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Some Backup Benefits to Off-Grid Solar Panels
There is a company called SILIKEN on Otay Mesa, San Diego, CA off the 905 Freeway that manufactures solar panels, and the hardware to install them. I heard that the cost per panel is about $250 and each panel will produce about 250 watts. I think I will check it out next week. I already have three solar panels that I got from Kragen/O'Reileys a couple years ago. They come with a controller unit that charges the batteries. I can add five more solar panels if I could find them. O'Reileys do not carry them any more. I also bought an Inverter and two large deep cycle batteries, and just this month I bought another battery. I can run my little office with my computer and printer and two small florescent lights. I only turn the computer and printer on to do a task and then off. The batteries run through the inverter to produce the AC that will power my office light, the customer release window light, and one florescent flood light for the yard for as long as we need it at night, or until the batteries run out about three in the morning. I also have a double male extension cord so that If there is a Grid power failure, I turn off the main breaker on my meter service panel, and I can plug my extension cord from the Inverter to one outlet on the wall and power everything that way including one light and a small tv in the night watchman's trailer. When I have to do it that way, the battery power will only last till about two or three in the morning. So I am going to start looking into these 250w panels real soon. I think we are also missing a source of Electricity that is needed when the sun goes down. That is Wind Generation of electricity. I have a catalog from NORTHERN TOOLS. They have a very extensive array of solar panels, inverters, controller boxes, along with Wind Turbin Electric Generators. They even have one controller unit that will accept multiple inputs of electricity from, Wind Turbin's, solar panels, Gas or Diesel Generators, and yes even from the power grid. They all will charge a bank of battery through the controller/Inverter. The whole setup is a bit pricey, but one could get one panel to start with like the other man above said, and another each month. After a few panels are online, You could buy the wind Turbine Generator and hook it in also. That way you would still be generating electricity at night when the solar is not producing, as long as you had some wind. DISCLAIMER: I do not have any vested interest in Siliken, O'reily's, Kragen, or Northern Tools.— January 1, 2011 12:33 a.m.
CPUC: PG&E Smart Meters Stay Installed
One way you can eliminate the "Smart Meter" is to install a Solar Power system with "Net Metering". The net metering does not work with the amart meters, and they will when your solar system is online come out and take out the smart meter and install one of the regular wired meters. With my solar system and net metering my electricity dropped from about $150/month to $43/month— December 31, 2010 11:26 p.m.