A month ago I was shopping at BB and surprise, surprise, I found a tube of thermal grease. Overpriced, of course, but they had a number of small computer repair/construction items.
But anyway, are you really unable to fathom the idea that something can be good in some ways and bad in others? And that something can be good under a certain set of circumstances and bad under another?
Heck, my thought on this whole subject is (mis)quoting a rather ancient philosopher -
Moderation in all things, including moderation.
Not many things in life are strictly linear. A glass of wine a day is good. A dozen, not so much. A little meat in your diet, good. Eating 6 pounds a day? Not good. Washing your hands is a good habit. Washing/scrubbing until you bleed? Not good. Sodium Chloride, salt, is essential for life, but too much is bad. So on and so forth...
I don't think it's that difficult. But then, people have signed dihydrogen monoxide bad petitions.
good point. But that also assumes the code is disclosed 'publicly'.
Odds are, any good defense lawyer would be able to play that a state found serious issues with the code, even if the code is only discloused to an auditing agency under a DNR.
"Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury, the State of Florida forced XYZ breathalizer company to disclose the source code of the machine. Independent auditors, though unable to reveal the exact problems due to the agreement, did find serious problems with the accuracy of the machine, resulting in the dropping of charges for XX accused."
I feel no real need to see the source code myself. I'm not that great of a programmer, and I'm not up on the science of analyzing breath air to determine blood-alcohol level. But I feel that it would serve justice to verify that the machines work properly and verifyably.
I feel the need to state that I'm not for getting drunk drivers off, but for accuracy in our judicial system.
In theory, if you had a low amperage requirement on a 220VAC device, you could connect the two hots to the hot wire on a 110VAC outlet, and the neutral to the neutral
Actually, you'd need to connect the hots in seperate sockets, on different 'legs' in order to get 220 out of it.
Otherwise, the only thing you'll be powering is any equipment inside the device that's actually 110V. Maybe a light or something.
Go back and you'll find that I wasn't supporting port forwarding, instead supporing a proxy server/home controller setup where only the controller is exposed to the internet.
Yes, my washing machine also has concrete in the bottom. But then, water wouldn't works as well for that application as you need something heavy yet solidly connected to the frame, not free to shift around like water.
The fridge wouldn't need to dampen vibration, it simply needs to have more weight in it's cooled area for thermal mass.
Don't even need all 49. Consider the California Emissions standard. Many companies produce ONLY Cali rated cars because it's cheaper than adjusting their assembly line and shipping procedures to make custom cars only for California.
Looking around on the internet, I only see something like 3 professional grade breathalyzers. At this moment, any company looking to do business in Florida has to disclose their source code*. If two companies don't, that leaves the remaining one with a monopoly in Florida - *ChaChing*.
They might do this in Florida, but what if you get three or four other states passing the same rules? The pressure mounts.
I'm all in favor of this measure. I'm strongly against DUI, but that's countered by my even stronger desire for accuracy and accountability in government, especially criminal matters. Of course, I'm also for NOT counting it as a DUI unless you're actually, driving. Sleeping in the backseat of a dead-cold car in the bar's parking lot with the keys in your jacket isn't DUI.
*Well, they don't strictly have to, but Florida departments would be idiots to buy machines from companies that won't, as they're inadmissable as evidence.
Even if you just open one port, you still have to worry about each component exposed to the internet. With a centralized server, you only have to worry about it; not whether your Kenmore Fridge, Whirlpool freezer, Amanda washer/dryer, braun blender, and Krups coffee maker are all secure.
No, I was speaking in terms of power load management. An electric water heater and a fridge are both automatic intermittent loads. However, because water heaters use so much power, putting them on an off-peak system makes more sense than a fridge. Low hanging fruit.
For security reasons, I'd prefer to have the only outside contacts managed through some sort of central server. Wouldn't want some joker turning my fridge up to 98.6F for six hours while I'm at work. Or turning my oven onto 'self clean' for 8 hours, etc... It'd be much easier to keep 1 server secure than dozens of different devices from almost as many makers. Depending, the logic shouldn't be too hard, could even be built into future routers.
you ask *all* fridges to take break for 15 minutes to help flatten the peak.
There's a critical difference between this system and more traditional systems that turn off things like pool pumps and water heaters. The fridge can say *no* and still turn on if it needs to in order to maintain the proper temperature for safe food(or whatever needs cooling, like vaccines). It can apparently also learn to cool things down more when there's excess power.
