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What Is A Pure Sine Wave 12 Volt Inverter?

Tech Geek — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:55:16 +0000

A power inverter is a very handy device to have. Many people who don’t know very much about purchasing a 12v power inverter turn to the Internet as a source of information. While the Internet is an amazing tool when it comes to learning about 12v interters, it can leave someone who is new to power inverters quite confused. Here’s a handy little bit of information about power inverters.

Power that is delivered to your home from the electric company is fairly clean power. This means that the quality of power is quite high. Some power inverters output power that is not as good quality as the power that you receive from the power company. There is a device called an oscilloscope that electricians use to measure power quality. Very low quality power inverters output what is called square sign wave power. Many Electronic Devices may have difficulty running on an inverter that outputs square sine wave power.

Most power inverters output what is called modified sign wave power. This is close to the quality of power that you receive in your home and is adequate for almost all applications. Then there are power inverters that output what is called pure sine wave power. These power inverters are generally quite expensive. These units are capable of powering the most sensitive of electronic devices.

Some would have you believe that you need a pure sine wave inverter for things like laptop computers but that’s not really the case. For most applications a modified sine wave inverter will work just fine. While it is true that a pure sine wave inverter outputs the cleanest possible power, the reality of it is that most electronic devices are built to function just fine if the power isn’t of the highest quality. Manufacturers realize that their devices will be used under a variety of situations and the quality of power from location to location can vary. As a result, they build their equipment so that is capable of running on dirty power.

So if you were in the market for a power inverter, unless you are overflowing with money and can afford the high and pure sign wave unit, a well made a modified sign wave unit should suit your needs just fine.

The Best Applications For Solar Power

Tech Geek — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:07:16 +0000

I first started using homemade solar panels as an experiment. I really just wanted to see how effective they really were. That has been a long time ago and now when you are looking you can see solar panels everywhere. They are integrated into huge building projects and you can even buy solar kits at the hardware store.

Solar panels are still pretty expensive but for the amount of generating capacity that they have over the course of their lifetime your dollar per kilowatt hour is pretty low. You are also sometimes paying a premium for the flexibility of portable solar panels.

There are a couple of scenarios where solar is the best option:

Remote locations – In these areas it may not be effective or possible to bring a generator and fuel to keep it running. In these locations solar can be the best option. Research stations on far flung areas of the globe are exclusively powered by solar panels. Satellites are powered solely by solar power and many have been functioning for decades.

Areas with limited use – Some areas it is just difficult to run power to, like gardens or outdoor lighting. Not everything was built with the thought that one day you would need electricity there. Running cables can be difficult or impossible and why bother if solar is an option.

New construction – While using a solar kit to add panels to an existing structure it is much easier to just add them in the beginning. This also allows you include the photovoltaic system in the overall cost of the building. Optimizing a building from the beginning to be energy efficient is often much easier than retrofitting an existing building. This is not to say that it is impossible or should not be done it is just more of a challenge.

Today there are more options than ever when it comes to DIY solar panels or solar kits. Reducing your carbon footprint and doing something good for future generations, the earth and your energy bill has never been easier.

Satellite TV Surge Protector – Protect Your Satellite Dish

Tech Geek — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:15:51 +0000

More people than ever are watching television through satellite dish networks. This also means that there is a huge increase in the number of people who are having to deal with the damage caused by surges of power that come through the connections that those satellite dishes use. Power surges like this can completely decimate any electronics that are hooked up to your television or satellite dish. Lighting storms also pose a big problem because of this, even though the odds of your home or dish taking a direct hit are slim.

It is difficult to protect your electronics to the point where they would be able to survive a strike of lighting, even with the help of an excellent satellite surge protector. Once it has been struck by that kind of power surge, odd are that your home theater will be little more than scrap metal. However, there are many other power surges that satellite surge protectors will protect your entertainment equipment from. These include build ups of static electricity, which can other wise cause power surges that could destroy your electronic equipment.

By using this kind of surge protection, you will be protecting the wires that come into your home from outside where your satellite dish is, which in turn protects the rest of your home theater equipment. Installing the surge protection device requires close attention to where you place it. If you do not connect it close to the back of the satellite line, the device won’t have enough time to block surges from your inside equipment when a power surge occurs.

If placed on the satellite’s coax cables properly, the device will thoroughly protect all of the equipment that might be connected to the satellite. If you choose not to use a surge protector, you are inviting damages to you home theater system that could cause white noise, image distortion, and sometimes the complete breakdown of your equipment. Once one surge has gotten through the coax line, it will also cause damages that leave the line open and weaker against more power surges in the future.

The money you spend on a satellite tv surge protector will be nothing compared to the potential fortune an unprotected dish could cost you. Make sure you read some surge protector reviews before deciding which device is best for your situation, and then go out and get it.

Solar Battery Chargers – DIY

Tech Geek — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:32:38 +0000

With rising prices, it is good to get cheaper power. With solar power, it is practically energy for free, and could end up earning you money. For even more affordability, it is possible to build your own solar panel.

The first thing is ensure you have the necessary tools and equipment. This will mean sourcing the best solar cells for you, which should be given a good portion of time to decide. There are many out there.

Other than this, you will need plywood, a circular saw, good sized length of 1 x 1, screws and screwdriver, caulk, outdoor paint, soldering equipment and solder, glue, copper wire, diode, batteries and Plexiglas.

Using the cells to guide, draw a grid on the plywood. Once satisfied with the layout; cut the plywood to size to create a suitable grid. Having got this out of the way, construction can begin in earnest.

Take your 1 x 1 and cut to size; determined by the size of your plywood panel. The panel should be attached to these using your screws, and applying suitable amounts of caulk and painted with outdoor paint to protect from the elements.

The solar cells now need to be glued into place. However, they first need to be attached in a series. This is quite simple; soldering the tabs at the back of each together. It does need to be done carefully though, as the cells are delicate.

The copper wire should now be attached from the cell to the electrical system and batteries. To ensure no power is lost in the opposite direction, a diode line will also need to be attached at this point.

Finally, a suitable sized piece of Plexiglas should be attached with caulk. This will ensure it is weatherproofed, and cannot be damaged by debris and the like. Having learned to build your own solar panel, perhaps you’ll make enough power to sell back to the grid?

By learning to build your own solar panel you can save money, help the environment, and generate electricity using free energy from the sun with do it yourself solar panels.

Check out further solar power information and especially Solar Battery Chargers, because we all still use batteries and hopefully they are used in conjunction with Solar Panels for your home.