Solar Panels

drvuswld · #1 11-13-2003, 10:18 AM

Why no solar panels? Has no one thought of it?

Robert · #2 11-13-2003, 11:05 AM

Yes. Try emailing Jimmy Stewart, you will find his email on this board.

We have many threads and posts on this subject.
Use the search function, it's really very good!

I'm assuming you have never been to the DR...

drvuswld · #3 11-13-2003, 11:35 AM

Thanks...new to these forums & didn't realize.

beachcomber · #4 11-14-2003, 11:12 AM

I worked in the Spain where many of the houses had solar panels but they were not connected to Maine's electric the panels worked well but financially it makes more sense to wait for the Maine's electric to arrive if you're connected To charge up the batteries, in my opinion, at the Time I left Spain it was becoming quite popular to steal the panels its a lot of money to be sitting on your roof unless you're in the property 24 /7 , several of the homes had windmills to generate 12v for the batteries which work all through the night and rainy days
B/C

NALs · #5 11-14-2003, 04:28 PM

A few month ago I read of a rich dominican farmer somewhere in the Cibao Valley, he was fed up with the Dominican Electrical Company (EDE's). He disconnected from the main electrical grid and is now illuminating his plantation and home through solar panels. The Dominican is perfect for Solar energy because the country lies south of the Tropic of Cancer (the most northern point the Sun rays beats down on a straight line). That means, that in Dominicana solar panels would be creating electricity even on a cloudy day due to the very strong sun that prevails there. That reminds me, People - if any of you that are reading this are planning to visit the DR, ALWAYS wear some sunblock with the highest SPF. The Sun rays will burn whether its sunny, cloudy, or if you are up in the cool mountains, the sun will still burn. I personally think that all of the buildings, light posts, and traffic lights should have their own little solar panel. I have seen some street lights in Florida that have solar panels that collect sun energy during the day, and at night its turned into light, and it last all night long. The only problem is that Solar Panels are expensive to buy and maintain.

Tom F. · #6 11-14-2003, 05:47 PM

Solar panels begin producing a little energy when the sun hits them in the morning. On cloudy days they just produce less, no matter where you are in the world. The latitude of 17 degrees north (mas or menos) make the production of solar panels more consistent over a 12 month period. We caculated that a fifty watt panel will produce some 200 usefull watt hours of dc electricity in the winter months and closer to 300 watt hours during the peak summer months. (This is sunny days). If you could use a tracking mounting devise, you can have the tilt in the angle of panel folllow the sun and and the season. Cost prohibitive unless you get into the large grid connected arrays.

A few of my recent posts pointed out a great deal of the business activity in the DR focusing on solar electricity. Jimmy has been there a long time and can meet all your solar energy needs. Sorry he wasn't on my original list.

drvuswld · #7 11-14-2003, 11:19 PM

Thank you all for your replys...
My husband is a master electrician...and knows all about installing/using/etc. solar...it's the most cost efficienct way to produce your own electricity (yes, you still need batts). But oh man, 20 or so panels, and you've got it made...

Texas Bill · #8 11-15-2003, 02:52 PM

drvswld---

Solar is expensive!
Your "20 or so" solar panels would cost you in the neighborhood of US$10,000.00, then you'd have the expense of an equal number of deep-cycle, 6-volt batteries(another US$1500.00), plus an inverter(5KW minimum) to change to 110 square-wave ac current. Afraid it would be prohibitively expensive for the average person.
Nice to dream, though, isn't it??

Texas Bill

gmiller261 · #9 12-22-2003, 02:59 PM

Are there outlets to buy 20 quality solar panels and have them installed?

I would be very interested for a home on the North coast of DR.

I assume you are talking about a 5KWh system.

Gary

Tom F. · #10 12-22-2003, 06:04 PM

You can buy solar panels at anywhere from US$5-$7 a watt. There are three suppliers in the capital and one in Sosua/Santiago. I would give them a heads up if you want to buy 20 panels. Sometimes we had that much stock but not all the time. The standard panel is usually around 50 watts. Some come in 75w. There are bigger ones, but hard to handle. Twenty 50 watt panels would be 1000w and you could probably get them for US$5,000. The mounting structure, inverter(s), wiring, installation, batteries and some dc appliances or motors; could make this the $20,000 system mentioned somewhere. If you have the money, it would be a fun project and you are doing the right thing. Soluz sold and installed one of these big systems on a home looking over the ocean East of Sosua. Noone ever lived in the house or really used the system. We had a maintanence contract and after a few years they weren't really taking care of it (before I worked there). The system basically rusted out being so close to the salt water. I think the invertor was stolen being the house was empty. Maybe someone on the board knows the house and can give more accurate information.