Questions tagged [electricity]

Questions concerning the production or use of electricity in a sustainable way.

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How do buildings with eco-electricity know their electricity is eco?

Walking around the city centre of Warsaw I saw a poster placed by a construction zone of a new skyscraper. The poster said something along the lines "our building will use electricity from ...
Lukasz Skowron's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
56 views

Inexpensive way of permanently running a fridge with solar power?

I have about USD $3,000 that I can use to invest in solar-powered alternatives at my apartment. Since I live in Latin America, my small rooftop receives tons of sunlight 12 hours/day but is not big ...
rbhat's user avatar
  • 331
3 votes
1 answer
100 views

Best strategy for turning off computer/laptop monitors to save energy but not reduce lifespan?

When doing what's best for our planet, there are often trade-offs involved. One such trade-off can be saving energy vs. reducing lifespan of equipment (which can result in significant environmental ...
End Anti-Semitic Hate's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
56 views

Is it possible to make a device, to stop dropouts, when switching between alternate sources?

I have two 220V AC power sources and a contactor that switches to another if one is unavailable. But it takes few microseconds to switch and there is a moment when both power sources are disconnected ...
Robotex's user avatar
  • 167
3 votes
2 answers
49 views

How can I measure the total home electricity consumption with a high temporal resolution in Germany?

In order to save energy and to investigate the benefits of a balcony solar array (300W), I am trying to find out my total electricity consumption with low latency and high temporal resolution. ...
gerrit's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
167 views

How to connect 12v inverter to 24v two batteries system?

I have two 545 solar panels and 50 amps mppt charge controller feeding two 12v batteries and I have a 12v 1000 watt inverter, how do I connect the inverter to the batteries? Should I connect the ...
Nebrass Fatima's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
123 views

Is there enough total Lithium in the Earth's crust to make sufficient grid storage to meet total global Winter energy demand?

I'm fact checking the statement: "There isn't enough Lithium in the planet (Earth) to store enough energy to make it 4 months through the Winter" here: https://youtu.be/fzzWVLSPgK4?t=192 ...
Life5ign's user avatar
  • 153
3 votes
1 answer
104 views

Does stocking my refrigerator with canned drinks (Cola) consume more energy?

I have in my refrigerator relatively few products. However, I always have a 2 week supply of Cola cans. That is, I put the cans in much earlier than I consume them. Does my large supply of Coke cans ...
Sybil's user avatar
  • 133
0 votes
1 answer
811 views

A converter from CHAdeMO cable to CCS connector for charging EV cars

A very similar question to this one. Is there any solution available to use CHAdeMO charging cable to power EV car equipped with CCS socket? My knowledge gained so far says that there isn't anything ...
trejder's user avatar
  • 135
1 vote
1 answer
89 views

CHAdeMO to Type 2 connector for charging EV cars

I'd like to refresh and potentially update my knowledge. Is there anything like CHAdeMO charging cable to Type 2 car plug connector? or any other solution that would allow me to charge my Type 2 car ...
trejder's user avatar
  • 135
1 vote
1 answer
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What will happen if person accidentally touches the + and - terminal simultaneously of a few parallel connnected 30A 18650 batteries?

Will a person get electrocuted? Is it possible to protect against this? Some rules set or protection devices? For i.e. we have a power bank of 16 18650 3400mAh 30A batteries. What if it's case will be ...
Robotex's user avatar
  • 167
4 votes
1 answer
33 views

Temperature for hot water cylinder

I live in an apartment in the UK. There's an electric "hot water cylinder" (storage tank) to heat water for tap usage. (Not for heating, there are electric radiators for that.) This hot ...
Mirko N.'s user avatar
  • 143
2 votes
0 answers
81 views

Is there any efficient and small-scale compost heat recovery(CHR) system?

I want to develop a system mainly based on compost heat recovery technology. Much research has already been in the past years and some good DIY designs established for farms to warm greenhouses. But ...
gitpharm01's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
978 views

Is there an efficient method to generate electric power from wood on a residential scale?

1 kg of firewood is said to have around 4-5 kWh of energy. Some wood stoves claim a burning efficiency up to 90%, and I understand this means how completely the wood is burned. Pipe loss is not ...
ketil's user avatar
  • 131
1 vote
1 answer
63 views

Power company consistently reports higher consumption than solar PV system

My power company has very consistently reported 45kWh ± 5% per month higher consumption than my grid-tied Enphase system data over the first 6 months of my installation. Why would that be? Is my power ...
Nathan Baulch's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
32 views

Choosing heat sources to use with the current UK energy mix (carbon footprint)

This is related to Relative carbon footprint of gas or electric heating (UK) but with 2 key differences: things have changed in the 7 years since it was asked; I'm asking about the use of the systems ...
Chris H's user avatar
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14 votes
5 answers
6k views

For electricity use, which is better: Turning all appliances on at the same time, or spread out?

