I really like solar ovens. When I think about how much power a regular oven or stove top uses, it blows me away. At 3,000 watts for the oven and about 1,500 watts per burner, then you could easily be using up to 9,000 watts while cooking a large dinner. Or even 4,500 to 6,000 watts typically. But, the sun is free! How amazing is that? A solar oven at about the size in the videos below has about 4 square feet of glazing. At 50% efficiency, then that means about 250 watts of consistent power. Pretty much like running a big crockpot all day, for free.
Here are a couple of videos showing a homemade solar oven in action.
Notice that this solar oven has 2 layers of plate glass, but it is just laying on top and not sealed. But even still, it works great.
Richard
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Forklift Batteries
Today I am sore. I worked on forklift batteries all day. We started with 4 batteries and took all the cells out of the two big ones. Our plan is to make battery trays that hold 3 cells each to make 6 volt batteries. This would weigh about 280 to 300 lbs each and I could move them with a hand truck. But the way it stands now, each forklift battery weighs 1100 to 1500 lbs each.
We had to cut each connection bar and then cut the metal case open. We also had a lot of tar on the top to take off.
Notice all the tar between the cells. The yellow 24 volt batteries don't have that and they should be a lot easier to deal with.
And below you can see the 36 cells we took out of the two big batteries. It looks like about 30 and maybe even 34 cells are in good shape.
Next week, I will finish up these 2 batteries.
Anyone else get their free forklift batteries yet. Let me know, I want to hear about it.
later,
Richard
We had to cut each connection bar and then cut the metal case open. We also had a lot of tar on the top to take off.
Notice all the tar between the cells. The yellow 24 volt batteries don't have that and they should be a lot easier to deal with.
And below you can see the 36 cells we took out of the two big batteries. It looks like about 30 and maybe even 34 cells are in good shape.
Next week, I will finish up these 2 batteries.
Anyone else get their free forklift batteries yet. Let me know, I want to hear about it.later,
Richard
Monday, July 20, 2009
Air Powered Car
This video show two types of air motor designs. Funny thing is that this video was posted in 2006. I guess when you get 11 cents per gallon effective then the big oil interests just don't allow anything to ever come of that technology. Yet again it comes down to us doing for ourselves. The DIY movement is getting stronger because, frankly, it has to. Governments and big business just aren't going to do it for us. And, in all likelihood, will actually stand in your way and try to stop you. If you want to experiment with an air engine, then I suggest doing what I talked about the other day. Take an old lawn mower engine, like a 3.5 hp 4 stroke and modify the cam shaft so it becomes a fairly efficient air motor. (see the second video here) Then you could get a used scuba tank and make all kinds of things. Like air powered bike, trike, lawn mower, backup generator, backup water pump, etc.
Richard
Friday, July 17, 2009
Hydrogen powered cars have been here awhile
Just to point out that H2 cars have been here awhile. Simple to modify a car. Just get rid of the carburetor, replace gas tank with carbon fiber tank full of 5,000 to 10,000psi hydrogen. Then regulate that pressure down to less than 20 psi and put that right into the manifold where the carburetor was. Change the timing to top dead center and there ya go. The first internal combustion engine was designed to run on a hydrogen dominated gas in the 1800's. All the explanations of igniting the gas at top dead center are not true for gasoline. Gasoline burns too slow for this, so they have to ignite before the piston gets to the top. This means that the piston is fighting against an ever expanding gas as it moves up. This wastes lots of energy as heat. They took a good idea for an engine and bastardized it to work on gasoline. Back then compressed h2 just wasn't practical. Now, any welding shop will sell you compressed hydrogen.
Here is a car that was modified in the 70's. http://www.wired.com/cars/energy/news/2004/09/65080
Richard
Here is a car that was modified in the 70's. http://www.wired.com/cars/energy/news/2004/09/65080
Richard
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Free Energy - Stuff to Think About
I'll say right off the bat that I don't believe in free energy. All energy comes from somewhere. But sometimes people just don't see where it comes from. The first law of thermodynamics basically says that energy can neither be created or destroyed but only altered in form. The second law says that in a closed system, entropy will increase. In other words, the heat or energy in a closed system will equalize over time. An example would be a large container full of steam that turns a turbine and then condenses and flows back into the container. If you aren't adding any heat at this point, then the turbine will slow to a stop and the steam will become water and the temperature of the water in the container will equalize. That rate of equalization is called entropy. The funny thing is that it will equalize to the ambient air temperature, because, guess what, it isn't a closed system. The air touches the container and thus adds or removes some heat energy depending on temperature differential.
