DC Pumps [RE-wrenches]

[Phil Undercuffler]

Why choose special DC circuits?

Our preferred approach is to use DC for critical systems; water, heating
controls and refrigeration.  Although the reduction in energy consumed is
its own economic reward, I feel it best that an inverter failure doesn't
leave the house without the basic necessities of water, heat, and cold beer.
Of course, on that side of the pond you can forgo that last item  ;-)

However, in terms of heating systems the cumulative watt-hours consumed by
oversized AC pumps, inefficiencies of converting 24v DC to 110v ac then back
to 24v ac in the many transformers inherent in standard heating systems, the
ghost loads caused by said transformers, the multiple zone valves that
consume 10 watts each to turn off the flow of heat (when 10 watts can PUMP
that very same heat!) turns the traditional "plug and play" approach into
"plug and pay."

If you can eliminate those wastes in the design stages of building a home
you truly give the clients reliability and a worry-free system, with no
"changes in lifestyle."  For years my family has lived well on a 300 watt
array and a hydronic heating system that eliminates all that waste, with
little or no generator charging.  My neighbors live with a system many times
that size and a conventional hydronic heating system, and they are hostage
to their fossil fueled generator in the winter.  If they don't babysit that
genny, keep it warm, keep the tank and starting battery topped off, give it
routine overhauls, etc they will crash their system.  That is a lifestyle
that I would strive to change!

Phil Undercuffler
Positive Energy

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere--Martin Luther King

> The way I see it, small renewable energy systems ought to be
> available to the public as 'plug and play'.  It should not be
> necessary to modify your appliances or lifestyle to a serious extent,
> except when it really matters (like in exceptional weather if you
> wish to avoid/minimise engine run time).
>
> I cannot see that many people will want to use special DC circuits,
> and/or do without 24-hour power unless there is a considerable
> pay-off.  Perhaps in the case of pumps the pay-off is there.
> --
> Hugh
>
> http://www.ScoraigWind.co.uk


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