Hey Brian!

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Oct 25, 2006
80
Robinson and Caine Leopard 43 Somewhere hot and sunny
Have you seen this new PV technology coming out of SA and Germany?
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
I think is has to do with the laws of physics

Congress should just repeal those dang things. I run into this all the time. We could have much more efficient engines, get off our oil habit and all take vacations in southern clims if they would. But those darn democrats on the hill...... ;-)
 
Oct 25, 2006
80
Robinson and Caine Leopard 43 Somewhere hot and sunny
Don't forget Cold Fusion

My thought was that these things are so thin, that they would be easily damaged. I will leave the debate about if they really work or not to the professionals like Brian.
 
A

Alex

Alternatives

I took a different approach: For the Boat: (1) Replaced all light bulbs with LED: http://www.superbrightleds.com/other_bulbs.htm (2) Removed the compressor and ice box in the fridge. It was not working and no plan to replace it. $1000 buy a lot of ice. (3) Bought a 10 inches miner's oil lamp. It gives out pretty good warmth and quite romantic. (4) Investigate into building a solar water heater I saw in a book: "Upgrading The Cruising Sailboat" - Daniel Spurr ISBN 0-97742-411-X At the house: (1) Downsized the fridge. (2) Installed a cloths line (3) Replaced all light bulbs with compact florescent (4) Got a very high efficent gas furnace, and pilotless gas stove (5) Got a spill proof oil lamp in case of power failure (6) I might use the leasson learned from the boat solar heater project to scale one up for the house. Bottom line: PV are very inefficent but sexy technology. I'll go after the demand side of the equation. Just my 2 cents.
 
Oct 25, 2006
80
Robinson and Caine Leopard 43 Somewhere hot and sunny
Alex, What no tankless water heater ;-)

Here in ATL, every 3rd commercial on the radio is for a tankless water heater. We even get incentives to buy them that reduce the cost to a few hundred dollars.
 
Oct 25, 2006
80
Robinson and Caine Leopard 43 Somewhere hot and sunny
Michael,

I hope the flake job on that sail was done by your kids and not you! Happy Holidays! PS. I am pretty sure my wife ordered me that Asym and sock like your old boat for me for xmas. Stay Tuned!
 
Oct 25, 2006
80
Robinson and Caine Leopard 43 Somewhere hot and sunny
In defense of Michael,

I looked a little closer at the picture, and it does look somewhat like he may have been distracted..... A little. Ok, a lot. I'm just saying.
 
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