Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

Does anyone have any practical experience or general know-how or even just good advice about using any electricity generating devices?

Ideally such device would power an average house and be usable in a remote location -- Oh, and not present a fire-hazard!

http://generatorsforhomeuse.net/

Thanks GR! ... I wanted more than just where to buy stuff. I hear they are notoriously dangerous, so I have eliminated them as a possibility. Don't want to depend on the petroleum industry either.

[Oracle]

then look at green ways to generate electric, with wind generator and solar panels with a bank of leisure batteries and inverters to get up to 240v, all sourced in gb where these things are affordable. use this system for low wattage things you want on a lot of the time when home, like lights, tv, pcs etc

The government offers about 50% subsidy for such systems. Can you get the subsidy if you buy from abroad?

I'll leave the subsidies for someone else who possibly can't import from abroad as easily as I should be able to (I hope). Unless, there are any made in Cyprus, specifically for Cyprus conditions.

[bill cobbett]

my dear o, first thing to consider is to reduce the number of appliances that need electricity, so for instance go for gas powered fridge, and of course the usual cy solar water heaters.

then look at green ways to generate electric, with wind generator and solar panels with a bank of leisure batteries and inverters to get up to 240v, all sourced in gb where these things are affordable. use this system for low wattage things you want on a lot of the time when home, like lights, tv, pcs etc

on top of all that you will need a generator for the heavier uses, a 45kva one will more than power a whole house but very, very big and very, very expensive, suggest a 6-7kva silent running diesel one which is big enough to run some appliances at the same time but not all at same time, so don't expect to boil a kettle of water, heat the water in winter, do the ironing, make the toast and run the washing machine all at the same time. again pretty affordable in gb.

Thanks b.c. Our requirements will be minimal. May not need a fridge (unless hubby wants super-cooled Keo ) and certainly no other electrical white-goods. I've found some really cool briefcase sized solar cells which I've worked out I can hook up to a "leisure battery" that I will attach a car cigarette lighter socket to and we can power a laptop and recharge mobile phones etc. And hot water is taken care of in the usual way as you mention ... except, do you need power to get the water into the tanks?

Think Our O, ... if you have some sort of access for a lorry, get a man with a suitable water truck with a pump to get it up to the deposito for you.

Also don't forget the old ways of the old villages for keeping things cool, with damp towels or evaporative earthern-ware.

[Oracle]

Also don't forget the old ways of the old villages for keeping things cool, with damp towels or evaporative earthern-ware.

Still used them in our Polis place until a few years back -- and will resume -- plus the cooling effects of a flowing river.

[Nikitas]

I have experience with these from the time we were repairing our house on Kea island.

First observation- generators of all kinds are NOISY. We used small Yamaha ones and also one I believe from Honda. They all make noise. OK for powering equipment during construction but not the thing for relaxing on holiday evenings. These machines also spew out a constant stream of exhaust gas.

Second observations- solar or wind electricity is OK for LIGHTING and even then it needs a storage system, ie batteries and inverter and the most suitable batteries are nickel not lead and they are EXPENSIVE.

Using solar or wind generated electctricity for heat or motion is a total waste of time. No PV or wind system small enough to fit on a house can provide that kind of amperage. A two square meter PV can light up a 150 meter house.

So, lights with renewables, cooking and refrigeration with gas. If you insist on AC move house or pay to have the grid brought to you.

My long term solution was to abandon the house. I had enough of the never ending care and worry about a remote house left to the depradations of vermin and the weather. And I RELAXED! Anybody wanna buy a cheap Greek island plot? Foreigners need not apply.

[georgios100]

Does anyone have any practical experience or general know-how or even just good advice about using any electricity generating devices?

Ideally such device would power an average house and be usable in a remote location -- Oh, and not present a fire-hazard!

I own a renewable energy company in the Dominican Republic. I can advise you after you answer these questions;

1. Is the house to be occupied all year round or just on weekends?
2. List all the "heavy loads" (pool pump, AC, fridge, stove etc)
3. Do you need to incorporate renewable sources or not?

Regards,

Georgios100

[Oracle]

I have experience with these from the time we were repairing our house on Kea island.

First observation- generators of all kinds are NOISY. We used small Yamaha ones and also one I believe from Honda. They all make noise. OK for powering equipment during construction but not the thing for relaxing on holiday evenings. These machines also spew out a constant stream of exhaust gas.

Second observations- solar or wind electricity is OK for LIGHTING and even then it needs a storage system, ie batteries and inverter and the most suitable batteries are nickel not lead and they are EXPENSIVE.

