BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?

Subject: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 10:47 PM

We've had a nice globular light out in the front of the house since we moved in. Never had to change the bulb. And about three weeks ago it stopped working.

To make a long story short, one of the previous owners had wired the light by running electrical cable (outdoor type) out of the house, spliced it to cable the runs under the driveway, and that in turn was spliced to the cable to light the light. And now somewhere along the line there is a break in the electrical cable (electricians have checked).

Because there's a damned good chance that the lamp post is set in concrete, not to mention the trouble and expense of running electrical conduit and cable under the driveway, one of the electricians suggested that we replace the current lamp with a solar one.

We like the light out front as it helps people find the place. And it doesn't have to be white, basketball-sized globe we've had. A "carriage lamp" style would be quite acceptable.

Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 11:59 PM

There are two type -- one has a small solar panel off to one side, wired to the light; the opther has the solar panel built into the cap above the light. They use LEDS, which is why they work at all, as incandescents would drain them in short order.

We've used both types as garden lighting, and the one with the separate panel has been more robust and reliable. These are path lamps on staks that you stick in the ground. But I see no reason a carriage lamp made the same way shoudln't be available.

Look for sturdy build. You can get cheap ones from China which will fold up on you after one winter.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Janie
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 12:16 AM

The technology is improving by the month, but many, if not most, solar lights still do not provide enough illumination to help people see to climb steps, etc. It is more like "X marks the spot" where the steps or sidewalk begin.

In terms of actual illumination and durability of the solar panels, it is still very much a case of you get what you pay for. Gardener's Supply (www.gardeners.com) offers some very good quality solar lights in terms of durability of the panels. I have a set of carriage style garden lights that are going strong as they enter their 5th year.   They mark the boundary between the drive an the garden. But they do not illuminate the walking surface. They sinply mark the line of the path. I haven't tried any of the more recent solar spotlights that are supposed to actually provide illumination enough to 'see.'

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Janie
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 12:20 AM

The lamps I have hang from copper stakes with hooks, and hang about 2" above ground level. The solar panels are built into the caps of the lanterns themselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: open mike
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 03:00 AM

unfortunately when it is cloudy and dark solar lights do not stay lit for long enough. mine seem to go dim by midnite these days...if they do not get enough light to charge up during the day.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 07:00 AM

I don't have a solar powered, but do have a post light out front. Mine has provisions for a "dawn/dusk" sensor to turn it on and off automatically (when the switch in the house is left on), but having been forced to replace the sensor at about 2-3 year intervals (due mainly to dusty ambient and occasional "bird s**t strikes") I finally just cut the sensor out of the circuit.

Since all the solar lights I've seen use a similar photocell sensor, asking around, perhaps at local garden shops, might give you an idea whether you have similar conditions that might tend to limited sensor life. With smaller marker lights, you might have to replace the whole fixture to restore sensing, but I'd expect the sensor to be separately replaceable in a post light(?).

All solar powered devices require rechargeable batteries, of course. Larger units - which are available for "stock tank lights" and such in farm country - generally use wet cell 12 volt batteries. In solar use these may have fairly short life. You may or may not get better life out of premium, deep cycle, gell cell, etc., batteries. Most stockmen I know consider it about an even tradeoff to use the cheapest (motorcycle) batteries and replace more often. I wouldn't expect that you'd want a light big enough to need a battery of this kind, but it could be info usefully tucked away just in case. Some fairly large units are available fairly cheaply - if you can handle "ugly."

Most smaller lights, and probably ones of the size you'd want, seem to use AA size NiMH or Li-Ion rechargeables. Really cheap ones may not have easily replaceable batteries, although decent quality ones should be replaceable. All of the common kinds of smaller batteries should be brought to full charge prior to beginning any discharge cycles, so at first installation - or when replacing - it would probably be good practice to put the rechargeables in a charger and charge for a full day before returning them to the light/panel fixture for the first turn-on. At the least, the first "turnon" should be early in the day so that a full day of charging can get done before the light comes on. (but RTFM for the ones you get?)

As open mike comments, short days in winter may not get full enough charge for the light to last all night. My Texas stockmen buddies complain about "battery freezing" when the charge cycle doesn't keep them up, but I don't know that low temperatures adversely affect the smaller "dry-cell rechargeables." It might be something to ask, or maybe some one has researched it or has experience and would comment.

Some kinds of "marker lights" and/or "yard lights" cannot be turned off (for some yard lights it's "without calling "a light guy" to turn them back on"). Some inexpensive lights may not have a switch. Consider whether this is a needed feature. There might also be occasions when an "override on" switch would be convenient, but I don't see mention of one in specs for the few units I took a quick look at. (Can you tell if the thing's working in daylight when you can fix it?)

