In the quest toward the perfect power system, yesterday I had somewhat of a brainwave. Looking at batteries, I've heard lots of strange tales from those ridiculous forums about it being instant battery death to use one down to zero. Well, I found a table that looks believable about how long a battery will last if it's discharged totally.
It work out that a standard car battery will die within 3 months to a year if it's regularly discharged to zero. A marine battery will die in 12-36 months. Now that sounds very doable. Indeed, if all I have to do is to spend $80 on batteries every six months or so, I'm not unhappy. I calculated my daily power usage should be somewhere around 80ah
The brainwave I had was based around super capacitors. Rather than having a huge bank of 12v batteries providing sufficient amperage to power a microwave, a capacitor bank containing sufficient power to run a microwave for 8 minutes (long enough to cook just about anything). The capacitors could be charged at a rate that wouldn't exceed the capability of the battery. Because capacitors can hold power at 120v, after charging, the output need only be converted to AC. As my microwave uses 1040 watts, I need only to hold about 9000 watt hours. That's 75ah. Like as not, the microwave would be used for only 3 - 4 minutes at a time but extra capacity is always good.
The super capacitors would act as a surge buffer, allowing the use of fewer batteries. Thius could catch on in the RV world. I guess I'll have to find an electronics guru to make it happen.
Today was pretty much a nothing day. I went out to buy more welding rods because I know that what I have is insufficient to complete what I'm doing. Due to the Christmas traffic, it was dusk before I returned. Thus, nothing was achieved. Having said that, it was too hot earlier to wear my heavy jacket in order to weld. Thus, I got an apron and arm protectors. Now I shall be able to weld in a short sleeve shirt and still be protected. Cool and welding!
The plan tomorrow is to get some welding done then having completed that, to put everything under cover as Monday its going to rain and I have yet to paint my welds. Given sufficient free time I might also connect my Peltier gizmo to my solar panel to see what happens.
It work out that a standard car battery will die within 3 months to a year if it's regularly discharged to zero. A marine battery will die in 12-36 months. Now that sounds very doable. Indeed, if all I have to do is to spend $80 on batteries every six months or so, I'm not unhappy. I calculated my daily power usage should be somewhere around 80ah
The brainwave I had was based around super capacitors. Rather than having a huge bank of 12v batteries providing sufficient amperage to power a microwave, a capacitor bank containing sufficient power to run a microwave for 8 minutes (long enough to cook just about anything). The capacitors could be charged at a rate that wouldn't exceed the capability of the battery. Because capacitors can hold power at 120v, after charging, the output need only be converted to AC. As my microwave uses 1040 watts, I need only to hold about 9000 watt hours. That's 75ah. Like as not, the microwave would be used for only 3 - 4 minutes at a time but extra capacity is always good.
The super capacitors would act as a surge buffer, allowing the use of fewer batteries. Thius could catch on in the RV world. I guess I'll have to find an electronics guru to make it happen.
Today was pretty much a nothing day. I went out to buy more welding rods because I know that what I have is insufficient to complete what I'm doing. Due to the Christmas traffic, it was dusk before I returned. Thus, nothing was achieved. Having said that, it was too hot earlier to wear my heavy jacket in order to weld. Thus, I got an apron and arm protectors. Now I shall be able to weld in a short sleeve shirt and still be protected. Cool and welding!
The plan tomorrow is to get some welding done then having completed that, to put everything under cover as Monday its going to rain and I have yet to paint my welds. Given sufficient free time I might also connect my Peltier gizmo to my solar panel to see what happens.
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