHDOrwq84QLaG1wKD1Wpx4H3-ujPU4RyijCrf1N0/s1600/150x150-14107.Jpg" /></a></div>
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These turn about 10 to 20 times for their full range, but you can only adjust them a few times before they start to degrade. It is best to calibrate your circuit once and leave it. Then you could have a smaller valued pot, like 5k ohms, to act as a fine adjustment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfgZK6Ywdxm1HCOqUS5kXDyNk5_v7G3BdEAF4FCOimnRc9lUL-gOo4LvlNh8ztZbWdGj6F46RmMIQhfX4UD-yVRLGW70qNt7xKHyJJWrnPCb6D7bUwKYPfXllRGOddhGPM6OjAGt9i3c/s1600/Voltage-divider3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfgZK6Ywdxm1HCOqUS5kXDyNk5_v7G3BdEAF4FCOimnRc9lUL-gOo4LvlNh8ztZbWdGj6F46RmMIQhfX4UD-yVRLGW70qNt7xKHyJJWrnPCb6D7bUwKYPfXllRGOddhGPM6OjAGt9i3c/s400/Voltage-divider3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voltage divider with course and fine adjustment pots</td></tr>
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You can and probably should use a pot with higher ohm rating than this example, such as a 1 mega ohm with a 20k fine adjustment.<br />
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But, what you do is hook the circuit up to the voltage source such as a battery and use a digital volt meter to measure the output at Vout. Adjust the course pot until your max Vin voltage equals 5 volts at Vout.<br />
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<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: yellow;">Do not hook this up to the Arduino yet. The Arduino can only handle about 5 volts per input and you could easily fry it. Test first!</span></span><br />
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Getting this could be problematic if you don't have a variable power supply, but it could be done with math. For instance, if your charging / dump circuit will not allow your battery to ever go over 14.5 volts, and when you measure the battery with a meter you get 13.5 volts at the time of the test, then we can use that. We could use a linear ratio such as:<br />
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<b>5 / 14.5 = X / 13.5 therefore X = (5 x 13.5) / 14.5 = 4.655 volts</b><br />
<b>(if using a larger battery, use the appropriate numbers)</b></div>
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The Arduino doesn't say 4.655 volts in its program. It has a 10-bit value between 0 and 1,023. If we take 5 volts and divide it by 1,023, we get 0.00488 volts. Then we could take 4.655 volts and divide by 0.00488 and get about 954. In other words, 4.655 volts would be on the 954th step towards max voltage at step number 1,023. So, in this exact case when we measure 13.5 volts at the battery, we should also get 4.655 volts at the Vout connection. Adjust the pots until you do. Then, when we hook it to the Arduino and write a program to read the input pin of the voltage divider's Vout, then we should get a value of 954. We can use the program in the Arduino to convert that value of 954 to a value of 4.655 volts.<br />
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Also, one more thing. It would be a good idea to protect the Arduino using a Zener diode. Just place a zener and resistor in this configuration and it will protect the Arduino from ever seeing more than 5.1 volts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnuw4mHYgJPMM1yXOp-mjLMr74CZ2fXQjj708dla85cawcTeP1WNFjfuWrQj5FKAh-jdGqqlYsMGNOxZCMW4oc8vIddIF0_DyrqNd7M5Y1ofoD7OMFyxPcrLDd7Ooww7tRL3ZricVh8s/s1600/Voltage-divider4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnuw4mHYgJPMM1yXOp-mjLMr74CZ2fXQjj708dla85cawcTeP1WNFjfuWrQj5FKAh-jdGqqlYsMGNOxZCMW4oc8vIddIF0_DyrqNd7M5Y1ofoD7OMFyxPcrLDd7Ooww7tRL3ZricVh8s/s640/Voltage-divider4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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OK, that's it for now. Some of you find this overly simple while others are picking up little brain giblets on the floor. I'll split the difference and call it quits until <a href="http://poormanguides.blogspot.ca/2015/12/arduino-micro-processing-renewable_20.html" target="_blank">part #2</a>.<br />