Consider security. Anything that "looks exotic" - especially in an exposed location - may be subject to unexpected theft, pilfering, or vandalism. The visible presence of a solar panel in an exposed location might be enough to tempt someone to commit "irrational acts."

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 09:35 AM

Actually, it's more of a "Welcome" light than one that's needful -- there's one of those orange streetlights about 30 feet east and 20 feet up. It's a good way, too, to let people know where we live.

The current light had a screw-in type photoelectric addition to the light socket, which is why we couldn't find the sensor. And truth to tell, I kinda miss the glow of the light when I come home after dark.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 09:56 AM

Rap -

Why not just leave the Xmas lights up on the front porch?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Peace
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 06:31 PM

. . . or just paint the front door a bright fluorescent orange with yellow highlights.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Alice
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 09:45 PM

I have a non working post light like that near my driveway. It has not worked since I bought the house in 1987. I think about getting a solar light to replace it, but there are so many other fix-its that need to be done on the house!
Let me know if you find a good solar one for the purpose.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Janie
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 10:10 PM

With the solar lights, you get what you pay for.   I had tried heap solar lights and the panels only held up for a season, as noted by Amos. The ones I have now are still working well after about 5 years. I don't notice a problem with them lasting all night in winter - but they are located where they are never shaded (full sun all day long) and we rarely have successive days of dark, gloomy weather.

Of course, we have also had a run of exceptionally dry winters and in the midst of the worst drought on record here.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Amos
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 11:40 PM

Hang a large pumpkin with a battery+LED in it. Change the battery once every few months and no-one will ever miss your house. Carve a wild face in it for the light to get out, ya know--don't forget that part....



A

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Janie
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 11:42 PM

Eeewwwww. Rotten pumpkin.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 04:28 AM

But if you add solar powered lighting, remember that when there's a general power outage it's usual for the utilities to request that people flip a light switch on so that they can tell, by the presence or absence of light, whether your power has been restored. (And/or whether you're running your own generator that's gonna kill one of 'em when the pick up the downed lines.)

With a solar post light on, they might just go right past you - or think you've got a generator and skip you 'till everybody else is connected.

Another possible consideration in deciding whether you want a turn-off-able solar unit?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 08:59 AM

Well, if they come by in the daytime it will be off. And I can disconnect it if they come by at night -- but if they do that, and the only light showing was the post light out front and, perhaps, candlelight inside, I'd think they figure something out.

We haven't lost power for any length of time in the four years we've lived here. The last time it happened was because a squirrel investigated the substation and managed to fry itself.

Heck, I'd just run a new power line (and do it right!) if it wasn't for the concrete driveway and the probability that the light post is set in concrete inside a surrounding brink planter.

My wife actually suggested just taking out the planter until I reminded here that the inside of the planter is probably concrete and running a jackhammer isn't among my skill set. (Explosives are, but she vetoed that idea pretty quickly for some reason or another.)

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Peace
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 09:38 AM

"(Explosives are, but she vetoed that idea pretty quickly for some reason or another.) "

Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 12:27 PM

I painted our post black and ran a black extension cord up the back side to illuminate our 11 ft tall globe outdoor light

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 08:33 PM

"ran a black extension cord up the back side"


oo, er...

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rowan
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 08:53 PM

But if you add solar powered lighting, remember that when there's a general power outage it's usual for the utilities to request that people flip a light switch on so that they can tell, by the presence or absence of light, whether your power has been restored. (And/or whether you're running your own generator that's gonna kill one of 'em when the pick up the downed lines.)

From an Oz point of view, that's an interesting point, John. Although I live in a rural situation where the grid is more linear than latticed, meaning power outages are not uncommon, I'm yet to experience any solicitous visits by electricity distributors. But your post raises other issues.

Here, all domestic installations connected to the grid must be inspected and passed before connection. Where a customer has a generator (240v, here) installed in such a way that both the grid and the generator are capable of powering the house (farm. shop etc), there must be an isolating switch installed in the meter box so that any self-generated power can't enter the grid. Does this not apply where you are in the US?

This "isolation" poses interesting contemplations for those of us who wish to use our sunny dispositions and photovoltaics to supply both our own house as well as contributing (attracting a rebate) to the grid. The ability to do this is being trialled in parts of Sydney but the supplier in my locality won't have a bar of it. [I regard Oz utilities as 'retarded' in this matter but they disregard such views.] Given that I live in an area where there will be bushfires I'm aware of a couple of problems where power generators capable of delivering to the grid are distributed rather than centralised.

