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Date: | Fri, 12 Jun 1998 15:59:08 -0700 |
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A route a friend in Somalia did was get a couple of car batteries, a solar
panel that recharged car batteries and an inverter.
Used one battery to run computer on the inverter (12 v to 110v) while the
solar panel was charging others. Run time was not great - monitors and TV
eat a lot of juice- but I think he was talking about 1 to 2 hours with a
big battery. It worked because he had lots of sunlight to keep solar panel
going. Inexpensive not really -- but when a foreign aid agency has lots of
money (can't remember if it was Sweden or Japan that funded that venture)
it can be done.
Another option if there is stream nearby that has suitable flow it a set up
a small hydro plant running a used alternator/generator from a car to
recharge the batteries, it's free power, building it is relatively simple
and diagrams and plans can be had from lots of aid agencies/sources/books.
That way you don't need the expensive solor panel, worry about sunlight, or
such and is more low tech and suistainable.
Patrick Meyer
A French Norman in a foreign land,
pining for the fjords.
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