[Amps] HV switch-mode power supply

k7fm k7fm at teleport.com
Sat May 23 08:55:21 PDT 2009


I just figured my power is costing me 2 cents per kwh.

I installed a 2.5 kw solar panel.  Cost $20,000.  Credits and rebates 
dropped it down to $14,000.  The home is in a sun belt and I figure over 25 
years will produce 685,000 kwh.

It does have the disadvantage of requiring an up front deposit, and assumes 
a zero return on investment - but it is still a better investment than 
Enron.  An even better investment, however, is to replace all the high cost 
heat with solar heated hot water, which then heats the floors.  The walls 
are 8" thick and staggered studs, so heat loss and gain is minimal.  Last 
winter, it was 20 degrees outside at night.  The house was 69 degrees when I 
went to bed.  I turned all the heat off and in the morning it was 68 
degrees.  And, it is a 3,900 square foot house.

If I turn all the lights in the house off, and the refrigerator, I can just 
run the amp at low power.  Guess, I need more panels.  The first inverter 
made a big racket.  I called the installer and he called the company and 
they replaced it.  They knew they were bad, but I was only the second 
complaint.

73,  Colin  K7FM 



More information about the Amps mailing list