We limit access by GUESTS to protect our members from spam, hacks and trolls. Please register to gain access to all our resources.
Posted by mittico68
- May 08, 2018, 10:25:07 AMYou're absolutely right and if I had (much) more money in my pocket, I think I would buy a Tesla or something like that.
That said, I'll never sell my Drifter! 
Posted by Zoar
- May 07, 2018, 13:39:17 PMQuote from: mittico68 on May 07, 2018, 10:36:03 AMYes the Drifter is great as it is. Retro Vintage.Sure it would be nice, but I would still like to hear that rumble from the pipes...
Call me petrolhead or wathever you like, but I love my Drifter the way it is!
Other motorcycles, though, can be electric powered and I like where Ducati and others are going with their electric bikes.
I have a friend who has a TESLA. And I can tell you that it is VERY QUICK, VERY FAST. You press the accelerator and it is like driving a 600 Horse Power gasoline engine. You can go zero to 60 faster than most cars on the road today. The first time I drove it we traveling from a 30 mph ZONE to a 55 mpg ZONE and he said "go ahead hit it!" ...I hit it. We went back in our seats like a rocket engine had been ignited. But it is electric and it is always right there. it is perception altering and I became an electric vehicle fan the first time I drove one. They are making combustion engines obsolete. That said, do I love my DRIFTER???
You Bet!
Posted by mittico68
- May 07, 2018, 10:36:03 AMSure it would be nice, but I would still like to hear that rumble from the pipes...
Call me petrolhead or wathever you like, but I love my Drifter the way it is!
Posted by Zoar
- May 07, 2018, 08:26:58 AMQuote from: mittico68 on May 04, 2018, 01:49:33 AMI do like SOME of the new electric bikes coming out. Here is one. It is made by Ducati:Amen, brother, amen.
Cost of solar panels has come way down: If I added a few more panels I could get an electric car and/or motorcycle and charge it at home and with all the new charging stations popping up, it would be a smart way to gooooooo!
Posted by mittico68
- May 04, 2018, 01:49:33 AMQuote from: Zoar on May 03, 2018, 12:35:36 PMWell, .....................that would be a sacrilege. Sorry, can't do that.
That said, I do want to get an electric motorcycle soon. And keep my Drifter just the way it is.
Amen, brother, amen.
Posted by Zoar
- May 03, 2018, 12:35:36 PMQuote from: mittico68 on May 03, 2018, 11:18:43 AMWell, .....................that would be a sacrilege. Sorry, can't do that.Zoar, I think you should rename the subject of this topic, by "My own power plant REVISED"... LOL...
Seriously, I really like the way you think out of the box, because it surely helps our poor planet's health.
But now you should find a way to complete your scheme, by converting your Drifter to electrical energy...
That said, I do want to get an electric motorcycle soon. And keep my Drifter just the way it is.
Posted by mittico68
- May 03, 2018, 11:18:43 AMZoar, I think you should rename the subject of this topic, by "My own power plant REVISED"... LOL... 
Seriously, I really like the way you think out of the box, because it surely helps our poor planet's health.
But now you should find a way to complete your scheme, by converting your Drifter to electrical energy... 
Posted by Zoar
- May 03, 2018, 10:49:12 AMQuote from: greenbarn on May 02, 2018, 20:59:05 PMI guess I don't see it as a comparison of cheapest to something else. I see it as I have my own power plant and power storage and that gives me an asset and advantages that I do not get by writing checks to the Utility company every month and having them dictate the rules and also when something happens and the grid goes down I have no power. I also like knowing I am making all my power in a green way and not helping to perpetuate the DEPENDENCE on fossil fuel which is by far the biggest contributors to the power grid in the US, (Gas and Coal). See link---Sure, that makes sense. The cheapest route is seldom the best route. Just trying to get my head wrapped around it
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/power-plants/?utm_term=.51193c69ee53
They provide most of the power to the current massive grid power system.
Plus the way we make power now with massive power plants feeding the Power Grid is horrifically inefficient and incredibly wasteful. Gas and coal power plants, and the infrastructure to supply them, consumes so much power and are NOT efficient and the percentage LOST getting the power from these power plants to our homes is downright wasteful and stupid. Studies have shown that if you count the waste and inefficiencies of fossil fuel power production and distribution, the net is about 15% to 35%. That is a horrific and wasteful system.
I like NOT supporting what I believe is a stupid.
Here is another LINK that attempts to add up just SOME of the LOSSES that are inherent with the current massive fossil power plants-grid based system that is the primary method that is still being used:
http://insideenergy.org/2015/11/06/lost-in-transmission-how-much-electricity-disappears-between-a-power-plant-and-your-plug/
I know some people say yea, but you have to make the panels and batteries. That is so lame. If we added up also all the chemicals and rare earth metals and energy that goes into making Power Plants and the trains and tankers and vessels needed to transport the fuels to the massive power plants, and yes all that is consumed to build power plants ---which is comparing apples to apples---it makes my 8 solar panels and 4 batteries look exceedingly smart and very efficient and not wasteful compared to billions of tons or wasted and consumed raw materials to make power plants and feed that massive power production approach that utilizes gas or coal.
