Using a Solar Power Inverter

A solar power inverter forms an important part of any home solar energy system which supplies enough electricity to get you off the grid.

There is also a charge controller, which can use excess power to charge your system's battery, and provide energy without any waste.When installing a partial or complete solar energy system into your home, there are generally two ways to go about it.Different solar inverters use different �loads,� as well. The �load� is the amount of current or energy that the inverter can handle. For home use, you might want to get a solar inverter that can handle a couple of hundred watts, at any given time. These aren't always cheap, but they will be worthwhile in the long run.- A battery to store electricity inPossibly the best type of solar inverter to get is the true sine wave. This type of inverter produces power identical to what you would receive from the main supply grid. When viewed on an oscilloscope, the waves are smooth.Installing a Solar Power System in Your HomeIf you are looking to get your home running off the grid completely, then get a �stand-alone power system inverter.� With this type of device, you plug the deep cycle batteries in - and it can be installed by virtually anyone.If the true sine wave is above your budget, you might settle for a modified sine wave. This gives a lesser quality power than the true sine wave does, but is less expensive.- A solar regulator or a charge controllerSolar panels usually produce 12 to 24 volts DC. Some appliances can run on this power, but most home appliances require 110 or 220 volts AC.The least expensive choice is the latter � do it yourself.Various types of solar inverters can be found on the market these days. You might come across some which are pretty cheap. But keep in mind that these might be inferior in quality. Some inverters get warmer when in use � and that heat adds up to a loss of energy.Getting Completely Off the GridYou can also get a �mains grid inverter,� which draws power from your solar panels, and at the same time feeds excess energy back to the main grid. In some states, you can earn money back from the power companies when you produce excess power and feed it back to the grid.- Your wiringThis is where a solar power inverter is needed. It converts the direct current into alternating current.The inverter converts direct current, which is produced by a solar panel, into alternating current.What is direct current? Direct current, or DC, flows continuously in one direction, while alternating current changes in its direction of flow.In some cases, solar power might be your best solution, if you want to set your home up to run independent from the power grids. It is also relatively simple to install, and doesn't require a large quantity of parts and components, in order to produce electricity.- A set of solar panelsAlternating current (AC) is used because it is a type of electricity which can be carried over longer distances, with minimal energy loss . Oddly enough, however, most household appliances have built in devices which convert the AC into DC, in order to operate.2. Do it yourself.Each system is different, but generally speaking, all you need is:There are many high-quality and popular do-it-yourself guides available, which will teach you how to install your own solar power or wind power system at home. These guides often include manuals, instructional videos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions.

There are many high-quality and popular do-it-yourself guides available, which will teach you how to install your own solar power or wind power system at home. These guides often include manuals, instructional videos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions.

Astronergy Partners with Solar Park Co., Ltd. to Invest in Solar Farms in Thailand

HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Astronergy (a Chint company) announced its new plans to invest in solar farms in Thailand with its partner, Solar Park Co., Ltd., expecting commercial operation on December 30, 2011.

"Solar energy could soon be a key energy source in Thailand. Considering its strong demand in energy and rising prices of imported oil or coal, PV is an excellent way to contribute energy without any other emissions," commented Dr. Liyou Yang, CEO at Astronergy. "We have seen the great effort that the Thailand government has made recently and its clear vision for the future. It increases our confidence in investing in Thailand, and we are sure we can bring more cutting-edge PV products to Thailand through successful cooperation."Receiving Thailand's excellent solar radiation, these projects generate electricity up to 8,800,000 kWh per year, supplying the electricity needs of more than 4000 homes.Among South East Asian countries, Thailand has taken a lead in renewable energy investment. By the end of 2011, Thai government expects to replace its existing adder policy with a newly formed fit campaign to further accelerate clean energy development. The campaign will pledge Thailand towards energy sustainability, answering the challenges of both carbon footprint reduction and rising energy demand.

"Solar energy could soon be a key energy source in Thailand. Considering its strong demand in energy and rising prices of imported oil or coal, PV is an excellent way to contribute energy without any other emissions," commented Dr. Liyou Yang, CEO at Astronergy. "We have seen the great effort that the Thailand government has made recently and its clear vision for the future. It increases our confidence in investing in Thailand, and we are sure we can bring more cutting-edge PV products to Thailand through successful cooperation."

