Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #03267
To: George Rix rix.g@bmts.com
From: Steven Bolt sbolt@xs4all.nl
Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 16:45:10 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: 1381 --> Zener?
On Thu, 13 May 1999, George Rix wrote:
> And I checked the SunEater SEs and I doubt it would be
> cost-efficient for me to make one of those either. My budget
> currently is around a buck or two.
All SunEater SEs can be put together for that kind of money. The
same is true for Ken Huntingtons Micropower SE, even if you use new
parts; and used stuff can be found for all these designs, as they use
only very common parts. The latter is especially true for the
Micropower SE and the 4-transistor SunEater.
The expense is not in the SEs themselves, but in the storage cap,
the solar panel and the motor. A good capacitor can be found in the
power supply of an old printer, computer or any other substantial
low voltage equipment. Very good motors are used in micro-cassette
recorders, answering machines and Walkmans. Good solar panels are
less common, but the Micropower SE can make do with a calculator
panel. Its four transistors (or equivalents) will be easy to find
in junk, and it isn't that hard to get going.
To build a really good Solar Engine, you need to spend only time
and effort.
Best,
Steve
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# sbolt@xs4all.nl # Steven Bolt # popular science monthly KIJK #
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