CRUDE DEFENSE I'm going to Saudi Arabia as part of "Desert Shield". I predict that sooner than most Americans would wish, the equipment and techniques described in your magazine will become more essential. Larger scale previous use in the last 17 years could well have prevented this tres expensive military buildup. I think you are all the real patriots. W.L., Ft. Hood, TX It is our sincere and fervent hope that all goes well for you there and that you don't have to kill anyone. KJS SOLARMAN SPEAKS Stuart Ward was correct in issue #19 when he suggested one PV panel can be plenty. I run my entire home on three. My PV rack (built from Richard Perez's "How to Mount and Wire PV Modules" in HOME POWER #2) is set up for four modules and I keep eyeing that empty spot, but I just don't need the power. I would add to Stuart's point that solar is such a beautiful building block concept. Start with one module and, if it's not quite enough, add another. As you purchase more electric devices just add PV modules when you need them. Phil Wilcox, Lower Lake, CA. GRASSROOTS IN POLAND Dear Editor A town in Poland and a small Connecticut City. The environment. Schoolchildren. Grassroots Action. These are the ingredients of a story which will unfold this week as a small party of Winsted, Connecticut residents travels to Milanowek, Poland in a sister-city program with an environmental twist. Comprised of a state representative, a businessman, a conservation expert from the local utility and two seventh graders, the group is involved in establishing an on-going dialogue about conservation with their Polish counterparts. Going beyond talk, they also plan to introduce energy and water saving devices, and to teach the art of composting. Last fall, when Poland's new environment minister Bronislaw Kaminski took office, he said, "From the mountain of things we have to do, I want to cut off the peak." Hank Ryan, on the other hand, wants to chip away at the base. As owner of Firstconserve, a Winsted based distributor of conservation products, Ryan knows the savings in energy, pollution-- and money-- that simple individual actions such as switching to energy efficient lighting or a water saving toilet can bring. Ryan also knows how to effect the switch. In Winsted, he's organized a program to give free 1.6 gallon toilets to residents around Highland Lake in an effort to reduce sewage spills. (On Sunday afternoons one is likely to find him delivering one of these toilets in a canoe, complete with flowers in the bowl.) And he's spearheaded a project to retrofit municipal buildings in Winsted with Compact Fluorescent lightbulbs, saving taxpayers thousands of dollars in utility bills. Now Ryan's out to do the same in Poland, where heavily subsidized heat and electricity stunted the development of of a conservation ethic. While world powers talk of millions in ecological aid, this program is pure grassroots, conducted businessman-to-businessman, person-to-person, even child-to-child-- the two town's schools are linked by computers and FAX machines donated by Ryan, so students can trade perspectives on the environment across the miles. "The most important ingredient in a relationship is the children." Ryan says, concerned that today's young people grow up seeing the hope and joy in environmentalism, instead of having it fill them with fear and despair. The current delegation leaves on August 8th and returns on the 16th. I'll try to reach you beforehand to see if you might be interested in an interview (with Hank Ryan, Rep. Joel Gordes, Northeast Utility's Mike Viccaro and/or the two seventh graders) upon their return, or perhaps a by-lined article. Thanks for your consideration. Freda Eisenberg, Winsted, CT The crew just loved the picture of Ryan in the canoe delivering the toilet. The flowers are a great touch. KJS MOBILE HOME POWER I just recently purchased an Arco solar photovoltaic panel for my rural Hinckley, MN farm. I have constructed a metal frame box that holds the solar frame that will be put on the roof of my mobile home. I have 12 gauge copper stranded wire which will be attached to a M8 Controller and then to two deep cycle batteries 12 VDC. I have four incandescents and one fluorescent lamps, one car radio and one 12 VDC toilet that will use the 12 VDC. I plan on a fused junction box and each light will be fused. What else must I know and do? Nicholas Schneder, St Paul, MN The next thing you have to do, Nick, is to sink an 8 ft ground rod. Then run bare copper wire from the metal frame of the rack to the ground rod. Regular size, depending on the Code in your state, will be either #6 or #4. KJS NEWSSTAND HP Dear Folks, Thanks for entering my subscription just recently and sending my order for the issue #19 I had just missed. "What you give your energy to grows stronger in 'your life' ". After