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Old 12-15-2010, 10:22 PM   #48 (permalink)
JacobAziza
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Oakland, CA
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Big Orange Work Truck - '83 Ford F-250
90 day: 27.54 mpg (US)

Jessica's - '04 Toyota Matrix
90 day: 41.21 mpg (US)

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A 12v system, like Varn has, is way cheap, and easy to boot.

I put one in my last RV.
PV Panel, mounting brackets, charge controller, and wire, was about $200 as a set (due to the store honoring a catalog misprint!! :P should have been about 100 more)

Add a couple deep cycle batteries, and you can have a full solar system for $1000 or less (depending how little electricity you use)
For a cabin or RV, there is really no drawback.
For a house, you would either have to run everything through an inverter (which loses some efficiency, therefor you need a bigger system) or invest in 12v lighting and appliances.

I'm not sure why more people don't skip the utility inter-tie, other than the installers and utilities push for it because it costs more and makes them more. I understand why a grid inter-tie works for some people, but people seem to think its the only option - then when they see the cost, many people decide its not worth it at all.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Piwoslaw View Post
A few months ago I returned home just as my neighbor pulled into his driveway. It was cold (around freezing) with some rain and sleet, and he yells to me: You rode your bike? In this weather?!?

So the other day we both returned home at the same time again, only now the weather is warm, sunny, with no wind. And I yell to him: You took the car? In this weather?!?
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