I have spent decades IN and around Power Plants around the US and I can tell you they are inefficient and they are gross consumers of resources and materials and virtually no one has actually computed a fraction of the consumption and consumed resources. The math has been done on the OUTPUT at the built plants and the line losses which is only a SOME of the losses and yet studies show those two alone account for 65% LOSS. meaning 35% usable output and as stated that is not all the losses.
Posted by greenbarn
- May 02, 2018, 20:59:05 PMSure, that makes sense. The cheapest route is seldom the best route. Just trying to get my head wrapped around it
Posted by Zoar
- May 02, 2018, 15:28:40 PMQuote from: greenbarn on May 01, 2018, 20:43:56 PMWell if all you want to do is try to make it be cheaper and no other considerations -- like the fact it makes me feel so good and I have power when no one else does and I have NO utility bills, then indeed it will not be cheaper. You have to weigh and add in the other benefits.SO, 18K worth of equipment 13 yrs ago, Fed credit to make it 12K, let's say current price is at least 15-20K (I don't know what credits are available). SO if my electric bill is, let's say 200/mo, I'm looking at a 75-100 month return on investment? seems like a long time....Am I looking at this wrong? What is the lifespan on the batteries and the panels, BTW? Can you run 240 volt equipment? Just a few questions,LOL
Posted by greenbarn
- May 01, 2018, 20:43:56 PMSO, 18K worth of equipment 13 yrs ago, Fed credit to make it 12K, let's say current price is at least 15-20K (I don't know what credits are available). SO if my electric bill is, let's say 200/mo, I'm looking at a 75-100 month return on investment? seems like a long time....Am I looking at this wrong? What is the lifespan on the batteries and the panels, BTW? Can you run 240 volt equipment? Just a few questions,LOL
Posted by Zoar
- May 01, 2018, 10:51:29 AMQuote from: greenbarn on April 30, 2018, 22:17:53 PMYes. It is really cool and as indicated, it s one of the best things I have ever done. I am truly "empowered" and far more self sufficient and self reliant. The only thing is if everything does go to shit, people definitely would descend on my place because I am one of the few with OFF THE GRID Power production. As I stated above, there are tons of solar installations locally but almost all of them are Solar Grid-Tied. With no battery aspect. I think that is dumb. But this would not be the first time I see what "everyone is doing" and think it is dumb. But yes it is really cool to make your own power and have your own energy storage... And yes it is dramatically superior to a gas or propane generator because that runs out of fuel. I have a infinite supply and as I have lived for 13 years I have sun and energy storage to provide for all my needs.That's pretty cool.
And yes also with my Pi Truck it is an actually MOBILE POWER PLANT.... and it can make tons of really great food too! (I have TWO totally independent power generation and power storage systems now in operation. My home system and my mobile, Pi Truck, system).
Posted by greenbarn
- April 30, 2018, 22:17:53 PMThat's pretty cool.
Posted by Zoar
- April 30, 2018, 08:43:58 AMQuote from: Zoar on April 30, 2018, 08:23:33 AMHere is another map, I find this one even more useful because I can see it better! As you can see my area is the same as northern Ohio. We have tons of solar panels around here and when I went to Florida a couple of weeks ago there were NONE. So in my experience adoption of solar power has nothing to do with the solar index. It has everything to do with attitude and belief system. Some areas the general population just oppose or even hate solar because they associate it with being left leaning so they will come up with every reason NOT to use solar. It works at my house and in my region (with low comparative solar index).It is that simple, really. Yet for those who oppose it, no amount of facts or proof or actual history will change their minds.Yes, if you Google solar energy potential US you get:
https://www.energy.gov/maps/solar-energy-potential
Ohio and my area of NY are in the same boat as far as solar index.... and we are better off than GERMANY and Germany has adopted solar in a big way and as stated I have been making my own power fo 13 years so yes solar works in our solar index.
Posted by Zoar
- April 30, 2018, 08:23:33 AMQuote from: greenbarn on April 27, 2018, 21:03:35 PMYes, if you Google solar energy potential US you get:That's really cool. Is there a resource that gives you the "solar potential" of your immediate area, like a solar power map?? We have so many bloody cloudy days in the winter, makes me wonder.
https://www.energy.gov/maps/solar-energy-potential
Ohio and my area of NY are in the same boat as far as solar index.... and we are better off than GERMANY and Germany has adopted solar in a big way and as stated I have been making my own power fo 13 years so yes solar works in our solar index.