reading # 19 cover to cover I found #18 in a local grocery store- all by itself- were they really selling HP or did this lone issue appear just for me? In any case please forward back issues 2,4,6,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,(I can count) enclosed check for $26. Can you tell me who built the VW EV on page 15 of #19 (Karman Ghia)? Thanks for a great magazine. Keep up the GREAT work. John Shuman, Everson, WA People throughout the country should be seeing more of HOME POWER magazine on local newsstands and magazine racks. The beautiful Karman Ghia conversion was done by Scott Cornell, an individual competitor who made his own from available literature. We don't have access info on him, so, Scott if you are a reader please answer up, you've got a fan club out here. Myself included. KJS GRID UNLOCKED Dear Home Power, It has been a year and a half since the power company was told to disconnect us. Their meter reader was here twice looking for the meter. One of them looked all over the side of the house and then said out loud, "Where did it go?". We are living a dream instead of just dreaming, thanks to your fine info. Thank you so much. Enclosed is $6.00 for more HOME POWER excitement. P.S. We make about $275.00 per week gross and we can do it. Those who make much more need to be encouraged to jump in, the water's fine. Feeling good, Bill Mielke, Ogdensburg, WI Bill, it sure makes us feel good to get a letter like yours, we salute you! KJS NORTHWEST NET? I just recently moved out here to beautiful Washington state from New York City. Although I'm not able to live as far out in the country as I had originally hoped, I still am planning to buy some land(as far in the country as I could get) and build a house on it in the near(or not so near) future. Power will, of course, be provided via renewable energy sources. Toward that end, I would sincerely like to extend an invitation to all current & future home power producers/users in the Wash./Oregon/B.C. area to start a mutual correspondence. Maybe we can begin a very informal support network for all our mutual benefit? Or maybe, there is one already? Either way, I look forward to hearing from other home power producers/users soon. Lastly, I wouldn't think of ending this letter without extending my compliments and gratitude to you and all the others who helped make HOME POWER a successful reality. Starting a business is tough enough without also trying to make it in the publishing world. I'm glad to see that you beat the odds in both cases. I know that I'm going to be better off for it and I just want to say thank you. Sincerely, Richard Salita, Issaquah, WA CODE ADVICE Dear Home Power, I just finished reading the HP #19 comments concerning NEC overkill. I agree that many of the NEC requirements seem to border on the absurd. These strange sounding, often times difficult to follow, requirements are the result of trying to make electrical systems "idiot proof". Well, we all know that idiots are much smarter than the designed system when it comes to circumventing the safety features. But if we use electricity, then we must deal with the CODE. The key to putting up with the NEC as it concerns your AE system is your local state electrical inspector. Find out what the inspector is picky about when "buying off" jobs wired by local contractors. In my area it was... you guessed it, grounding. Discuss you proposed wiring with this electrical inspector. He may see that your way meets HIS interpretation of the NEC requirements. If so, great. If not, modify your plans on the spot if possible. This step alone will save you much grief, time and money. Then when that fateful inspection day arrives, hopefully your AE wiring will pass the first time! Thanks for the "hands on", do it yourself publication. With the cost of living now days, the average single income backwoods(or desert rat in my case) person/family must get their hands dirty in order to make the AE dream a reality. Charles and Vi Fountain, Organ, NM Also you might get to know a local contractor, especially one that does AE systems and give him your support. The inspector will be much more likely to accept inputs from him than an individual. KJS FOSSIL FREE VIDEO Dear Home Power readers, Do you have ideas or examples of how we can live without fossil fuel that you would like to share with other people? I am making a video program about fossil free living and am looking for people who would like to participate, either through being interviewed or by showing me their solar home, gridless electrical system, electric vehicle, etc. I want to assemble a program that will make it abundantly clear that it is quite possible to live a technologically tuned-in life, without dependence on resources that are rapidly being depleted and are causing enormous environmental degradation. I