<![CDATA[Airstream Forums - Generators & Solar Power]]> http://www.airforums.com/forums/ en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:05:06 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.airforums.com/ugala/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Airstream Forums - Generators & Solar Power]]> http://www.airforums.com/forums/ Best Solar installer in TX? http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/best-solar-installer-in-tx-58655.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:07:33 GMT We are travelling in TX this fall and winter and decided to bite the bullet and upgrade our 105 watt solar system with a serious system (new panels, wiring, charger and batteries). We'd like to also have fabricated a battery box to hold 4 units too.

We have recommendations in FL and AZ, but how about TX?

Thanks....if we don't respond right away, please be patient....we are on the move. ]]> wildwoodrver http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/best-solar-installer-in-tx-58655.html Honeywell Inverter Generator http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/honeywell-inverter-generator-58589.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:43:46 GMT Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge of the Honeywell HW2000i Portable Inverter Generator? These are available for about $500.00 and appear to be of similar specs as the Honda or Yamahas at a much more reasonable price. I have been unable to determine if two of these generators can be... Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge of the Honeywell HW2000i Portable Inverter Generator? These are available for about $500.00 and appear to be of similar specs as the Honda or Yamahas at a much more reasonable price. I have been unable to determine if two of these generators can be run in tandem to run an RV air conditioner.

Brian ]]> moosetags http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/honeywell-inverter-generator-58589.html Removing Batteries with Solar System http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/removing-batteries-with-solar-system-58307.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:18:32 GMT Hello,

We removed the batteries from our 2009 27' FB International for the winter, and the GPR-25 Solar Regulator (installed at the factory), started flashing the charge light and the voltage light, and the voltage reading on the LCD was bouncing around between 19 and 22. The instructions that came with the system didn't deal with the removal of the battery. Is this normal behaviour, or is there something else I need to do?

Thanks.
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]]> Airstream 65 http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/removing-batteries-with-solar-system-58307.html Generator Placement http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/generator-placement-58253.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:08:39 GMT http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/t...b2009_1006.htm ____________________________________________________________ For Safer Emergencies, Give Your Power...]]> I found this in NIST Tech Beat - October 6, 2009
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/t...b2009_1006.htm
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For Safer Emergencies, Give Your Power Generator Some Space
NIST research that shows that placing a generator 15 feet from your home may not be far away enough to keep deadly carbon monoxide from entering your house. Watch the video!

YouTube - How Close is Too Close for Portable Generators?

