introduction
floristic catalogue
faunistic catalogue
contact
index
gallery 1: 2006-2012
gallery 2: 2012-
map
>> 2009 Dec 16
<< 2009 Nov 24

                         a   S T A M M E R  project              

2009 December 6 to 11

And then there was light, first sun light then electric light.
In other words: we have installed a photo voltaic solar system: 5 solar-panels of 120 watt each and the accompanying controllers and batteries. It is for the moment more than enough to feed some fluorescent lamps, a laptop and the charging of mobile phones and the like. In summer we will probably add a super efficient small refrigerator. Refrigerators are the big consumers of electricity in a normal household and it makes a huge difference if you buy an efficient one. In fact, you can probably save almost half of the planned size of a (small) solar system if you choose the most efficient category, A++, which consumes only about 80 watt.

We placed the panels away from the garden house for aesthetic and safety reasons and had to install extra thick electric cables to compensate the voltage loss due to the distance. The panels were installed on the elevation of the terrain created in last July to get some more sun. These days, approaching the shortest day of the year, the panels receive direct sunlight until 2 o'clock; not the best but acceptable.
With the subsidies from the regional government the whole system cost us less than 4000 euro.

___________

The elevation of earth and rock was covered with straw flakes to stimulate plant growth and avoid erosion.
Behind the solar panels on the right  the roof of the transformer station.
8 Dec 13:05

For the support of the solar panels I adopted an idea from our friend Alfred Jebens, which was not only cheaper than the standard construction but also more efficient because it permits the angle of the panels to be adapted to the season. The local blacksmith did the job for less than 500 euro.

The idea consists of an iron tube of almost 4 meters long that can rotate around shorter galvanised tubes at its extremes, permitting the rotation of the solar panels which are screwed on an iron plate of 40 cm width welded along the long tube. The tubes can be a fixed in a specific position using an iron bar which traverses both tubes. I use inclinations of the solar panels of 60º, 30º and 5º for respectively winter, spring/autumn and summer.

______________

Fog can be an important factor for a successful solar system. In mountainous regions they recommend to stay above 700 m to avoid these clouds from below. We are at an altitude of 650m and sure enough the fog is every morning approaching us more and more. But the experience of previous years tells us that only on very few days this fog really settles on the terrain.
In fact, the batteries are fully charged every day but, truth is, our electricity consumption is still quite low.

______________

Not so sophisticated but quite as effective is our cast-iron woodstove. We light it on at the end of the afternoon with 3 or 4 wood sticks and then it increases the temperature in a breeze from about 15º to 22ºC. It burns for about 2 hours and then the temperature slowly starts to decrease, falling down to about 16º the next morning.

introduction
floristic catalogue
faunistic catalogue
contact
index
gallery 1: 2006-2012
gallery 2: 2012-
map
>> 2009 Dec 16
<< 2009 Nov 24