think that a change in consciousness about these matters is critical for our survival, and that of of most other life on earth. I am an independent video producer, working either by myself or with my wife. I have been interested in alternative energy and solar architecture for many years. I would hope to arrange a showing of the program to a national audience, as well as make it available to people on an individual basis. So, if you are interested, contact me at the address below, and perhaps together we can help point the way towards a future that is free of our fossil fuel addiction. Sincerely, Kelly Hart, HARTWORKS, POB 777, Ashland, OR 97520 (503)482-9585 POWER TO HELP Dear Karen, I spoke with you last Tuesday about a project our church and other community agencies have undertaken to assist a homeless family. We recently learned of a family in our area who had lost everything in a house fire and had been living in their van for over three weeks. They had no income or money, but were sacrificing what little they had to insure their son remained in school. We have since found them a house, food and clothing. Some readers may well ask what the nearly ubiquitous problem of the homeless has to do with power production. I am convinced there are hundreds of vacant dwellings in this country which could house families in need if they had some modicum of electric power for common necessities such as water and lighting. Lighting is a relatively simple matter: DC lights, kerosene, etc., but water pumping seems to be a more difficult obstacle for most of us to overcome, and also the most likely candidate for thoughtfully implemented alternate power solutions. I suggest that those of us who have an interest and belief in "Home Power" may be able to increase awareness of alternate energy while helping less fortunate members of our communities by seeking out these houses and APPLYING our principles. The benefits for all concerned should be obvious. Our particular problem is that this house is remote and has no electric power. Since I spoke with you, we have decided to purchase a small gasoline generator to run a 1/2 hp, 220 VAC submersible pump for water, but would like to supplement it with a renewable input source for lighting or other light loads. We have access to a 5 KW, 48 volt inverter, and some batteries. We are also reasonably competent with mechanics and electronics. Our resources are very limited(who's aren't today?) and we do not anticipate being able to install any alternate power source in the near future. If any of you out there has anything you could donate we'd appreciate it. We'd also like to hear any ideas or suggestions. Everything so far has been donated. We're trying to keep our involvement an anonymous as possible in the interest of the recipient's privacy and self-respect; however we will consider donations in exchange for publicity if these criteria can be met satisfactorily. Please respond to: Cowan Fellowship Church, Attn: Geoff Roehm/Power Project, 609 E Cumberland, Cowan, TN 37318 APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY Richard, Karen and Stan, We're seeing a lot of interest lately in "Letters to Home Power" on the idea of burning fossil fuels for the production of electricity. Examples of this using cars and their batteries to run a sewing machine, woodstoves to produce steam to generate electricity, and small gen-sets. I'm a little disturbed by all of this. Lest we forget, the major cause of the greenhouse effect is the production of CO2 as a result of burning fossil fuels. Although we all loath what the mega-utilities stand for(big business, monopolies,price fixing, fat cats with cigars) the CO2/Kwh/user of a utility is miniscule compared to what is spewed out by a Honda portable generator, a China Diesel, or an in- vehicle deep cycle battery set-up. If we all had gen-sets in our back yards, we would all have choked to death long ago! Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating that we all flock to our local mega-bucks power company. But the above mentioned ideas for producing electricity do not represent appropriate technology, nor is it what renewable energy is all about. I do realize that any way we generate electricity, or any power for that matter, involves some compromises. I certainly don't know all the right answers, but I do know the wrong ones when I see them. By the way, I am not pure by any means. I heat with wood and drive a diesel pick-up. But I'd never consider using either to generate my electricity. I hope that no one takes all of this as a personal affront. This letter is not meant to admonish anyone, but only to stir some thought and possibly generate some dialogue on the subject. Mick Sagrillo, Forestville, WI Well, Mick, your point is well taken. However, one point you missed was that Denise