I have a ham radio acquaintance here in Vermont who lives on a mountainside,
and who has been literally off the grid for several years now.  He uses very
little propane annually, and is mostly dependent on solar, wind and wood -
the latter for heat and hot water in the winter.
SamC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Diehr" <md03@XOCHI.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 2:44 PM
Subject: Justifying a solar panel : dual use?

> It would be cool if there was a cost-efficient way to use your
> vanagon's solar panel for powering your home appliances when you are
> home.  E.g. when you are home, you unplug your solar panel and set it
> up in the back yard.   Anyone figured this out?  I'd assume that grid-
> tie systems don't make any sense with 50-120 watt panels.
>
> Is there anything around the house that would be handy to power w/
> solar?  Maybe your laptop?  What would be cool would be a inverter
> that had two inputs:  solar panel (12-18v) and 120VAC and put out
> 120VAC.    Plug your home computers into it, and when you are home,
> plug your solar panel into it.