Research and Markets: 2011 Deep Research Report on China's PV Inverter Industry - With Data on 20 Chinese Manufacturers by Power Set and Specification

DUBLIN -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a39084/2011_deep_research) has announced the addition of the "2011 Deep Research Report on China's PV Inverter Industry" report to their offering.

The research also provides details of each company, including different power sets such as 1000KW above (including 1000KW), 500KW (500-1000KW), 250KW (250-500KW), 100KW (100-250KW), 100KW or less (not included 100KW), different specifications (centralized group of string type, component type), and different types of grid.Key Topics Covered:Companies Mentioned:

• Anhui EHE New Energy Tech


• Beijing Rijia


• Beijing Soaring


• BJCorona


• Bjglkd


• Bj-nego


• Champion-PV


• Deltagreentech


• Eifesun


• Emerson(China)


• Ever-solar


• Guanyapower


• Hefei JUNENG


• JYE


• KACO(China)


• Northern Electric & Power(Qingdao)


• Power-one(China)


• Rongxin Power


• Samil Power


• Satcon(Distribution in the GCL)


• Shanghai Inbolar


• Shanghai SSE China


• Shchint


• Siemens(China)


• SMA(China)


• Sungrowpower


• Xiamen Clenergy


• ZOFenergy

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a39084/2011_deep_research

The research provides the annual production of PV inverters 2009-2015 and market share, then examines PV inverter supply and demand, and introduces PV inverter prices, cost, profit margins and output information.The "2011 Deep Research Report on China's PV Inverter Industry" report is now available.The report examines 20 Chinese manufacturers of PV Inverters. Data includes capacity, production, cost, selling, price, profit, production value, and profit margins.The research also provides these manufacturers product specifications, clients, equipment, raw materials and company background. Finally, the report introduces a 200MW pv inverter project feasibility analysis and related research conclusions.

Companies Mentioned:

• Anhui EHE New Energy Tech


• Beijing Rijia


• Beijing Soaring


• BJCorona


• Bjglkd


• Bj-nego


• Champion-PV


• Deltagreentech


• Eifesun


• Emerson(China)


• Ever-solar


• Guanyapower


• Hefei JUNENG


• JYE


• KACO(China)


• Northern Electric & Power(Qingdao)


• Power-one(China)


• Rongxin Power


• Samil Power


• Satcon(Distribution in the GCL)


• Shanghai Inbolar


• Shanghai SSE China


• Shchint


• Siemens(China)


• SMA(China)


• Sungrowpower


• Xiamen Clenergy


• ZOFenergy

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a39084/2011_deep_research

Beat the Heat and Survive the Summer

The �Dog Days� of summer are almost upon us and record temperatures are sweeping the country. Unfortunately we have the highest number of elderly and medically fragile people in history, and an aging infrastructure that is feeling the strain of heavy electrical use as our senior citizens struggle to stay cool.