A single salmonella outbreak or even a need to dispose of the contents of a fridge will outweigh an awful lot of 'power savings'.
I was thinking the same thing when I was reading the article and comments - in order for this to be really useful you need to increase the thermal mass of the fridge so the fridge has much more play of when to turn on.
I figure a slab of concrete would be a poor choice; as you state, a couple gallons of water would give you quite a bit of thermal mass in a convienent to add/remove manner - allowing cheaper shipping, then fill the reservoir on site.
If nothing else, most fridges are installed in places with water taps. Concrete would have to be delivered.
Yeah. 'Cause I only want my lights to be on when everyone else's are off.
How about having some sort of occupancy senser, or ambient light one? Maybe some sort of automatic dimmer? On the other hand, consider commercial applications - would a billboard operator consider adding the system to the floods lighting the board if it chops his power bill in half?
The light would be pretty high up on the 'I'm using power NOW!' priority list. The important part of having lights on a system like this would be that the light is reporting it's status. This would be used to adjust the operating patterns of other equipment. Perhaps even powering some of them up more because somebody's there.
There's little to be gained by smoothing out the energy usage of individual locations, even rather large locations.
My first thought was this would be useful if you're forced to run on a backup generator for a while; This sort of system would allow a supermarket or a largish home to run a smaller margin by not having to worry about every compressor kicking on at once. This would allow a smaller generator, and generators run more efficiently the closer they are to their max capability.
After the fridge protocol it shouldn't be too hard to come up with other cooperative units - pumps, even a monitor on other circuits so that when the washing machine is running the fridges try to avoid coming on.
On power district scales, there's already off-peak systems for things like electric water heaters. 240V@23-27A beats 120V@5A anytime, you know?
No kidding, if you pay any attention to history, a story like this pops up AT LEAST every other year. Go back in time a bit and you'll find areas that did successfully pass bans, at least for a while.
Makes me pissed off that congresscritters are doing it, but I support people going for legislative solutions over terrorist ones.
Well, it still depends on your needs and the relative costs of panels and any automatic elevation system, not to mention the relative efficiency between a static install and any considered tracking one.
At over a thousand dollars for a 200 watt panel, a tracking system can be worth considering.
Let's say we have a ten panel system. If a tracking system would increase power production 10% while costing less than a thousand, it's worth it. From a purely financial standpoint. There's still considerations in durability. Whenever you add mechanical components and weather, you have a serious possibility of malfunction - especially over the course of the 30 year life expectancy of solar panels. And yeah, the relative wind loading and all that. You'd probably want some sensors to 'lock down' the panels during inclement weather.
Note: I'm not arguing for or against motorized systems; just considering the advantages/disadvantages. I figure there's good reasons why the vast majority of consumer installs are fixed.
They ain't even doing the smart thing and adopting the telco 48V standard.
The 48V standard does suffer from a rather large problem - the current necessary to support the wattage a modern datacenter needs results in rather large wire sizes, even bars. With 240V AC, you can ship a little more than 4kw over a 12 gauge wire. With 400V DC, you sould be able to ship almost 8kw.
IE you can cut your wiring costs substantially, or voltage losses on the wires.
As for the extra costs, well, obviously they're hoping to be able to sell enough 400V/600V stuff to become competitive.
More than one row of panels, though, and it's pointless. The overlap will just kill the back panels and you'll be lucky to get exactly the same amount of power as fixed.
Why would you be restricted to one row? All you'd have to do is offset the rows a little - such that at maximum elevation there's no overlap from the angle of highest efficiency. Given that you're normally installing them on a roof that's already sloped, even a foot would allow a fair bit of elevation. You're never going to get a huge amount of power during sunrise/set anyways.
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A month ago I was shopping at BB and surprise, surprise, I found a tube of thermal grease. Overpriced, of course, but they had a number of small computer repair/construction items.
But anyway, are you really unable to fathom the idea that something can be good in some ways and bad in others? And that something can be good under a certain set of circumstances and bad under another?
Heck, my thought on this whole subject is (mis)quoting a rather ancient philosopher -
Moderation in all things, including moderation.
Not many things in life are strictly linear. A glass of wine a day is good. A dozen, not so much. A little meat in your diet, good. Eating 6 pounds a day? Not good. Washing your hands is a good habit. Washing/scrubbing until you bleed? Not good. Sodium Chloride, salt, is essential for life, but too much is bad. So on and so forth...
