An idea for a new category for the board

[Madison]

A category like "Alternative Energy"or "Off the grid"?
I know there are so many brilliant people (excluding me) here that have a wealth of knowledge to share in these departments.
So many ideas could be tossed around.
I have an idea to make power from toilets. (not gas)

[EL34]

I guess if there is enough interest in a particular subject, it could get it's own board.

The members would have to speak up here in this post to let me know what they want.

[Ritchie200]

Are you wanting to talk about conceptual stuff like Moray and Tesla?  Or practical stuff like solar, wind, geothermal?  Or both?  What about Brown's gas production?  Electric vehicles?  I find all that stuff interesting.  Not sure what others might think.  We had a pretty good thread going on a Tesla coil a year or so ago.

My .02
Jim

[Madison]

Good question.

Because I am not an electronics guru , I personally am leaning toward the more practical solar, wind, geothermal, steam, wood, alcohol stills, veggie oil diesel engines, sterling engines, passive solar, waterless toilets, etc.
I'd assume,with times as tight as they are, most guys want to save a buck or two if they can.
Just MHO.
I suppose it wouldn't hurt to throw in a Telsa coil?

I donno
It was just a thought.

[Bassmanster]

It's interesting, but there are only three root sources and they all have their problems.
Most if not all alternative will be solar-based (includes wind, waves, currents, hydroelectric).

We could discuss how energy works:  work done, heat energy, light energy, etc.

And the laws of thermodynamics, conservations of energy, entropy, etc.

[Bassmanster]

Example:  do you know how to figure out how much kinetic energy passes through an area (window) of some size perpendicular to the wind direction in a given time?  (You can't harvest it all, but it's nice to know the theoretical maximum).

KE = 1/2 * mass * speed ^ 2

mass rate is density of air * window area * speed

mass is mass rate * time

KE flux = 1/2 * density * time * area * speed ^ 3.

Therefore, wind power (assuming constant efficiency) is a function of wind speed ^ 3.

[tubesornothing]

Lots of other mature forums for this topic out there.  For my electric car, I use EVDL forum - its massive.

[supro66]

I agree we have been using mechanical methods of generating power for over 100 years

It all comes down to making a rotor spin at 3600 RPM 60 cycles per second

Now where did I put that Flux Capacitor?

And them Dilithium Crystals


We need more of these guys

[supro66]

It's interesting, but there are only three root sources and they all have their problems.
Most if not all alternative will be solar-based (includes wind, waves, currents, hydroelectric).

We could discuss how energy works:  work done, heat energy, light energy, etc.

And the laws of thermodynamics, conservations of energy, entropy, etc.

Back in the 70's and 80's I worked at Westinghouse in Lester PA I was a bladder and built these things



they went into these things

[Bassmanster]

That's a super duper steam turbine!  I imagine some of those blades were pretty heavy...

Conversion of thermal energy (or more accurately internal energy) into mechanical energy...

[Fresh_Start]

While alternative energy is a vital topic for discussion, my preference would be to let folks talk about it someplace else.  IMHO there's just too much politics and almost religious ideology involved in the topic.

Please forgive me if I'm being a party pooper.

Chip

[supro66]

That's a super duper steam turbine!  I imagine some of those blades were pretty heavy...

Conversion of thermal energy (or more accurately internal energy) into mechanical energy...

also that roter had to be put on a lathe and machine them blades

I agree
We live on a large magnet right
Electronic fields all around us
A device that pulls energy from an magnetic field
No problem

[Madison]

>>almost religious ideology involved in the topic

You are probably right about that.
I certainly don't want to open that can of worms.
Best just to forget the idea.

For the record.I am not a fan of the green police but I do like Cheap Trick.

[duke of earl]

Mabe a section where you dress up your builds in lingerie?

[supro66]

Mabe a section where you dress up your builds in lingerie?

I have seen them here

Purple and Pink amps 

http://www.beringmusic.com/store/images/VOX%20DA5%20Pink_MED.jpg
http://www.winfieldamps.com/images/purple18rear.jpg

We have all see ORANGE AMPS