Alt Energy to power the tank

BC564 · #1 03-07-2008, 05:46 PM

You can do it with solar panels...and batteries...inverters........
and as a last resort use the house electricity......

hillbillyreefer · #2 03-07-2008, 06:06 PM

Shouldn't be a problem for power. Run the system off batteries and inverters the entire time, set up a battery charger that runs off the grid for days when the solar cells can't keep up. Automating it shouldn't be too hard with the growth in technology. If you run MH you might need a pile of solar panels to keep up. Adding a wind charger might be a good idea too, would help a bit on dark days and at night. Good luck with the project.

Brad

dsaundry · #3 03-07-2008, 06:10 PM

Pricey??

#4 03-07-2008, 06:23 PM

its a little pricey to set up a system that works very well, but I did burst out laughing when I noticed your asking about solar energy and you live in the lower mainland.... lol.... we'll just say you wont be getting your full moneys worth....

but power to you! Im a strong supporter of alt energy.

We just gota figure out how we can lynch the stupid mother $^%$%#'s promoting/suporting ethenol fuel as something good...........I could kill!!!

hillbillyreefer · #5 03-07-2008, 06:55 PM

The setup will probably not be cost effective, cheaper to use the grid.

As for ethanol, I get a huge grin everytime grain prices go up. The enviromentalists really shot themselves in the foot on that one. Let's use food to run motors, idiots. Obviously we had too much food to have that little respect for it. But hey I'm all for burning food as an energy source, maybe the next mortgage payment won't be such a problem.

Chad · #6 03-07-2008, 08:58 PM

Well, I was considering it more for such things as power heads, which generally have a very low wattage. I guess it would not be that cost effective unless you had the system running for a very long time but then you could use the panels for something else as well.

I will have to see, I found a few panels that produce 110w for a relatively decent price.

hillbillyreefer · #7 03-07-2008, 09:23 PM

It's an interesting topic for a slow Friday afternoon. How much are the decent price 110w panels? I just got some 12v xenon headlights I'm going to rig into a reflector for my tank. I was just going to use a storage battery and a charger to fire the bulbs. Solar panels may not be a bad way to go, in the future. I wouldn't need an inverter just the panels and a battery. hmmm.

rdnicolas · #8 03-07-2008, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnderWorldAquatics

its a little pricey to set up a system that works very well, but I did burst out laughing when I noticed your asking about solar energy and you live in the lower mainland.... lol.... we'll just say you wont be getting your full moneys worth....

but power to you! Im a strong supporter of alt energy.

We just gota figure out how we can lynch the stupid mother $^%$%#'s promoting/suporting ethenol fuel as something good...........I could kill!!!

Yeah Ehtanol is definitley not helping the world energy crises as an alternative fuel. Its killing global wheat prices and actually takes more energy to produce and refine it that it creates. Hydrogen fuel cells sound like a better "big picture" solution.

mark · #9 03-07-2008, 10:55 PM

you're talking hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a solar panel large enough just for a PH and thousands for a return pump and a set of lights.

Chad · #10 03-07-2008, 11:42 PM

Its not completely out of the ball park.. You can build your own for half the price of a kit.

here is a kit from Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

Granted it is expensive, but its also 1750watts and probably contains stuff you really do not require.

Anyways.. its an idea. I saw a few panels on Ebay for a few 100$ each one about 75w I think... a maxi jet 1200 is 20w. So for a small tank I think it might be interesting.