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Richard
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<br />
<div style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ELECTRONICS </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><em>Then Take A Look At This!</em></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://637b4mqhoqyqcv3qirxbxqo0en.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://introductiontobasicelectronics.com/image/itbe500.png" height="320" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-61006033518772007282015-12-03T21:16:00.000-08:002015-12-03T21:16:47.824-08:00Buried Fridge Compartment-no power neededThis is very interesting. I'm not sure what it costs, but I like it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.dezeen.com/2015/10/23/weltevree-groundfridge-floris-schoonderbeek-underground-electricity-free-fridge-dutch-design-award-week-2015/">http://www.dezeen.com/2015/10/23/weltevree-groundfridge-floris-schoonderbeek-underground-electricity-free-fridge-dutch-design-award-week-2015/</a><br />
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<img class="slide current" height="454" id="slideshow-1" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/10/Groundfridge_Weltevree_dezeen_1568_2.jpg" width="640" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-67790006230819489802015-11-17T22:28:00.001-08:002015-11-17T22:28:55.750-08:00Children's BooksFor all of you wondering where I've been for awhile, I've been busy. I wrote a 4-book Minecraft fan fiction series for children ages 7-12 years old.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaLNFJOBuLyzAv6xTXptLM6zFN2n1RoC-TTLrVGgJU9s7c5lpcktUcNw8JXKxlmpQ9a_WThfLxBfbSc50YlI-oEXdHwiovzmRVe7xFXH9ojIJ741ofeVn23cmTDMaTCCKZa7xMmTGeUU/s1600/Facebook+contest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaLNFJOBuLyzAv6xTXptLM6zFN2n1RoC-TTLrVGgJU9s7c5lpcktUcNw8JXKxlmpQ9a_WThfLxBfbSc50YlI-oEXdHwiovzmRVe7xFXH9ojIJ741ofeVn23cmTDMaTCCKZa7xMmTGeUU/s640/Facebook+contest.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm giving away all 4 full-color paperback books ($40 value) to two lucky winners. It is a Facebook competition. To enter, just follow the link and leave a comment. You don't really have to say anything, you could just leave a smile face. These books make great gifts for the holidays.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MinecraftRedMage/" target="_blank">Enter the contest</a><br />
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If you don't want to wait, you can just buy the books from <a href="https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=minecraft+red+mage+adventure+series&sitesearch_type=STORE" target="_blank">Createspace</a>.<br />
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If you want a Kindle version, you can find them on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Lewis/e/B011TD9JFI/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank">amazon</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-53844287739513102732015-11-08T20:49:00.000-08:002019-09-19T19:04:05.522-07:00Will the motor you just bought really work with your wind turbine? Analyze any motor/generator on ebay, the simple way.I've had some issues running the older versions of the analyzer on the latest versions of Windows. So, I rewrote the application purely in Java, and now it runs on all versions of Windows, Linux, and Mac (with the latest version of Java). For those that don't know, this program allows you to take the stats from any DC motor and analyze its ability to act as a generator for a DIY wind turbine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jBDXMex4xbaau0tz0o5tISEU3wUSWRUEYMmZSc6BxbzZddbNdn2-CNS5HnpEZ4_Q04pkYciFx4ftyfIGyG-VqRiNcUtZdBf9PnAeNR0MLPPCHizZmrO8kiSm_sN9y0xl5SbAfxF4HWE/s1600/new-analyzer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jBDXMex4xbaau0tz0o5tISEU3wUSWRUEYMmZSc6BxbzZddbNdn2-CNS5HnpEZ4_Q04pkYciFx4ftyfIGyG-VqRiNcUtZdBf9PnAeNR0MLPPCHizZmrO8kiSm_sN9y0xl5SbAfxF4HWE/s1600/new-analyzer.png" /></a></div>