Peterson, in Letters, HP#19, P58, did not have her vehicle running outside while she used her sewing machine, she used the power that was there from her necessary commuting. KJS TYPEWRITERS AND TURNTABLES Dear Home Power, I have a stand alone wind system (1800 watt, 32V Jacobs) and a Trace inverter. I have had problems with my electronic typewriter, a Smith Corona SL600. It malfunctions in various ways, missing letters, double spaces, etc. It checks out fine at the repair shop and I have pretty much determined it's the inverter's fault. Anyone else have this problem? The Trace works great otherwise. Thanks, Tom Simko, Inkom, OH Dear HP, Thank you for getting out all the Alternative Energy Information to us. Your magazine is indeed a blessing. My turntable-- an old Technics-- does not like the power I feed from the Trace at all. It runs fine, but it gives off an awful lot of noise. Is there any way to help this turntable out? Are there any 12 VDC units out there? Any help would be appreciated. Chip Usal, Mt. View,UT How about it, readers, any experience or answers to share with Tom or Chip? KJS ANTENNA ARTICLES ABOUND Greetings, Congratulations for a very readable, informative, and fun magazine. I have a few comments: In HP#15 the 'Minto Wheel' is mentioned. A little more info can be found in 'Popular Science' for March 1976, P 79. In HP#17, some folks were striving for reasonable AM reception. 'Audio' magazine for January 1982 has a pair of articles on antennas. Loops for AM and some interesting rhombics for FM are discussed. Another AM antenna that folks with a lot of real estate and some ability to deal with electronics may be interested in is the Beverage. Named for it's inventor, the Beverage is a long (2,000 ft. or more) wire or pair of wires that head in the direction of interest. The antenna 'collects' the incoming radio wave while rejecting signals - including man-made and natural noise - from other directions. 'QST' magazine for June 1977, P 35, has a discussion of Beverage antennas including one fashioned from an electric fence. The 'ARRL Antenna Book', 1988 edition, has a good section on Beverage antennas. The references given in these publications are exhaustive. Those installing any long wire antenna should ensure that it is high enough or otherwise protected(as along a fence) so that animals, including people, do not become entangled. Also, during and after installation, the antenna should have a DC path to ground. Several hundred feet of wire can collect an impressive static charge. I also enjoyed the battery comparison. HP#18 has an excellent glossary. One nit to pick, though. RMS is not a 'time averaged' function. For example, the average value of a sine wave is zero but the RMS value is positive. The RMS value of a given voltage or current that would produce the same heating in a resistor as the given waveform. RMS doesn't apply to power as power is considered positive, although it can flow in any direction. I agree with Wiles (HP#18 P57,58). Publishing the POWER output of PV arrays under STANDARD conditions would be extremely informative. Here is my vote for more information on Zellers (HP#18, P57) 200 A welder. Enclosed please find $4.00 for back issues #14 and#16. I would pay more for HP printed on recycled paper. Thanks very much! Jerry McDonald, Salt Lake City, UT Thank you, Jerry, we stand corrected on RMS. KJS BATTERIES Dear Home Power, My system is comprised of 19, 35 Watt panels so far. For this size of system; 1. What is the best battery available? 2. What is the most popular battery? Chris Peterson, Aurora, UT The answers are; 1. Pocket-plate nickel cadmium batteries 2. You really did not give us enough information as every system is as unique as it's owner. KJS AE CHILD Hello Karen and Richard, Please put following in MicroAds. I love your magazine, I have a copy of all of them. My son, now six, has always lived on photovoltaic electricity, and I hope he, with many of your readers' children, will be a generation that has always lived on alternative energy. I think that would make some interesting research (The Children on Alternative Energy). Our son has habits and insights that I have only recently acquired. As he grows up I am sure he will take that insight, and apply it to what he is doing. Next summer we are building a PV powered go-cart. I see a great future in him, as I am sure many of your readers see in their children. Your magazine makes a great text book, and I hope for a little more space devoted to them. If you need a writer I would love the job. Always Sunny in New Mexico, Kurt Andersen, Ramah, NM Wonderful idea, Kurt, do it! Write to/about/for children and send it to us. We want to hear from other people on this subject. Refer to 'Writing for Home Power Magazine in previous issues of HP for guidelines. (No room for it this time.) KJS