[RE-wrenches] Entertainment: A contrarian approach to off grid PV

Mon Dec 16 09:04:13 PST 2013

I've found that instead of insulting them, I just let them talk about it 
for a while.  Then usually they mention what a pain it is, and how 
unreliable, and then I gently point to the various potential fire 
hazards, and that even though 12 vdc can't electrocute you, it sure can 
start fires....
I still walk away from some of them, but many I turn into full rewires.  
I reuse their equipment, give ridiculous trade in credit on their old 
stuff, and then once they feel like they're being treated fair, I can 
install a good system for them,  and make a living at it, too.

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 12/16/2013 9:14 AM, Bob-O Schultze wrote:
> Dan,
> Better he be insulted than you get blamed for the fire. I pass on 
> things like this too.
> Bob-O
>
> On Dec 16, 2013, at 4:42 AM, <dan at foxfire-energy.com 
> <mailto:dan at foxfire-energy.com>> wrote:
>
> This is actually pretty clean compared to some DIY systems. We have a 
> local broadcast engineer up here running an old 12v DR and 20 
> something L16. He has a tangled mat of various wires and cables on the 
> walls and ceiling of his "Power Room" at least 3" thick (in the thin 
> spots).  He recently hired us to install 1800W of PV on an out 
> building (500' away), and planed on moving power at 12v between the 
> two buildings on an old piece of broadcast coaxial cable at least 4" 
> in diameter. Seems I insulted him when I suggested he rip it all out 
> and start over..
>
>
> Dan Brown
> Foxfire Energy Corp.
> Renewable Energy Systems
> (802)-483-2564
> www.Foxfire-Energy.com <http://www.Foxfire-Energy.com/>
> NABCEP #092907-44
>
>
>     -------- Original Message --------
>     Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Entertainment: A contrarian approach to off
>     grid PV
>     From: "William Miller" <william at millersolar.com
>     <mailto:william at millersolar.com>>
>     Date: Mon, December 16, 2013 1:02 am
>     To: <Allan at positiveenergysolar.com
>     <mailto:Allan at positiveenergysolar.com>>, "'RE-wrenches'"
>     <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>     <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>>
>
>     Allan:
>     Very interesting, but he lost me when he asked for Bud!
>     William
>     PS:  Also, don't walk into the shed carrying a rake, you will fry
>     yourself.
>     Wm
>     *From:*re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>     <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>     [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of
>     *Allan Sindelar
>     *Sent:* Sunday, December 15, 2013 8:04 PM
>     *To:* RE-wrenches
>     *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Entertainment: A contrarian approach to
>     off grid PV
>     Wrenches,
>     A "maybe customer" sent me this link to a Google video about his
>     Grandpa's homegrown PV system. It takes a very different approach
>     than the industry has gone. Apparently it works, although it lends
>     itself far more to educated homebrew than to something a company
>     would do for a customer. He told me his grandpa was an electrical
>     engineer. It's a funky homemade video but entertaining. The first
>     45 seconds can be skipped as it's about beer preference.
>
>     24 golf cart batteries in a 12v system, with two diodes per string
>     to prevent uneven charging and discharging;
>     What appears to be about 2700 watts of PV, plus two unknown wind
>     gennies.
>
>     After first viewing the video I sent back this response:
>     I saw the video - very nice. Your gramps has created his own
>     unique approach and has done a very good job. This is the way off
>     grid PV was done twenty and more years ago, although few back then
>     had the level of knowledge and sophistication he has. The industry
>     has gone in very different directions; indeed, he couldn't do what
>     he has done for someone else's home if he needed it to be
>     inspected. Unless you object, I'd like to share the link to the
>     video with other installers nationally; I'd be interested in their
>     responses on seeing such a contrarian approach.
>
>     There was no objection to sharing in the reply, but please treat
>     it with respect.
>     Enjoy!
>     _https://plus.google.com/105317412194765993553/posts/c9hE6GpXKAi_
>
>     Allan
>     -- 
>     *Allan Sindelar*
>     _Allan at positiveenergysolar.com_ <mailto:Allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
>     NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
>     NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
>     New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
>     Founder, *Positive Energy, Inc.*
>     A Certified B Corporation^TM
>     3209 Richards Lane
>     Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
>     *505 424-1112 office 780-2738 cell *
>     _www.positiveenergysolar.com_ <http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/>
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