Bushfires can cut power lines and can produce enough smoke to ionise the atmosphere; power outages are accidental in the first case and deliberate in the second. The last thing you'd want (and as a volunteer firefighter I am alive to the problem) is a lot of distributed generators putting power into a grid that you think has been isolated.

I reckon the easy and failsafe way of dealing with such situations is to have all consumers' meter boxes fitted with a relay that relies on a pulse sent from the grid's controller to keep the domestic wiring connected to the grid; if the pulse disappears (either because the grid supply/delivery has failed or has been shut down deliberately), the relay defaults to isolating the domestic wiring from the grid. In such a system it wouldn't matter to those working on the grid whether customers had generators or not and those customers who did have generators would still be able to have them operating without endangering powerline workers. Photovoltaic cells might only be able to supply minimal or no power if this happened but that's an issue for each customer.

Have you any thoughts on or experiences of such systems?

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 03:28 AM

Rowan -

The legal requirement that any auxiliary/emergency power generator that powers circuits that also are, or can be, powered from the grid must be isolated when the generator is on also applies here.

Most "whole house" generators would be large enough to require permits for installation, which gives the ability/opportunity to assure qualified installation, inspection and proper isolation. The normal situation would be that any time the local generator is running, the entire circuit it supplies is just disconnected from the grid. Many such "standby generators" are rigged to disconnect from the grid (when grid power drops) before they start up and remain off the grid as long as they're running. They can be set up to sense when power returns, shut down, and reconnect to the grid automatically; but I don't know whether doing so is prevailing practice.

Most "fixed installation" auxiliary/standby generators, are intended for "emergency" use only, since fuel costs and efficiencies make it uneconomical to try to feed back to the grid. If the grid is up, power from the grid is cheaper than you can generate.

Small generators, portable and/or trailer mounted (esp. welding rigs), are very common here however, and it's not unknown for people to crank one up when there's a power failure and jury-rig a connection that may or may not be isolated. Failure to isolate is, of course, illegal - not to mention incredibly stupid - but does happen. These smaller generators are generally much too expensive to run at all when the grid is up, and most of them aren't designed/built to be used continuously for long periods and won't last long if you try.

I've heard rumors of photovoltaic systems that claim to be able to produce excess power to feed back into the grid, but haven't seen convincing reports that any "home systems" actually do produce net returnable power. Safety/isolation methods used haven't been documented where I've run into them.

Even for fairly large industrial installations, few "solar" systems for which I've seen any details produce enough electric output to be worth selling off any excess, and most reports indicate that (usually) the "solar" component of the systems is used mostly for heat storage/distribution. Avoiding the purchase of power for heating has a much better payback than producing electricity to sell back to the system, in the situations I've seen described.

In order to use your own solar-electric power while still drawing some from the grid, you would of course have to figure out how to connect the two systems while both are in operation; but I haven't seen details of how it's being done here, or much indication that power suppliers are willing to allow it in very many places. Wind generators give more variable power, and "peaking" by feeding back to the grid when the winds are up is perhaps a little more common.

The hazard from an isolated grid that can be hot from an isolated input appears to be a very real one, and one that would require intentional fail-safe systems; but I haven't seen any discussion of this, and have no idea what, if any, requirements are demanded or used by anyone here. Unless your system has enormous excess capacity, the two neighbors down the line who think the whole grid is up because of what you're supplying probably would bring your system down in fairly short order, so a simple circuit breaker might be all that's really necessary, if it isolates when it trips and at least requires a manual reset. If you're the only one on the grid segment that's isolated though, the power your system is supplying could make for a long string of hot wires that aren't supplying power to anything but the maintenance/rescue/fire-eater guy who picked up a piece of it.

About all I can offer is that I'll plan to watch for discussion if I run into a place where it might come up.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 03:42 AM

"I've heard rumors of photovoltaic systems that claim to be able to produce excess power to feed back into the grid, but haven't seen convincing reports that any "home systems" actually do produce net returnable power."

Not uncommon for solar to do the feed back game (Most of Aus is a lot warmer here - and nobody gets solar inverters big enough to run air conditioning!)- if you can afford it - there are various 'trials', but when the Govt max kick back is $8,000 and the setup will cost at least 2-3 times that much, with the special synced inverter, etc there's not a real big number of systems.

"In order to use your own solar-electric power while still drawing some from the grid, you would of course have to figure out how to connect the two systems while both are in operation; but I haven't seen details of how it's being done here, or much indication that power suppliers are willing to allow it in very many places."