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But, I've added a feature that allows single phase AC induction motors to be analyzed. This is many times more efficient than low voltage DC and is a lot cheaper to implement. It is as simple as selecting 120 VAC or 240 VAC as your battery bank. So, for those that don't want to be off grid, you can use this to design a cheap AC grid-tie wind turbine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAGBJonHbF3bfFvtfdepMasr9M-OYm9qrQCiQFGxJeY6N6B7pKq0sjoti2cRa1Z9ve2ZC8a7vuzS5z9rIHYzYx0y5ZYQQ3dIHpuisg0KM0jHVIn__P7aNMqA7XPM7059b9WK6I1ERGXs/s1600/analyzer-battery-bank.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAGBJonHbF3bfFvtfdepMasr9M-OYm9qrQCiQFGxJeY6N6B7pKq0sjoti2cRa1Z9ve2ZC8a7vuzS5z9rIHYzYx0y5ZYQQ3dIHpuisg0KM0jHVIn__P7aNMqA7XPM7059b9WK6I1ERGXs/s1600/analyzer-battery-bank.png" /></a></div>
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You can purchase the <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://poormanguides.iblogger.org/analyzer.html" target="_blank">DIY Wind Turbine Analyzer</a></span></b> found on <a href="http://poormanguides.iblogger.org/" target="_blank">http://poormanguides.iblogger.org</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-25009318500744521442014-06-10T14:41:00.004-07:002014-06-10T14:43:21.549-07:00Wind Power ebook is no longer freeI ran a special for one year, in which I gave away my <a href="http://www.poormanguides.com/wind.html" target="_blank">Wind Power & Battery Systems ebook</a> for free.<br />
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<a href="http://poormanguides.com/img/book-model-new-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://poormanguides.com/img/book-model-new-small.jpg" /></a></div>
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This even included the motor analyzer program. I just wanted everyone to know that the special is no longer in effect and my ebook and analyzer program are back for sale at the regular price. I'm sorry if you missed the offer.<br />
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RichardUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-77340834595970352022013-12-18T16:35:00.002-08:002017-04-02T08:22:55.813-07:00Debunked: 11 Myths About Global Warming<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k_YsLHHRuVYimMNTrUSiiHGIBuyfWHs7h-7t1-6OobRQ_GBrLSMtzPhukiKeJmmU0MFInzsEMc0dDRAduKs84igC1xXx15vqfT2NsbpSQVUx5lermIbJ4QSv1Y-NBzBJxWSXiiJW9xg/s1600/earth-2091112_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k_YsLHHRuVYimMNTrUSiiHGIBuyfWHs7h-7t1-6OobRQ_GBrLSMtzPhukiKeJmmU0MFInzsEMc0dDRAduKs84igC1xXx15vqfT2NsbpSQVUx5lermIbJ4QSv1Y-NBzBJxWSXiiJW9xg/s320/earth-2091112_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Any religion that does not endorse the belief that its
followers are custodians of this divine gift called planet Earth, has no right
to be called a religion. You could ask any religious person, anywhere in the
world, if they see life and this planet as a gift from their creator, and they
would all agree. If you were to then ask if they have a spiritual obligation to
act as custodians for this big wonderful world, most would also agree. The ones
that disagree seem to me to be heavily influenced by propaganda from the fossil
fuel industry that wants to see the party continue, business as usual. I see
the brainwashing somewhat in the U.K. and Australia, but mostly in the USA. I'm not religious, but I have to ask, how do Christians come to terms with this?<o:p></o:p><br />
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Global warming and climate science has been going on for 150
years. Most of the scientist in the 1800’s understood that CO2 was a greenhouse
gas. But now, a century and a half later, we see the true “dumbing down”. A
situation where the average Joe in America either doesn’t understand what the “greenhouse
effect” is, or simply doesn’t believe that CO2 is a greenhouse gas.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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A litany of arguments spew forth from the right-wing think
tanks. A never-ending cacophony of lies, spin, and deception, all designed to
