Shifting Solutions

A note to anyone with electronics experience.

The displays are digital voltmeters that are connected to LM34CZ temperature to voltage sensors.  The sensors produce a signal with 1mV/degree F.  So .85 Volts represents 85F.  Neat!  Check the page 7 of the data sheet LM34CZ to learn how to attach it to a long inductive wire (I used microphone cable).Click the image at left to see a schematic for the whole dashboard.

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I tucked the collector sensor under a piece of insulation wrapped around the tube that enters the Solar Wand, and the tank sensor I poked deep under the tank insulation at the top of the tank.  All the wires connect to a  terminal strip on the back wall.  The sensors and meters are powered by a wall transformer that provides 12 Volts at 100mA.At some point in the future I might even build a graphical display that shows the readings for the last 24 hours.

There is much talk about the government initiating plans to fun clean energy. We all know, that good changes take time and still, most of the changes will take place within larger industry. The R & D has to be paid for or paid back to the Feds and so those costs have to be passed on to the consumer. What all this means is that YOUR energy  costs will remain or even continue to rise as this country  explores their options on clean energy. As the energy costs rise, we, the home owner, need to continue balancing our budget and tighten our belts even more.

One way we can reduce our monthly bills and not  wait for major industry, is to learn about sustainable living methods and implement some sort of renewable energy system for  our homes, ourselves. Installing a wind power generator or learning to build your own solar panels for a home solar system and produce our own home solar power, is one way to cut monthly costs with little outlay of cash.

Explore the many ways to save and the DO IT YOURSELF help guides available at shifting Solutions llc.com.