I don't think it's that difficult. But then, people have signed dihydrogen monoxide bad petitions.
good point. But that also assumes the code is disclosed 'publicly'.
Odds are, any good defense lawyer would be able to play that a state found serious issues with the code, even if the code is only discloused to an auditing agency under a DNR.
"Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury, the State of Florida forced XYZ breathalizer company to disclose the source code of the machine. Independent auditors, though unable to reveal the exact problems due to the agreement, did find serious problems with the accuracy of the machine, resulting in the dropping of charges for XX accused."
I feel no real need to see the source code myself. I'm not that great of a programmer, and I'm not up on the science of analyzing breath air to determine blood-alcohol level. But I feel that it would serve justice to verify that the machines work properly and verifyably.
I feel the need to state that I'm not for getting drunk drivers off, but for accuracy in our judicial system.
In theory, if you had a low amperage requirement on a 220VAC device, you could connect the two hots to the hot wire on a 110VAC outlet, and the neutral to the neutral
Actually, you'd need to connect the hots in seperate sockets, on different 'legs' in order to get 220 out of it.
Otherwise, the only thing you'll be powering is any equipment inside the device that's actually 110V. Maybe a light or something.
It's federal law that you don't have to pay for anything somebody sends you unsolicited. Especially for USPS.
Did that to the NRA once, they sent me a video unsolicited, it had a return label but I didn't have any staples/tape/glue handy so I just chucked it.
12VDC -> 30KVDC (automotive ignition coil) only made sparks towards the water with a gap, and no bubbles.
Probably not enough amps/watts. Higher voltage only helps in the process if you can feed through enough amps to keep it up.
Used a number of 9V batteries to do some of that back as a kid.
I wonder what would happen if I 'borrow' my dryer socket. ;)
but only FL requires that it disclose source code
And they only have to be forced to disclose the code to ONE state for it to undergo auditing and any problems to be found.
Go back and you'll find that I wasn't supporting port forwarding, instead supporing a proxy server/home controller setup where only the controller is exposed to the internet.
Yes, my washing machine also has concrete in the bottom. But then, water wouldn't works as well for that application as you need something heavy yet solidly connected to the frame, not free to shift around like water.
The fridge wouldn't need to dampen vibration, it simply needs to have more weight in it's cooled area for thermal mass.
I'm not aware that any of the big companies said this completely, instead choosing to simply not offer all models in California.
Barrett's done a complete ban, refusing to service California agencies, but he's a gun company, not an auto one.
What you really need is a RJ-45 to NEMA WD-1 6-15P patch cord ;)
Don't even need all 49. Consider the California Emissions standard. Many companies produce ONLY Cali rated cars because it's cheaper than adjusting their assembly line and shipping procedures to make custom cars only for California.
Looking around on the internet, I only see something like 3 professional grade breathalyzers. At this moment, any company looking to do business in Florida has to disclose their source code*. If two companies don't, that leaves the remaining one with a monopoly in Florida - *ChaChing*.
They might do this in Florida, but what if you get three or four other states passing the same rules? The pressure mounts.
I'm all in favor of this measure. I'm strongly against DUI, but that's countered by my even stronger desire for accuracy and accountability in government, especially criminal matters. Of course, I'm also for NOT counting it as a DUI unless you're actually, driving. Sleeping in the backseat of a dead-cold car in the bar's parking lot with the keys in your jacket isn't DUI.
*Well, they don't strictly have to, but Florida departments would be idiots to buy machines from companies that won't, as they're inadmissable as evidence.
Too bad I don't own a stun gun. :)
Good excuse to buy one though.
Even if you just open one port, you still have to worry about each component exposed to the internet. With a centralized server, you only have to worry about it; not whether your Kenmore Fridge, Whirlpool freezer, Amanda washer/dryer, braun blender, and Krups coffee maker are all secure.
I'm guessing said in jest?
No, I was speaking in terms of power load management. An electric water heater and a fridge are both automatic intermittent loads. However, because water heaters use so much power, putting them on an off-peak system makes more sense than a fridge. Low hanging fruit.
For security reasons, I'd prefer to have the only outside contacts managed through some sort of central server. Wouldn't want some joker turning my fridge up to 98.6F for six hours while I'm at work. Or turning my oven onto 'self clean' for 8 hours, etc... It'd be much easier to keep 1 server secure than dozens of different devices from almost as many makers. Depending, the logic shouldn't be too hard, could even be built into future routers.
you ask *all* fridges to take break for 15 minutes to help flatten the peak.
