# Winter sucks!



## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

As much fun as it is to brag about living off-grid, in the spring, summer, and fall, these short and cloudy winter days kind of take the wind out of our sails. It seems we have to fire up a generator most days in Dec and Jan. We could have 100 acres of panels for all the good it would do without sunshine.

Does anybody here live of-grid somewhere that winter doesn't require generators?


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## prairiecomforts (May 28, 2006)

You know you can rig things up so when you run your generator you can charge your batteries at the same time. I didn't know that till I saw it on a youtube video a couple of weeks ago.


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

Charging is the only reason we run a generator. Our inverter is also a 120 amp charger, although I only charge at a 50 or 70 amp rate with the size of our 24 volt battery bank. Depending on the state of charge and amount of sunshine, we can have up to 4 hours run time to get back to 100% charged.


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## PorkChopsMmm (Aug 16, 2010)

No, sorry. We are running the generator every day too. I can one up you. I haven't checked the water in my batteries for a long time -- we recently had a newborn. We have been having terrible battery life so I popped them open and took a look -- the batteries were half dry and the lead plates were exposed. Awesome. I have filled them back up with water but the charging ability has not recovered. I guess I will just keep EQ'ing the batteries when I can.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I know 2 that get through with limited use of a fossil fuel genny.

1 has both solar and wind with 10 days attonomy on the battery bank. It's a very expensive system and they do conserve power like it's gold.

The other has a solar/micro hydro setup. Very little seasonal change in output from the micro hydro and the solar was only adding to assit with the cooling in summer.

WWW


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## woodhogg999 (Oct 18, 2010)

HI,PorkChopsMmm,I had small solar energy system a few years ago and what i learned from a person that helped me when i an old diesel truck that the two batteries were going bad and explained how they took care of the batteries on a submarine was they would boil the batteries to get the acid back out of the plates.
What you need to look for is small bubbles coming to the top of water,but also do not let the tempature get over 105 degrees thats i believe when they start to off gas,also check battery voltage to this could take quite awhile.
Its that silly learning we keep hearing about that keeps getting in the way of life.


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## PorkChopsMmm (Aug 16, 2010)

Thanks woodhogg for the advice. I eventually bought 8 new batteries. I wish I could get my hands on some of those sub batteries!


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

I could do it but I'm guilty of my own signature line! I like my computer and tunes too much. Gotta do sumptin' when ya can't work outside... LOL


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Still sounds interesting and fun to me.


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## woodhogg999 (Oct 18, 2010)

If you think you may need more do it before they get 6 months old,because from what i have read when you wait too long the older batteries act like resistors and can
keep storage voltage down.
I ran across a panel called HELIOS that is rated at 415 watts for about $550.00 when last i checked on it,now you compare that to the panel that was on the cover of magazine POPULAR SCIENCE about 40yrs. ago that was about the size of the ones we use today to keep our car batteries charged up and it only cost $2500.00


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## Quercus21 (Nov 25, 2009)

I have a question for everyone, granted I am not a electrician or really know to to much about this. I just bought a little photovoltaic panel to play with a fan and passive heat. I do have photovoltaic (contractor installed) and thermal (self installed) for my house and wood shop, but we are still attached to the grid. We supplement our heat with wood. To me there is a lot of wasted excessive heat. With this wasted heat, could you turn it into steam and run a steam generator? As such or similar? 

I have seen homemade hot water setups with wood stoves.......

Edit:
I just found these links on another site:
http://home.earthlink.net/~dlaw70/12stmng.htm

http://www.greensteamengine.com/

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...ng_the_st.html

http://www.otherpower.com/steamengine.shtml

http://www.pioneer.net/~carlich/RSE/RSEengines.html

http://www.xenotechresearch.com/solturb2.htm

Solar generator

http://www.stirling-tech.com/stirling/total.htm

http://www.stirlingengine.com/faq/on...lic&faq_id=1#3


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

There has / is a couple threads about "steam" power right here . . read them.
Live Steam is very dangerous . . . .tho some people don't think so, and so must learn the hard way.......

Turning "excessive" or "waste" heat into warm--hot water is the safe way to go.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

I have seen homemade hot water setups with wood stoves.......

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/specialty-forums/survival-emergency-preparedness/vault/466527-my-woodstove.html


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## Quercus21 (Nov 25, 2009)

How about just using hot water for generating electricity? I stumbled upon a couple sites. I know they are in their infancy, but it's food for thought.

http://gizmodo.com/5972587/thermoelectric-pipes-can-generate-electricity-from-hot-water

http://www.ergenics.com/

http://www.energyharvestingjournal....icity-from-hot-water-00005058.asp?sessionid=1


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