In the 1980's, a company I worked at owned a stand-alone building, and they were concerned about their electricity bill. It seemed to be higher than it should be. A manager called the electrical ...
4dcndn's user avatar
  • 293
3 votes
2 answers
149 views

Minimizing home heating costs with high ceilings

I live in an old rental house with 12 foot ceilings and zero ceiling fans. I am trying to conserve as much energy as possible as heating costs are expensive. I have placed plastic on all of my windows ...
Kasi Darnell-Tibbs's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
52 views

Charging only one battery at a time, automatically

Sometimes I have multiple batteries I want to charge, but I don't want to charge them all simultaneously. There are three scenarios for this: My power source isn't strong enough to charge all the ...
Nic's user avatar
  • 2,849
5 votes
3 answers
144 views

Electricity need to switch all cars from fossil fuel

For purely hypothetical discussion, I was asking myself how big electrical production increase would be needed for a first-world country when switching all cars from fossil fuel to EV only. I made the ...
lucamauri's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
238 views

What darknet would you choose (or is it not justifiable)?

I want to know if there are any darknets that are sustainable. I have my doubts about Tor due to their apparent interest in Proof of Work. https://blog.torproject.org/stop-the-onion-denial In ...
DojAZCCKdX's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
114 views

How to ensure you are using efficient chargers for cell phones, laptop computers, and other electronic devices?

I recently asked a question regarding a sustainable way to generate white noise. I received a wonderfully helpful comment from Móż (thank you!) in which Móż recommended ensuring that the power source ...
End Anti-Semitic Hate's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
72 views

How to create a sustainable white noise generation box?

I would like to create a white noise generation box. I want it to be as sustainable as possible (within reason), as it will likely be used 24/7. My thinking so far is to use an old, unused smartphone,...
End Anti-Semitic Hate's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
201 views

Which energy sources will replace fossil fuels for heating homes in cold climates?

Many countries are looking to phase out fossil fuels for domestic heat and hot water within this decade (see related question). Which alternative energy sources will primarily replace fossil fuels? ...
sba222's user avatar
  • 373
4 votes
1 answer
426 views

Any way for microinverter PV array to power a house when the grid is down?

Suppose I'm already heavily invested in microinverter type solar panels -- with the inverter on the panel on the roof. These comply with UL 1741 and will stop supplying power the moment they see grid ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
37 views

Effects of refrigerating vegetables that I'm supposed to freeze

I recently experimented with storing "frozen edamame" in my refrigerator for 7 days (about 45 degrees F/7 deg C), instead of the freezer. There were seemingly no ill effects. So that made me ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
3 votes
1 answer
101 views

Embodied energy of tap water

There is a significant chance that this has been covered on SE, but I haven't yet found anything similar enough for my taste (see related questions, below). Question: How could I go about coming up ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
1 vote
1 answer
40 views

Help me safely mod my freezer

I want to connect my freezer to an external thermostat like this to maintain a higher temperature than it otherwise could. Are there any thermostats or other control devices that would keep the ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
2 votes
1 answer
55 views

Can I insulate my refrigerator to improve efficiency?

Any "reasonable" methods would be appreciated. I have heard that this can be done but I'm dubious that it would do much. Maybe if I put polyethylene on the right bits?
capet's user avatar
  • 743
3 votes
1 answer
148 views

Most efficient cheap heating system for small apartment in the US midwest?

I live in the US Midwest and am looking to upgrade from my current old baseboard heaters to a more energy-efficient solution. Any ideas? I am already well advanced on a parallel project of home ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
2 votes
0 answers
41 views

Help me estimate my annual refrigerator power consumption from this data sheet?

I am shopping for refrigerators and looking at this model. Feel free to let me know if that's stupid. But my main question is this: I'm trying to come up with a moderately conservative power ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
2 votes
1 answer
44 views

How does the EPA estimate annual power consumption for refrigerators?

I'm trying to get a simplified idea of how the EPA estimates annual power consumption for refrigerators, e.g. here. There are a number of reasons why I want to know this, but there are three big ones: ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
0 votes
1 answer
34 views

How do I find an efficient AC-DC converter for low-power applications?

My understanding is that AC-to-DC converters each have their own "sweet spot" in which they achieve their rated or advertised maximum efficiency. I want something with maximum efficiency at ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
2 votes
1 answer
322 views

How to test accuracy of my Kill-A-Watt or similar device?