keep their party going. They want to keep using fossil fuels until our
ecosystem is devastated beyond repair.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Lie #1, “CO2 is such
a small percentage of the atmosphere, how can it possibly affect temperature?”</b></div>
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We all understand that greenhouses do work. If they didn’t
work, people wouldn’t use greenhouses. I don’t need to get into the science to
prove it, we just know it works. How thick is the glass or plastic for a
greenhouse? I’ve seen some very large greenhouses, and that thin piece of glass
for the roof and walls makes up a very small percentage of the overall volume
of the greenhouse, but IT STILL WORKS!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Lie #2, “It is the
sun that causes warming, not man.”</b></div>
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This is actually true, but misleading. Of course it is the
sun. What good is a greenhouse without the sun? Then again, what good is a
greenhouse without a roof? In other words, if the sun makes it hot, then a
greenhouse in the sun makes it hotter. Duh!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Lie #3, “Plants need
CO2, how can it be harmful?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Plants need water too, but what happens when they are
flooded? Water is good for humans, too. What happens when we get too much? If
you look at the last 500,000 years of ice record, you can see that every time
CO2 levels go up by 100 ppm, the temperature goes up about 18 degrees F. There
is a lag time because the earth has such a huge thermal mass and it takes
decades to equalize. But, like it or not, we are due for much higher
temperatures, flooding, economic disruptions, food shortages, etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Lie #4, “The world
has had higher concentrations of CO2 before”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yeah, when dinosaurs were here and humans were not. Life
will survive, but not life like we know it. The plants we have now mostly
couldn’t survive. It takes a long time for plant and animal life to evolve to
handle extreme temperatures and humidity. It takes ocean life tens of thousands
of years to evolve to survive under high concentrations of carbonic acid. So,
life would still be here, but it isn’t pretty.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Lie #5, “How can
other planets in our solar system be warming too?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Short answer, they aren’t. That is a myth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Lie #6, “The natural
carbon cycle is far bigger than anything man does.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is true, but misleading. Nature can handle the normal
CO2 cycle. But we are throwing excess into the system that it can’t handle fast
enough. If we released that much CO2 over eons, it would be fine, but we are
doing it in 200 years. Not a good idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Lie #7, “The climate
models are so complicated and the scientists never get it right.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Actually, the energy balance equation is simple. We look at
all the energy coming in and how much leaves and we figure how much warming will
occur. That is a done deal and we’ve been able to do the math for CENTURIES!
What we don’t know are things like how fast it will happen. We know it WILL
happen, just not how fast. Air currents, ocean currents, subtle variations in
weather, pollution, solar activity, etc. make models very complicated. The
think tanks use that fact to trick people into thinking that the science is too
complicated. But let me make it simple, if we don’t change, life will not be
very pleasant in the next 50 to 100 years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Lie #8, “First they
said we would enter an ice age, and then global warming. Which is it?”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All the scientists understood CO2 and the greenhouse effect.