What about solar PV panels? If you didn't consider the sun, then they appear magical by creating energy from nothing. Or windmills that spin randomly and create power for no reason. Or sailboats that move whenever the sails "poof" up. It is a strange and mystical world we live in.
What about residential heat pumps? They often rate them at 400 - 500% but we know that's impossible. It is because they consider it a closed system and only account for electrical power in versus heat power out or heat extracted. Never mind that a huge portion of the energy into the heat pump comes from either the air or the ground.
What about atoms? Little machines made of super small particles that spin for the last 15 billion years without missing a beat. If an electron is knocked off, it magically searches for a new home. The electron is always attracted to the proton but never seems to hit it. Where does that energy come from? If it is in the atom itself, then surely, after 15 billion years each atom in the universe would have much less energy now than when they started. Doesn't it make more sense that there is an outside force giving all atoms in the universe their energy?
I think the energy comes from space itself. They used to call it aether or the ether. It wasn't just the vacuum of space, it was tangible space, a real liquid like substance. Scientists mostly believe in the big bang anyway. Wouldn't that set the whole universe in motion? I believe I read somewhere that Tesla believed that the relative motion of space and matter actually imparted energy to the matter. In other words it energized the subatomic particles.
I have read that using cosmic microwave background radiation measurements, they have determined that we are moving at 390 km/sec or 872,000 mph. Now that is fast! We could be going faster though, especially if the entire universe is rotating in space. We couldn't know that because there would be no point of reference. It would also depend on where we are in relationship to the center of the universe. If we were at the center of the universe (like some believe, lol) then we would have relatively zero motion. But that also means no power for our atoms.
Let's assume that the matter, that we are used to on planet earth and things we see in telescopes, doesn't really interact with rapid moving space except to use some of the energy to charge its particles and to provide for nuclear forces at the atomic core. But what if some matter "interfered" with normal space flow? We are more space than matter so normally space can flow very easily through us. But, in the beginning, what if some strange formation of elements or molecules occured that made it difficult for space to pass through? Well, I would say that the instant that happened, then the 800,000 mph space would have grabbed those atoms or molecules and ripped them off the planet with extreme prejudice. Sort of like jumping out of the space shuttle on re-entry and opening your parachute. I'm sure these particles were destroyed or at least reoganized to a high degree. Worst case, they would be left floating motionless in space, but to us it would appear that they are traveling at 800,000 mph.
Also, something to think about is space travel. If we were to travel either towards the center of the universe or away then our relative motion through space changes. Or, if the universe isn't rotating, then we could use the center of our galaxy as a reference. Anyway, as we change our relative speed through space, then our bodies chemical reactions could alter. Of course we are talking million of light years (light year is about 6 trillion miles).
Now, let's go back to matter that interferes with space flow. What if it only slightly interferes more than normal matter in such a way that the excess energy is radiated out in gamma radiation? Think uranium or plutonium. What if a certain formation of atoms were affected in a slightly different way? Imagine a substance that generated its own magnetic field with a north and south pole. We call them magnets. I know that some people say magnets are just springs and getting free energy from a spring is just as impossible as designing a type of machine that runs on magnets. But, first, you can block or redirect magnetic fields. A spring, on the other hand, is just a spring and it connects point A and B and either pushes or pulls. If someone makes a magnet powered engine (this may have been done already) then it isn't perpetual motion. It would just be utilizing some of the energy from space itself. I should say the relative motion of space itself. So, you can't say that the motor is more than 100% efficient or that it makes more power than it takes in. You just have to consider all power coming in. I'm tired of science ignoring space. There is talk of the curvature of space like it is tangible, then they don't even consider the ramifications of a "real space" on matter and energy. They pretend that space is just the absence of matter. Maybe matter is anti-space and space is the real stuff. All matter in the universe could be dead except for the energy that moving space gives to it.
You guys remember that video of the bridge that resonated with certain wind speed and shook itself apart? What if you layered varying substances until it interfered with space flow ever so slightly? Then you could put a magnet and a coil on one side and if it is facing the right way then space will resonate through the material and cause the magnetic field from the magnet to collapse multiple times a second. This will generate power in the field coil. Just theoretical but looking at the universe differently can open all kinds of doors.
There was a patent given around 1980, for a magnet powered motor.
You can read the article here
http://www.newebmasters.com/freeenergy/sm-text.html
Anyway, some stuff to think about. See you guys tomorrow.
