Subject: Sun Juice 1 of 4

From: [email-masked] (Scott Parks)
Date: 13 May 94 22:05:06 -0800

-=> Note:
Forwarded (from: homepowr) by Scott Parks using timEd.
Originally from Don Kulha (1:125/7.0) to All.
Original dated: May 05 '94, 10:05

"Give me enough sunshine, and I'll juice a brick!"
Jay Campbell
c. 1993 Jay Campbell
Albuquerque's incorrigible solar pioneer, Lu Yoder, has done it 
again. He has conceived, designed, built and put into operation 
a unique one man solar-powered business. His latest venture, 
aptly named "Sun Squeeze" is a mobile juice bar. Powered by a 
65 Watt self-contained solar system, he produces fresh fruit 
and vegetable juice wherever thirsty crowds gather. Moreover, 
the entire rig is built onto a bicycle drawn trailer, so he can 
take it noiselessly & pollution free to wherever business 
might be.
Lu's colorful background includes a stint studying Mechanical 
Engineering, years building and selling bicycle trailers, lots of 
experimental designs of solar electric and solar thermal 
systems, a couple of solar refrigerators, and uncountable other 
small projects. He first earned the attention of HP's readers 
with his prize winning solar oven (HP#31). This project has 
combined several of his experiences into one overall winning 
combination.
The System
Lu's system uses 2 used Arco 16-2000 32.5 Watt panels to 
charge two 12 Volt, 30 Ampere-hour, lead-acid gel cells. Solar 
power output runs from the battery through a Trace 812SB 
inverter and into the commercial grade Champion juicer. There 
is a voltmeter mounted near the business end of the cart, so 
that he can monitor the battery's state of charge as he works. 
Being a compact system, wire runs are miniscule. A 200 
Ampere fuse protects the batteries and inverter, and a smaller 
fuse protects the batteries and charge controller.
The cart is divided into 2 major compartments. One contains 
the electrical equipment and a 5 gallon solar assisted hot 
water tank for hand washing. The other compartment is for 
food storage (in an ice chest), cups, juicer, and literature on 
community events - the business side of the business. The 
housing is all wood, and colorfully painted by a friendly Santa 
Fe artist, Julia Coyne. The solar panels are hinge mounted to 
the top of the cart, allowing Lu to adjust them through the day 
for maximum charging.
The whole rig (all 400 pounds of it) sits on a 4 foot x 4 foot 
steel trailer frame made from scavenged bicycle frames and 
electrical conduit. The panels fold down flat, and everything 
else fits inside. The frame is the same basic design that Lu has 
used for years, but is about twice the normal size, and beefed 
up accordingly.

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