Alternative energy

Things to consider when looking into alternative energy. What you will need:


 * 1) Source of power, either photovoltaic or wind or water.
 * 2) Charge controller for PV or wind. They are not the same!
 * 3) Battery to store power for later use.

Wind Power
How many volts does it take to charge a 12vdc battery?


 * 1) The supply voltage for a 12V battery bank is about 16V. This allows charging lead acid to 14.40V (6 x 2.40V/cell) and Li-ion to 12.60 (3 x 4.20V/cell). There are also different charge controllers for different battery types. http://battery university dot com/learn/article/charging_with_solar_and_turbine
 * 2) An advanced charge controller tracks power by measuring the voltage and adjusting the current to get maximum power transfer with prevailing light conditions. Get a controller with MPPT to make the most of lower power conditions.

The battery

 * 1) About batteries.

Convert heat to electricity

 * 1) 2007: Solid state device converts heat to energy