Richard
What about solar PV panels? If you didn't consider the sun, then they appear magical by creating energy from nothing. Or windmills that spin randomly and create power for no reason. Or sailboats that move whenever the sails "poof" up. It is a strange and mystical world we live in.
What about residential heat pumps? They often rate them at 400 - 500% but we know that's impossible. It is because they consider it a closed system and only account for electrical power in versus heat power out or heat extracted. Never mind that a huge portion of the energy into the heat pump comes from either the air or the ground.
What about atoms? Little machines made of super small particles that spin for the last 15 billion years without missing a beat. If an electron is knocked off, it magically searches for a new home. The electron is always attracted to the proton but never seems to hit it. Where does that energy come from? If it is in the atom itself, then surely, after 15 billion years each atom in the universe would have much less energy now than when they started. Doesn't it make more sense that there is an outside force giving all atoms in the universe their energy?
I think the energy comes from space itself. They used to call it aether or the ether. It wasn't just the vacuum of space, it was tangible space, a real liquid like substance. Scientists mostly believe in the big bang anyway. Wouldn't that set the whole universe in motion? I believe I read somewhere that Tesla believed that the relative motion of space and matter actually imparted energy to the matter. In other words it energized the subatomic particles.
I have read that using cosmic microwave background radiation measurements, they have determined that we are moving at 390 km/sec or 872,000 mph. Now that is fast! We could be going faster though, especially if the entire universe is rotating in space. We couldn't know that because there would be no point of reference. It would also depend on where we are in relationship to the center of the universe. If we were at the center of the universe (like some believe, lol) then we would have relatively zero motion. But that also means no power for our atoms.
Let's assume that the matter, that we are used to on planet earth and things we see in telescopes, doesn't really interact with rapid moving space except to use some of the energy to charge its particles and to provide for nuclear forces at the atomic core. But what if some matter "interfered" with normal space flow? We are more space than matter so normally space can flow very easily through us. But, in the beginning, what if some strange formation of elements or molecules occured that made it difficult for space to pass through? Well, I would say that the instant that happened, then the 800,000 mph space would have grabbed those atoms or molecules and ripped them off the planet with extreme prejudice. Sort of like jumping out of the space shuttle on re-entry and opening your parachute. I'm sure these particles were destroyed or at least reoganized to a high degree. Worst case, they would be left floating motionless in space, but to us it would appear that they are traveling at 800,000 mph.
Also, something to think about is space travel. If we were to travel either towards the center of the universe or away then our relative motion through space changes. Or, if the universe isn't rotating, then we could use the center of our galaxy as a reference. Anyway, as we change our relative speed through space, then our bodies chemical reactions could alter. Of course we are talking million of light years (light year is about 6 trillion miles).
Now, let's go back to matter that interferes with space flow. What if it only slightly interferes more than normal matter in such a way that the excess energy is radiated out in gamma radiation? Think uranium or plutonium. What if a certain formation of atoms were affected in a slightly different way? Imagine a substance that generated its own magnetic field with a north and south pole. We call them magnets. I know that some people say magnets are just springs and getting free energy from a spring is just as impossible as designing a type of machine that runs on magnets. But, first, you can block or redirect magnetic fields. A spring, on the other hand, is just a spring and it connects point A and B and either pushes or pulls. If someone makes a magnet powered engine (this may have been done already) then it isn't perpetual motion. It would just be utilizing some of the energy from space itself. I should say the relative motion of space itself. So, you can't say that the motor is more than 100% efficient or that it makes more power than it takes in. You just have to consider all power coming in. I'm tired of science ignoring space. There is talk of the curvature of space like it is tangible, then they don't even consider the ramifications of a "real space" on matter and energy. They pretend that space is just the absence of matter. Maybe matter is anti-space and space is the real stuff. All matter in the universe could be dead except for the energy that moving space gives to it.
You guys remember that video of the bridge that resonated with certain wind speed and shook itself apart? What if you layered varying substances until it interfered with space flow ever so slightly? Then you could put a magnet and a coil on one side and if it is facing the right way then space will resonate through the material and cause the magnetic field from the magnet to collapse multiple times a second. This will generate power in the field coil. Just theoretical but looking at the universe differently can open all kinds of doors.
There was a patent given around 1980, for a magnet powered motor.
You can read the article herehttp://www.newebmasters.com/freeenergy/sm-text.html
Anyway, some stuff to think about. See you guys tomorrow.