Using solar or wind generated electctricity for heat or motion is a total waste of time. No PV or wind system small enough to fit on a house can provide that kind of amperage. A two square meter PV can light up a 150 meter house.

So, lights with renewables, cooking and refrigeration with gas. If you insist on AC move house or pay to have the grid brought to you.

My long term solution was to abandon the house. I had enough of the never ending care and worry about a remote house left to the depradations of vermin and the weather. And I RELAXED! Anybody wanna buy a cheap Greek island plot? Foreigners need not apply.

Nikitas, I am sadly disappointed! You have turned into a soft Athenian wimp!

I remember living in our village (in the 60's) without electricity or running water and never experienced hardship! We had oil lamps at night and a communal tap for water supplies.

So, anything on top of that is a bonus.

[Oracle]

Does anyone have any practical experience or general know-how or even just good advice about using any electricity generating devices?

Ideally such device would power an average house and be usable in a remote location -- Oh, and not present a fire-hazard!

I own a renewable energy company in the Dominican Republic. I can advise you after you answer these questions;

1. Is the house to be occupied all year round or just on weekends?
2. List all the "heavy loads" (pool pump, AC, fridge, stove etc)
3. Do you need to incorporate renewable sources or not?

Regards,

Georgios100

Hello, Georgios100

Let's assume weekend-only occupation, for the moment. Minimal requirements: a laptop. Radio will be wind-up or solar. Some lighting (outside will all be solar powered), hot-water; all solar powered, and so any additional can come from wind or solar and do away with diesel generators. Feasible, huh?

Do you have any info on hydro-electric generation to make use of a river (9 months of the year)?

[georgios100]

Does anyone have any practical experience or general know-how or even just good advice about using any electricity generating devices?

Ideally such device would power an average house and be usable in a remote location -- Oh, and not present a fire-hazard!

I own a renewable energy company in the Dominican Republic. I can advise you after you answer these questions;

1. Is the house to be occupied all year round or just on weekends?
2. List all the "heavy loads" (pool pump, AC, fridge, stove etc)
3. Do you need to incorporate renewable sources or not?

Regards,

Georgios100

Hello, Georgios100

Let's assume weekend-only occupation, for the moment. Minimal requirements: a laptop. Radio will be wind-up or solar. Some lighting (outside will all be solar powered), hot-water; all solar powered, and so any additional can come from wind or solar and do away with diesel generators. Feasible, huh?

Do you have any info on hydro-electric generation to make use of a river (9 months of the year)?

Sounds like a stand alone application. If the grid is far away, or too costly to bring in then you can attempt what you describe.

Basically, stand alone systems consist of:
1. Power generating sources (generator, solar panels, wind turbine and hydro mini turbine).
2. Energy storage (battery bank).
3. Power conversion to household current.
4. Misc equipment (wiring, fuses, transfer switches, voltage meters etc).

1. Power generation.
Any or all of the above can be used. Remember, you can consume as much power as the one you produced. Reduce your needs as much as possible by utilizing energy efficient appliances & lighting. When designing the system, energy conservation is paramount. You can use multiple energy producing equipment (see item 1) and store all of it into your battery bank for later use.

2. Energy storage.
Unlike most people think, the battery bank is a must. Solar panels are nice but don't produce any power during the night. Therefor, your night lighting needs must come from the battery bank. Usually, the battery bank is a set of deep cycle batteries connected together in series or parallel to equal 24 VDC. The battery bank is the most costly item due to it's lifetime (3-4 years). The replacement cost is high.

3. Power conversion.

The battery bank stores electricity at 24 VDC, similar to a car battery but with much more "punch". You will need an "inverter" to convert 24 VDC to 220 VAC (household current). Inverters are common, widely available but not cheap. This item is a must as well.

4. Misc equipment.
The whole system must be connected using wiring, fuses & meters. This is a job of a specialized electrician - do not attempt this yourself.

Note. Hydro turbines (small) are available in the market. They are not suitable for a river but rather for a high level water reservoir due to the "head" requirement for the turbine to work. Exclude this option for now.

A short description of systems I install in the Dom Republic.

The systems consist of a generator (12-20 kw), a battery bank and an inverter. People run the generator in the morning hours for approx 5-6 hours. During the morning, all heavy loads are working (pool pump, AC, stove, iron, washing machine, dryer, vacuum etc). During these 5-6 hours, the battery bank is being charged to capacity. By the afternoon, the generator is switched off & the house goes on battery power till the next morning without any further use of heavy loads to avoid rapid depletion of the battery bank. Solar panels & wind turbines can be added to compliment the genset resulting is reduced genset hours, saving fuel.