We�re here to give you tips and tricks to help you beat the heat should you be susceptible to extreme temperatures, or should your power be out. Here�s a short list of suggestions:3. Some sources suggest you wear �light colored, loose fitting clothes.� However, that�s only if you�re going outside. If you go outside, go with that rule and also wear a loose fitting hat or carry an umbrella for shade. Forget the fashion rules, follow the heat rules. (By the way, royal blue and/or white are the best colors to wear for their heat reflective qualities. Ever wonder why most tarps and boat awnings are blue? This is why.) For indoors though, forget all those rules and go with the �bare as you dare� notion. The more exposed skin you have the more efficient your cooling-by-sweating process can work. Also, be sure to tie up long hair, and if you have a beard, consider shaving in order to remove all that facial insulation.6. Can�t afford a stand-alone AC but you have a generator? Your generator or power inverter can also power your fridge and/or freezer where you should have two-liter plastic bottles full of water filling up every empty space in both the fridge and freezer parts. Having cold water is a great thing. You drink cool water and use cold water to soak towels to wrap around your neck, wrists, and ankles where the veins and arteries are closest to the surface. This is one of the best ways to reduce your body temperature. Also, setting up a few of the frozen two-liter bottles in front of a fan can blow a nice cool breeze your way. (Write us at info@disasterprep101.com and we�ll email you instructions for a homemade AC unit that uses these two-liter plastic bottles.)Remember, hot weather is nothing to ignore, even if you�re not among the elderly or medically fragile. Heat can affect everyone. Play it safe, stay cool, avoid exertion, and stay healthy. Also, when considering heat safety, don�t forget your pets.Sun Stroke (sometimes called heat stroke): Symptoms are high body temperature, hot, dry, red, skin (usually with no sweating), rapid shallow breathing, and a weak pulse. Sun stroke is the more dangerous of the two.Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include heavy sweating, and skin may be pale, cool, or flushed. The victim will also exhibit a weak pulse, with fainting, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.2. Eat small, light, non-spicy meals. Eating heavy meals cranks your metabolism and can raise your body temperature. Also, digestion robs you of energy. Since the heat is already robbing you of some energy, you don�t need to add to this drain by taxing the digestive system. However, don�t skip meals since it�s food that replenishes the electrolytes you lose through sweating and increased water consumption.While we�re here, we�d be remiss in our duties if we failed to give you the symptoms of sunstroke and heat exhaustion, both of which require medical attention:4. Though �bare as you dare� is the way to go indoors in limited AC, most of us would prefer to have good air conditioning. If yours is out, or if power sources are uncertain, go someplace that has AC like the mall or other places that don�t mind people coming in and hanging around a while. Also, you can �AC pool� with friends just like you�d car pool. Go to a friend�s house who has a good AC system.1. Drink plenty of cool water to keep yourself hydrated and reduce your body�s core temperature. (Warm water won�t do this, and cold water might be a shock to sensitive systems.) Drink regularly, every hour, even if you don�t feel thirsty. Avoid soft drinks and alcoholic drinks that are actually diuretic and rob your body of the water it desperately needs.The most immediate first aid for either of these is to get the victim into a cool spot, and reduce their body temperature with ice-cold wet towels around the neck, wrist, and ankles. You can also put them in a bathtub of cool water. Don�t use cold water in the tub as that will shock the system. Regardless of your first aid measures, you should seek immediate medical assistance.8. Next in cooling the house come ventilation and insulation. If you have an attic, and the power is on, you should have a vent fan that keeps air flowing through the attic. Along with that, we suggest you have roof vent turbines, or a ridge vent (your home supply store can tell you all about these). In extremely hot weather, you might set a garden sprinkler on your roof and let it run for the hottest couple of hours of the day provided your area is not on water restriction. As for �insulation� one way to insulate parts of the house is to close off seldom-used rooms (especially those on the sunny side of the house), and close off their AC vents if any. This blocks heat and also reduces the area that your limited AC has to cool.7. Now that we�ve talked about keeping you cool in the heat, let�s backtrack a bit and talk about reducing the heat you might experience. Naturally, the first rule is �block the sun.� Do what you can to reduce the sunlight that hits your house or comes in through the windows. Keep the shades drawn, and you might even consider hanging a white sheet or blue tarp as an outside awning on the side(s) of the house that catch the most sun. These tarps are also effective if placed on the roof as they�ll reflect the sun�s rays.

Remember, hot weather is nothing to ignore, even if you�re not among the elderly or medically fragile. Heat can affect everyone. Play it safe, stay cool, avoid exertion, and stay healthy. Also, when considering heat safety, don�t forget your pets.

Author: Paul Purcell

Solar Power Equipment

Relevance Info Services, an international publisher of quality information asked me as a professional Environmental Scientist to reveal a number of matters on generating electricity. As energy prices tend to rise more and more in the future because of the growing demand for energy all over the world, alternative ways to generate electricity become more popular.

