Wampum

Who'd have thunk?

Over the last week, I've been floundering helplessly in a subject I know absolutely nothing about, but which I know I'd better master, at least nominally, before I commit my family to a year in a 1900 cubic foot metal box with wheels, ostensibly "off the grid", so to speak. The subject? Electrical engineering. Double E, as referred to with knowing glances by my dad and brother, both engineers of the mechanical/metalurgical persuasion. Despite four years close proximity physically and socially to three of the top tech schools in the US, I never dated a Double E. I was told there was a reason for that. They never left the library.

We have two options as "fulltimers" in an RV: We can remain on the "grid", setting up "camp" (if one can call it such) in full-service camp-grounds with full hookups, including 50 A power, or we can "boondock", living off non-grid power, namely, our house batteries. Thing is, batteries need to be recharged, and that's where the vast black hole of knowledge on my part came in. A week ago, I could not even honestly articulate the difference between AC and DC; Okay, can you? And don't even try with the Heavy Metal references.

So now, after literally more than a hundred hours of study, I not only know the basics of the RV's electrical backbone, I now feel comfortable setting up a basic solar electric array, as well as inverting my 12 volt DC current into 110 volt AC, without frying my whole system.

Because of this intense study, I only yesterday became aware of Senator Frist's massive leap of faith into the heart and soul of the Christian Taliban. But I now feel the timing couldn't have been better. I figure that between the Yellowstone Caldera erupting on a supervolcano scale and the Age of Revelations due any moment, it seems to be a perfect time for a little "Survivalist" training - you never know when you might be fleeing into the wilderness from pyroclastic flow, or good old fire and brimstone, of the more traditional kind.

I've become more and more convinced of late that the Christian Right has honestly read one too many in the Left Behind genre. To that end, who cares if the economy tanks, the environment is trashed or thousands of our young men and women die in an Arab desert thousands of miles from home. It's all part of "The Plan" anyway. But it's certainly distressing for the mere thought of an alternative practicality for these "sustainable living" skills to pop into my head after reading one too many headlines indicating that there are far too many in this country who would welcome it's complete meltdown - as evidence that Armageddon was upon us. Not only welcome it, but work towards that end.

I look forward to the day that learning the difference between watts, volts and amps merits pure unfettered joy on my part. It's certainly a strange enough occurence that it certainly warrants such an undiluted reaction. Or should I say undeluded.

[Addendum: In case anyone is interested, here is the setup I've decided upon:

Morningstar 30A controller w/ meter
2 Kyocera 125W solar panels (14.4A)
2-4 Trojan T105 6v batteries (220 - 440 AH)
1 Xantrex 1500W inverter/charger
1 Xantrex inverter control panel
1 Kipor 2KW generator

Please feel free to critique.]

Posted by MB Williams at April 18, 2005 08:34 PM | TrackBack