Author Topic: Finally, some use for excess solar power.  (Read 8427 times)

saba

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2018, 06:09:18 PM »
Hey glort why don't you start mining altcoins with free electricity it's still profitable..

Bernhard

ajaffa1

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2018, 10:12:36 PM »
Hey Glort, what about a plasma/laser cutter or even a high pressure water cutter, CNC controlled. Would use a lot of power and you have three phase on site so you could continue operations on cloudy days. Got to be a demand for precision cut metal components.

Bob

ajaffa1

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #17 on: December 11, 2018, 04:36:30 AM »
Hey Glort, the beauty of CNC is that you don`t have to be a precision engineer or computer programmer to operate it. The designs are emailed to you by an architect, designed or engineer you upload that spec to the CNC cutter and it does all the work. The only thing you need to do is put the correct material onto the cutting machine and tell the client to come and pick it up when it`s done. Most CNC cutters also have the ability to work out the most economical way of cutting sheet material thus reducing cost and scrap.

The brain power of some of the guys operating this sort of equipment is nothing to write home about, I suspect that after the first few weeks you would be bored stupid by it.

Bob

mike90045

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2019, 04:19:05 AM »
I like the idea of making hot water in a plastic drum :)

re panel mix & match

In series, the amps will be limited to the lowest amp rated panel, so if you stick a 5A panel into a series string of 12A panels, the whole string gets throttled down to 5A.

In parallel, panels will be limited to the lowest voltage panel in the batch.   mixing 19 & 20v panels is fine, but mixing  27 & 36V panels will limit the group to 27V

The wattage lost depends on how far the data is offset, one 12A panel on a big string of 5A panels is not a huge loss, but put that 5A panel on a 12A string and you loose a lot

mike90045

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #19 on: March 28, 2019, 06:51:00 AM »
>  Do I detect a Note of Sarcasm??  :laugh:

Irony, as opposed to plasticity !

Many plastics won't melt, but at high heat, they get really soft.    Boiling water will "sit" in a 5 gallon bucket, but don't try to lift the bucket, the bottom falls out.

And if a hot heat exchanger or element touches the plastic, it's likely to melt through.  I doubt a full IBC would hold hot water without a base and sides

BruceM

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #20 on: May 17, 2019, 12:00:56 AM »
Mike was right about plastics- HDPE is often used for barrels, and it's going to very slowly start to deform at boiling, just give it time, it's strength is greatly reduced at higher temps. It will just ooze. You will see that buried rotomolded HDPE tanks will rarely be rated for over 130F.   

Polypropylene is much stronger, especially at higher temperatures, the buried tanks are often rated to 150F or better.

So if you're bargain shopping for tanks for hot water, look for a PP stamp, though even that isn't going to take 100C for extended periods without some deformation unless it was overbuilt.


mike90045

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Re: Finally, some use for excess solar power.
« Reply #21 on: May 17, 2019, 12:14:14 AM »
Do you get any stratification in the water tank ?  I ask because my Listeroid barrel can be scalding on top and cold at the bottom.