I absolutely recommend including the build-your-own solar panel schemes / scams that Dave mentioned -- there are a zillion of them, most have a "4" in the URL (power4patriots, etc)
One thing I have noticed online with people selling PV modules (Amazon and Ebay) and alternators for homebuilt wind turbines (all over the 'net) is -- multiplying open-circuit voltage by closed-circuit amperage to get overrated "watts" , and a video of the multimeter to "prove" it. Ouch. Good teachable moment on how to use a multimeter, though. You might also include the very popular (on Ebay) little grid-tie inverters that take DC solar input on one side and simply plug into a wall outlet on the other side. I also admit to, when in a whimsical mood, asking staff at Home Depot / Ace hardware etc., how to make up a male to male extension cord so my Honda generator can run my house in an emergency. One of these days I'll find a co-conspiritor with a tiny camera and make an educational video of it. Dan Fink, Executive Director; Otherpower Buckville Energy Consulting Buckville Publications LLC NABCEP / IREC accredited Continuing Education Providers 970.672.4342 On Sat, Apr 12, 2014 at 6:53 PM, Dave Click <davecl...@fsec.ucf.edu> wrote: > If you also have the local electricians selling the kvar units as > surefire ways to save 30% on your electric bill, I'd nominate that as > myth/scheme/scam, though I hope most of those resellers are doing so only > because they're naive. There was also some absurd company a few years ago > which was selling a "3000W" module that looked suspiciously like a 200W > module yet could produce a steady 3kW even without any load and even while > in the shade. They had the clamp-on meter to prove it, so maybe they're > still selling off area code exclusivity off for a mere $50,000 initial > deposit. > > Screen-shots from this would be fun-- one of the ubiquitous "$50 for this > complete guide to unplugging from grid by making your own solar panels" > http://www.powerfreedom.com/System/ > > The YellowBook ad from a few years ago: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hpHxEhO_DQ > > I don't know where I got this picture-- from one of the "make your own > solar panel" things online. Lovely aesthetics! > https://www.dropbox.com/s/bxhl3q6hrr9z5sp/DIY%20PV.png > > > > > On 2014/4/12, 16:47, Allan Sindelar wrote: > > Fellow Wrenches, > Last year I prepared an hour's presentation for our local Solar Fiesta on > "Energy Myths, Schemes and Scams". I covered mostly PV and the solar > industry, with a few slides about the physics of wind and those cute spinny > yard-art things called VAWTs. I also hit on "it takes more energy to make > a PV panel than it will ever produce", the limitations of 25-year module > warranties, "free energy generators", James McKirdy, lunar modules, and > modules with fraudulent listings. This was what I was able to pull together. > > The workshop was popular and I have been asked to give it again in a > couple of weeks. I'm looking for any suggestions that you may have for new > or additional material to update the presentation. Any ideas are welcome, > especially if you can provide links to good stories and slide materials. > This is for a general non-technical audience, but I have the freedom to go > in any direction I wish. So I'd like to be more than just entertaining, but > make points about value over price, using local installers with knowledge > and experience, etc. > > Beside my appreciation for the material, I'll offer in return to share an > editable version of the presentation for your own use (although it's a 14 > meg PowerPoint file at present). > > Thank you in advance for your suggestions of anything that gets your blood > boiling, that would be funny if it wasn't giving PV and clean energy a bad > name. > Allan > -- > > *Allan Sindelar* > *al...@positiveenergysolar.com* <al...@positiveenergysolar.com> > NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional > NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional > New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician > Founder (Retired), *Positive Energy, Inc.* > > A Certified B CorporationTM > *505 780-2738 <505%20780-2738> cell* > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change email address & > settings:http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette:www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios:www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > >
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