[TheForge] solar systems

[Ries Niemi]

I thought about solar power, but then I found out the sun is only 
single phase- and all the good tools are 3 phase.

Passive solar power, that is, designing your buildings to take maximum 
advantage of the sun, and to store the heat, has been used for 
thousands of years, and it works great.
Solar powered hot water is also pretty well worked out, and cost 
effective.

But generating electricity from solar is usually only worth doing if 
you are REALLY in the middle of nowhere- like if the power company 
wants $20k to $50k to hook you up.
Otherwise you will be paying a lot for the privilege of being 
politically correct.
Solar panels have dropped in price, but they still cost a lot, and that 
is just the beginning- you need to regulate the power, and transform 
it. I shudder to think how much it would cost in solar panels to supply 
my shop- I have 200 amps of 3phase right now, but we are getting ready 
to wire the new, second shop building with another 200. And often, with 
3 of us in there, we run several tools at once- the bandsaw might be 
running on its own, then each of us running a big machine- welders, the 
power hammer, the rolls, or a lathe and a mill.
Plus, around here, its cloudy a lot.

If, on the other hand, you are just talking about a few light bulbs and 
the blower on your forge, then hey- go for it.

ries