I have a friend whose parents up the Qld North Coast have such a setup - was originally standalone - now the mains have been extended to them, but now they are looking at selling the inverter (not cheap!) - will run on generator only now if needed. The big hassle is water, but they now have a tank up the hill - took ages to convince the plumber that only ONE pipe was needed - water DOES flow in both directions! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 03:58 AM

I don't have enough real estate for a solar system that would be close to break even, but have looked at the feasibility of a generator/battery/inverter system that I could use with our small camper. Even for a tiny system like I'd need (3 KW 120V single phase if I run the air conditioner or microwave) a safe inverter is way out of my tolerable price range¹, and that's dirt cheap compared to the 20 - 30 KW(+?) 220 V 2-phase capacity you'd need in order even to think about trading power with the utility guys here.

¹ batteries not included, of course.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 09:14 AM

I understand the US Federal Law requires utility companies to purchase excess power from home installations. It does not, however, require the companies to pay anything like what the power is worth or even to match the cost of the company's own power production.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Mr Red
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 09:35 AM

The whole point about cheap systems is that you can buy more of them. And they do need maintenence (battery replace eventually) Think Cat's Eyes - dunno what the US calls them but they reflect car lights andf define the centre of the road and curvature. Buy enought of them you can define the entrance and the drive. Cheaper that digging concrete - (unless you have a really sharp spade **BG**)

I bought a snazzy little one that lights for 15 secs when you press it. Shaped to go round a barrel lock and illuminate the key hole. Only problem is on mine the handle is at the top and the key-hole was carved to take one of those barrels that go right through. Back to the drawing board.

FWIW NiCad and NiMH both loose charge carrying capacity as the temperature falls. As Joy found-out last winter. She is a gardener and listens to the radio as she works.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 10:48 AM

The downside about outside lights, solar powered or not, is that they add to the light pollution that means most of us hardly get to see more than a handful of stars in the sky.

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 11:32 AM

All anyone around here has to do, McGrath, is to drive a very short distance into the hills -- drop around and I'll show you. The city (and I personally) is trying to comply with the "Dark Skies Initiative" -- which is why whatever I get will NOT shed light upwards, but downward where it can do some good.

(In basic training in the Army we went out for night firing. When you'd finished you had to roll over on your back -- a safety measure. Now a lot of the guys were from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, and had never really seen a night sky before. That night there was no moon and the Milky Way was splashed across the sky like a river of thrown paint. The exclamations started -- "Holy Mother of God! What's THAT?" was one of the less profane ones. And finally 210 recruits lay on their backs, stargazing, at a sky many of them had never seen before.)

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 12:20 PM

I think a solar light should be mounted to the head of an existing lawn statue-- PC type of choice-- so the statue can be seen to be having a good idea.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 12:27 PM

US Federal Law requires utility companies to purchase excess power from home installations

The real effect of that is that it allows the utility to write their own specification for how you must make the connection. This gives them an easy "out" since they can simply make the hookup too "technically detailed" (pronounced "expensive") for practical use. There was, I believe, also something like a 15-year "phase in" time before small utilties have to have a plan(?). There do appear still to be many areas claiming exemption on a "not yet" basis.

A side effect is that they may be able only to charge you with "not having a compliant setup" but there may be some protection against being "forcibly unhooked" if you inadvertently just make the meter run backwards. The courts still haven't decided all the implications clearly ....

Some utilities are also able to evade this by claiming "States Rights," particularly since the real regulation of utilities is by the individual State Utility Agencies, and whether a State regulatory office is sympathetic to the customers or to the money varies a lot across the country. The Federal law applies (applies mostly - - it's vague ... ) only to those who participate in "grid selling" on an interstate basis, and the state regulators often can "write them out" on paper even if they're physically and financially in an interstate hookup.

Since the states have the real regulatory power, about all the Fed can do to a system that's non-compliant is to hold back some of the subsidies, and the industry has lots of other pork barrels to feed on so they may be able to profitably ignore the Fed (in some things).

The utility industries in the US excel principally in having "more weasels per square meter" than anybody else, with at least two+ rats per weasel in every front office - because there's lots of money involved. It's really very simple to understand.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Alice
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 03:32 PM

Here is a link.
http://www.solarilluminations.com/

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 07:04 PM

JiK

The USA and Australia, though they both contain the same 3 leters of the alphabet, DO function somewhat differently... ;-)


:-P

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 08:09 PM

Robin's keeper needs to check his meds and put him up for a nice nap.

My last post was specific in reply to:

From: Rapaire - PM
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 09:14 AM

I understand the US Federal Law requires utility companies to purchase excess power from home installations.