This article is about �Solar Power Equipment�. More subject related articles will follow later on.The sun is considered to be the most abundant energy resource of the planet, providing natural, sustainable and safe energy unlike any other. Solar power equipment lets us start making use of some of this energy. Instead of pillaging the Earth for fossil fuels, we should perhaps instead look to the sky. The Sun is a clean and powerful endless energy source, just waiting to be used.For electrical storage for future usage, it is essential to make use of several DC batteries as part of your solar power energy system. Most solar power equipment comes in a package that includes battery chargers. The inverter on the other hand is used to provide power to AC dependent appliances. The inverter converts DC electricity into AC electricity, which is most suitable for common household appliances. Solar power equipment also contains an indicator, which is commonly known as a meter. This indicator or meter mainly provides a visual indication regarding the power and voltage of the equipment.It is amazing to realize that the energy human beings consume in one whole year is only equivalent to one hour of the sun�s energy being emitted to the Earth. Indeed, the sun possesses enormous amounts of energy and yet massive it may be, it gives life to all the creatures on the earth�s surface. Each organism makes use of the solar energy in different ways. The plants for example, are able to absorb solar energy for food production through the process known as photosynthesis. Human beings utilize solar energy through the use of technological advancements associated with the use of solar power equipment. Through this equipment it is possible for solar energy to be converted into mechanical energy and even other types of energy.Generating solar power into other forms generally involves its conversion to current flow or electricity. All other forms of energy are produced from this. It is through this that household appliances, lighting equipment, computers and other things are being powered. Typical solar power equipment utilizes photovoltaic cells which are made up of conductor and semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide and silicon. In order to supply ample amounts of energy from solar panels, it is necessary to make use of large surface areas. It is also important to ensure the durability of the solar panels to withstand external environmental exposure.Solar power equipment comes in different varieties, but generally has the same components that supply appliances and other equipment within the household. The parts of typical solar power equipment include the following: photovoltaic cells, as mentioned earlier, a battery, an inverter and an indicator. In order to reach a specific amount of needed energy output, it is necessary to combine groups of photovoltaic cells and an appropriate voltage.

The sun is considered to be the most abundant energy resource of the planet, providing natural, sustainable and safe energy unlike any other. Solar power equipment lets us start making use of some of this energy. Instead of pillaging the Earth for fossil fuels, we should perhaps instead look to the sky. The Sun is a clean and powerful endless energy source, just waiting to be used.

Author: Michael Larsen

Cold Cathode Light - The Bright Light for Your Computer

Cold Cathode Lights are vacuum tubes or gas filled tubes. Unlike other heater operated cathode tubes, there is no cathode heater in cold cathode tubes. There are many types of cold cathode tubes, some have beta radiation source to start the ionization process in the gas-filled tube. Others cathodes may have rare earth materials coating for enhanced electronic emission.

2. Charge controller or regulatorNot equally distributed on earth - it varies because of latitude - the equator receives more energy than the earths poles.Avoid moisture and dampnessAn average household winter electricity usage is about 3500 kWh(kilowatt hour) per month or roughly 120 kWh per day140 Watt solar panel (12V) 7.7 Amps.It is relatively expensive to install.