They also understood that pollution blocks the sunlight. What they were unsure
about is which would win. By the 90’s, it was finally understood that CO2 would
win, while pollution just slows down the global warming.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Lie #9, “Warming has
stopped, we are entering into global cooling.”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From NASA’s website “The ten warmest years in the 132-year
record have all occurred since 1998.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>Lie #10, "Global warming is just a religion"</b><br />
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a religion just faith based beliefs in spite of science or any contrary proof? Enough said.<br />
<br />
<b>Lie #11, "We've had many natural warming and cooling cycles in the past, long before man was here, so man can't be the cause of any warming."</b><br />
Really bad logic here. Just because something has happened before doesn't mean that we can't change it now or make it worse. It is like saying, "Men died from all kinds of natural causes long before cars were invented, therefore, driving a car recklessly can not possibly kill you." The truly sad part is that I have to even address this lie.<br />
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---<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are many more lies, but these are some of the ones I
see most often. I know it is hard to figure out which party is telling the
truth and which one is spinning with an agenda. Just look at the end result. Is
what you believe taking care of the planet or is it destroying the planet? Does
your belief ensure a clean sustainable planet for future generations, or does
your belief help some elite make money while they leave us with a putrid stink
hole? <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All I can hope is that whoever reads this is not so far gone
and brainwashed by big oil, that they can’t honestly and critically look at the
situation that we are in. Besides, imagine how future generations will judge
the science deniers, the evil minions that groveled at the feet of elite
bastards that don’t care for life, but only profit. They will probably judge the deniers more harshly than the elite. At least the elite have a reason to lie,
what’s your excuse?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-67210487253743796782013-08-15T19:38:00.001-07:002013-08-15T19:49:22.834-07:00Monopoly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://theiddm.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/monopoly-man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://theiddm.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/monopoly-man.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;">I decided to play the Monopoly game the other day, but I wanted to change the rules slightly. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;">1) An extra person can play the "role" of the bank.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;">2) Every time a player passes GO, they don't get paid, they have to pay 10% of their current money plus 10% of their original loan </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 18px;">in taxes to the Bank. Income only comes from property ownership. Everytime someone lands on your property, they pay.<br /><br />3) The bank player doesn't move around the board, the bank just loans money and collects it back with interest.<br /><br />So, after 4 friends played for awhile, it was down to 2 players that dominated. After a little while longer, it was finally down to one regular player and me (the Bank). So, the player kept going around always paying 10% each time he passed GO, but not collecting any more money because there was nobody left to stay at his properties.<br /><br />After another 45 minutes, he had no money to pay the bank, so a property was repossessed. This went on for another hour until all properties were owned by me and I won.<br /><br />But how else could the story have ended? All money in existence was debt owed to the central bank....plus interest. But the interest was never printed, so everyone defaults in the end. It is a mathematical certainty.<br /><br />The best way to win the game is not to play!<br /><br />Richard</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2520463471230563847.post-66630757408152511122013-08-15T15:07:00.004-07:002013-08-15T15:07:50.043-07:00Fukishima update - Can I eat some Salmon?My last post on Fukishima, seen <a href="http://poormanguides.blogspot.ca/2011_04_01_archive.html" target="_blank">here</a>, was back in 2011. I made the statement that North America had nothing to worry about, yet and that it was primarily a Japan problem (I feel very sad for what Japan is going through). I still stand by that statement even though some things have changed.<br />
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Firstly, the airborne releases are minimal and not even detectable 6,000 miles away on the west coast of Canada and the USA. That is good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3TujvUAMDL_PevpBJ9mIV8q5uE2bnJGhBnezB67eTuPfUWsON6ksUhFEHgOajVYhRiwzUQ9-FI2LfDhc0f36K2F-adOTwU_nA1ugr57erJmIGt68J4ZOurm7LMVKczsBAjiFlBN-pKk/s1600/radiation-network.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3TujvUAMDL_PevpBJ9mIV8q5uE2bnJGhBnezB67eTuPfUWsON6ksUhFEHgOajVYhRiwzUQ9-FI2LfDhc0f36K2F-adOTwU_nA1ugr57erJmIGt68J4ZOurm7LMVKczsBAjiFlBN-pKk/s400/radiation-network.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