I have a used Kill-A-Watt power meter and want to see how accurate it is. In my "conventional" middle-class USA apartment, am I likely to have any electricity-consuming devices that I could ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Can I use a "normal" thermometer in a refrigerator?

My refrigerator has a rheostat that I want to turn up to save energy. I'm trying to figure out whether I need to get a dedicated refrigerator thermometer. I have a digital and a mercury-based ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
5 votes
1 answer
57 views

What will happen if I leave my freezer off most of the time?

I only use my freezer to freeze ice packs, which I only use about an hour every two days. Because of this, I plan to turn my freezer off (or to the hottest setting) most of the time, and then reduce ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
2 votes
2 answers
71 views

How to get a small volume of freezer capacity with high efficiency and low cost?

I have a big refrigerator/freezer and barely use any of the space. I also don't necessarily need to keep things cold all the time, as I mostly use it to freeze ice packs and extend the freshness of ...
capet's user avatar
  • 743
2 votes
1 answer
85 views

How to identify the rating of my electrical panel

Recently I got a bid from a solar company and they said I don't need to upgrade my electrical box since it is rated at 125 amps, and for that value, I can install a 7k system based on calculation here....
Dude from SF's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
75 views

Should I close vents to unused rooms?

It’s 40°C at dusk during a summer heat wave. My electric utility is threatening blackouts and begging people to conserve. I have a couple unused rooms in a detached suburban house that don’t need air ...
Spencer Joplin's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
45 views

Creating a string of six 2V batteries in series to power an inverter

Background: I have a Magnum Energy MSH3012RV 3kw inverter-charger that runs on 12VDC and I'd like to be able to discharge around 250 to 300 AH between recharges (from 120VAC input) without the ...
Josh's user avatar
  • 101
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

How can I figure out what's using so much electricity in my home?

I recently moved into a new home with 2 other housemates and our combined bill for electricity is far higher than I expected. We're using just over 40 kWh per day, on average. When I lived alone, my ...
Nic's user avatar
  • 2,849
3 votes
1 answer
100 views

Should a projector be turned off if it won't be used for five to ten minutes?

The conference rooms in my office have projectors mounted on the ceilings, typical of many offices. During the day, several meetings will be scheduled in the rooms, with perhaps five to ten minutes ...
LShaver's user avatar
  • 11.8k
5 votes
4 answers
1k views

Are fuel cell electricity generators a sustainable way of making electricity?

Since 75% of the universe is hydrogen, would it be sustainable to use fuel cell electricity generators? Fossil fuel generators won't last forever, because there is not an endless supply of fossil ...
Atticus Denewmont's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
48 views

I have got some lights for hydroponic growing, they run from the UK mains but have small clover shaped connectors - what are these called?

I just got a load of LED grow light tubes - they have mains connectors that use clover shaped plugs -- very much like a lot of laptop chargers use, but just a bit smaller. There is no label on the ...
pperrin's user avatar
  • 145
5 votes
1 answer
196 views

Is electricity used at night more likely to be renewable?

Discussing charging my electric car with a colleague recently I argued that since (in Ireland) our renewable energy sources are mainly wind and hydro, since I charge my car at night the mixture of ...
Jacxel's user avatar
  • 153
5 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why are my LED light bulbs so short lived?

I thought the idea of LED is, that the light bulb has a very long life and uses very little electricity. I have not invested in full LED lighting but tried the LED bulbs, you screw in your normal ...
user1721135's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
263 views

Is Tesla Powerwall a good investment?

I'm trying to determine if investing in a couple of Tesla Powerwall units to store solar energy is a wise financial decision. My energy cost is $0.1649/kWh. The installed price of the two Powerwall ...
nelsonic's user avatar
  • 259
3 votes
2 answers
730 views

Differences in efficiency between oven, toaster oven, and stove?

Wondering how efficient different cooking methods are (for the sake of example, assume a dish in a cast iron pot heated by stovetop vs. oven). Stove seems to use less energy than an oven (as the ...
Jamie PW's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
58 views

Are pure or modified sine inverters different?

Just starting my power closet to power my off grid mobile home I've come to question everyone that I belive would know with no concrete answer Is there a difference between using a modified sine or ...
Damnitdog's user avatar
3 votes
6 answers
268 views

better to heat house with gas or with electricity?

Is it better to heat house with gas or electricity? We have gas insert and gas heating but am looking at other options for sustainable energy use. Thank you!
Kassie's user avatar
  • 39