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Author: Greg Wirth

Facts About Solar Energy

REAL FACTS ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY

GassyNonetheless, there are some things that you need to consider to ensure that your system works as it should. Here are some tips and advice that can help you to prolong your system's lifetime, avoid having any hassles with it, and help you to achieve maximum system performance and power output.Solar panels can save you money in the longer term and you will contribute to a greener planet - Good Stuff!We can theoretically light up 6 100W lights if we capture all the radiation from a square meter on a normal sunny day.facts about solar energySolar panels deliver direct current (DC). You will need to convert DC to AC for most home appliancesSpecified in Watts3. Power inverterUsed to store the electric power collected from the solar panelRoughly on a monthly basis home solar systems theoretically prevents 80kg of fossil fuels to be burnt, saves 400 liters of water - and prevents more than a hundred kilograms of carbon dioxide to enter the earths atmosphere.e.g. 100 Watt solar panel, (24V), 6.9 Amps.Specified in AmpHours and VoltsThe neon lamp, nixie tubes, neon signage etc. are a good example of cold cathode tubes. Thryton tubes, krytron tubes, spytron tubes and ignitron tubes are also examples of Cold cathode tubes.Read more about cold cathode light. The cold cathode kits made exclusively for computers carry the cold cathode tubes. They are very reliable and have a long life of almost twenty years. You can find the cathode tubes in handy kits or on their own. The tube kit has an inverter box, as the cathode tubes need the power inverter to change the current to your your computer in a usable form. You connect the cathode plug to the box and plug the inverter box into a four-pin PC Molex connector. After this, you can stick the cathode with the adhesive backed Velcro pads or a two-sided tape.Used to regulate the electricity between the solar panel and the battery bank to prevent overcharging. Solar panels usually deliver higher volts than specified! A typical 12V panel will deliver 17 voltsSpecified in Amps (current) and voltage it regulatesYou have many options available to mod your computer. Some lighting options are exclusively for computers while some are for automobiles, some are good and some are not so good. The beginners started with the neon kits of the automobiles. These kits were adapted for use in computer cases. Soon everyone realized that the amount of heat emission was more than light. We all know that heat is not at all good for the computer. Here the idea of cold cathode tubes struck to an imaginative soul. As fluorescent light does not emit too much of heat but gives enough light, these lights where the inspiration to make small fluorescent light to be used in the computers.Analyze your systemClick here if you want to see how to calculate the amount of solar panels your household will needTECHNICAL FACTS ABOUT SOLAR ENERGYSpecified in Watts, Voltage and Current it deliversYour solar panels usually cannot be damaged by moisture, but your backup battery, power inverter or diodes can. Even though your system is probably well sealed, you need to check and make sure that there is no way that moisture could penetrate into the system and render some of its parts inoperable.A pv solar power system is made up from 4 major components:e.g. 3kW power inverter.If your system stops working, you will need to analyze what could have gone wrong. The most common issues with solar powered systems include: disconnected wires that need to be reconnected, a failed inverter that needs to be replaced, and failed diodes that may also need to be replaced (or simply removed if the system is smaller than 12V).The first and foremost tip is keeping your panels clean. This will ensure that you are getting the most power output from your system. Consider checking the cleanliness of your panels every month or so. If you notice any dust, bird droppings, or leaves, wash your panels with a sponge or flush them with a garden hose.Its unlimited - energy received by earth through the sun exceeds all energy consumption on the Planet!Using the suns rays directly to heat water e.g. some swimming pool water heaters or hot water geysers.Endless OptionsIf you suspect that your battery could be discharging at night (i.e., you note that there is less energy in the battery in the morning compared to what you saw the previous evening), the problem could be the absence of a blocking diode in your setup. A smaller 12V system can do without a blocking diode, while larger systems need to have working blocking diodes that would disallow the battery from draining at night.Photovoltaic systems are not completely maintenance free as claimed by some installers.**************************************************************Clean and renewable - at least for a few million years to come.Cold cathode tubes or lighting is the safest lighting option for the computer case. Actually fluorescent light is colored. The two electrodes at the tube ends excite the gas by passing current. The electrons of the gas move to the different electrical states and in the process emit light. The process of light emission is quite efficient and provides lesser amounts of light than other methods. The light generated in the process is nice and bright. Cold cathode tubes are very durable, vibration and shock resistant. The bulbs are made of glass and are thin; they have polycarbonate or acrylic tubing. The tubes are very durable and can be used as accent as well as under car lighting. The life span of the cathode tubes is roughly twenty thousand hours. Cold cathode tubes come in different shapes, sizes and colors. They are brighter than neon tubes but with tubes the light can not be as directional. You can even sound activate most of the lights with an additional kit or many come with sound activation. You can switch it on and off, mount wherever you want. These tubes can really activate your creative mind when it comes to case modding.Use a smaller 12V systemIt could take up to 5 years to break even.As you can see, maintaining solar panels is easy. This could be yet another reason why so many homeowners today opt for this renewable energy source in particular, rather than wind-powered and other renewable energy systems. With proper maintenance, solar powered systems can serve you for as long as 25-40 years, without fail.There are two ways of converting the energy:If you have a larger system (e.g., 24V) with a series of cells connected together, you need to ensure that your system is not shaded. Larger systems will typically have bypass diodes in them, which will allow for the electric current to pass around the shaded areas without damaging them by stronger current. Yet, just in case, it's better to ensure that your system is free of shade, or that the shade is spread evenly across as many cells/panels as possible.

An average household winter electricity usage is about 3500 kWh(kilowatt hour) per month or roughly 120 kWh per day

Author: Marcell Labuschagne