There's a critical difference between this system and more traditional systems that turn off things like pool pumps and water heaters. The fridge can say *no* and still turn on if it needs to in order to maintain the proper temperature for safe food(or whatever needs cooling, like vaccines). It can apparently also learn to cool things down more when there's excess power.
A single salmonella outbreak or even a need to dispose of the contents of a fridge will outweigh an awful lot of 'power savings'.
I was thinking the same thing when I was reading the article and comments - in order for this to be really useful you need to increase the thermal mass of the fridge so the fridge has much more play of when to turn on.
I figure a slab of concrete would be a poor choice; as you state, a couple gallons of water would give you quite a bit of thermal mass in a convienent to add/remove manner - allowing cheaper shipping, then fill the reservoir on site.
If nothing else, most fridges are installed in places with water taps. Concrete would have to be delivered.
Yeah. 'Cause I only want my lights to be on when everyone else's are off.
How about having some sort of occupancy senser, or ambient light one? Maybe some sort of automatic dimmer? On the other hand, consider commercial applications - would a billboard operator consider adding the system to the floods lighting the board if it chops his power bill in half?
The light would be pretty high up on the 'I'm using power NOW!' priority list. The important part of having lights on a system like this would be that the light is reporting it's status. This would be used to adjust the operating patterns of other equipment. Perhaps even powering some of them up more because somebody's there.
There's little to be gained by smoothing out the energy usage of individual locations, even rather large locations.
My first thought was this would be useful if you're forced to run on a backup generator for a while; This sort of system would allow a supermarket or a largish home to run a smaller margin by not having to worry about every compressor kicking on at once. This would allow a smaller generator, and generators run more efficiently the closer they are to their max capability.
After the fridge protocol it shouldn't be too hard to come up with other cooperative units - pumps, even a monitor on other circuits so that when the washing machine is running the fridges try to avoid coming on.
On power district scales, there's already off-peak systems for things like electric water heaters. 240V@23-27A beats 120V@5A anytime, you know?
They already tried it
No kidding, if you pay any attention to history, a story like this pops up AT LEAST every other year. Go back in time a bit and you'll find areas that did successfully pass bans, at least for a while.
Makes me pissed off that congresscritters are doing it, but I support people going for legislative solutions over terrorist ones.
Well, it still depends on your needs and the relative costs of panels and any automatic elevation system, not to mention the relative efficiency between a static install and any considered tracking one.
At over a thousand dollars for a 200 watt panel, a tracking system can be worth considering.
Let's say we have a ten panel system. If a tracking system would increase power production 10% while costing less than a thousand, it's worth it. From a purely financial standpoint. There's still considerations in durability. Whenever you add mechanical components and weather, you have a serious possibility of malfunction - especially over the course of the 30 year life expectancy of solar panels. And yeah, the relative wind loading and all that. You'd probably want some sensors to 'lock down' the panels during inclement weather.
Note: I'm not arguing for or against motorized systems; just considering the advantages/disadvantages. I figure there's good reasons why the vast majority of consumer installs are fixed.
No WTF.
At a given voltage/amperage, DC will lose less power per mile than AC. However, AC transformation equipment is cheaper/more efficient than DC.
At a couple hundred miles, DC becomes the more cost effective solution for a high power run.
Also, direct current generates more heat than alternating current
Not at the same wattage.
They ain't even doing the smart thing and adopting the telco 48V standard.
The 48V standard does suffer from a rather large problem - the current necessary to support the wattage a modern datacenter needs results in rather large wire sizes, even bars.
With 240V AC, you can ship a little more than 4kw over a 12 gauge wire. With 400V DC, you sould be able to ship almost 8kw.
IE you can cut your wiring costs substantially, or voltage losses on the wires.
As for the extra costs, well, obviously they're hoping to be able to sell enough 400V/600V stuff to become competitive.
More than one row of panels, though, and it's pointless. The overlap will just kill the back panels and you'll be lucky to get exactly the same amount of power as fixed.
Why would you be restricted to one row? All you'd have to do is offset the rows a little - such that at maximum elevation there's no overlap from the angle of highest efficiency. Given that you're normally installing them on a roof that's already sloped, even a foot would allow a fair bit of elevation. You're never going to get a huge amount of power during sunrise/set anyways.