To subdue the steaming heat of hurricanes or to thaw out during a blizzard, gasoline-powered, portable generators are a lifeline during weather emergencies when homes are cut off without electricity. But these generators emit poisonous carbon monoxide—a single generator can produce a hundred times more of the colorless, odorless gas than a modern car’s exhaust. New research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows that to prevent potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, users may need to keep generators farther from the house than previously believed—perhaps as much as 25 feet.
Up to half of the incidents of non-fatal carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning reported in the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons involved generators run within 7 feet of the home, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Carbon monoxide can enter a house through a number of airflow paths, such as a door or window left open to accommodate the extension cord that brings power from the generator into the house. While some guidance recommends 10 feet from open windows as a safe operating distance, NIST researcher Steven Emmerich says the “safe” operating distance depends on the house, the weather conditions and the unit. A generator’s carbon monoxide output is usually higher than an automobile’s, he says, because most generators do not have the sophisticated emission controls that cars do.
“People need to be aware that generators are potentially deadly and they need to educate themselves on proper use,” Emmerich says. With funding from CDC, NIST researchers are gathering reliable data to support future CDC guidance.
NIST building researchers simulated multiple scenarios of a portable generator operating outside of a one-story house, using both a test structure and two different computer models—the NIST-developed CONTAM indoor air quality model and a computational fluid dynamics model.
The simulations included factors that could be controlled by humans, such as generator location, exhaust direction and window-opening size, and environmental factors such as wind, temperature and house dimensions. In the simulations the generator was placed at various distances from the house and tested under different weather conditions.
“We found that for the house modeled in this study,” researcher Leon Wang says, “a generator position 15 feet away from open windows was not far enough to prevent carbon monoxide entry into the house.”
Winds perpendicular to the open window resulted in more carbon monoxide entry than winds at an angle, and lower wind speeds generally allowed more carbon monoxide in the house. “Slow, stagnant wind seems to be the worst case because it leads to the carbon monoxide lingering by the windows,” Wang explains. Researchers determined that placing the generator outside of the airflow recirculation regions near the open windows reduced carbon monoxide entry.
In the next phase of the study NIST will model a two-story house that researchers believe will interact with the wind differently. NIST researchers also have worked with the Consumer Product Safety Commission on related work. (See: “NIST to Study Hazards of Portable Gasoline-Powered Generators,” NIST Tech Beat, March 5, 2008.)
The generator study can be downloaded at http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/build09/PDF/b09009.pdf.
* L. Wang and S.J. Emmerich. Modeling the Effects of Outdoor Gasoline Powered Generator Use on Indoor Carbon Monoxide Exposures. (NIST Technical Note 1637,) 2009.
Media Contact: Evelyn Brown, evelyn.brown@nist.gov, (301) 975-5661
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Regards,
Ken ]]> w7ts http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/generator-placement-58253.html Advice on purchasing a generator http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/advice-on-purchasing-a-generator-58042.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:33:29 GMT We have a 1991 Excella 29' and would like to camp in some of the National Parks. I am looking for the appropriate size generator to run the water pump, ref. and possibly a heater. Really need advice on what size generator, and how to calculate what appliances can run and when.:)

Thanks,
Hank ]]> H2K http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/advice-on-purchasing-a-generator-58042.html <![CDATA[Just say No...using plumbing vent for Solar wire access->??]]> http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/just-say-no-using-plumbing-vent-for-solar-wire-access-57947.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:22:08 GMT Hi all,

I appreciate the good feedback so far as I try and plan my solar charging system. I've ordered a 2 panel Solar system from AM Solar in Oregon & am looking forward to the installation - sort of.


I've been thinking. ( I know I shouldn't do that...)


I understand that the usual method to feed the solar output wires into the trailer interior is to drop them down the Reefer vent & either tie into the 10 AWG factory wire or fish a bigger wire towards the battery bank in the forward part of the trailer. This might actually be easier by running wire underneath the trailer than to fish through the more complicated interior. Due to the "series" configuration of the charger controller, the controller needs to be relatively close to the battery bank & should use heavy (8 AWG or bigger) wire on both sides of the controller (both in and out). Thus the factory installed solar wires would be inadequate & the controller position in the galley which is wired with the wrong gauge wire would add a lot of unhelpful length to the run. (It might work as a satellite readout maybe...)

So, when I think about it, it would make sense to have the solar charge controller close to the battery bank and to shorten the overall length of the wire runs as much as possible. The hallway wall between the Bathroom & the Bedroom would work well for the controller. If that is the location, it doesn't make a lot of sense to run the Solar feed back to the port side reefer vent and then forward again & over to the starboard side prior to running forward to the battery bank...

When I look at the roof, I see a plumbing vent on the starboard side that runs down the corner of the bathroom to the tanks. It would certainly be a short & convenient run to drop the wire down the vent stack & drill a hole mid-way to exit the wire into the target wall. It should be quite easy to waterproof the entire run and caulk the exit hole to keep the vent function intact. The entire run would be considerably shorter & there would be no need for any new holes in the belly pan etc.

Lew tells me it would be do-able but I do not believe he has ever tried this himself. Does anyone have any thoughts on this idea or know whether this would be a problem?

Thanks.


-evan :bounce: ]]> eheffa http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/just-say-no-using-plumbing-vent-for-solar-wire-access-57947.html