Solar Gadgetry

[Teg]

I thought a thread on Solar Gadgetry like the stuff that we see around the TV and Internet would be a nice conversation piece, and a place where our more experienced solar folks could look at the items and dissect them and give useful advice before folks run off half cocked and waste a bunch of money. :)

[Teg]

I saw these on one of those Home show things on the DIY channel, seemed like a nifty idea, I haven't used their price estimator yet as I wouldn't even consider them for my current home, but what do you folks think?

http://plugnsaveenergyproducts.com/shutters/

[nadja]

If you want to keep your aa or aaa batteries charged, these may have just enough power to do that, maybe. Waste of time and money. Oh, by the way , I live totally on solar and wind and have for a little over 16 years now. A gimick is just that a gimick

[Teg]

I'm hesitant to totally rule them out since as panels get better, the smaller panels will be more effective and productive, but I am with you on the current techs limitations I don't think they would be very effective now, but future applications might have some promise. :)

[12vman]

That's very creative, IMO. Keeps the sun from heating the house up and makes a little power. I'll bet they would make enough power to charge some rechargeable batteries but I wouldn't bank on it to make my power meter run backwards.. LOL

[Teg]

That's very creative, IMO. Keeps the sun from heating the house up and makes a little power. I'll bet they would make enough power to charge some rechargeable batteries but I wouldn't bank on it to make my power meter run backwards.. LOL

Yup, not gonna solve your energy needs but as a whole home system and with technology getting better it could be a nice addition some day. :)

[Teg]

Nifty emergency/survival item to have on hand for those that can't give up their gizmo's. :wink: :)

http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/medium/147/147992.jpg

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=147992

[Teg]

I saw this little solar gadget today, among other uses it might be good for night fishing if ya charged it all day. :D


http://blogs.discovery.com/.a/6a00d8341bf67c53ef015436dd346f970c-800wi

LuminAID: $25.00

Admit it, you take light for granted, most of us do. All we have to do is flip a switch and our little corner of the world is illuminated. Disaster-stricken areas don’t have this luxury and can face days, if not weeks and months without light. The design studio at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture developed the LuminAID solar light to help give this basic need to those who need it most. The solar light uses photovolactic film laminated to PEVA to create a solar panel that can charge in six hours and provide five hours of light.

When the light is inflated it diffuses light similar to that of a handheld lantern, it’s also waterproof and can float. This light is ideal for camping or any other outdoor activity, but you know what it’s really good for? Helping people! It can help them see, write, read, cook and live some sort of normal existence in what's definitely a really low time in their lives. For every light sold, one will be sent to a person in a post-natural disaster area, someone who, even if it's just a little while, doesn't have the luxury of complaining about an electricity bill.
http://news.discovery.com/tech/inflatable-solar-light-is-a-major-dogooder-111114.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1