I guess you'd expect and old fart like him to skip readin' all the posts and get confused. Crazy old degenerate can't hold onto but one notion at a time, 'fore he gets confused. Somebody needs to put him on a leash and let Chongo take him up a banaba tree for some air.

I wonder if nursie has put a tag in all his clothes so that people know where to bring him home when he wanders off.


Just wait till he gets as old as me.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 08:17 PM

Listen, shitfabrains, I was being being IRONIC....

I thought you wuz younger than me... So you're older than 3 decades, you old fart brain?

:-P

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 09:43 PM

Sorry to make you stutter, kid.

And ya better be careful 'bout that ironicin' stuff. You're gonna have to learn to take the wrinkles out when you get out of the short britches and start wearin' grown up trousers.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 07:58 AM

Ya know John, in my dotage I sometimes get all misty eyed and start remembering the good old times, like the time my delusional paranoid schizophrenic manager (hey, it's not contagious is it?) sent me to the psycharist to see if I was insane so i could get 'early retirement from the Public Service'...

So he asked me "Do you hear voices?"

to which I naturally replied truthfully "Yes"

So how often do you hear these voices?    All the time.

When did you first start hearing these voices?    When I was a child - as long as I can remember.

So what do these voices say?    Well, The Good Voices tell me to do Good Things, and the Bad Voices tell me to do Bad Things, and the other voices tell me to do all other sorts of crazy things, and sometimes they all just argue amongst themsleves and then I don't know WHAT they want me to do.

So are these voices inside your head, or do they come from outside your head?    Well for years I used to think that they came from outside my head, but now I know for sure that they come from inside my head.

So just how many of these voices are there?    Well I used to think that there were lots, but now I am pretty sure that really they are just all part of the same voice.


He leaned forward...

So who IS this Voice?





Oh - It's me!

I was quietly let out of the door.


I was not 'retired'....



BTW, I'm NOT making this up you know...


I DO enjoy our chats John...

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 02:21 PM

now now children..........

This is a thread of light relief.......

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rowan
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 04:26 PM

Well, I'd like to thank both John and Robin for shining a light on a part of the topic that has interested me from way back; I make no claims about relative geriatry.

On the New England (the colloquial expression for my locality) we're in a transitional climate zone between temperate and subtropical, which means we get clear days (and night) during winter and a (more or less) summer maximum rainfall, where most of it falls in the afternoons. This means we have high insolation and it doesn't take much roof area to collect a fair swag of what's on offer.

Being relatively new the house has been designed and built to take advantage of this, as well as cope with the low (by Oz, rather than US standards) temperatures on winter mornings. Passive solar houses here have to cope with about two months where there is just not enough grunt in the sun to bring even the best house to what architects call the comfort zone but, even so, I get by with minimal heating and the summer's heat is (to me) not so great as to make me bother about air conditioning. The hot water is all solar.

During the design phase we considered photovoltaics (and even designed a location for the special batteries) but, even with a rebate, the cost was about 40% more than the cost of connection to the grid; I've never been happy about the use of such batteries in a domestic situation and my partner was a city gel who hadn't really come to terms with the sorts of changes to one's behaviour patterns that are required when you live away from automated supplies of everything.

So I let the idea lapse until the govt started getting people interested in encouraging domestic customers to put excess photovoltaic power from their own installations back into the grid. My current understanding is that batteries are not involved, although an inverter is, and the reverse flow through the meter only diminishes one's bill until and unless one generates more than one uses. I have both the roof area and the minimal consumption (my annual carbon load, according to the electricity distributor, is 1.4 tonnes) to be able to do this so your information is quite interesting.

And, being out in the bush, the stars are spectacular. Lunar eclipses are observed from the patio, while horizontal in (or on, depending on season) the swag and the kangaroos are very friendly.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: folk1e
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 05:38 PM

Would it not be easier to just repair the bad connection in the cable?
Much easier than re-jigging all these federal and interstate laws!
Or is that just too simple a solution?



How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?

One ...... but it must really want to change!





I'll get me coat .....

Subject: RE: BS: Solar Post Light: Suggestions?
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 09:14 AM

Repairing the broken wires will probably mean tunneling UNDER a fifteen-foot-wide cement driveway AFTER going through the cement base the pole is in. Simpler to have a backhoe take out the planter and the current lamp post and built anew -- then I'd only have to worry about getting the tunnel and conduit under the driveway.

It appears that the driveway was laid over "outdoor" romex -- no conduit, just electric wire laid on the ground -- by a previous owner. I can't believe such shoddy work, but that's what appears was done. Lay the cable, splice it into the supply leads at one end and splice it into the wire to the light at the other.

No thought for the future....