Waste (was Smoke detector flameout ) [RE-wrenches]

Tue Apr 3 16:20:17 PDT 2001

My .02 on the waste issue, somewhat stream of conscious:

    Telling ourselves that we're only wasting renewable energy and then
running the generator to keep the system charged because of inverter idle
and ghost loads is fooling ourselves.  Probably spew more hydrocarbons in
that few hours of run time than a season of grid use.

    Replacing wall-warts with efficient down-cut converters is so easy I
find few clients that don't agree.  I've never had an AC plug where I want a
clock even when I lived on grid so I have no aversion to battery powered
clocks.  Our DR is always asleep when we're not using it, it's been a point
of pride for my wife (still remember the evil glares when I'd forget and
leave the drill recharger plugged in!)

    I now have a pager recharger for our Fire Department that has to stay
plugged in round the clock, and since I don't own it I'm reluctant to rip
into the internals .  I leave it plugged into our 250 Exeltech, 3 watt tare.
That's an inefficiency that I can live with.

    In regards to new appliances, I just got a new home theatre stereo for
Christmas (5 channel Dolby Digital, you bring the beer & I'll make the
popcorn).  It's a Sony with an Energy Star rating, and while I haven't put a
Brand Meter on it yet when it is turned off it won't keep the DR awake.  The
DR is set to its minimum level.  Nor will a one-year-old Energy Star
microwave (out of habit we still turn off power to the microwave outlet, but
it's kinda weird to have to turn on a light to use the microwave.  I guess
we ARE being wasteful!)  But I will guarantee you that turn the lights down
low and slip in a disc and crank up the volume and I can make a valid case
that living efficiently does not equate to living without comfort.

    Efficiency is best addressed by good design.  I think about my last two
vehicles, a racy little Honda and a Ford truck.  Both use internal
combustion engines, and are made of steel and plastic.  Both get me to work
and pick up groceries on the way home, their main tasks.  I could get a
sheet of plywood into the Honda, if cut into manageable chunks, and I can
get the Ford into a four wheel drift on a tight hairpin corner given enough
road.  My old Honda got four times the mileage out of a gallon as my current
truck, out-performed it in every way.  You can throw brute horsepower at a
problem, or you can finesse the solution to a tight package.

Again, just my .02

Phil Undercuffler
Positive Energy

----- Original Message -----
From: hugh piggott <hugh.piggott at enterprise.net>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2001 5:52 PM
Subject: Re: Smoke detector flameout [RE-wrenches]

> At 6:33 pm +0100 1/4/01, Todd Cory, Bald Mtn. Solar wrote:
> >Hugh,
> >
> >Your "logic" reminds me of a conversation I had ... the waste would
> >create jobs
> >for people building more power plants and thusly be good for the
economy...
> >And as to that answering machine, I have set up many devices such as
> >these, for
> >constant "on" use through direct battery operation. To my thinking it
makes no
> >sense to have the inverters 15 watt idle current powering a 50 ma load.
>
> OK I admit that your sentiments are to be commended.  I am just a
> human being who enjoys comfort.  I have wrestled with running
> everything off my 12 volts throughout the late 70s and 1980's and the
> novelty is long gone.  I don't find it worthwhile adapting appliances
> for myself or my neighbours now (except for fun in the late
> afternoon).  I just feel I have moved on from that.  Those were the
> old hippy days.
>
> The debate about energy efficiency is very important - don't get me
> wrong.  But it's worth something to me to just be able to rely on 24
> hour AC power.  I don't really believe it's a waste.  Most uses of
> electricity are arguably wasteful in some way, when it comes down to
> it.  As we find out when power gets really scarce :-)  But most of
> the time I have ample renewable energy, so I plan to enjoy it.
> --
> Hugh
>
> Scoraig, Scotland
> http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk
>
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