I don't live in Cyprus and don't sell or install systems in Cyprus. I am sure there are renewable energy companies there that provide the service. They can help with the paperwork to obtain the Government subsidies as well.

These systems may sound complicated but, really, they are not. Tested for many years, they work very well indeed. Maintenance of the system is essential to success. Another very important thing to remember - install a good "ground" to support the electrical system of the house. Usually a 10 foot copper rod is driven into the ground c/w a heavy gauge wire connection to your main electrical panel. Homes without "ground" are fair game to lighting which can "fry" the house wiring and appliances in a split second...

Hope this helps.

Georgios100

[apc2010]

Does anyone have any practical experience or general know-how or even just good advice about using any electricity generating devices?

Ideally such device would power an average house and be usable in a remote location -- Oh, and not present a fire-hazard!

I own a renewable energy company in the Dominican Republic. I can advise you after you answer these questions;

1. Is the house to be occupied all year round or just on weekends?
2. List all the "heavy loads" (pool pump, AC, fridge, stove etc)
3. Do you need to incorporate renewable sources or not?

Regards,

Georgios100

Hello, Georgios100

Let's assume weekend-only occupation, for the moment. Minimal requirements: a laptop. Radio will be wind-up or solar. Some lighting (outside will all be solar powered), hot-water; all solar powered, and so any additional can come from wind or solar and do away with diesel generators. Feasible, huh?

Do you have any info on hydro-electric generation to make use of a river (9 months of the year)?

Sounds like a stand alone application. If the grid is far away, or too costly to bring in then you can attempt what you describe.

Basically, stand alone systems consist of:
1. Power generating sources (generator, solar panels, wind turbine and hydro mini turbine).
2. Energy storage (battery bank).
3. Power conversion to household current.
4. Misc equipment (wiring, fuses, transfer switches, voltage meters etc).

1. Power generation.
Any or all of the above can be used. Remember, you can consume as much power as the one you produced. Reduce your needs as much as possible by utilizing energy efficient appliances & lighting. When designing the system, energy conservation is paramount. You can use multiple energy producing equipment (see item 1) and store all of it into your battery bank for later use.

2. Energy storage.
Unlike most people think, the battery bank is a must. Solar panels are nice but don't produce any power during the night. Therefor, your night lighting needs must come from the battery bank. Usually, the battery bank is a set of deep cycle batteries connected together in series or parallel to equal 24 VDC. The battery bank is the most costly item due to it's lifetime (3-4 years). The replacement cost is high.

3. Power conversion.

The battery bank stores electricity at 24 VDC, similar to a car battery but with much more "punch". You will need an "inverter" to convert 24 VDC to 220 VAC (household current). Inverters are common, widely available but not cheap. This item is a must as well.

4. Misc equipment.
The whole system must be connected using wiring, fuses & meters. This is a job of a specialized electrician - do not attempt this yourself.

Note. Hydro turbines (small) are available in the market. They are not suitable for a river but rather for a high level water reservoir due to the "head" requirement for the turbine to work. Exclude this option for now.

A short description of systems I install in the Dom Republic.

The systems consist of a generator (12-20 kw), a battery bank and an inverter. People run the generator in the morning hours for approx 5-6 hours. During the morning, all heavy loads are working (pool pump, AC, stove, iron, washing machine, dryer, vacuum etc). During these 5-6 hours, the battery bank is being charged to capacity. By the afternoon, the generator is switched off & the house goes on battery power till the next morning without any further use of heavy loads to avoid rapid depletion of the battery bank. Solar panels & wind turbines can be added to compliment the genset resulting is reduced genset hours, saving fuel.

I don't live in Cyprus and don't sell or install systems in Cyprus. I am sure there are renewable energy companies there that provide the service. They can help with the paperwork to obtain the Government subsidies as well.

These systems may sound complicated but, really, they are not. Tested for many years, they work very well indeed. Maintenance of the system is essential to success. Another very important thing to remember - install a good "ground" to support the electrical system of the house. Usually a 10 foot copper rod is driven into the ground c/w a heavy gauge wire connection to your main electrical panel. Homes without "ground" are fair game to lighting which can "fry" the house wiring and appliances in a split second...

Hope this helps.

Georgios100

But she does not want to use a genny, is there no way are storing solar better ?