Secondly, we find out that TEPCO has been leaking 300 tons of contaminated water per day into the Pacific. So, my main question...Is it safe to eat Pacific Salmon in BC.<br />
<br />
Well, common sense says that Cessium 137 (Cs-137) and Strontium 90 (Sr-90) should sink in the water. I found a reference to that scenario <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704713004576209092999139786.html" target="_blank">here</a>. It states:<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">A swift deep current along the coast of Japan is expected to pull the low concentration of radioactive particles from the Fukushima plant to a depth of about 300 feet and dilute it all by a factor of 50 to 100, researchers said.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: blue;">The prevailing currents then carry the material out to sea, away from beaches and inhabited coasts.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: blue;">Swept out to sea, depending on the material, many radioactive isotopes such as cesium-137 and strontium-90 usually sink and then remain suspended at depth in the ocean water, sometimes for decades, but have little direct effect on salt-water fish, scientists said.</span></b><br />
<br />
I know that Cs-137 doesn't bio accumulate in marine life and I was more worried about Sr-90 because it is absorbed into the bones and any calcium rich organs and stays there. After some research, I found this study, <a href="http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FRAD%2FRAD44_05%2FS0033845109051692a.pdf&code=d059009cadcdc95300062d1042e9273c" target="_blank">Strontium-90 in fish from the lakes of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone</a>.<br />
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It goes into lots of detail, but the main idea can be expressed in the following graph.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA6RGdQlO-X7wnqDkvIPTuDrYGax-b0_NuInPnkgMnmVHNBUpA8XKmWkP4ErD2jtNEHfVZKXrRZBRVq0ZXcKJMbe1N8RdCZ9Je4K7YQ9II0I63LdXj7CosjaiQ8N6_Bi58vYHm2X63M4/s1600/sr90-fish-chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA6RGdQlO-X7wnqDkvIPTuDrYGax-b0_NuInPnkgMnmVHNBUpA8XKmWkP4ErD2jtNEHfVZKXrRZBRVq0ZXcKJMbe1N8RdCZ9Je4K7YQ9II0I63LdXj7CosjaiQ8N6_Bi58vYHm2X63M4/s320/sr90-fish-chart.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sr-90 content (specific activity) in organs and tissues of Common crucian carp (Glubokoye Lake):<br />
1 – scales; 2 – bones; 3 – fins; 4 – head; 5 – stomach contents; 6 – skin; <b><span style="color: red;">7 – muscles</span></b>; 8 – internal organs; 9 – roe.<br />
<br />
Notice that the scales, bones, fins and head absorb most of the Sr-90, but the muscles absorb almost nothing. Since, we eat the muscles usually, this is a good thing. Also, 70-80% of ingested Sr-90 is eliminated from the fish and also from humans.<br />
<br />
This data mostly made me feel better, but I still wanted to see some real world testing. I found an <a href="http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/node/6538" target="_blank">independent test</a> performed last year from a couple living in Seattle, WA. They were testing for Cs-137, but since both Cs-137 and Sr-90 are being constantly leaked from Fukishima, if you don't detect one in a fish, then it stands to reason that the other isn't present in that fish as well. Here is what they got back from the lab.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<b>Sample 1</b><br />
Cs-134:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> < 0.902 Bq/kg (minimum detectable concetrations)<br />
Cs-137:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> < 1.47 Bq/kg (minimum detectable concetrations)<br />
<br />
<b>Sample 2</b><br />
Cs-134:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> < 0.891 Bq/kg (minimum detectable concetrations)<br />
Cs-137:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> < 1.26 Bq/kg (minimum detectable concetrations)<br />
<br />
EACH SAMPLE WAS MEASURED FOR 40,000 SECONDS ON A HIGH PURITY GERANIUM DETECTOR<br />
<br />
The units Bq/kg are Becquerels per kilogram, a measurement of decay rate of an isotope. One Becquerel is another way of saying "one nuclear decay per second."<br />
<br />
For comparison, the typical activity concentration of the naturally-occurring isotope Potassium-40 (K-40) in salmon is on the order of 100 Bq/kg, or 100 decays per second per kilogram. So they showed that the activity levels of <b>Cs-134 and Cs-137 cannot be more than about 1% of the K-40 level, which is a very low level.</b><br />
<b>-----------------</b><br />
<br />
So, we are good to go on wild Pacific Salmon, but I wouldn't want seafood shipped in from Japan. And we still have the leak going on. I also worry about the next phase of cleanup in which spent rods have to be manually moved from a cooling pond. We'll just have to keep watching this.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0