Richard
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Wind Power Special Offer
Most of you know about my Wind Power and Battery Systems e-book and that it comes with the DC Motor Analyzer software bundled for $34.90. And, that alone is a great deal. I used to get so many questions about sizing the blades to match the motor, and what gauge wire to run, etc. After I bundled the software with the wind power book, all that changed. Just a few minutes playing with the software makes your life so much easier. So, I think it is an incredible value.
But, I just added 3 books and another computer program to the bundle for free. The free books and program really mesh with DIY wind power. Here is what I've added:
Homemade Amp Meters - If you are building a large wind power system and maybe solar power as well, then you need to be able to measure amps to and from the deep cycle battery bank. If you have a charge controller for the solar portion, then it will show amps going to the batteries. But, some wind power charge controllers (assuming you even bother to use one) don't even show amps to the battery. And how many amps is your big inverter sucking from the battery? If you have a 1200 watt microwave hooked to an inverter, then it is drawing 10 amps. But on the 12 volt side, that is 100 amps. Most volt ohm meters only go to 10 amps. So, you will need a shunt. This book shows you how to use different metals to make a shunt and you can read large current draws. In fact, this book shows how to make a shunt that can handle up to 2,000 amps, for just a few bucks.
Shunt Designer - This software package makes the complicated much simpler. You choose the metal you want to use, such as copper, aluminum, galvanized or stainless steel, etc., and then the thickness of that metal and you can computer the exact lengths to use to get the desired current carrying capacity.You can also use it to figure out the resistance of stainless steel wire and "all thread" so that it can be used as a dump load for your windmill.
Welding with Batteries - This one is self explanatory for the most part. Building a large windmill may require some welding. My book doesn't require it, but my wind power book is meant to guide you into using whatever is available to harness the power of the wind.In the welding book, you are shown how to find free car batteries and fix them to use as a powerful arc welder. Three car batteries can make 15 kw of power. At 240 volts and a 30 amp circuit in your house, you could only expect about 7 kw. You can double that with 3 car batteries. You can charge with solar. And it is portable. It could even be in the back of your truck.
Do it Yourself Grid Tie - This book is really new. In a nutshell, it shows 2 things:- How to take an AC induction motor and use it on a windmill to feed the grid and turn your meter backwards
- How to take an AC induction motor and drive it with a DC motor to act as a grid tie inverter. Example - solar panel to DC motor that turns AC motor that feeds the grid to turn your meter backwards when the sun is out.
Anyway, I hope there is enough here to get you into the renewable and sustainable energy movement. And I hope the price is low enough so that the average person (especially in this economy) can jump in and make a difference.
Later,
Richard
air powered bike update
This is a video of someone actually running an air powered trike.
But this video below shows more promise.
In this video he is sort of on the right track. Forget the selenoid at the top where the spark plug goes. They are only good for so many cycles and will wear out pretty quickly. Besides, the 4 stroke engine already has great valves in it. And he makes the intake and exhaust work together for air power by adding the lobes on the cam shaft. I can't see it getting more efficient than that. You just need a cheap air compressor and a scuba tank or better, a carbon fiber tank. I like the idea of using compressed air instead of batteries. And imagine doing conversions on cars. You take the camshafts out, add the lobes and grind them smooth. Take the gas tank out and replace with a 10,000 psi carbon fiber tank. Have a double reducer on that that goes down to 100 to 150 psi. You could fill up at a welding shop or at home if you have a high pressure compressor. And once you pressurize a tank, it doesn't lose its power like batteries do even just sitting there. Gas stations could start adding high pressure tanks and compressors so they could fill up the new vehicles.
But this video below shows more promise.
In this video he is sort of on the right track. Forget the selenoid at the top where the spark plug goes. They are only good for so many cycles and will wear out pretty quickly. Besides, the 4 stroke engine already has great valves in it. And he makes the intake and exhaust work together for air power by adding the lobes on the cam shaft. I can't see it getting more efficient than that. You just need a cheap air compressor and a scuba tank or better, a carbon fiber tank. I like the idea of using compressed air instead of batteries. And imagine doing conversions on cars. You take the camshafts out, add the lobes and grind them smooth. Take the gas tank out and replace with a 10,000 psi carbon fiber tank. Have a double reducer on that that goes down to 100 to 150 psi. You could fill up at a welding shop or at home if you have a high pressure compressor. And once you pressurize a tank, it doesn't lose its power like batteries do even just sitting there. Gas stations could start adding high pressure tanks and compressors so they could fill up the new vehicles.
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